Nikita Singh: I started writing when I was nineteen. In the first 2 years as a writer, I wrote and published 6 books! Ever since then, I’ve consciously slowed down to an average pace of a book per year. Now when I realize I’ve written 11 books in 7 years, it sounds made up!

Nikita Singh: Letters to My Ex is my eleventh book.

Nikita Singh: I’ve started working on my next book, which is actually a sequel to my last book, Every Time It Rains. We don’t have a name yet, but it picks up where left Every Time It Rains off.

It’s actually the third book of the series. Like a Love Song was a story about Maahi and her friend Laila. Every Time it Rains was about Laila’s romantic relationship. In the next one, we see more of Maahi’s life.

Nikita Singh: Back in 2010, I went to an internet café to do my research on publishing guidelines set by publishers. I discovered that most publishing houses require a synopsis, a few sample chapters and a short bio about the author. My bio was very short because I had done nothing in life yet; I was in college studying Pharmacy!

Once I had my proposal packet, I went back to the internet café and sent it over to publishers. Fortunately, I started hearing back from them very quickly.

Nikita Singh: My writing process is a running joke in my friend-circle! Basically, I plan my book subconsciously in my mind (aka procrastinate) for 8-9 months. And then I sit down to write when I’m about to miss my deadline. I then have no choice but to write really fast! I finish my first draft in 14 days.

Then send it to my agent, who sends his notes. I read my manuscript for the first time, make edits based on whatever I feel intuitive and my agent’s notes. I send this second draft to my editor, and then we go back and forth on primary edits, copy-edits, proof-reading and typesetting for a couple of months, and there — we have a book!

Nikita Singh: I’m very bad at answering that question because it’s so hard to choose one! I read mostly fiction, but recently, I’ve been reading mostly non-fiction. How about I tell you some of my favourite authors instead? They are a mix of fiction, non-fiction, Indian, International, genres – Jhumpa Lahiri, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, James Baldwin, Vladimir Nabokov, Cecelia Ahern, Thomas Bernhard, J.K.Rowling, Rebecca Solnit, Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters… oh, so many to name!

I just received a copy of ‘Love a Little Stronger’ that Preeti Shenoy sent me, and immediately started reading it!

Nikita Singh: I think it’s great! Every once in a while, people like to pause and think about the direction their life is going in… and this can be a major milestone in anyone’s life. I feel honoured to be nominated. I definitely cherish how it makes me feel.

Nikita Singh: It makes me so happy, to be recognized for representing my generation and their thoughts. I’m very grateful!

To connect with Nikita Singh:

Twitter: @singh_nikita