Shilpa Goel is a content writer, author, and editor. She was born and brought up in Delhi, and she did her graduation in English literature from Delhi University. The author is currently doing her masters’ in the same field. She started her writing journey in 2015 by randomly posting her pieces on social media; seeing the immense appreciation, the freelance content writer and editor decided to pursue writing as a full-time career. Shilpa has her poems published in 6 anthologies and has 5 books published under her name.
Icy Tales is in conversation with Shilpa Goel on her writing journey and a lot more.
Q) When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Shilpa Goel – It was in 2015 when I started journaling and wrote a few poems. Though my first poem was written way before and for my mom, I became interested in writing in the middle of 2015. I started posting my poems on Instagram in December 2015, but becoming a writer was still not on my mind. My reason for posting was completely unrelated to my writing career. When my poems started gaining attention and appreciation on Instagram, I wanted to be a writer.
Q) Is there any specific genre that you like writing? If yes, why?
Shilpa Goel – I began with the romance genre and had a half-finished novel. I often write about God/spirituality and have two books published in that genre. I usually write in these two genres because I prefer writing from my experiences and observations rather than unlimited imagination.
Q) As a writer, what are the tips for beginners willing to start writing?
Shilpa Goel – I’d say to those who wish to start writing to write – write every day, from your heart, and never be afraid to put your unique style (if you find one) out there. People love to see something special, so don’t be shy or let impostor syndrome tell you that your style isn’t good enough to be shared with others. Also, always choose consistency over perfection. Nobody writes perfectly.
Q) Who has been your strongest support in your weakest times?
Shilpa Goel – My mom and my best friend. I can always count on them no matter what and be transparent about my worries and woes.
Q) When did you write your first book, and how old were you?
Shilpa Goel – I was 22 when I started writing my first book and got it published when I was 24, that is, in 2019. It’s Poetic Letters To God – a poetry book in which I wrote letters to God in poems.
Q) How do you manage feedback and criticism for your writing?
Shilpa Goel – Earlier, I used to get pretty upset over negative comments or would start arguing with people questioning what I had written. But now, I have changed. It took me some time to realize and accept that I write for myself and people react from their perception.
How they perceive what I write is about how they have lived and experienced life, and I need not question my writing just because of their negative comments. When I need honest feedback on my writing, I ask my friends, who give me unbiased advice even if that means calling my writing wrong when it’s wrong. It’s always honest.
Q) Do you have plans for a printed and published copy of your e-books?
Shilpa Goel – Not yet. My e-books provide more value in fewer pages. They are too short to be published as paperbacks, but I put my life-changing practices and experiences into them.
Q) Content writing, at times, can be downright monotonous. What are the ways through which you can dispel boredom while writing content?
Shilpa Goel – I never take up content writing projects for topics that don’t interest me. And working on interesting or new topics is never boring because I learn much during the research. I am such a huge consumer of information. I love discovering a lot. And more than anything else, I love putting pen to paper. If I am not running short of time, I handwrite the content in a notebook and then type it up. I am a pen-and-paper person, and this practice saves me from getting bored with writing content.
Q) What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Shilpa Goel – I have a baby now. She requires most of my time, and I have to now take time for writing instead. But before I had her, I loved watching YouTube and Netflix, besides reading books and blogs. Reading and writing are two things I can never give up on, even with the responsibility of an infant.
Q) Is there any specific quote that you live by?
Shilpa Goel – One of the quotes I read on RelyonJesus’s Instagram page many years ago: “leave it in the hands that created you.” It is also the theme or core idea of my e-book, Trusting God: The Path of Least Resistance
Q) What inspires you the most for writing?
Shilpa Goel- The things that inspire me are emotions, experiences, and observations. I write less from imagination and more from how I live, experience, and observe life around me.
Q) Which is the one book that you cannot get bored of?
Shilpa Goel – The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. I have read it several times and can read it any number of times more. The book taught me the law of attraction and solved many mysteries in the first read. No matter how often I re-read it, I always find something new as my knowledge about manifestation grows. It always feels comforting to go back to the basics.
Q) What are your plans as a writer?
Shilpa Goel – Wherever God takes me! I never planned to be a writer in the first place, but life unfolded in a way that made me a writer today. I was meant to be a writer, I guess. My plans often fail, so now, I love going with the flow and seeing where life/God is taking me. When you have goals, you stay buried under expectations, but when you go with the flow and hope for the best, you tackle and enjoy life like a life-long adventure.
Shilpa Goel is a free-spirited author, poet, and writer that believes in writing through her experiences. She was featured as one of 31 Modern poets that you should follow by Glow Habits. Not only this, she has been featured in several reputed media companies. The author is an inspiration to many budding poets and writers. She shares poetry, prose, and quotes regularly for her Instagram family of more than 82 thousand people.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
