CHENNAI: While I was researching for a different purpose, I stumbled on statistics that stated that in the 90s, over 85 per cent of the population were married before the age of 18. A recent study also revealed that even today, a large percentage of people were married before the age of 25. That got me thinking,” shares popular writer and best-selling author, Preeti Shenoy as we discuss her latest offering ‘The Rule Breakers’ which was launched at Odyssey on Friday. Her new book deals with the life and journey of Veda, a woman who is trapped in an arranged marriage and how she finds her own voice.
“When I started writing the book, I reached out to my readers on social media, opened an anonymous Google forum where they could share their ‘mother-in-law from hell’ stories. The responses came pouring in...I was surprised that there were people going through the ordeals across the globe,” she says. The book, she says, will resonate with the voice of women across the globe who have crossed the same path as that of Veda’s. “The story of Veda is still a reality for many women around us,” she says. The author has been writing when she was six-yearsold.
“It’s a misconception that I went from blogging to writing. The fact is, I have been writing ever since I learned to,” says the author who has been featured on the Forbes India long-list of the most influential celebrities. Talking about the major takeaways from the book, she shares, “Financial independence for a woman is extremely important. Having that and finding a purpose for themselves are one of the most important takeaways of the book,” she explains. Preeti shares that she’s appalled by the trend of several people turning authors despite not being readers. “I don’t understand how someone can write good stories without being a reader.
It reflects in the quality of their writing, I believe. Whoever wants to write a book should read a minimum of 50-100 books before they starting penning something down,” she says. Over the years Preeti has learned to handle criticism and take the constructive ones into consideration to improve her work. “I have come a long way. Reviews, criticism and suggestions are welcome.. I have learned to identify the ones that actually matter,” she says. Eleven published books later, we ask the writer what she would tell her younger self and pat comes the reply, “Don’t be bogged down by rejection... everything will eventually work out and keep writing.”