Passion comes in all shapes and forms. Be it for public service, entrepreneurship, or sports. And oftentimes, the most passionate individuals also inspire the most people. Jiya Doshi is a prime example of these types of individuals. Through her passion for poetry and songwriting, this young writer has inspired others and has garnered much support. In this article, we will follow Jiya’s journey from when she just started writing up until today.
Early Writing Journey
Jiya’s journey as a writer began at just five years old when she wrote her first ever poem. One of her earliest teachers was her mom, who taught her how to rhyme. The fond memories Jiya can recall of that time were, according to her, "falling asleep to some of [her] favorite rhymes played in the car or read by [her] parents." Even then, she's always had an inclination towards writing–especially poems. When asked whether she enjoys writing other things, she said she enjoys writing articles and essays. "It just seems like embracing the reality, accepting the facts, and destroying the myths, like a written debate," she told us during her interview.
Jiya's passion for writing has only been renewed and strengthened with the passing years. Even more so thanks to her parents' encouragement and the support of her teachers and friends. To her, giving up on writing would mean letting herself, and all these people she considers dear, down. Sources of motivation aside, Jiya draws inspiration from incidents in her daily life, books she's read, music, or even some of her already-written poems. Oftentimes, she also consults her mother, who's always happy to provide her with ideas and concepts she can utilize in her new writing ventures.
As one can see on her Instagram account, Jiya has poems and songs posted that date back to over two years ago. When asked if she ever has deleted some because she did not enjoy them anymore, she says no, since she believes her “Instagram handle is a journey”. Her very first post is about her views about girl power, when she was just 13 years old. Now, her more recent posts are about instances, feelings and questions she faces day-to-day. She enjoys looking back at them for a feeling of nostalgia. She also likes posting and creating on and for Instagram, which has made her account reach 300 followers. She is delighted that there are so many people interested in her poems, people with the knowledge that behind each and every one is a young aspiring writer who wants to know her audience's views. Jiya knows that even if a poem does not have a wide reach, there is at least one person reading her work, even if that person may be in her close social group.
Going through Jiya's Instagram highlights, we also noticed she made it as a finalist in an international poetry and spoken word competition. When asked whether she planned on joining more, her response was affirmative. " I keep participating in poetry competitions, half because I have something to share and half to find an audience eager to read" she said.
Writing and Posting Process
Jiya’s writing process starts with picking a theme, which she says takes her the longest time, more than the writing itself. While others change their lines to make it rhyme or fit a rhythm, she does not do that. When she is satisfied that her product fits to the idea she has created in her head, she starts editing. During that process she scraps some lines and saves them for future projects, or plays with the words. Once she is done, she directly recites it to her parents. Most of the time, this happens during the evening and night, when she is done with her schoolwork and has time to sit down and brainstorm with her diary or phone in hand. If she has a line that she comes up with during the day, she writes it down for later use.
Creating her Instagram posts is something Jiya enjoys doing. The hardest part is picking out which poem to choose, and then Jiya looks for pictures to match the poem's imagery. Her favorite part has recently become experimenting with the fonts for the text and creating something from scratch rather than using a pre-existing template.
Ultimately, Jiya's experience with writing has had its ups and downs. However, she never lost her passion for writing and it pushed her to keep going. Her advice to aspiring young poets and songwriters is to not let hesitation constrain their writing. They should just write what they want and be themselves. No one should be afraid to stand out, as everyone is unique and that's what makes them special. She encourages young authors to just explore the limitless possibilities that language has to offer. "People say poetry is dead. We are some of the last few remaining to carry it in the world, to pass it on, spread the words ..." she shared with us. Last but not least, Jiya advices not be afraid of writer's block as it's something all writers have come across. Young authors shouldn't let it affect the way they view their abilities and their writing and they shouldn't stop believing in themselves.
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