A ninth grader, Sapkota is an example of a budding young writer who, with her sheer determination, followed what she always wanted to be and believed in.
The young writer seems quite mature for her age when she talks about her passion for writing which started when she was in fourth grade.[break]
Her book, “Untitled Life,” which is edited by writer Prawin Adhikary is about American teen love culture.
She was inspired to write the book by her friend and parents, and she has already started working for her next novel.
“It was an overwhelming experience for me when my book got published and when people appreciated it and asked for my autograph. It felt like achieving what I always believed in,” she says, describing her experience after her book was officially launched.
Republica caught up with Nirdistha to discuss more about her new book, her lifestyle and her future plans.
What is the novel about?
The novel is about the life of a 17-year-old teenage girl named Winona Forsooth in Hollywood, who is an actor and a singer. It revolves around her friends, her love life and her family and career.
It’s basically about the glitz and glamour of Hollywood life. But the novel is not just about any typical Hollywood girl as it also shows her traumatic life later when she has to give up her career due to family problems. It shows the girl’s transition from her teenage years to when she gets older.
Who do you look up to as your inspiration?
Writers like JK Rowling, Khaled Hosseini and Enid Blyton have been my inspiration for writing. Apart from them, my friend Shreya Joshi, who also published her book last year, has always encouraged me to write.
I had already written four short stories just for enjoyment, but then I was also looking forward to writing a book. Shreya then motivated me to work on my book, and that’s how I got the idea of publishing a book.
Given that you are a student, how did you take time out from your hectic schedules for writing the book?
I usually used to write after completing my school assignments and sometimes stay up late at night, till around 1. It took me seven months to complete the book. Even my editor, who is also a writer, was surprised because he has never finished any book within seven months.
I did a lot of research through the Internet, and with the support of my parents, it was possible.
How did you choose the subject for your novel?
The character in my novel is actually inspired by Hannah Montana, the American television series based on a young girl. In Nepal, we don’t see novels being written about the life of Hollywood, and since such subjects always fascinated me, I really wanted to write something about it.
What do you do in your free time?
When I have free time, I like to listen to music, be it any genre except for the blues. Apart from that, I’m also very much into dancing, singing, reading books and playing the violin. I also like watching American and Korean movies.
What do you think about the current scenario of reading and writing culture among youth here?
I can see that a lot of young people are more into fashion and they just indulge in other fun activities. They don’t focus much on their studies and think that studies are only for the geeks.
Moreover, teenagers just want to copy others and hide their true selves just to get the tag that they are cool. I don’t think the current generation cares much or are into writing.
Do you have any suggestions for upcoming writers like yourself? What would you like to say to young writers who are looking to write a book?
What I would like to say to the youngsters is that whatever you have and do, don’t just lose hope. People may have negative comments on what you write. But there’s good and bad to everything; so always do what your heart says.
What’s your aim when you grow up?
I want to take up writing professionally. If I get an opportunity, I would also like to act in Hollywood.
What are your future plans?
I’ve already started working on my next novel. My second novel will be more realistic and based on the situation in the country. My story will be on orphans and homeless children.
My book will be fiction but will be based on facts. I often visit the Bal Mandir at Naxal and I really want people to pay attention to it since I don’t like its present shabby state. Thus, I want their story to come out, and so I’ll be writing a novel on the orphans.
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