Shobha Nihalani is an Indian author and life coach. The author is a multi-genre writer, writing for over 25 years, and has tested every form of writing – from freelance to short stories, novels to non-fiction, screenwriting, and self-help. She has written many adventure and thriller novels.
Shobha Nihalani is a middle-aged, strong woman who has juggled between being a homemaker and pursuing many dreams. She has the courage and determination to pursue her dreams and works towards her passion.
Shobha Nihalani is the author of several books like – ‘The Silent Monument,’ ‘Dada Vaswani: A Life in Spirituality,’ ‘The Blue Jade,’ ‘Nine 3: Rise of Kalingan‘, ‘Nine: Vengeance of the Warrior,’ ‘Unresolved: A Psychological Thriller,’ ‘REBOOT, REFLECT, REVIVE: Self Esteem in a Selfie World’ and many more books.
IcyTales is conversing with Shobha Nihalani about her books, life coaching, and motivations in life.
Q) Was becoming an author always your aim?
Shobha Nihalani – Becoming an author was not always my aim. I was drawn to writing, and eventually, I felt that being an author was my calling.
Q) You have written so many books; which book has been your favorite experience and why?
Shobha Nihalani – I have loved writing all the books I have written. They represent different phases of my life and my curiosity. Unresolved was my Alfred Hitchcock phase, and The Blue Jade resulted from my interest in artifact smuggling. The Silent Monument was written when I was interested in conspiracy theories. The NINE trilogies were all about secret societies and the rich heritage of India. Writing the book on Dada Vaswani was a transformational experience, and you could say that was when I switched genres and became interested in writing non-fiction.
Q) When was the time you felt accomplished as an author in your life?
Shobha Nihalani – It happened when I was in my fifties. I suddenly felt that I had achieved what I had wanted to do; I had a purpose and felt grateful for the journey as an author.
Q) What do you want to tell people out there who are aspiring authors or writers?
Shobha Nihalani – Be a dreamer and dream of becoming a bestselling author, but also face the fact that – Write regularly, learn from accomplished writers, develop your style, and keep exploring new ways to write on a topic.
Q) How did you navigate dealing with failures and rejections through the initial years of being an author?
Shobha Nihalani – I was ashamed, embarrassed, and worried about being judged in the initial years. Yet, I didn’t give up writing. I continued to learn from every failure and rejection. Today I realize that despite those struggles, which are part of any author’s journey, I still have the resilience and courage to keep writing.
Q) Do you think audiobooks, podcasts, and other e-media are reducing the number of book readers?
Shobha Nihalani – Yes, the world has changed, there are readers, but they want short sharp content. This is part of our changing world that runs on mobile devices. Book readers are there, and the die-hard fans of actual physical books, there are fewer.
Q) What difference do you see between the present and previous generations regarding reading?
Shobha Nihalani – Reading has evolved to include content online and on devices. With each new generation, there is a change in trends and behavior. While many are die-hard fans of paperback books, many prefer to read on their devices. Technology has brought opportunities to choose how one can consume content.
Q) You are also a life coach and know a lot about insecurities, anxieties, managing stress, and leading a happy life, but you may also be suffering from your share of troubles. Tell us something about that and how did you overcome the same.
Shobha Nihalani – As a creative introvert and an author, I had my fair share of anxieties and self-doubt. I struggled with low self-confidence. Despite that, I continued writing. When I wrote a self-help book on self-esteem – Reboot Reflect Revive – Self-esteem in a Selfie World – I discovered that how we feel about ourselves affects the choices and decisions we make in life. This book helped me understand the deeper issues behind our feelings. While reading, researching, and writing about self-esteem, I learned how to deal with some of my insecurities. Later, training as a life coach helped me discover my inner strength.
Q) Tell us something that you learn from experiences in your life or work which help you change as a person
Shobha Nihalani – We live in a world that’s constantly in a fix-it mode. We feel we are not good enough and compare ourselves with others. Over the years, I realized that self-esteem is a vital inner strength from which we can draw upon self-confidence, self-belief, and self-respect. I began to accept myself, flaws and all, with compassion. This attitude also gives you space in your heart to accept others as they are.
Q) Any tips as a life coach you want to give to manage one’s physical and mental well-being.
Shobha Nihalani – Don’t be so hard on yourself. This doesn’t mean being complacent. It means testing your potential and pursuing goals, but don’t resort to self-hate if you fail. Be compassionate to yourself and others.
Q) Do you think the perception and analytical skills of the younger generation are stunted due to a lack of reading?
Shobha Nihalani – I believe the younger generation has an advantage with much more information to work with; they can connect and interact with different kinds of people globally. They have a better worldview and are fortunate to use a broader perspective through in-depth analysis of all the available information. I find many are spoiled for choices, which sometimes is why some are unable to make decisions.
Q) Who becomes your constant support and pillar during challenging times?
Shobha Nihalani – I have faith in the Divine.
Shobha Nihalani indeed proves as an inspiration for writers who want to start writing and make a career in this field. The author’s books are undoubtedly a source of enjoyment, information, and good knowledge for the readers.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
