About Himanshu Ahuja
Himanshu Ahuja is a creative buff, a story writer, a storyteller, a researcher, and a rigid critic. He is an avid reader and is a staunch believer in the fact that ‘A pen is mightier than a sword’. He pens down his thoughts in the form of quotes, short stories, poems, essays, articles, and tiny tales, as he believes that writing is the most satisfying pursuit of all. He aims to deliver uncommon perspectives through his work in order to encourage the readers to ponder upon them in wonder and inquisitiveness. All his writing pieces are 100% original content inspired from his life experiences and learnings. The originality and lucidity are the key tenets of his writing pieces.
His latest book ‘Korero re Life’ is a collection of 120 quotes unfolding unique perspectives towards life, all stemming from his life experiences.
As far as his academic qualification is concerned, he is a graduate in commerce from Shri Ram College of Commerce and a postgraduate in commerce from the University of Delhi. He currently juggles his research career and literary writing and finds both extremely interesting!
LiFT: Tell us about your book, the journey of writing it and its content?
Himanshu Ahuja: About the Book and Content:
Korero re Life is a collection of 120 quotes unfolding unique perspectives towards life. It is basically a non-fiction self-help book that is divided into 3 broad themes – Heap of Harsh Realities, Magic of Motivation, and Power of Pragmatism. The book explores themes of life’s struggles, personal growth, overcoming adversity, and motivational wisdom. It provides a unique perspective on the eccentricities of human existence and encourages readers to reflect on life’s complexities.
This book is unique for its original quotes that delve into the complexities of life, offering a blend of motivational wisdom, grim truths, and practical advice. The inclusion of doodles and illustrations adds an extra layer of creativity and engagement. This book is perfect for anyone who loves short-form content, is inspired by motivational quotes, or seeks daily inspiration. It’s ideal for those who appreciate non-fiction but may not have time for lengthy reads.
Journey:
I have always enjoyed writing short-form content, primarily quotes, on the philosophy of life. I am regular on sharing these quotes on social media (mainly Instagram on my writing page, Inkk_pot). However, writing a book was always my dream. And one fine day, I realized that even these quotes can be compiled in a more structured and interactive way to engage and relate better with the audience. And this is how ‘Korero re Life’ was born.
LiFT: Why you chose this title?
Himanshu Ahuja: The title of the book has gained a lot of attention and has triggered a lot of conversations. The journey to finalize the title of the book has been one of its kind. There was a lot of effort put in to make the title unique, catchy, and yet powerful. Instead of simply using the words/phrases such as philosophy of life, conversations regarding life, and tryst with life, the word ‘korero’ was included in the title to convey the desired meaning. In order to add uniqueness to the title, a Latin word ‘re’ was added that means ‘regarding’. So, the title ‘Korero re Life’ was born (the brainchild of the author as well as the Editor of the publisher, Mithaas Services Pvt. Ltd.). The title literally means ‘Conversations regarding Life’. The title is very pertinent and does justice to the book that captures content on the philosophy of life and everyday eccentricities of human existence.
LiFT: When did you realize that you want to be a writer and what’s your inspiration behind it?
Himanshu Ahuja: The journey to writing started back in college days. I was the Editor-in-chief at National Service Scheme of Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi. That experience created in me an immense interest for writing. Further, my interest in writing got impetus during the pandemic when I started my Instagram page named ‘Inkk_pot’. I also participated in numerous contests and anthologies, and in turn got good outcomes from the same. All this kept on bolstering my interest in writing and transformed the same into my passion. Besides this, I am also an avid reader and a staunch believer in the fact that ‘A pen is mightier than a sword’. This is a strong inspiration behind me choosing writing as a mode of my expression. I typically write to bring in a positive change in society and to make this world a better place to live in!
LiFT: Where do you see yourself ten years down the line in the world of literature?
Himanshu Ahuja: I can just say that I will continue to nurture my writing skills on a consistent basis and be patient and perseverant to let my efforts show results. I plan to expand my boundaries through testing multiple formats and genres within the ambit of writing. In a nutshell, I will just do my part i.e. hard work, and leave the rest to my destiny and the Almighty.
LiFT: How much do you think marketing or quality of a book is necessary to promote a particular book and increase its readers?
Himanshu Ahuja: It is extremely important and indispensable. Quality writing and publishing is just 10% of the work. The rest 90% revolves around making the work visible. Promoting the book on right platforms and targeting the right audience at the right time is the key. Being an author is not enough. The aim should be to be an authorpreneur. Leveraging the power of one’s network, building a community, and counting upon the scalability of social media are some of the key paths an author must definitely explore.
LiFT: What is the message you want to spread among folks with your writings?
Himanshu Ahuja: What sets ‘Korero re Life’ apart is the fact that it is not just about inspiration but way more than that. Besides motivation, it delves into other critical eccentricities of our lives, namely, heap of harsh realities and power of pragmatism. There are numerous aspects conveyed through these quotes that we all go through or have gone through but surprisingly never pondered upon them in a way to create an impact on our lives through a changed mindset leading positively to the way forward. This book is an attempt to make readers pause and reflect and immerse into the reality they are a part of!
We as humans are not very comfortable talking about our struggles and are more focused on the glorious times. Most ramifications of our struggles dwell deep down inside us and create negative feelings to the extent of blocking our ways forward. This book, through highlighting struggles as a key overarching theme, attempts to make readers understand that they are not alone in their struggles. Struggles are a part and parcel of our everyday existence, and each struggle has a significant role to play in our lives and shape our journey better. Some struggles show us the grim reality and open our eyes, some act as motivators providing us the necessary ‘kick’ to move forward, while others just show us the much-needed path of pragmatism to simplify the chaos that we are surrounded by! This is what ‘Korero re Life’ is all about.
LiFT: What do you do apart from writing?
Himanshu Ahuja: I am a Market Researcher by profession. So, that is what I do apart from writing.
LiFT: What are the activities you resort to when you face a writer’s block?
Himanshu Ahuja: I just take a break from writing. Read books, watch movies, and rejuvenate. And then I make a comeback. All we need is a break and some space to let new ideas flow into us so that we can continue writing. One of the quotes of Korero re Life is: “Taking a pause to play purposefully in the long run is desirable than moving aimlessly without a pause.”
LiFT: Are you working on your next book? If yes, please tell us something about it.
Himanshu Ahuja: I do have plans for future books. I haven’t really decided on what my second book will include. It may be a Part 2 of Korero re Life or maybe something altogether different. I will love to talk about it once there is a concrete decision made on that. Whatever it will be, I will try to include life’s intricacies through unique dimensions, wherever I can!
LiFT: What are your suggestions to the budding writers/poets so that they could improve their writing skills?
Himanshu Ahuja: All the aspiring writers should just ‘start’. Most of the times, our limitations (internal or external) hinder our path. But one should rise above all challenges and become limitless. Some get restricted by their confidence, others by their age. In a nutshell, I would urge aspiring writers to begin what they are passionate about and put forward their work, wherever and whenever they can. Work on yourself, build connections, take concrete feedback, work on feedback, revise your work, read more, explore more, but don’t stop!
Click here to order Himanshu Ahuja’s Book – Korero re Life
