About Deepti Kolte
Deepti Kolte has extensive experience in both corporate and startup worlds backed by her impressive engineering and an MBA background. A poet at heart, she believes in the transformative power of poetry. Her writings are characterized by their simplicity and profundity.
Apart from her literary endeavours, Deepti is also a podcaster and a mental health advocate. Through her initiative Yellowcheer she is doing her bit for mental health awareness. Her podcast, ‘Mental Health Musings’ is currently in the top 10 in India and top 100 on the web in the genre. (Feedspot).
Her latest poetry book, ‘The Light at the Edges’ is available worldwide in ebook and print formats on Amazon, Flipkart, Barnes and Noble and other online booksellers. It is also available in 15 select and leading offline bookstores.
LiFT: Tell us about your book, the journey of writing it and its content.
Deepti Kolte: ‘The Light at the Edges’ is a poetry book that celebrates the small joys in the ordinary moments of life and exudes hope. It radiates warmth and simplicity yet carries a profound message.
The book is a mosaic of 40 poems, each a different colour of life’s simple pleasures and moments of introspection. The poems act as a reflection, revealing the magic hidden within the mundane and ordinary elements of life.
The poems in the book stand out due to their ability to resonate with our everyday lives. They effortlessly capture our familiar experiences, using natural rhyme schemes and metaphorical verses. The accompanying simple yet impactful thoughts further reveal the essence of each poem.
The structure of the book, with its short, digestible poems followed by spaces for reader’s reflections, invites not just reading but interaction. This unique format enhances engagement, making the reader pause and reflect, thus slowing down the often-hectic pace of life. The inclusion of illustrations not only enhances the visual appeal but also deepens the connection between the verses and the readers.
The book has been resonating with a wide range of readers, including those new to poetry and its greatest strength lies in its simplicity and relatability.
LiFT: Why you chose this title?
Deepti Kolte: The title captures the essence of the book. Hope and joy are what we all need from time to time in our moments of despair. And these are always out there around us, we only need to look out and seek the light. The title is the reflection of this. The overarching theme is finding light in the darkness, hope in despair, and beauty in the ordinary.
LiFT: When did you realize that you want to be a poet and what’s your inspiration behind it?
Deepti Kolte: I have been writing poems since childhood. When my family and friends suggested that I should let more people read these poems and feel inspired as they do, I took the leap and published my first poetry book, ‘The Cheer Collection’. And the response from the readers was very encouraging. So, I naturally had to publish the next one.
I wish to encourage the readers to discover and appreciate the small joys and find hope in both their inner and outer worlds. And that is my latest poetry book, ‘The Light at the Edges.’
LiFT: Where do you see yourself ten years down the line in the world of literature?
Deepti Kolte: Today, I just know that I want to keep writing. Write such that the words exude hope. Write such that the words inspire. Write such that the words evoke a smile. The feedback and the response to my book have been incredibly heartening and uplifting. When readers can connect with the poems and are able to reflect back that is the biggest joy for me. This serves as a constant motivation for me to persist in my writing journey.
LiFT: How much do you think marketing or quality of a book is necessary to promote a particular book and increase its readers?
Deepti Kolte: Marketing and quality are both crucial in the success of a book. A poorly written book may have difficulty finding an audience, even with strong marketing efforts. While marketing can generate initial interest, it is the book’s quality that keeps readers engaged in the long run. Effective marketing is important to ensure a well-crafted book reaches its audience, and marketing efforts are most effective when they complement a high-quality book.
LiFT: What is the message you want to spread among folks with your writings?
Deepti Kolte: All of us need hope. All of us need to feel happy. And we are all striving for that. But all of it is right around us if we let ourselves see that. I wish to encourage people to discover and appreciate the little joys that are there right in the present moment and in the seemingly ordinary moments of life. I wish to encourage them towards discovering the enlightenment we all desire in our thoughts, decisions, daily journeys, and the small joys even in simple things.
LiFT: What do you do apart from writing?
Deepti Kolte: Apart from my literary pursuits, I am a marketing professional having worked in senior roles at corporates and startups across verticals. I am also a mental health advocate and doing my bit for the cause through my initiative Yellowcheer (Instagram: yellowcheeryc). My podcast, Mental Health Musings is currently in the top 10 in India and top 100 on the web in the genre. (Source Feedspot)
LiFT: What are the activities you resort to when you face a writer’s block?
Deepti Kolte: Reading across genres and long walks help me a lot. They help in opening up the mind. It is like having gentle conversations with the world around you.
LiFT: Are you working on your next book? If yes, please tell us something about it.
Deepti Kolte: Yes, I am, but it is still developing so keeping it under the wraps. What I can definitely say is, it will resonate with the readers because it pertains to something we all go through in our lifetime.
LiFT: What are your suggestions to the budding writers/poets so that they could improve their writing skills?
Deepti Kolte: I would say that the more you write, the better you get at it. So, if you feel stuck try another topic, share your writings with fellow writers or your groups of family and friends and see how it makes you feel. Read a lot across genres and topics. Ideas can come in unannounced so be mindful. Be curious.
Click here to order Deepti Kolte’s Book – The Light at the Edges
