‘ Perseverance and discipline are the keys’
Ruchita Misra’s love for words began in a Lucknow house that her father packed with books. She fantasised about writing a book, but never thought it would happen, till she grew up, got married and left for London. It was recession time and Ruchita decided to try something new every month. The first month, it was painting, the second month, it was writing. That led to her first book The ( in) eligible Bachelors which won her the Awadh Samman. Two years later her heroine Kasturi Shukla comes back, this time engaged to be
married in a book titled I Do! Do I? She eventually found a job but writing remains her biggest passion.
Where did the idea for I Do, Do I come from? Any real life Kasturis you know?
I think Kasturi is a mix of a lot of people I know. She is sassy. She is funny. She is intelligent. She is goofy. She makes mistakes. She lies. She has a heart of gold. She is just real. Having spent years writing about her, I think of her as a distinct and very real person. A lot of people who know me well, however, do claim that they can hear my voice and see my face when they read about Kasturi. Humour seems to be your favourite tool. Is that so?
I think I make people close to me laugh all the time and because writing is such a personal activity for me, it is most natural to just write funny stuff. It just flows... like I am telling myself a funny story. However, I am hoping that my next book will be a lot more serious. Does the title refer to wedding confusions?
The book is a fun take on a couple’s journey from engagement to wedding and talks not just about the confusions we all face when we decide to take the plunge, but also about making mistakes, friendships, parents, love and forgiveness. I like to think that IDDI is all heart, a big throbbing heart. What is the one thing you dread most after publishing a book?
The fact that something that was so personal is now an actual book that anyone can comment on or critique.
Any tips for new writers?
Perseverance and discipline are the keys that are more important in this field than most people will let you know.