In the world of literature, three talented Raydenites – Madhur Sharma, Safeer Bhola and Ankita Chobey – embarked on distinct journeys as writers and self-published authors. With narratives as distinct as their writing styles, and the determination to share their voices with the world, they have interesting tales to tell about their self-publishing journey.
Madhur Sharma is a Client Success Analyst at Rayden, and the author of ‘The Only Thing We Are Looking For,’ a thought-provoking book published in 2020 that has already sold over 1600 copies. Born in a generation that questions traditions and rituals, Madhur delved deep into the works of spiritual luminaries like Osho, Sadhguru, and Kabir Das. He sought to answer questions of spirituality and wanted to understand the fundamental desire that drives humanity. This is what inspired his first book. ‘The Only Thing We Are Looking For’ delves into the essence of human desires, especially the ones that persist even after material needs are fulfilled. It took Madhur three months to pen his thoughts into a book, but his exploration of the topic began years before.
On the other side of the literary spectrum is Safeer Bhola, an Implementation Analyst at Rayden. He is the author of ‘Anjaan Ki Pehchaan,’ a collection of 26 experimental Hindi poems published in early this year, with around 170 copies sold. Safeer’s poetry is a departure from conventional rhyme schemes and meters, exploring unique dimensions of self-identity. While his writing journey began at the age of 15, it took him years before he decided to compile his work into a book. His unique style and unorthodox approach presented challenges – experimental poetry is seldom published, as it’s often meant for live performances. Yet, Safeer, who believes in the freedom of creative expression, chose to self-publish, enabling him to control the design, format, and marketing.
Ankita Chobey is yet another spirited addition to the Rayden authors with ‘My Lyrical Chaos – Unmaad,’ a collection of 21 poems in English, penned over years, representing different phases of her life. Her poems delve into the depths of human emotions and certain abstract musings, and she embarked on this self-publishing journey with a desire to share her tales and narratives with the world. Ankita’s journey was unique, as she actively participated in designing and formatting her book with sketching each poem’s unique art-work, allowing her a hands-on approach to bring her vision to life.
While the journey of self-publishing brought in its own challenges for our authors, their books certainly share a common thread of dedication and the pursuit of self-expression. In a world where words hold immense power, their stories inspire us to embrace our unique voices and share them with the world.
