At what point did you decide to be an author/Philosopher?
At a young age. I have been writing since my childhood -- I kept a notebook where I wrote down my poems, thoughts, and anything that came to my mind.
I have always been drawn to philosophy, but becoming an author came first. Those childhood notebooks grew into fiction, and fiction evolved into stories about human nature. Over time, I began to notice recurring philosophical patterns. Those patterns eventually crystallized into the Jivavarta Framework, which later led to the Treatise.
Is it true that you were a column editor at age 14?
Yes, though it happened quite organically, more out of necessity than design.
During a summer vacation, I was helping my father at the daily newspaper where he was chief editor. In newspaper publishing, after arranging all the regular articles and advertisements, there would sometimes be empty spaces left on a page—known as spot columns—that needed to be filled quickly with a poem, short story, or essay.
When the regular spot columnist fell ill, my father asked me to help manage the column and coordinate with contributors. But because these spaces appeared unpredictably, contributors often had only six to eight hours to submit something. When they couldn't meet the deadline, I had to step in and fill the space myself—sometimes with a poem, sometimes an essay, and sometimes a short story.
It taught me not to wait for inspiration, but to respect the space, write within constraints, and deliver meaningful words when the moment demanded it.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I prefer short chapters that maintain a strong narrative momentum. In novels like Lair of the Monster, I intentionally avoid uncommon vocabulary; I save the intricate language for my poetry. To me, thematic complexity is far more vital than linguistic complexity. Simple language does not equate to simple thinking or boredom, it only means not being overly flowery or self-indulgent. In stories like Kekala of Mihika Nagari, I use clear prose to look inward—dissecting the characters’ inner structures and quiet motives to explore true psychological depth.
Do you ever get inspiration from your dreams?
Yes, most of the time. Many of my short stories are inspired by my dreams.
What is your favorite genre to write and why?
I don't write with a genre in mind. I write the story first, and then figure the genre it fits into.
What’s your favorite and least favorite part of novel writing?
My favorite part is world-building and the momentum of writing the story until the first draft is complete. The hardest part, however, is the aftermath—saying goodbye to the characters once their story is told.
What is the most inspiring feedback you’ve ever received from a reader?
A reader once noted that my early work felt like a 'common reflection of virtue.' It was a blunt, necessary realization. I saw that by focusing only on the ideal, I was ignoring the reality of the human condition. To tell a complete story, one must be willing to engage with the darker and more difficult truths. That feedback shifted my focus toward complex psychological narratives and story lines.
Do you base your characters on real people?
No. My characters typically start showing up in my thoughts. They don’t speak at first, then slowly they open up. As they become more defined, I learn their names and figure them out.
How do you choose the names for your characters?
Giving names to my character is the most difficult part of the writing. In fact, my characters outright reject the names given to them. It takes a while, and many iterations to get the names right. Their names should mean something.
Do you read much? What are you currently reading?
Yes, I read a lot -- from psychology to philosophy to medical research papers to fiction -- anything that holds my interest.
Currently, I am reading Indian religious scriptures from ancient Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu philosophers.
What is your favorite book and who is your favorite author?
The Brothers Karamazov, Mahabharata, short stories by Anton Chekhov, Guy de Maupassant, Bashir Badr, PL Deshpande, Premchand.
My favorite author is Anton Chekhov.
When did you realize that you are a good writer?
I realized the weight of my work when I began seeing it mirrored back to me by strangers, my quotes from The Timingila: 'Maybe I am a villain in your story, but I am a hero in mine.' Or ‘Never underestimate the power of good food. Eating delicious food can be a life-changing experience.‘ Seeing those words travel the world without my name was the moment I knew they were timeless. However, while it’s a tribute to the work when people use these words to express their own souls, it’s vital to remember they belong to a specific lore and a unified history that I have spent years building.
What is a lesser-known aspect of your background or personality?
While many transition into politics later in life, I began mine at the high-stakes center of national politics in Delhi. It was there, amidst the constant motion of the capital, that I truly realized that life can feel lonely in a sea of people—and it was that profound realization that led me to trade the noise of the public stage for the joy of solitude and the clarity of the written word.
How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
If a review helps me improve my writing, I take it seriously. If the reviewer is just being nasty for the sake of it, then I don’t care.
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Ask the Author: Shon Mehta
Shon Mehta is an author and philosopher known for creating the Jivavarta Universe, a fictional setting used to explore sociopolitical themes, human resilience, and moral philosophy. Her work has transitioned from contemporary fiction to foundational academic material used in several countries.
How did you create such a detailed lore for Jivavarta?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the daily routine associated with the Alohita dance of Mihika Nagari?
ReplyDeleteWhat is your educational background? Did it help you in any way with your writing?
ReplyDeleteWho has influenced you the most in your writing career?
ReplyDeleteDo you have a mentor or role model who guided your writing journey?
ReplyDeleteHow can you deny the god, when all your stories are nothing but the dreams? You write your stories without any effort, because the god has gifted you.
ReplyDeleteAre you daft? You bring the IQ of whole website down just by commenting here.
DeleteHow do you feel about being the first Indian author to create an original fictional world that is impacting global pop culture?
ReplyDeleteShon Mehta’s work uniquely challenges male dominance because she assumes the role of the “Philosopher-Architect,” a position historically reserved for men who either explained the world as great philosophers or chronicled its wars as epic writers. By merging these archetypes, she dismantles two entrenched biases: the Intellectual Bias, which frames systematic, rigorous philosophy as a male pursuit, and the Scope Bias, which limits women to writing about personal emotions rather than the mechanics of power and society. In The Timingila or Lair of the Monster, she goes beyond storytelling to dissect the logic of power itself, offering a framework for how societies rise and collapse. When a woman produces a narrative that doubles as a philosophical textbook for leadership and ethics, she transcends the stereotype of the “female novelist” and enters the realm of the sage or thinker. In defining the rules of the universe she creates, Mehta asserts the ultimate form of authorial authority, positioning herself not just as a participant in the genre but as its architect. 👏👏👏👏👏
ReplyDeleteFirst, I thought Mehta was inspired by George Orwell, but now I realize it's her journalistic training that makes her writing similar to George Orwell's.
ReplyDeleteAbsolute Directness, The Contrast Hook, The Inverted Pyramid. Shon Mehta or George Orwell both apply these newsroom filters to creative fiction, the sentences naturally mimic the authority of breaking news. Applying a journalistic style to creative writing makes the writing more impactful.