Dawn Images

There’s a famous quote that travelling leaves you speechless and then turns you into a storyteller. Perhaps this is exactly what happened in the case of Instagram influencer and digital creator Mahvish Ahmed — popularly known by her account name Safarnamay — who recently published her debut novel On My Way.

This is remarkable, particularly in a world where digital content creation is not considered a serious job and where we need more South Asian storytelling voices, for representation as well as relatability. Speaking of relatability, Ahmed told Images that she believes every girl will relate to On My Way.

In her own words, the book narrates the story of her journey as a woman born and raised in the subcontinent, navigating various phases of my life as a woman, a daughter, a wife and a mother, with something for everyone. “Through various real life anecdotal experiences, I talk about what it is like to be body shamed in our society, how difficult it is for women to break away from societal pressures and conditioning, what it feels like to be in a toxic relationship, how my husband and I worked hard to build a healthy marriage, how I am trying to be a conscious parent and what it is really like to uproot yourself from the belonging and familiarity of your own country to settle in a foreign land. The story related in On My Way is very Pakistani, yet extremely universal,” she explained.

The beauty of the story is that it allows readers to pick something for themselves as they read through the chapters — words of relatability, a lesson they may want to apply, a view they share, a perspective they’d like to change, a deep-rooted belief they’d like to rethink.

It’s interesting that Ahmed’s content creation journey led her to her debut novel. When she noticed that her audience was interested in the stories, she was telling on Instagram honestly and authentically, she thought maybe there was room to explore storytelling further. The appreciation she received for her captions and blogs were another motivating factor but most of all it was courage — the courage to pick up something she had never done before, commit to it and keep at it!

Speaking about the idea of displacement — one of the themes explored in the book, Ahmed told Images that in her seven years away from Pakistan, she has come to realise that one can never feel fully settled. “You are always part of two ships where you miss certain elements of your home which evoke that sense of belonging. Language, the taste of food, connection with your friends and family, familiarity with the streets and the sounds. Of course, the roots that form your identity keep you connected with the country you are from.”

At the same time, Ahmed is mindful of the many opportunities to grow and expand your horizons when moving abroad and meet people from different nationalities. “The opportunity to connect and have conversations with people from different backgrounds, the chances of growth and new friendships that you would not have gotten otherwise, they are also extremely valuable,” she added.

In her case, what worked to help her settle in was finding her own anchor in a new place. “With new people and a new support system for yourself, seek that comfort in new friendships, and that is the only way to keep moving on. It is true that I feel displaced many times, especially during difficult times where I could use the help of my family, but at some points, I feel very settled because of all the opportunities that I am offered for growth and learning abroad,” she said.

The beauty of On My Way lies in how the book is a conversation on many matters women face in their lives on an everyday basis — regardless of where they are. And while different readers may be able to take away something very different from the story, for Ahmed the main takeaway is that life is always going to throw challenges at you, difficulties are going to come but they will come with a fair share of good times and opportunities — making the most of it depends on you!

When asked what challenges she faced in writing the book, Ahmed said finding the right team, translating the story onto paper, finding a support system and getting a publisher and a cover designer were all daunting but can be managed with persistence.

For Ahmed, her platform and the connections she built through it came to the rescue many times. Interestingly, she found her editor, Unaiza Maniar, through Instagram as well.

“I think the most interesting story is how I found my editor. Unaiza was studying in the US alongside [working in] publishing and editing and was supposed to finish a university project. The assignment was to choose a story that inspires you and tell them why that story should become a book and why that book is going to sell.

“So Unaiza, without telling me, chose my story and completed her thesis on my story. And when she presented her thesis, her professor really liked it, her classmates really liked it, and they thought this story would become a really good book,” she explained.

The rest, as they say, is history and Maniar approached Ahmed to pen her debut book. Ahmed found her book designer through Instagram as well. “I had been following [her] for quite a long time because I really liked her art. If you see the cover, there are many small things that weave together various elements that will be present in the book. So I knew I wanted her and had to just explain to her once what I had in my mind and that is what she produced for me,” she said.

Perhaps, the audience is playing a role in getting the word out as well — the book is a bestseller on Amazon and has sold out at Pakistani retailers for now, which speaks volumes about its initial success.

All in all, Ahmed’s first try at storytelling, without any professional training in writing, is remarkable! Having read most of it in one sitting, I can testify to Ahmed’s claims that there’s something for every woman in it and I think as the story unfolds, the reader experiences Ahmed improving her storytelling craft as well.

I do think the beginning has weaker parts but as one continues to read, there’s quite a bit of wisdom to be found in the pages of On My Way. It’s definitely worth a read with many lessons on cultivating healthy relationships and boundaries, motherhood, managing life that straddles continents and more!