She goes by the pen name Maya. Maya belongs to Bengal, India, and has been an avid reader since childhood. She discovered her passion for writing at the age of thirteen and since then there's no stopping. She loves to read mystery novels, especially Agatha Christie.
About the Story:
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Son of Mah is an enjoyable read for romantic souls. It is dreamy and has a magical touch of fantasy, prophecies, and childhood love. It is a retelling of the 1001 nights.
Interested to know how this story came to be or the author's challenges of writing it? Read on to know more.
🌈 What sparked the inspiration to write the story?
I always wanted to try writing something that was majorly romantic but never succeeded, until the idea for Son of Mah came. I wished to do a retelling of the 1001 Nights. And yes, I have huge respect for the bond of Alexander and Hephaestion, beyond the norms of sexuality and representation. Inspired by how deep the bond between two men can be, I fused it into the retelling. Thus, Son of Mah was born!
🌈 What inspired you to start writing on Wattpad?
The community. I would like to thank my Indian friends and everyone else who encouraged me to begin writing novels and novellas.
🌈 Budding authors face countable hindrances, what hindrance(s) did you face the most?
Initially, I used to be afraid of acceptance– whether people would like my book or not, and thus didn't dare to publish. I was also afraid of criticism, partly because I sought reviews from people who bullied me in the name of professionalism. This fear led to me losing inspiration soon too and many works of mine were left unattended. Slowly I started to become stronger and learned to take risks.
🌈 Negative criticism is inevitable, how do you deal with it? And what would you suggest the others do when faced with such?
Criticism, if polite and for a good cause, is acceptable. For example, I ask someone to give me feedback and they mention the good and bad points. I have to take in both. It's great if people willingly help you out with mistakes and plot holes. So I take it positively and try to learn from it.
However, I do not ask around for a review from just anyone, because it's obvious not everyone is qualified enough for it and does not have a broad perspective. So, let's say someone is only pointing out the negatives or what they don't like in my story, without highlighting the better parts, I will have to stop the conversation with that user. Wattpad has features that help us in selecting with whom to interact and with whom not. So I just filter out.
🌈 What according to you sets the theme of LGBTQ+ apart from other genres?
That it helps us expand our perspective. I understand the usual definition of a woman feeling like a woman and a man feeling like a man, and their loving each other is natural and the usual biological, psychological, and instinctive interest. It's how the human race is made. But don't some of us feel different? They must be included too in the picture. Nature has created them because beauty is in diversity!
🌈 What do you feel is the biggest myth about writers?
That writers don't get tired. We also get tired of writing and need a break. We have a life outside of it too!
🌈 How do you avoid or get out of writer's block?
I take a break and for inspiration listen to music. One can also practice writing short stories or poetries to fuel creativity.
🌈 Any advice for your fellow/new writers?
Don't be ashamed of your first draft. It's the rawest portrayal of your emotions and characters. It's lovely and deserves to be cared for. Polish it and make it better, but don't hate it!
🌈 What's your message for our readers?
Please check out for more diversity on Wattpad. We have so many cliched stories with weak feminine characters and toxic masculinity. We have authors who romanticize abuse and condone it. Widen your horizon and explore stories with unique and healthy plots. The cliche is good too if you know how to bend it with your personalized touch.
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We're delighted to have Shivran86as one of our spotlighted authors!
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