writing

We are pleased to announce that one of SPS CALA’s former writing students, Madhvi Ahuja, has recently published her first book! After taking a few of our writing courses with Professors Robert Black and Chet Kozlowski in 2012, Madhvi began working with her friend, Kiren Rai, to author Cupidity—Ping Me, Love. Set in New Delhi, India, this fun, engaging work of fiction tells the story of 3 close friends, Naina, Tara, and Nihal, and their search to find fulfilling relationships and an outlet for personal exploration. They delve into the vast, unfamiliar world of online dating in the hopes of making emotional connections, liberating themselves from the constraints of social conventions, and shaking up the mundanity of their everyday lives.

Read our interview with Madhvi below.

When did you decide that you wanted to become a writer?

To find peace in chaos, some people meditate, some cook, I write. I don’t think it was something I decided, writing found me. It became my go to place when I was little. It helped me skim through my thoughts. Over time, I found that I had to build on structure and style. I consciously pursued writing much later in life.

Tell us about your experience with our courses. How did they impact your writing?

In 2012, I found NYU SCPS had a few courses that could help sharpen my writing skills. The entire experience was exhilarating, to say the least I soaked it in like a sponge! The teachers shed so much light on how to improve. And the course structure and assignments helped me identify and fix the gaps and errors.

Were there any standout moments for you in the courses?

It was all very technical. I remember asking, after a second version on an assignment, ‘does the editing ever stop?’ I got a smile and a very composed, ‘no’ in return. In that frenzied internal moment of will-I- ever-get- it-right!?! I found the calm. I was ok, and that was a writer’s epiphany, of sort.

Who are your favorite authors? Why?

When I was younger, it was all about mysteries and drama, to be honest. However, over time, it’s not about one person or a story, it is about what captivates me as a narrative. Not the story but the way the story is being told. Somewhere along the way, I stopped reading purely for story, and more for how words are beautifully woven together for me to enjoy what is written.

What was the inspiration for Cupidity? Were any of the characters or events based on real people?

Three years back, Cupidity- PING me, love came as an opportunity through a friend, my co-author. In India, the online dating universe was new, but the need for love and void of loneliness were age-old, world- wide, relatable spaces. This light- fiction genre was easy for me to fall into, so I picked elements from the research, and flew with creating stories around them. It has been a fantastic experience!

Is there a particular message or lesson that you want you readers to take away from the story?

The story has three main protagonists. Each of their stories has been written in a relatable manner. I think what is significant as a take away is that it doesn’t matter where you are or who you are, these are human emotions, we all feel them. It is ok; you are not alone.

What is your writing process like? Do you have any strange or interesting habits?

As I was warned by professors and other writers, everyone has a unique process. Co- authoring a book showed me that because we had very different processes. I wrote at odd hours, and every draft was written as if it were a final paper assignment! Chapter wise, from beginning to end with no gaps, no room for error, correct spacing, indenting, and spellchecked. I wrote as if it were my last draft.

What was the biggest challenge in creating the book?

The many, many, many, MANY edits the manuscript saw over the span of three years. As we evolved in our lives and as writers, so did the storyline and narrative.

What was the most fun aspect of the process?

The conversations of where the story was going. I am glad I co- authored my first book; it gave me immense confidence. I was able to discuss my ideas and play out the plot with someone as invested in it as me.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

The same I got from my professors, write. It is the only way you will improve. Just keep practicing. Also, make sure you keep learning from other people’s writing.

Do you have any more writing projects in the works?

I need my creative mind to process and enjoy the reviews of Cupidity- PING me, love. Currently, I am thinking about my next book, but I still have to start laying the foundation of it. However, the writing has not stopped. I have my own content solutions firm, ‘the writer’s web.’ We write for businesses across different writing platforms.

Finally, where can readers get in touch with you?

Readers can get in touch with me via my Facebook pages:

https://www.facebook.com/cupidity.in

(Please review the book on Amazon!)

https://www.facebook.com/thewritersweb.in

Or my website: www.thewritersweb.in

Or my email: contact@thewritersweb.in

NYU SPS CALA will be offering a variety of writing courses for journalists, screenwriters, poets, novelists and more this fall, including:

Creative Nonfiction Writing
Beginning Screenwriting
Writing Your TV Pilot
Feature Writing for Print and Digital Media
Jump-Start Your Novel
Witness to History: Personal Essays and Memoirs
Getting into the Writing Habit

Registration begins July 5th!