Shrijana Sharma has authored several collections of stories, poems and a novel. Sharma’s novel, Golden Gate, that recants a tale about the suffering and success of a Nepali woman who faces the consequences of DV immigration in the US, has garnered much admiration among literature enthusiasts. In this conversation with the Post’s Samikshya Bhattarai, Sharma talks about her passion for children’s literature. Excerpts:
What inspired your involvement in literature?
I believe that everybody has an inherent talent, for me it has always been writing. I have had an undeniable inclination towards reading and writing for as long as I can remember. Growing up, my family played an important role in inspiring me to read and write. My mother used to read a lot of religious texts, and I eventually took on to that habit. And my brother always encouraged me to write by appreciating my work and bringing me lots of books to devour and hone my writing habit with. I have to say my job at Save the Children also contributed to my involvement in literature to some extent by providing me with the opportunity to pursue my love for writing. On the job, I got to meet and interact with many children who have inspired many of my stories.
You have written for both adults and children. Is writing for the latter more challenging?
People assume that writing for children is an easy job; the reality is that it’s rather challenging. It’s harder than writing for adults. Many stories have been written for children—but they have been penned with the intention of leaving behind a moral lesson. Not many stories have been written with the purpose of entertaining children and getting them hooked to reading. Today, one needs to be very careful while penning a children’s book (or story). One needs to be careful about what is being written and how it is written—because the new generation of children are smarter and more sensitive. Many technical things need to be taken into consideration. What’s of utmost importance is to understand the psychology of children. As a writer I need to be able to consistently generate a sense of curiosity in my little readers and it is not easy.
How has working with children helped you with your writing?
I worked in the communication department in development sector; and while on the job, I got to interact with many children. While creating communication materials for children, I used to brainstorm creative ways to communicate and resonate with the children. The process and experience helped me understand child psychology to some extent. I even wrote few children’s books at the workplace.
What do you think makes a good writer?
A good reader makes a good writer. Only a person who reads a lot and has extensive knowledge can write well. One also needs to be a good listener to be a good writer—who is capable of taking feedback and criticism. Feedback is important for a writer’s growth and so is interaction with fellow litterateurs and readers.
What advice would you like to give to people aspiring to be children’s book author?
I am myself just in the learning phase. But from my firsthand experience I can tell that anybody who is aspiring to write children’s books should explore creative ways to arouse curiosity in children. Children will be keen to continue reading only if their interests have been tapped into. The writer should move beyond imposing moral lessons to children and work on making the story entertaining. Let the children figure the moral themselves.
What would you like to say to the readers?
Firstly, I think not many of us have developed the habit of reading books. So, I would like to request readers to read more and to encourage other people to read too. I would also like to ask readers to provide constructive criticism to writers rather than harsh criticisms. I would like to request them to let go of the prejudice against writers—especially female writers—and look at the content of books rather than the name of the author.
