Today I’ll be hosting mokradi on my blog. His debut collection The Personal Diary of Mr. Heartsleeve is now available on Amazon.com
mo-kra-di (he/him/his) is an Indian storyteller and chronicler who uses digital media as his primary platform for artistic expression. mokradi engages directly with readers through social platforms where he showcases his work and interacts with a thriving community of thousands. In the years to come, he hopes to continue his digital exploration of themes ranging in masculinity, migration to spirituality and self-identity.
It is my pleasure to welcome mokradi to this episode.
Me: If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
mokradi: I am not too sure but now I am curious to know! I regularly post poems and prose, some even attempting to describe myself, on my instagram page @mokradi_
I think if you get to know me through my work you are welcome to try!
Me: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? How long have you been writing?
mokradi: I can still recall my tiny white eyes opening wide with unfettered excitement on opening one of my very first books: an illustrated poetry magazine by Sukumar Rai, a renowned Indian writer fondly remembered for his poems for children. I was maybe six or seven at the time.
As any child, I was captivated by the bright drawings of characters and scenes in this children’s book but for the first time I was drawn to the words. The effect words had in rhyming was so magical to me and how Rai effortlessly created these sonic worlds that told a story, all coming out from the nib of his pen!
I feel my artistic expression began very shortly after. I would pick up random crayons, red, blue or yellow and start scribbling over these very same pages with my own inspired rhymes. They probably didn’t make much sense, but the fact I could rhyme this word with that word and make a verse was an exhilarating affair. I don’t think I have stopped since.
Me: What inspired you to write The Personal Diary of Mr. Heartsleeve?
mokradi: Although this fascination for poetry continued throughout my childhood, it really started to take shape during my University days in Canada.
University is an ideal space to explore different forms of expression without worrying about it defining you. I started to take courses in writing and poetry even though I was pursuing a Science degree. Now looking back, I am beyond grateful for the tools these courses provided not only in writing but also in my day-to-day life.
On the other hand, University can also be quite a dark environment. During my four years, I saw many friends endure academic stress, financial hardship, break ups and other emotionally-draining experiences. These first-hand encounters sparked the image of a young adult in me: a boy trying to come to terms with a rapidly changing world, both from outside and from within.
Mr. Heartsleeve was born.
Based on these observations, I began creating these stories within stories you will read in the book. These stories explore the nature of sadness in young people, what it means to love, to lose, to consume and to grow up.
You can now order your official paperback of The Personal Diary of Mr. Heartsleeve across Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.it, Amazon.es or Amazon.co.jp.
Me: What is the most difficult part of your artistic process? Writing can be an emotionally draining and stressful pursuit. Any tips for aspiring writers?
mokradi: This is a great question and the answer might already be embedded in there somewhere: The process is key I think. Trusting the process is the most difficult part.
Some days you come up with great material, other days you spend twice as much time, but nothing comes. This unreliability can be very frustrating, and you might stress and tell yourself you are no longer creative and that spontaneous part of you has died.
Creativity can never be killed but that doesn’t stop people from trying. Our minds are quick to self-sabotage and abandon the process. However in my experience, I feel we never really possessed this creativity to begin with, but it was something we tapped into, perhaps after having earned its trust first.
You have to trust the process, only then does creativity let you in, even if it’s for a short while. Once you are in, you just hold on and the rest it will do. It might then decide to suddenly leave you, don’t take it too personally, be grateful that when it left, it left you with all these gems in your hand that you can then reveal to others. Trust the process, have faith in it.
Me: What books or authors have most influenced your own writing? Who is your favourite author and why?
mokradi: Ahh.. so many to name! I’m fortunate enough to have been surrounded by a diverse group of friends growing up who introduced me to many inspiring authors that have shaped my style.
Some that come to mind would be Roald Dahl, R.K Narayan, Franz Kafka, Murakami, George Orwell, Syliva Path, Sarojini Naidu, Miss Louise Bennett, Adichie Chimamanda and so on!
Fascinatingly enough my favourite author at the moment is one of the greatest painters the world has known, Vincent Van Gogh. I chanced upon a book of his in a dusty second-hand book store. It is a collection of intimate letters he wrote to this brother, ironically much like a personal diary! I find his writing to be so eloquent, maybe even slightly better than his paintings.
Me: Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers about?
mokradi: Yes, I am already working on my next poetry book which is rooted in themes of migration.
Each year, millions of people, now more so, begin an astounding journey to leave their homeland, in search of a new country to call home. Whether by choice or force, these travellers endure great adversities that they must overcome.
My next book will highlight these endeavours, as I too draw on my personal migration story, describing the challenges encountered in adapting to a new way of life, having moved from India to Canada almost a decade ago!
You can follow my page @mokradi_ to keep up-to-date on the progress for this project!
About the book
The Personal Diary of Mr. Heartsleeve is a collection of poetry and prose dedicated to the nature of sadness and the wisdom that emerges from its exploration. Through Mr. Heartsleeve’s Personal Diary, the reader probes answers to profound questions like: what is sadness made of?
Is the nature of suffering the same in everyone?
Is there an ending to attachment?
With each diary entry, the sense of separation between the reader and Mr. Heartsleeve seems to collapse leading one to inquire whether Mr. Heartsleeve and his Personal Diary could’ve ever existed outside of us?
Purchase link: Amazon.com
Connect with mokradi here: Instagram
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