CAREER PROFILE : Sima is still doing the right thing

 If you would have told Sima Mittal three years ago that she would be a published author today, she probably wouldn’t believe you. The Dar-based writer published her first book, ‘Doing the Right Thing Isn’t Always Easy --- in 2015.

It is about a girl who is supposed to make the right choices concerning a piece of candy she got from school. E & D publishers published the book. Sima’s short story ‘Dying Gracefully’ appeared in Writivism Anthology 2015 - ‘Roses for Betty and other stories’ which is also available on Amazon.

How did you start writing?

My two daughters were very young when I started reading to and with them on a daily basis. At night while tucking them to sleep, we would weave our own stories together. Whenever I wanted to teach them something, I would hide the message in a story. Because I forget fast, I started jotting down some of the stories.

How has this journey changed you as a person and as a mother?

As a person, I feel liberated. I feel alive. Now, I look at life from a relaxed and fun angle. I have learnt to worry less and experiment more. I am able to find an outlet to my fears and anxieties through my writing. As a mother, I have learnt to be more relaxed with my children, giving them more time to enjoy life ‘in the moment’.

3. What is your writing process?

Since I am still new and emerging in my writing journey, I do not have a fixed routine. But I would like to have one. I write whenever I get time. It does not necessarily have to be something that I am working on. Attending a workshop in Toronto, I learnt that it is very important to write ‘first thoughts’, no matter how stupid or silly they are. It helps to unload oneself and then get to the actual writing process.

Also when the muse finds me, I write like crazy. It is important to have your ideas on paper, otherwise you forget them or you may not believe in them. But most importantly I would love to write at least a 1000 words daily which I have not yet mastered.

Some people think that writing Children books is easy, what has been your experience?

Even though I enjoy writing for Children more than adults, I think writing for Children is tougher than writing for adults. There are many genres in writing children’s books like picture books and young adult

One also has to know which market/audience one is catering to. Children in different countries have different levels of reading. You also have to be careful not to use difficult words. But the good thing is that children all over the world love reading and it is awesome to get their feedbacks.

What challenges do you face as a writer?

I did not learn or study to write, so I am not aware of the craft or art. Writing is very creative but at the same time there are many technical details and specifications that one needs in order to produce quality work.

What are your future plans?

I want to write more and to enjoy the process. But I am afraid that when writing becomes a job, it can get frustrating. I hope that through my writing, I will be able to produce more interesting children’s stories, some poetry; and perhaps one day, a novel.