Writer, traveller, and a cold coffee addict, precisely in that order, Aditi Jindal’s love for the written word had her dabbling in writing fiction and non-fiction during her high school days. An advertising graduate from Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, she simultaneously began learning about the nuances of story-writing and got some of her works published by TERI Press and Pustak Mahal. You can know more about her on her profile page.
Hello, Aditi, congratulations on the launch of your debut novel Do I Not Marry?
Readomania: Has the feeling of being a published author sunk in?
Aditi: I think it partially sunk in when I held the printed copy in my hand but I’m yet to completely immerse myself into this feeling.
Readomania: Your book deals with a very pertinent topic, marriage versus live-in relationships, and weighs in the pros and cons of both. What seeded this idea in your head?
Aditi: Seven to eight years ago, when I moved to Bengaluru from Delhi, I noticed the kind of candidness, millennials had about live-in relationships. The conversations I had with my colleagues were so interesting and intimidating that I ended up scribbling these thoughts in my notebook then, and slowly over time the idea grew into a plot, and the plot into a book.
Readomania: Tell us about your writing journey. And how long did it take for you to materialize your debut novel from a thought to print?
Aditi: The writing journey was quite long with Covid-19 turning into a spoilt sport where I had to almost rewrite the story as many dynamics changed post-pandemic.
The transition from MS Word to a printed book almost took six years where the major chunk was involved in writing and almost two years to find a trustworthy publisher who could envision the best for my book.
Readomania: Your characters are all contemporary, working women who are independent in their lives financially as well as in thoughts and actions. They give importance to family and relationships, yet they are extremely focused on their career goals. Do you feel that is a correct depiction of Indian women?
Aditi: I think Indian women have come a long way that has been inspiring and welcoming at the same time. Although conversations have started brewing but there’s still a long way to tread from here as this depiction is only visible in metropolitan cities. There’s a lot that must change in Tier 3 and other remote Indian cities when it comes to Indian women.
Readomania: Although you have listed the pros and cons of marriage versus live-in through your story, you have been very objective about the choices, choosing not to take a stand. Do you feel it is the same old feeling of the grass being greener on the other side? Each situation has its ills as well as benefits?
Aditi: Totally. No matter which part of the story you fall into, you always end up envying the other side in the hindsight. Communication and empathy remains at the crux of any relationship whether it’s a live-in or marriage. The arguments might be different for each but they exist for real. It always takes two to make or break a relationship. The path you chose doesn’t have that much relevance in deciding the outcome of a relationship.
Readomania: The supporting characters too are very well etched out in your book. They come from varied backgrounds and have their own quirks. Tell us, are these characters inspired by people you’ve met and known?
Aditi: Haha…yes! People I’ve known and met will eventually end up being a character in my book. Some of them are very quirky while some are really inspiring.
Readomania: Do you think the perception of marriage has changed drastically in India over the years? It is no more ‘happily ever after’ and couples don’t think twice before calling it quits?
Aditi: The very fact that marriage is no longer a man’s show in today’s world says a lot about the way it is conceived now. Modern couples today are very pragmatic about their choices and are definitely aware that there’s no happily ever after. They do understand that it’s a constant work in progress from both the sides.
Readomania: In your story, one of the main characters calls out her mother for pulling the corpse of her dead marriage for years and not complaining. Do you think our mothers suffered silently and considered divorce a taboo?
Aditi: That generation of mothers or I’ll say couples are silent sufferers. There’s an unbearable pain that they carry within their heart and sadly the strangest part is that they have been lauded to do so. So they always felt it is the right thing to stay calm and not complain. The big D was an abusive letter and no one dared to even think about it. It was never considered an option even. Back then, awareness was missing. Thankfully, today conversations are opening and people are talking more about righteousness of a person and how to take a stand on it.
Readomania: Bangalore is almost like a character in your story, laidback and slow as opposed to the loud Delhi or the colourful Jaipur. You must know the city very well, isn’t it?
Aditi: Having lived for seven years in Bengaluru and the very fact that the novel was conceived there, the city ended up charming me like no other Indian city so far. A part of me almost grew there, as a writer and as a person—so yes, the city ended up being a character in my book too.
Readomania: How was the experience of getting published by Readomania for you?
Aditi: It has been great! I think the fact that the Readomania team has been working together on how to tell good stories shows in their dedicative publishing process and promptnesses. They are clear with their vision of sharing interesting stories and follow their process to the T.
Readomania: Thank you Aditi, for this wonderful conversation.
Her latest book, Do I Not Marry? is available on Amazon and Readomania
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