My Journey as a Writer – Kirti Bhargava

Writing About Writing!

Today I greet my keypad with a rather unusual and yet a very pleasant endeavor. Writing about my journey of writing, phew! It’s like the writer within has so much to say and yet, I find myself speechless! I believe that this truly captures the beauty of my journey that has humbled me at every step and yet, empowered me to be proud of who I am.

To put it rather simplistically, I reckon my writer’s journey began as a ten year old girl who thoroughly enjoyed writing her diary entries. No matter how the days went by me, my naïve little mind occasionally enjoyed putting it into words.

Joyous, frustrating, saddening, dramatic, my mind was gradually trained to pen down all that I felt. This is what writing has meant to me; it helps rationalize my complex emotions and add an emotional appeal to my rationality.

Donning the Writer’s Lens

I believe we all don our metaphorical spectacles that embellish our perspectives and worldview. As a writer, I’ve learnt to put on a lens to compliment that. My graduation days at Lady Shri Ram College truly enabled me to add different colors to my lens. As a Sub-Editor for the LSR College Magazine, I acquired hands on experience mentoring correspondents for reporting and writing. Looking back today 6-7 years later, there are so many experiences and so many people who played their part in making me who I am. The initial hand holding must all be credited to my parents who encouraged me to just start, wherever I am, with whatever I have. They are my two pillars of support and strength.

Another very special mention here would be for Abha Chona ma’am, my mentor from when I was a correspondent for the school magazine at Delhi Public School, R.K Puram. She is the true embodiment of the phrase “Empowered women, Empower women” in my life. I wouldn’t be half the writer I am today if it weren’t for her constant guidance and kind, motivational words that made me believe in myself even when my mind was clouded in self-doubt as a teenager.

I’m inclined to say that writing is a skill that I feel comes naturally to me. As I garnered exposure through my college days, and more specifically as a student of Sociology, I was sensitized to articulate my views on what was happening around me. To the risk of sounding cliché, I drew my inspiration to write from everything, the big and the small, the routine events of life.

I was blessed to have my articles and opinions on a host of societal issues published; such as the Informal sector economy in India, refugee status and its policy ecosystem, student politics, kinship structures, abortion rights for women in India and a range of diverse topics. These columns were warmly welcomed and received an overwhelming response from my parents, peers and professors alike. All of this helped me believe in my Power, the power of my words and the power of my work.

Riding The Writing Journey

The ride so far has been nothing short of a roller coaster. I adorn a paradoxical mixed basket of both celebrated articles with heartiest congratulations, but also some rejections and tears. The latter first befriended my final year of college, when I was nominated to be promoted to the post of Chief Editor for the LSR College Magazine. I still remember that day waiting outside the conference room for my interview, with butterflies in my stomach. It felt like there was nothing that I could want more than to be heading the very magazine that has helped me evolve as a writer. After a pleasant half an hour long interview, the next few days were shattering. There I was, I hadn’t been selected for the post of Chief Editor and back then, it felt like the end of the world for me. It was a sob fest for me and I vowed to give up writing, as if that was the next logical step to take!

But here I am, writing about that much unfulfilled vow, and gladly so. Life really does come full circle. Even today, I sporadically receive emails from editors and publishers telling me that they will not be taking my pieces forward. But this has all taught me acceptance; for it may well be so that sometimes, when I won’t “fit in,” it’s just not where I belong in the present moment. It is a blessing in disguise to halt, reflect, introspect and find the grace to keep growing. My journey has exemplified for me that failures teach us equally, if not more than our glorious successes. So I think what keeps me going is that I no longer blindly chase success, I’ve just chosen to stop being afraid of my failures.

Realizing My Responsibility As A Writer

This is what I enjoy the most in what I do. The more I read, the more I seek and the more I write, the more clarity I find. Over the last few months, I had my pieces featured on prominent platforms like The Print, Firstpost and The Bol Magazine. I wrote about complex societal issues like the Transgender Rights Act, Climate Change and COP26, Population policies in India, the issue of Child marriages and most recently, my views regarding the Hijab Row controversy were published on Women’s Day.

Attempting to present a perspective on such significant topics made me realize the responsibility that is bestowed on my words as a writer. To be able to connect with my readers and to offer possible answers to complex questions has been incredibly enriching, and yet challenging. The intent has been to initiate meaningful discourse and I wouldn’t want it any other way! I’m thankful that I have been able to find my voice in my pieces, while simultaneously becoming more informed and my readers have been able to resonate with my thoughts. Some of these pieces have been rewarded as the “Most read article” or “Most popular” by the websites and I’m beyond grateful.

Things I Would Do Differently

In all honesty, looking back, I don’t wish to change anything or retract any decisions I made in my journey so far. And that is not because I didn’t make any mistakes, because believe me, I made a handful. It’s perhaps an acknowledgement that those were the best possible choices I could’ve made based on the knowledge and experience I was endowed with then. Going forward, I only hope to make the most ethical, most honest and most reasonable decisions based on my knowledge in the present moment.

Howsoever, I am today beholden with a few philosophical lessons that I would implement differently

#1 – Say No to Self-Rejection

The first would be to never self-reject. I’m sure my fellow writers would relate to this. How many times have we started writing a pitch, but halfway though, we felt it wasn’t good enough and dropped the idea? I almost made that fallacy with the last piece I got published. I doubted if I should write about the Hijab row, do I know enough to share, will anyone want to hear me out in the middle of all the chaos that has surrounded the issue? Not only was the piece briskly approved but holds the distinction of being featured on the special section of International Women’s Day on Firstpost! I received insightful comments and feedback from so many readers who were able to connect with my voice. I reckon believing in oneself is half the battle won when facing our fears.

#2 – Say No to Comparison

The second would be to not compare my progress and work to fellow writers. In a fast paced world like ours, it is easy to get mired in the number of pieces and platforms one has worked on. Our journeys are not a race; it is a blissful walk along the beach, where we each have our own individual incessant oceans to conquer.

Our testing waters have their own unique crests and troughs and our best bet is to learn to swim through our life’s tides. In learning to do so, we can get inspired by, and inspire, those around us. I try to only stop swimming through my crests and troughs, to admire others, and practice restraint in comparisons.

#3 – Say No to Procrastination

A third probable difference I wish to bring to my work ethic is to avoid procrastination. It seems to be a poor habit that I have inculcated, and I hope to be able to overcome this storm soon, too.

Related Read: Time Management in Practice

The Quest Continues…

In the early days of my exploration as an opinion/editorial writer, I believed my opinions should be ‘perfect’ and bullet proof. As if any opinions in this universe are not subject to any question! I couldn’t be farther from the truth. What I have realized over time is that our readers don’t expect perfection from us. They just expect truthfulness, to stand on our ground beyond reasonable doubt. And that is certainly a quality worth striving for.

I have learnt that our journeys get only as difficult as we make them to be. The first step is often the most dreaded one to take, but once we embrace the ups and downs, the journey becomes comfortable. What I wish to imbibe in myself as a writer is to think before I write, but to write enough so the thoughts can naturally travel to me; to have the patience to reach the final draft, but also be courageous enough to start with the first draft. When I start writing a piece, I try to emulate the mindset of the great thinker Socrates:

The only thing I know is that I know nothing.

Socrates

It helps me stay open to differing views and encapsulate the essence of the issue holistically. It guides my research from the perspective of an unbiased onlooker, which I then try to materialize into a coherent conviction of my own.

But even as I write this today for you to absorb, I think ‘expertise’ and ‘perfection’ are transcendental in nature, and yet so worthy of one’s aspiration. If we regard one as an ‘expert,’ is there no greater expertise left for them to keep yearning for? I believe I am and shall continue to be, only an aspirant, and I hope I have been able to authentically convince you of the virtues of being one too!

About The Author:

Kirti Bhargava is a graduate in Sociology from Lady Shri Ram College for women. A published author and freelance writer based in New Delhi, she is presently striving for more knowledge in her field and beyond.

She is extremely passionate about current affairs and seeks to bring about a positive societal impact through her words and work. Her insightful editorials dealing with sensitive issues such as Child marriage, Hijab row controversy, climate change and the like have been published on prominent platforms like The Print and Firstpost.

She occasionally takes breaks from her routine to mentally rejuvenate by trekking the Himalayas and dancing.

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