Swipe, scroll, repeat. In a world where our lives are increasingly curated through templates on tiny screens, our relationships—romantic, platonic, and everything in between—are evolving in fascinating and, at times, confusing ways. Who better to unpack this than Amrita Tripathi, an author whose work delves into the intricate and often fragile nature of human connections? With novels like Broken News, The Sibius Knot, and The Other Sister, she has explored themes of mental health, friendships, relationships, and the impact of social media on our personal lives. We sat down with her during the Jaipur Literature Festival for an engaging conversation about mental health, social media, and the writing life.
The Modern Relationship PuzzleTripathi’s novels have a recurring theme—examining the fragility of relationships in contemporary society. When asked about what draws her to these themes, she shared, “I think it is fascinating how our dynamics are changing. In my book The Other Sister, I explore how a group of friends deals with something traumatic, with social media acting as a template.”
She further elaborates on how social media has deeply impacted our connections. “I don’t think we fully realize how much our online lives impact our offline realities. We are constantly engaging, reacting, and performing to an extent, and that inevitably seeps into our personal relationships.”
Mental Health: From Fiction to Advocacy
With a strong background in journalism and a passion for mental health advocacy, Tripathi’s work is both heartfelt and responsible. “With fiction, I wanted to approach these issues with enough heart and sensitivity that no one feels trauma is being depicted just for the sake of it,” she explains. Her initiative, The Health Collective, which she founded nearly a decade ago, has played a pivotal role in making conversations around mental health more accessible.
“I started The Health Collective after years of reporting on mental health. It’s been almost nine years now, and over time, so many people have shared their stories with me. That really reinforced the need for open discussions around mental well-being. More and more people, especially the younger generation, are aware of the impact of mental health on every aspect of life. The pandemic only magnified that awareness, breaking long-standing stigmas.”
From Reporter to Novelist
Tripathi’s transition from journalist to full-time author was a natural evolution. “Journalists are great with deadlines,” she says with a laugh. “But fiction is harder—you have to create an entire world and make it believable.” She emphasizes the discipline that her journalism background instilled in her writing process. “I actually started writing fiction while I was still a journalist. That helped because I had deadlines pushing me. From my first book to my third novel, I’ve learned that fiction requires patience and a willingness to dive deep into the world you’re building.” Despite juggling multiple projects, she thrives in the chaos. “I don’t think I could take a writing sabbatical. Journalists thrive on juggling multiple things at once. And yes, sometimes that means writing at 3 AM.”
New Age Dating: Nanoships and Situationships
As our conversation veered towards modern dating terms like nanoships (relationships so brief, they exist only in fleeting moments of togetherness) and situationships (undefined romantic entanglements), Tripathi admitted, “That really passed me by! But I love learning about these things from folks like you. Honestly, I’m kind of relieved I don’t have to navigate all this.” She reflects on how social media is reshaping romantic and platonic relationships. “One of the things I explore in my books is how we’ve started curating our lives through social media. Everything is increasingly fragmented. It’s getting more and more complicated, and I feel for the younger generation trying to figure all of this out.”
Social Media: The Great Illusion?
Is social media pressuring people into relationships? “I don’t know if it’s pressuring people into relationships, but it’s definitely pressuring people to push for a perfect life, to curate an aesthetic life. And I think that comes with very unreasonable standards.” Having worked at Twitter for over five years, she acknowledges both the good and bad sides of social media. “It has changed how we derive self-worth, and that’s something we should all be mindful of. But at the same time, social media has given us access to information, to communities, to support systems we wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s about finding a balance.”
Writers Who Inspired Her
Tripathi’s literary influences are quite similar to mine, which gave us a little bonding time. Her list includes classics and childhood favorites. “I loved Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I used to reread the latter every year. And of course, like many kids growing up in the 80s, I loved Enid Blyton.” And if she could co-write with anyone? “I’d love to collaborate with Madeline L’Engle, if she were alive. But honestly, co-writing is such a different beast—I might just take a pass on that question!”
Exploring Grief in Writing
One of her ongoing projects with The Health Collective is centered around grief. “We are seeing so much loneliness and isolation despite being virtually connected. There’s a way to use technology to create more meaningful communities.” When asked about grief and societal expectations to “move on,” she expresses concern: “We should stop putting pressure on ourselves and others. Grief isn’t something you get over; it’s something you carry with you. There’s no one right way to grieve, and that’s something we should normalize.”
Advice for Aspiring Writers
To young writers, her message is simple: “Take yourself seriously. Don’t let anyone dictate your worth. Writing is a craft—the more you do it, the better you get. And don’t be afraid to tell the stories that matter to you.” With that, our conversation comes to a close, leaving us inspired by her insights, humor, and unwavering passion for storytelling.