An excerpt of "Born Confused" had appeared in "Seventeen" magazine in 2002. Hidier was subsequently contacted by Viswanathan's future book packager 17th Street/Alloy, but she declined their offer to collaborate with her on an "Indian-American teen story." Hidier noted in 2006 that "several parts of this excerpt – including the opening and closing – are present and strongly echoed in the "Opal Mehta" book." She added that "Born Confused" contained many specific details from her own life which had been recycled by Viswanathan: