Young author Siya Bhagat on writing and books that talk in The Symphony of Words

In a world where teenagers are often stereotyped for their obsession with screens, 17-year-old Siya Bhagat stands apart as a young author with four published books and a purpose for using her writing to drive positive change.

Her book, A Symphony of Words, released last year is a small yet beautiful story that entices the reader into the world of books—where books talk and bring out emotions like no other.

Mila, the protagonist of the book, isn’t expecting much when she is forced to spend her summer with her aunt who runs a dusty old bookstore. But this is no ordinary bookstore, and as Mila explores musty tomes, she discovers that the books can talk. And, it’s no ordinary talk—there’s so much wisdom, mystery, and magic behind it.

If The Great Gatsby reminds her that the book was “built for a life of luxury, not for sitting on a dusty old shelf, only to be manhandled by some careless youth,” Anne of Anne of Green Gables proclaims she glows “because of the all the love, my dear, the love that the bookstore is overflowing with.”

When Mila asks the book Ramblings Over the Morning Hills what truly leads to happiness, the answer may not be definitive but poignant. She understands that happiness could mean different things to different people, and it leads her to ponder over what makes her happy.

Eerie, quaint, and mysterious—this short novel set around a bookstore captivates with its lyrical prose and boundless imagination. 

“It was always my dream to be an author when I grew up, but then I realised I didn’t need to be an adult to write,” says Bhagat, who published her first book—an illustrated children’s book—when she was just nine years old, encouraged by her English teacher.

The book—barely about 12 pages—told the story of an orphan girl sent to a reform school. 

Now a student of 11th grade in Mumbai, Bhagat continues to tell stories, and has published three more books in the years since her debut.

After a gap of several years, she returned to writing with renewed purpose. Her most recent works include Dare to Dream, which highlights the often-overlooked contributions of women in mathematics and science, and A Symphony of Words, a novel about rediscovering the love of reading.

“I felt like a lot of female mathematicians and scientists don’t really get the recognition they deserve, and young girls grow up believing that no woman has contributed significantly to those fields,” Siya explains about her motivation for Dare to Dream, which she published earlier this year.

Symphony of Words, published in September last year, draws from her personal experience of reconnecting with reading after a long break. 

“This book is about rediscovering the love for reading and the impact that reading has,” she shares. 

The protagonist is loosely based on herself, while other characters represent what famous books might be like if they were people. It’s a unique approach to story-telling, crafted with imagination and creativity.

When asked about her inspirations, Bhagat credits her English teachers and the books she loves to read. She particularly admires Turkish-British novelist Elif Shafak, the author of The Forty Rules of Love.

“I really like her style of writing and the way she describes things. It really makes you imagine those things so you can see them clearly. Her writing feels almost poetic. That's kind of what I wanted to also try and achieve,” says Bhagat. 

It’s not just writing that keeps Bhagat inspired. She wants to use it for social good. All proceeds from Symphony of Words support the welfare of stray dogs and funds astrophysics classes for underprivileged girls. The sales from Dare to Dream also go in educating young girls.

She acknowledges the role of her family in giving her the time and space needed for writing and helping her with the self-publishing process.

Bhagat plans to pause her writing until she graduates from high school.

“Before I go to college, I would like to start writing again, because then I’ll have a lot of time,” she says. She is looking to study English and physics in a university in the United States and plans to balance both her academic and creative interests. 

While her focus primarily lies in fiction, she is also open to exploring other genres.“Whenever I write, I would like to think about whatever inspires me in the moment,” she says.