Hey there everyone.

Welcome to another Writer Wednesday folks, it’s great to be back with you all again to share some incredibly useful insightful advice regarding the art and craft of writing 🙂

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Tonight, I am very happy to be sharing with you the news that Vijaya Gowrisankar has just launched another new book stuffed full to the brim of emotionally engaging poetry and inspirational quotes galore.

I originally interviewed Vijaya about her previous poetry books, her passions and inspirations, which can be found at these links below:-

Author Interview – Vijaya Gowrisankar – “Explore”, “Inspire” & “Reflect” (Poetry Author)

New Book Release – Vijaya Gowrisankar – “Savour – Art and Poetry meet” – An Exquisite Collection of Art & Poetry

So, get ready for another extraordinary follow-up Author Interview, as we ask Vijaya candid questions about her new book and find out how she crafts her delightful, inspired poems.

Have a fantastic time friends and as always, thank you for reading, keep supporting your fellow authors and writers 🙂

Hi there Vijaya, a pleasure to have you back here with us again to discuss your latest release, your fifth book of poetry called “Evolve”, which is full of wonderful memorable poems and insightful quotes.

Hi David, glad to connect with you once again. I am grateful to have this opportunity to share the journey of my new book “Evolve” with you.

What are the themes that unite “Evolve” together and how did you approach preparing them for this collection? Did you have to remove any poems that did not fit into the core themes that you were exploring for this book?

As I was pondering about the name of this book, many titles came to mind, till “Evolve” stuck. Then, the question, “How do we evolve in life?” And, in finding the answer to that question, the themes that tie this journey together came into being.

1. Aspire where you want to go.
2. Ascertain (realize) who you are today.
3. Choose to grow.
4. Change step by step.
5. Accept the hurdles that come your way.
6. Appreciate life’s flow.

I wrote new quotes and new poems. I looked at my unpublished work poems to see if they fit into these themes. Yes, whichever poems or quotes did not fit into the themes, I removed them.

Why is your latest book called “Evolve”, what is the relevance to the poems and the collection itself?

For my past four poetry collection titles, I have used a single word that leaves an impact. Evolve continues that attempt. Evolve leads into six themes. The poems and quotes fall into those specific themes.

How does a poem begin for you? Does it start with an image, a form or a particular theme?

A poem starts with either an image or a thought or the message I wish to express. I think of simple ways to express it, that readers can relate to. At times, there is an underlying metaphor that applies to life, to situations, and how the reader can relate to it in their life.

Are there any forms you haven’t tried yet but would like to?

Yes, there are many forms of poetry that I have not tried my hand on. I hope to try all of them one day. “Savour – Art and Poetry”, my fourth book, had twenty poetic forms in it. In “Evolve”, there are many inspiring quotes that will resonate in the reader’s mind.

How important is accessibility of the meaning of your poems? Should we have to work hard to “solve” the poems and discover their deeper meanings?

I write using simple words with simple meaning. Yes, readers can derive their own metaphor depending on their life and their journey so far, their dreams, etc. I hope to change the mindset that poetry is hard. I want my work to be read by everyone. I keep it simple.

Has your own opinion or idea of what poetry is changed since you first started writing poetry?

Yes, I continuously learn and evolve. Over these years, my understanding of poetry has expanded. I have learnt newer forms. I have enjoyed the various rhythms I am able to create using my words.

Did you do any specific research for this collection that differed from your previous poetry books that you have written?

I didn’t do any specific research. Yes, I wanted it to be different and have its own unique flavours. This is my first book with quotes. I believe my quotes will touch the readers and leave a deep positive impact in their mind.

When you have done research for your books, is there anything that has surprised you or completely changed your world view after doing so?

For this book, I started writing quotes. For a person used to writing long poetry, leaving an impact with fewer words was a new learning experience. In quotes, every word must count. The flavour you leave behind with quotes must be unique.

What were the hardest parts of this book to write? And what were the easiest?

Making each quote unique and impactful was challenging. So many thoughts flow in my mind, I forget them if I don’t write them down. So, I guess retaining my thoughts was the hardest. Some poems just flow from your heart. So, I think they were easy to write for e.g. Table for Two, The power you give…the power you keep, etc.

Who are some of your favorite poets and poems?

A few of my favorite poems are “If by Rudyard Kipling”, “The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost”, “Palanquin Bearers by Sarojini Naidu”, and “Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou”. I love Rabindranath Tagore’s and John Keats’s poetry.

Finally, regarding your subsequent projects, will you be writing another poetry book or do you have other projects in the pipeline?

At present, I am enjoying sharing “Evolve” with everyone. I have not yet thought about my next project. I write quotes daily and will continue to do so. I have started taking photographs of nature and writing quotes for them.

And once again, that’s a wrap! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by and sharing information about your new book and how you craft your poems, we can’t wait to get acquainted further with your latest ones 🙂

Bio:-

Vijaya Gowrisankar has released five books of poems Inspire, Reflect, Explore, Savour and her latest book Evolve.

She was announced as one of the winners of Inspire by Gandhi competition, organized by Sampad, a UK organization. She was selected as the Winner of AZsacra International Poetry Award (Dec. 2015).

Her submissions have been published in Goodness Abounds: 365 True Stories of Loving Kindness, Silver Birch Press, Nancy Drew Anthology, Poetry Marathon 2016 Anthology, Sometimes Anyway: Pride in Poetry Volume II, Forwardian, Triadae Magazine, iWrite India, Dystenium Online, and Taj Mahal Review anthologies. She has appeared as a guest speaker in colleges. A participant in the Poetry Marathon 2016 and Poetry Marathon 2017 (24 poems in 24 hours, 1 poem per hour), she has reviewed and edited poetry and fiction books. She participated in NaNoWriMo 2016 and NaNoWriMo 2017 and completed her first and second novels.

You can contact her on the following Social Media channels:-

Facebook:- Vijaya Gowrisankar – Poet, Author (FB)
Twitter:- @VijayaG1 (Twitter)
Website:- VIJAYA GOWRISANKAR’S REALM – Life – Some Thoughts

You can buy her books here:-

Buy Vijaya Gowrisankar’s books in the UK/Europe

Buy Vijaya Gowrisankar’s books in the US/Rest of the World

If you too would like to be interviewed on my blog at TooFullToWrite and you have a book or a series of books that you would like us to chat about then fill out the Contact Me form here with your details and we can arrange a future interview slot.