I was such a pleasure to chat with Devika and I hope you guys enjoy this interview. Be sure to check out her wonderful blog- as always it will be linked below!
- Thanks so much for being a part of this interview. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what your blog is about.
Hi Pooja, I am glad I could come and join your stunning blog in exchange for our conversation. My name is Devika Mathur, a lover of nature, believes in mindfulness and who hates small talk. I love everything that moves a soul through art and poetry. I blog about poetry at my valiantsoul. You will find everything that can make you feel melancholic, loved, gloomy and all the emotions that instil our heart and minds with things sometimes unnoticed.
- When and why did you start blogging?
If you ask about writing poetry, I think I have been doing that since I can remember and for that as I can recall I needed a platform, so blogging happened when I was in the darkest phase of my life. Nobody would believe but I chose my passion, hard work over things that made me feel trivial back in 2014. I used to be lost at words, feeling quiet and would hardly have the confidence to present my abstract thoughts to the world. So, when blogging happened, I remember the amount of love and support I got on WordPress, people would be so kind that it nearly overwhelmed me.
I consider writing is nothing but liberation to me. I needed to bleed somewhere, in some form and so My valiant Soul happened.
- How has blogging changed your life?
As I said, WordPress is my first home when it comes to writing. I have tried and experimented with a plethora of platforms but the genuine love that I receive here is so surreal. Writing poetry on my blog did make me believe in the life that I chose. I chose to inspire rather than being a nobody. I feel it is good that we humans have such a tremendous gift of producing things, of creating things out of nothing and when I created words, sentences, poems here it made me feel something. Something better.
- Your blog primarily consists of poetry- what is it about poetry that really draws you towards it?
So there’s this saying “If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you done”. And something treacherously was burdening me. I have had moments of anxiety, severe panic attacks and multiple sleepless nights .I still do often but I needed to explode or direct my emotions into something beautiful yet calm. I write poetry to feel that feeling of calmness. As I am mostly a confessional, surrealist poet my work is dark, my imagery is dark and writing dark makes me calm. See, we can’t confine definitions according to one person. To me everything is art and art soothes me only till the time it is there in a conducive form.
- What are some of your long term blogging goals?
Sadly, off late I am not much active on my blog as before as I started curating my newsletter. I was busy with my poetry book that was released in 2020 ‘Crimson Skins’ published by Indie Blu(e)and various other anthologies by Indie Blu(e) Publishing and others. I started so many various projects that I was left with almost no time in hand to write my poems for my kind readers. But I see myself expanding my horizon, I see myself working on my areas, spreading shades of my art or whatever I could possibly generate that can help inspire people. I might start some or the other projects soon..you never know!:)
- Is blogging something you would like to pursue long term or is it more of a hobby for you?
Yes, I think this is very imperative for me to know as well. I would say it is in a hybrid form. I can’t make myself attached or a representative of my blog forever. It has to be much more than that. How about, if we say blogging is a part of my life and not the entire life? I feel, when we don’t make everything our complete, whole part it is better. But I see blogging as a long term as well as a hobby to me.
7. What is your favourite food?
I love my Indian cuisine, everything home cooked and also love Thai, Continental.
8. Where would you love to travel to?
Ah! Everywhere possible before I die.
9. What is the most inspiring thing someone has ever said to you?
“Indulging in self -care is such a beautiful thing. Once you begin it, there is no way you feel connected to things that are only trivial”
10. Thanks again and please feel free to add anything you would like to share with the readers.
It is completely my pleasure Pooja! I am beyond grateful to my dear readers, anybody who has found some peace, home in my works. If anyone is interested, could check out my published works by visiting my blog. I also happen to dispatch weekly mindful, self- care along with classic poetry newsletters. If anyone wants one, they can subscribe for free! I wish everyone Love and light!
If you enjoyed this interview don’t forget to stop by Devika’s by clicking here.
If you would like to be interviewed please send me your name (optional), the name of your blog and a link to your blog via email to insomniacwithanaccent@gmail.com
I’m a little busy at the moment and have quite a few interviews ready to post so please don’t worry if I don’t respond immediately. I will definitely respond as soon as possible.
If you enjoyed this post don’t forget to like, follow, share and comment!
Enjoyed this post? Then follow me on social media:
Twitter Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn HubPages
Email me on(guest posts welcome!): insomniacwithanaccent@gmail.com
Leave a Reply