Instagram Poets Who Took Our Hearts By Storm: Nikita Gill

When Nikita Gill took to writing at the age of 12, she believed that she would grow up to touch the world with her words. That dream was rudely cut short when her manuscripts were rejected by no less than 137 publishers. Far from being dejected, Gill prudently eliminated the middleman altogether, reaching out directly to her intended audience through social media. With over two lakh followers on Instagram and a thriving presence on Tumblr, she has more than earned her laurels as a writer, which has been no mean feat. Relatability being the most endearing facet of her writing, she relies heavily on her own experiences to fuel her creativity.

It’s easy to warm up to Gill’s writing because of how all of us have experienced similar feelings of heartbreak, loneliness, anxiety, and foreboding at some point in time. Last year, her childhood dreams of being a published writer finally came to fruition with her maiden venture Your Soul is a River being available in stores. However, she continues to love the intimacy of social media where followers write back to her expressing their gratitude at how her poetry helps them deal with emotions which are otherwise hard to find an outlet for.

Excerpts from our interview:

Humble beginnings
“I started writing poetry as a way of coping with the world around me. Writing was cathartic in a way that helped me breathe again, without relying on other people to help me feel better. I started writing when I was 12. I’m 29 now and can’t imagine not writing every day.”

Poetic promptings
“Everything about the human experience inspires me. I find myself turning to the night sky, facts about the mortal body, love and how it affects one’s thinking as well as the loss of love and how it hurts someone deeply. Then there are forests, wildlife, oceans, relationships with families, mental health and survival through trauma that spring to mind when I put pen to paper. I think life and the world, in general, are inciting and I try my best to capture some of it while writing.”

Writing off challenges
“The most testing part about being a writer is never being satisfied with your own work. I still struggle to call myself one because I genuinely believe I have a long way to go before I have earned the term for myself. Writing is also a very humbling craft. No matter how good you are, there is always going to be someone better and more successful than you. Personally, my biggest challenge is the constant need for evolution, so much so that it consumes me.”

Instagram connect
“I interact with my followers through the stories features on Instagram. I also make it a point to respond to DMs, particularly if an individual is struggling, besides keeping abreast with the heartfelt comments on my posts. I am always awed by the kind words people have to say, even more so by the many struggles people face in their lives and are brave enough to share.”

Soul speech
“Cities, Ruins and You is one of my favourite pieces at the moment. I have mentioned New Delhi, which is the city I grew up in and have poured more of my soul than I usually do into this particular piece. It’s very close to my heart and it comes through in the way I’ve articulated it.”

You can follow her on Instagram at @nikita_gill