Interview With Risha Chaurasia: Young Author From India
Despite just being 16 years old, Risha Chaurasia is already a decorated author. Not only is she the author of two books (one being a Kindle Bestseller), she is also a Queen Commonwealth Essay Gold Awardee, literature advocate, and founder of her own organization — Straight.From.My.Pen — which aims to provide writing workshops and simplify economics and finance for the youth. She is the author of the books TRUCE and Tales of Twinkling Tweens, which have received shining reviews online.
The Empowerment Paper has had the privilege to interview such an accomplished teen. Risha continues to inspire the staff of The Empowerment Paper as well as youth across the world.
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THE INTERVIEW
What led you to your passion in writing and what made you want to become an author?
I grew up as an avid reader and practically spent my childhood with my nose in a novel. My grandmother also used to narrate bedtime stories to me each night, sparking my interest in fiction and storytelling.
As a reader, I always dreamt of seeing my name on a published piece of work and this dream along with my love for literature sparked the writer in me.
As an author, I get to create art that will stay beyond my life and the ability to create something that will stay in the world for decades to come inspires me.
Does your culture, where you grew up, and ethnic-racial background affect how you approach literature? If so, why?
Most definitely! I come from India, a country rich in culture, heritage and literature and my nationality and childhood played a key role in shaping me up as an author. A young mind is extremely receptive to their surroundings and my family created a safe, encouraging environment for me to grow and write in.
I was deeply impacted by Disney movies and the ‘perfect fairytale’ and also drew inspiration from Indian Bollywood music.
My family also imbibed a strong sense of morality and value system in me, ideals that often reflect in my stories. I write from my own experiences, leading to my work being raw, real, and relatable.
My next novel is a traditional Indian high school drama, giving a deep dive into the Indian schooling system, and my culture and surroundings serve as a great source of inspiration.
In literature, it is found that there is an extreme lack of representation of people of color; literature has proved to be undiverse. What do you think about this?
I completely agree and have faced this issue myself as well. As a child, I struggled to find stories about Indian tweens. There were books for kids in the form of fairytales and fables and for teenagers in the form of romances, however tweens were often ignored.
The books I did read were based either in the UK or USA, such as the English Boarding school series Mallory Towers and were stories I found hard to relate to.
Even today, the teen romances are based on the American lifestyle and there are practically no YA novels based around Indian teenagers, a gap I wish to fulfill in the years to come.
My sister told me to write the book I wanted to read and that is the perfect solution to the problem of diversity. If BIPOC creators write stories they want to read, on their culture and lifestyle the gap can be bridged. WE’VE GOTTA GET UP AND REPRESENT!
What is your favorite thing about your blog and organization, Straight From My Pen?
My blog allows me to meet and connect with people across the globe and work with wonderful initiatives, such as yourself. Social media is a powerful networking tool, provided you use it right and I love the connectivity and opportunities my blog offers.
It also allows me to create an impact and educate and encourage young minds by the thing I do best- writing!
What advice do you have for other young budding authors/entrepreneurs?
I have a 2 pronged advice-
Have a very strong sense of self and believe in your abilities. The way you perceive yourself, the world will perceive you. The world will pull you down, haters will hate but if you believe in yourself and your work, you’ll be unfazed. Believe in yourself and watch the world believe in you.
Hard Work is like a boomerang, it always comes back to you. If you dedicate yourself to what you love to do, success will walk to you. Keep hustling!
Are you still writing/in the process of writing a new book? How do you balance life as a student, teen, and author?
I am working on a 3rd novel and it’s been a challenging experience. It never gets easier. Time management is something I regularly struggle with and more often than not have to make sacrifices. I try to keep my professional and personal lives separated and balanced, yet they do intermix from time to time.
The best way to manage time is to make the best of it whenever you can. I write in school dutting free lessons and also when I’m traveling.
I practice the Pomodoro technique of 25 minute deep work and 5 min break, make a to-do list every morning and heavily rely on organizational tools.
And while it may get overwhelming at times, I like being busy and wouldn't trade it for the world.
What was your favorite moment as a teen-author on your publishing journey?
Nothing beats the feeling of holding your novel in your hands for the first time. It is an indescribable feeling, looking at your dreams and hard work come to fruition in the form of a book- a book that’s here to stay.
My books are my brainchild and receiving that first copy is pretty equivalent to a mother holding her baby for the first time.
Your book, Twinkling Tweens, revolves around the ups and downs of a tween’s life. Were any of the events/scenes in the book inspired by your own experiences?
Yes! Most of my writing is based on my own experiences, making it authentic and relatable for my readers. In my novel Tales of Twinkling tweens, I dealt with the topic of bullies, inspired from my best friend and her experience. My characters in TRUCE were based off a few of my friends, yet each character had a part of me.
The story of my character Cayra and her self image issues were inspired from my own experiences. I believe that the best kind of writing comes from real life experiences and I try to tell my story through my characters.
What is your favorite genre of literature and why?
I LOVE self help novels and mystery novels. I constantly seek to improve myself and read books that help me become the better version of myself. I am also a business student and love reading finance novels based on investing. Books are a medium for me to educate myself.
In your novel, TRUCE: Novis Initiis, five friends get through life and bloom into young adults because of their strong relationships and friendships. In your opinion, what is the most important part of a young-adult relationship/friendship and why are strong relationships important for a teen on the verge of adulthood?
I believe that relationships are the most important aspect of being a teenager. Teenage is a volatile and confusing experience and falling in the wrong company can potentially derail your future. I, personally, have been blessed with a great friend group.
Teenage is when we’re the most emotionally vulnerable and finding people who help navigate those emotions are super important. I strongly believe in the quality of relationships over quantity and I think being a teenager is all about finding your tribe!
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To keep up with Risha’s work, follow her on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit her LinkTree!