Friend request from god

A student of English literature, Neeraa Maini Srivastav always knew she had it in her to write a book. But it was only at the age of 33, after working for years in the field of advertising that she got to write her first one — The White Crow (2008). Neeraa, who is also a certified Reiki practitioner, admits that now she can’t stop the flow of words that come rushing to her in the most surprising manner. Her third and most recent book, 1 Friend Request Sent: From Hanuman, answers the most intriguing and imaginative “what ifs”: ‘What if in this age of digitilisation, Gods reached out to us not through thunder and lightening, but the Internet ’ In an attempt to answer this question, the book focuses on 10-year-old Pia and her online friend, Hanu.

Which genre draws you the most as a reader and a writer I have always had keen interest in mythology and metaphysics — an interest that has even spilled on to my books. It’s more of a personal journey, one that enables me to understand the deeper meaning of life.

What is your antidote to writer’s block Writer’s block can happen to the best of writers. During this time, it’s important to defocus, take your mind off the topic you are thinking about and delve on something else. One of the tips that my creative directors gave me, when it comes to writing is to take mind across lateral fields, explore more genres, read up on different topics because that will enable you to broaden and sharpen your writing and thinking prowess.

What are some of the tips you can give aspiring writers As a writer, your job is creation than being bothered about dejection. Even though every writer loves being recognised, it can’t be your singular driving force. Everyone will not resonate with your writings, and that’s the truth. For instance, I would prefer Amish Tripathi over Chetan Bhagat, and that’s not because I am judging their work but what appeals to me. Also, it helps to get opinions from other authors. I have few friends who are published authors, and I always take their help and look to them for suggestions.