The Reader The Writer and the Third Angle.

India could soon have more writers than readers. – Ruskin Bond.

91 springboards has started a book club I see kids busy talking about their. Then the number of literary festivals popping, more books.  Maybe what the Bond fellow said… not James machchan I am talking about the fellow from Dehradun the Wannabe native son of a brown sahib oh! yes Ruskin Bond noted India could soon have more writers than readers.

I am told that these things happen they stay as fashion for a while then move on, but when the fashion arrives then apparently what we get is a “Obelix and Co.” situation, the fellow Underzo has documented this entire event. Of course one might choose to call it a comic or if you have been to the right school, then it becomes a illustrated novel either case we pay an obscene amount to Amazon to pick it.

On those days usually a Saturday or a Sunday  while I catch up with mundane activities, my cranial cavity lends itself out to the currently travelling thinkers… no not the one by Rodin, for that chappie is out looking for clothes. But some really tired guys like Socrates and his ilk come visiting.  Then I think… there are also times I reason out….

So there is why do people read? we pondered on this one with Arvind Passey some indispires ago.  To hear those arguments please click on the link above.

Then there is a …..Why do people write? quite a valid point to ponder over

• To communicate,
• To elicit an action

In this dare and bare era it is another way of shouting from the roof tops. Then you have Mary Kutty and her tribe, assessing their efficiency to convert your brain into a storehouse of unrequired information. I mean at the end of the day we are either writing for ourselves or for others.

Writing of ourselves is cool, it helps us to think, learn and understand. It is not shouting from the roof tops, it is listening to the inner voice. I get my inspirations by writing three pages in the morning. I am known for writing listicles to ensure my kidney shaped residents of the cranial cavity are not taxed too much.

But then there are other fellows, who deal the need  for shouting from the roof tops , yet follow  Mary Kutty’s command,  “Keep Koyet” that is keep quiet and not an order to import a coyote from Uncle Sam’s country…So they write. From my moments of epiphany I know writing has its benefits, like

• It is a proof that you have said what you said.
• You keep going back to situation and review it
• You can foul mouth anyone and get away citing artist license.
• You can put information pooled from Arnab Goswami and other creatures and deliver a “Don’t tell the governor.”
• You can wash your dirty linen in public and call yourself an intellectual.

On a serious note, writing allows us a space to share our thoughts, document discoveries.

The writer and reader get connected  one another by an entity called the Publisher. Who usually runs a publishing house. Now these fellows bring the shouters and the listeners together  pair the right shouter to the appropriate listener and of course make some money out of the transaction.

He is very well trained by Shylock and his fraternity. He has the unique ability to sniff the writing that will take him all the way to the bank. He does not ponder over  who is better off… the one who writes to revel in the voluptuousness of life, that surrounds them … or the one who writes to escape the tediousness of that which awaits them outside. His muse is who will fork the “rokda” the reader who revels the voluptuousness of the life they life in, or the reader who seeks escape into the flight of fancy.

Publishers are notoriously slothful about numbers… they pretty attached to the Rupaiyya they actually invented literary prizes to stimulate sales and book festivals save on marketing costs.

Though reading and writing and connecting the reader- writer is a process, writing is a good idea whether anyone reads you or not. though getting it published maybe another thing. But writing is amazing, it gives, it teaches, it surprises.

The reader, the writer are like ying and yang, each needs the other.  People always shout, its only some voices that are heard. The rest of them add to pollution.  This shouting and listening process when in print, requires a publisher. Now publishing is a marathon it’s not a sprint. The book is just a start.

This blog is written for the weekly prompt on Indiblogger

As for the writers, it is a need to be heard, a craving for fame and no other motive, except probably a lesser one of making money…

Indispire edition #273 Dr.Rekha Rani