INTERVIEW FOR CONNECT ASIA NETWORKS

Connect Asia Networks (C.A.N), a unique global platform dedicated to engage, enrich and empower through eduainment featured me as a 21st Century Change Maker as a part of their initiative called 21st Century Change makers- Talk Less, Do More.
This is a milestone for Writerspoint!

follow this link to - Read the interview at CAN.

Kai: Hi! Shivesh, how do you like to introduce yourself to CAN?

SB: I am an eleventh grade student from India. I don’t like to keep my feelings buried. I prefer to share it with people around me. For this I take to words as they are powerful and can make or break our world, shape opinions and motivate minds. My tryst with writing began back in 2008, when I won a National Level Article writing competition. After that my articles began to get published in newspapers and I realized- I can write! Two years later, in 2010, I decided to create a forum where, I could share what I write. Writerspoint was born!

Kai: So Writerspoint – yeah I get it… Writer’s point without apostrophe and space  .. tell me more!
SB: Writerspoint’s objective is to create and share ideas. It is not just about my ideas, but of others also who have something inspirational to share. This December, we completed a year. Eight experts from different field took to Writerspoint to share their inspirations. I believe; share happiness and it will double, share sorrows and they will divide, share ideas and they will multiply, and that is the agenda!

Kai: What is the source of your Inspiration?
SB: Different people and different situations inspire me. There was a class-room discussion on ‘stereotyping Muslims’; which inspired me to write a story. When a friend shared her ballet class experiences; I was motivated to pen a dancer’s story. Each story evolves from a different inspiration.

Kai: What is the best part of being the conductor of Writers point?
SB: Writerspoint is my child. Writerspoint gives me the joy of being able to share what I write. It has also given me recognition. At the end of the day, when you write something you want it to be read. Writerspoint has given me those readers!

Kai: Amazing…what are the challenges that you face?
SB: Being a student, I have to manage Writerspoint with daily school, homework, projects, tests and exams. So, time is the biggest challenge. Especially during exams writing a blog post becomes impossible. After exams, I get depressed when I realize I have not written since some time!

Testing Prototype & Executing Finale

Kai: How do you convert the ideas/inspiration to features at Writerspoint?

SB: Ranjit Lal, who has penned many fiction and non-fiction writing for children and adults talked about an ‘idea box’. He said you should observe people and your surroundings and maintain a box, where you put all the ideas you get. So whenever I get an idea I make a draft in my hand phone and when I get the time to write, I use these ideas.

Paro Anand, introduced me to this very interesting technique – Bum In Chair. You just have to sit on a chair, with an idea in your mind and a pen in your hand. A good story will come by itself. If you keep thinking of an idea and keep planning things in air, it will vanish within no time. So Whenever I have time, I take my pad and start writing. Sometimes I end up tearing couple of pages. After a while, I am actually able to write something good enough to post on Writerspoint.

Inevitable Invisibles
Kai: Who are the people who help you execute Writerspoint? What is their role in your success?

SB: I am very fortunate to have talented friends, who have always helped me not only with execution but ideation also. Manya Ahuja, who provided photographs for three blog posts, is so talented that her pictures speak 1000 words! She has arranged these images in the shortest deadlines and has never compromised on quality. Another friend, Mitul Lall did pictures for a feature by a published Indian author. The pictures she clicked were simply beautiful. Shweta Maheshwari who modeled for them also deserves special mention. Together they make a terrific team! The three of them have done so much for Writerspoint for absolutely nothing.Divya Mittal helped me to spread blog’s reach by taking it to more people. She also manages Writerspoint’s Facebook page. There are other friends like Ipsita Aggarawal, Kalash and Kanagana Pandya who have been true pillars of support.

Besides them, I owe Writerspoint’s success to all those who read the blog and appreciate it. All the love not only makes us feel good but also encourages us to do better.

Kai: What is your New year vision and where do you see Writerspoint 5 years from now?
SB: Writerspoint has grown from a personal blog to a platform where number of people work hard to give readers an amazing reading experience. We have had around 6000 page views and audience from 10 countries! Within a year, renowned authors like Paro Anand and Ranjit Lal have given us interviews. Other professionals, authors, illustrators and actors have written for us. It is a matter of great pride and we wish to take it further. I also plan to start taking articles from other student writers because as I said, the ideas will multiply. 5 years from now, I hope to see Writerspoint as a developed website with a huge number of writers and a lot more readers.

Kai: Wow, you are inspiring! One big advice to CAN young-ones and grownups
SB: To the youth my advice is to develop the talent/ interest you have. All of us have hidden skills, try and discover it. Don’t hesitate to do what you want to. Remember, no one is going to make your dreams come true for you. It is your job to get up every day and work towards it. What is important is to enjoy every step of the journey.
To the grownups: When a child is young, parents make him/her join all kind of art, music and dance classes to develop ‘interest’ but when it comes to actually pursuing an interest, they are the first ones to disapprove. Most parents don’t want their children to become artists, whether dancer, actor or musician. I want them to realize that your child will be happy in true sense only when he/she gets to do what he/she likes. You should support or at least consider their decision with an open mind.

Kai: I wish I could talk to you forever but I GTG…Any parting thoughts you like to share?
SB: Recently we have collaborated with different people and organizations. We officially covered Bookaroo Festival’ 12 and interviewed many authors there. We also collaborated with a talented group of illustrators called Kuchh Macchli and they launched their short film “Odyssey” on Writerspoint. The main objective behind this is to grow. The idea is – Don’t tell us sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon. I hope we are headed in the right direction!

Kai 5- BIG 5 Take Home’s from Shivesh:
Take 1: Having a dream is not enough! I need to wake up and work towards making it a reality!
Take 2: Chair the bum and box the ideas! (Focus without forgetting!)
Take 3: Friends are blessing in disguise (i love my friends any way!!)
Take 4: Having a vision helps me see the future without a crystal ball
Kai’s Favourite Take 5: Don’t tell us sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon