1. Your Journey to the literary world?

A: I have always loved writing since I was a child. Coming from an Army background, the exposure to people and places only added to my creativity. I would pen poetry and keep the book tucked away in a safe place. By the time I finished my schooling, my book of verses had a good couple of poems. When I joined college, I began to write reviews on articles and snippets on life. It was then that woman's Era published my reviews in their magazine. That was a turning point in my life. I went on to win several contests, of which one was for a slogan contest for the magazine cosmopolitan. Though I had been writing on and off, it was when I began to share my work on social media that got me recognition and the confidence to start my own blog. In the month of January 2015 " Musings On Life" was born. After winning a couple of prestigious blogging contests, I began to contribute articles for various portals across the world, as well as print magazines such as Infinithoughts. The real journey towards writing began when I lost my dad and only brother. I poured my feelings and the ink just flowed.

2. What do you think about the newly emerged genre "Micro-Fiction?"

A: Story telling is an art. A good writer should be able to convey his message in minimal words. Today's life is fast paced and people read stuff on the go. For such people micro fiction could come in handy due to time constraints. Another important point is that, holding the reader's attention till the very end of your piece is of paramount importance. And not all reader's may have the patience to go through huge chunks of writings. If a writer is successful in telling his story in say, 50 words and leaves the reader not asking for more, he has arrived.

3. Do you believe that self-experience is important to keep your pen flowing? What motivates you to write and just keep writing?

A: To some extent self-experience does play an important role in writing sensitive pieces. It is only when you have actually gone through something that you will be able to replicate that emotion or situation in your work. To create a stir in your readers, to have them glued  to your piece, your words must touch their sentiments and that is possible when you echo what you write. Writing is a form of expressing your thoughts and it is therapeutic. I am inspired by the happenings across the world, pain, joy, suffering etc. Simply put, even a casual walk amidst greenery can lead to a story, where I am concerned.

4. For a writer, how important is it to be a good reader?

A: Good writing is not possible without reading. Even at kindergarten level, reading is taught first, followed by writing. In order to express your thoughts in an effective manner, your choice of words must be perfect. Reading exposes you to a world of sentences, meanings, connotations and various emotions. One learns the usage of words and sentences. But again, reading is a continuous process as there is no end to learning. Voracious readers make for great writers.

5. Tell us about your books?

A: Presently, I am working on two books. One is a poetry collection and the other is on parenting. Being a Psychologist by profession, I am drawn towards social issues, and other causes. You could find my writings on my personal blog http://kavitapanyam.com and on my Facebook author page - https://www.facebook.com/kavitaPanyamWrites/

6. A message for the reader's community?

A: A writer is - because of a reader. For a writer, there is no pleasure greater, than receiving a valuable feedback from a reader. So Dear Reader, support your writer for he/she has made an effort to bring you a piece of his/her heart, read it, review it and relish it.