'Indian kids lonelier and less confident'
For self-expression. And also in case my writing can enable or empower someone it is more gratifying.
Neeraa Maini Srivastav is an advertising professional-turned-writer of several children's and young adult books including 1 Friend Request sent from Hanuman, The Adventures of the Bubblegum Boy and The White Crow. Her latest title, 150 Brilliant Ideas to keep Young Minds Fit and Fine, addresses the rise in childhood obesity and depression among Indian youngsters in a contemporary, light-hearted fashion. Srivastav spoke to The Asian Age on her writing life and her view of what ails today's children.
Why do you write?
For self-expression. And also in case my writing can enable or empower someone… it is more gratifying.
Who is your target audience?
Children/young adults.
What are the problems facing Indian children?
Lack of self-worth, emotional poverty (loneliness) and lack of a ‘real childhood’ (connect with innocence, nature).
Why have these so-called ‘western’ problems infiltrated Indian society?
Because ‘western’ attitudes and lifestyles have infiltrated ‘parenting’.
What is the best piece of advice you have got for parents trying to overcome them?
To become parents, not judges. To nurture rather than mould.
What is the best piece of advice you have got for children?
Be yourself: smile when happy, cry when sad. The point being express yourself, don’t hold back.
Do you have a writing schedule?
Well, I write almost everyday, even if it is not for a book — could be an article, a blog, story, etc.
Do you keep a diary?
Yes.
Describe your favourite writing space
A coffee shop, facing a garden/ pool.
Who are your favourite authors?
Plenty — from Jean Anouilh and Mark Twain to Tennessee Williams, Terry Brooks, and Kiran Desai…
Your favourite children’s book.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.
Your favourite literary character.
Elizabeth Bennet (Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice).
Your favourite word. Possible.