With the release of her upcoming novel, “Everything You Ever Wanted,” Nina Raman, BBA ’22, is fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming an author. Little did she expect that her time as a student at the Fox School would influence her novel and creative writing process. Her desire is to share a story about growing up in a battle for perfection, with a dark twist.
After choosing a Management Information System (MIS) major, Raman’s view of perfection evolved. With support from the faculty and students within the department, she has been able to explore problem-solving in new ways. This new outlook has been a great source of inspiration within her writing.
Throughout the writing process, Raman noticed similarities between her MIS classes and fiction writing. She emphasized how they both provide opportunities to explore creative outlets and problem solve.
“In MIS, they may give you a problem and want to see where you can go,” says Raman. “Writing is similar, where there will be a problem in your book or story, but there needs to be an ending. It is just dependent on how you solve the problem.”
While pursuing a degree focused on information systems, her passion for writing never faltered. Instead, Raman has found various ways to express her interests within the major. “MIS allows me to advance my creativity in a more technical way,” explains Raman. “My goal is to work on the technical side of the entertainment industry, which combines my passion for both creativity and the skills I have learned within my time as a MIS student.”
Raman discovered more about herself and the importance of community while writing her novel. “I started writing in quarantine after I was sent home from studying abroad in Dublin. I felt lost, but I began to create a schedule around writing the book. This kept me in a better head space and provided a steady routine,” says Raman. Writing about a place she knew personally was important to her. “It also allowed me to discover how growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia has helped me grow.”
Raman expressed how she is invested in meeting new people within the Philadelphia region. “The people I have met during my time at Temple have been really interesting. Everyone has a story to tell,” says Raman. “After becoming an MIS major, I have learned that perfect comes in different forms and that people have all different ideas of perfection.”
Her time in MIS has not only expanded Raman’s perspective, but it has also taught her skills revolving around the promotion of her book. “The Fox School has taught me how to network,” says Raman. “I have been primarily turning to social media and my immediate network in order to find success in my campaign.”
Raman has grown her social media following on multiple platforms and is currently running her second fundraising campaign. Readers can prepare themselves for a wild night of twists and turns when her book is released to the public this April 2021.