Ambika Vohra on The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal

Interview with Author Ambika Vohra

Hi Ambika! Congratulations on your debut YA novel, The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal, and welcome to Reading Middle Grade.

Thank you for having me. I’m so excited to be here! 

That title is quite a mouthful–and perfect! Was it your first choice for a book title? I’d love to know other title possibilities you had for this book.

I titled the first draft HOP IN when I started writing it back in 2014 since Aisha hops into the car of a random stranger in the book, and I thought it captured the theme of the novel of leaping before you’re fully ready. 

As the idea and the manuscript evolved, I came up with AISHA AND THE STICKY NOTE MANIFESTO. It was important to me to have an Indian name in the title since that wasn’t common in young adult novels I was reading as a kid. While the marketing team at Quill Tree loved that title, they thought the structure felt more like an early middle-grade adventure book – an example of that structure can be seen in the wonderful middle-grade novel ZACHARY YING AND THE DRAGON EMPEROR. 

We ultimately landed on THE STICKY NOTE MANIFESTO OF AISHA AGARWAL. 

The length of the title initially took some getting used to (every time someone asks me for the name of my book, it still feels like a bit of a tongue twister), but now I’ve come to love that it contains a full Indian name, and captures the spirit of sticky notes that is a throughline in the novel.

Why did you decide to write about a girl stepping outside her comfort zone?

After having space and time from high school, I realized the things I spent hours worrying about back then – Am I ‘cool’ enough? Interesting enough? Pretty enough? Will I get into a good college? What if I don’t get an ‘A’ in calculus? — are not as consequential or meaningful as they seemed. Although I have no regrets about my high school experiences now, I do wish I could’ve had more fun in high school and challenged myself in ways that weren’t in service of my college applications…and not in the theatrical and often expensive ways depicted in coming-of-age films (read: pool parties and proms). 

I wanted to focus on the little ways I may have missed out on: baking cookies over winter break, spending more time belly-laughing with my family and friends, and thinking outside of myself and my future. 

So, I wanted this story to be about Aisha getting out of her comfort zone, but I also wanted to depict how the act of being open to new experiences and the unexpected resulting consequences are what leads to her growth…not the experiences themselves. The “bucket list” story certainly has been done before, but I wanted to bring a more down-to-earth lens to it. I wanted the characters to truly behave like they are in high school and have curfews and homework and (extremely) limited funds to work with.

Another reason I wrote specifically about Aisha getting out of her comfort zone and not Quentin is that when I was coming of age, I was exposed to a lot of stories where the female characters exist more as props or in service of the leading male character’s spiritual growth: High Fidelity, 500 Days of Summer, Yes Man. All films I love, but I did notice that pattern exists.

That’s why I wanted Aisha’s growth to be the main storyline while still giving Quentin page time to develop into a fully fleshed-out character, too, with flaws and endearing qualities and all.

Aisha is a huge overthinker, and you manage to depict that with some stream-of-consciousness thoughts we see in this book. It’s obvious she struggles with anxiety. Why did you want to depict mental health challenges–especially anxiety–in this book?

I’ve struggled with anxiety for many years, and I still do. Only recently have I learned that anxiety is not a trait, and that I can alter my headspace through practices like writing in a journal, self-compassion, and mindfulness. While these practices help, they are far from cures for me, so I felt confident depicting the inside of Aisha’s mind and writing about that experience of “overthinking.”

In terms of why I wanted to include it, one thing that keeps me up at night is the rising rate of depression and anxiety in our society, particularly among young people. The factors that have led to this rise are frequently debated, but rather than focusing on that, I’m more interested in simply representing anxiety in my stories so that readers can see themselves in the characters and find comfort in knowing that if these characters can grow and change, so can the readers! 

I represented different types of anxiety in the novel to show that not everyone who puts on a big smile for the world feels that smiley in their mind. We like to put people into boxes and categorize them, but each individual experiences pain and anxiety differently, and each of those ways is valid.

Quentin was hands-down my favorite character! I loved, among other things, that he reads like a well-rounded character, not a manic-pixie dream guy. Was it important to you to also give Quentin his own struggles to work through?

It is so wonderful to hear that you found Quentin to be a well-rounded character — that was 100% my intent! I did not want a harsh, controlling main male lead starring opposite Aisha, but at the same time, I did not want to flatten him into the gentle, “perfect” guy that heals Aisha’s wounds single handedly. I wanted him to have struggles, too, because all humans do. 

Quentin tries to help Aisha in the novel, but he also ends up hurting her feelings at times, and he also has his own problems to work through. But he inspires her and makes her feel comfortable in her own skin, which is all you can ask of any relationship. I believe no friend, partner, job, or experience can transform your life in isolation, no matter how wonderful. You are in the driver’s seat of your life, and all you can ask for is a passenger who takes song requests, buys you peanuts from the gas station, and makes you laugh during the drive every now and then. I wrote Quentin and Aisha with that in mind, and I enjoyed focusing on their budding friendship first rather than building a romance early on.

You’re a product designer in your day job, but also writing heartwarming stories. When did you discover that storytelling was something you wanted to do?

I’ve wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember. On the long flights to India in elementary school, I would practice my signature inside of composition notebooks for my future “book signing.” It feels surreal to now have a book signing scheduled in real life! 

I’ve been a lifelong voracious reader, but it took me years to pursue writing formally because the path to getting traditionally published is long and rocky, and even if you are lucky enough to be chosen, it can be difficult to make a living. I also do not have any formal education in creative writing, so I wondered if I had what it takes or if “someone like me” – an Indian-American woman working in a STEM field – could ever make it in a creative industry. I’ve now realized that was a limiting belief, and as individuals, we can be many things at once. This is a theme I explore in my book as well.

Currently, I’m content working as a product designer while writing. It allows me to feel stable, with the freedom to explore my creativity. I feel incredibly lucky to have that balance, but if the opportunity to write full-time becomes possible in the future, sign me up!

What are some of your favorite YA books?

It was so hard to pick, but here are five of my favorites:

1. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz – I think I’ve read this over seven times! The words flow like poetry, and the characters are so well-developed. 
2. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli – Such a fun romance and mystery, partially told through e-mails.
3. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han – I’d say Lara Jean and Aisha have much in common as characters! I also love the depiction of love letters.
4. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman – graphic novel, lovely characters and warm art style.
5. Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol – graphic novel, themes of self-acceptance and gorgeous art & coloring.

What do you want readers to take away from The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal?

I hope my words provide comfort to young readers…like a hug made out of sentences. At its core, my novel is about enjoying the little things before time slips away from us. 

I also want readers to take away that all relationships are equally important—romance need not be the focal point of our lives! That’s why there’s growth in many of Aisha’s relationships, such as her family and friends. Aisha starts out craving romance, but she doesn’t end there. 

Above all, within the folds and creases of my story, I tried to embody the famous quote, “Don’t take life too seriously! Nobody gets out alive anyway.”

About The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal

The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal

By Ambika Vohra

In this heartfelt and hilarious debut from Ambika Vohra—that’s Netflix’s Never Have I Ever meets Jenny Han—one girl tackles a question that changes the trajectory of her senior year: “How have you gotten out of your comfort zone?” That’s the Stanford admissions prompt that valedictorian shoo-in Aisha Agarwal can’t answer. Comfort zone? Her life’s been homework and junk food for as long as she can remember. Not exactly the thing college essays are written about. So, when her crush, Brian, asks her to winter formal, Aisha thinks her fate is changing . . .

. . . until Brian stands her up.

As if on cue, a banged-up Volkswagen arrives outside the dance; the driver—a guy her age—profusely apologizing for being late to pick her up. Does Aisha know him or what he’s talking about? No. Does the Stanford essay convince her to take him up on the ride? Absolutely.

BUY ON AMAZON

About Ambika

Ambika Vohra is the author of The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal. She grew up in Michigan in a small town full of corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and freezing winters. She works as a product designer by day, and in my spare time, she can be found eating dark chocolate, cooking Indian food, or sitting on a park bench.