Writing Comes From Reading
Reading opens the gate of thinking; it lets you explore the other possibilities of thoughts
By Mukesh Sharma
The most difficult thing in the world is to create new thought / idea; sow it in the mind; let it germinate and catch the roots; nurture it well until it flowers and bears the fruits.
Barring a few blessed exceptions, the majority of common souls steal the thoughts from one source or the other; it is further forwarded passing it off as own; some repackage it; and a few smarts plagiaries it claiming brazenly it as their own baby. And In such whirlpool, the original creator of thought / idea is lost without trace.
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| Reading prompts to write |
Are we bringing up a generation of apes – well versed in the art of copying? Unmindful of the fact that Photostat machine can never produce originals.
Many students of this teacher-turned- blogger ask a common question. Why are they not able to think what to write and how to write? They say when it comes to writing, their mind goes blank or they are able to lay their mind on oft-repeatedly stale thoughts only – nothing new, nothing original, and nothing unique, all hackneyed or rotten thoughts.
Usually, this blogger tells his students that writing is serious business, don’t take it lightly; it must be taken seriously, particularly, if you look at the literary works right from Geoffrey Chaucer (the father of English literature) to present day writers. Their works may be different in genre but all have one common quality – all are voracious readers. Of course, good writing emanates from good reading habit only. A well read man can write well.
Reading is like listening to authors; it is like enjoying the swim through the pond of thoughts of a writer; it is like going on hiking and discovering new trees and plants of thoughts. Never shirk reading, whenever, wherever and whatever you find worth-reading, do read it. Watching entertains the mind but reading activates the mind. Watching reveals the possibility. Reading tells you what can be made possible. The most of the successful people in the world are habitual readers.
Warren Edward Buffet, an American investor business tycoon whose net worth is pegged over US 85.6 billion. When someone asked him about the key to success, he said:
“Read 500 pages every day. That is how knowledge works. It builds up like compound interest. All of you can do it but I guarantee not many of you will do it.”
Elon Reeve Musk, the founder CEO and Chief designer of Space X, says he has taught himself to build rocket by reading.
Tony Robbins, an American author, Coach, and Speaker reveals that he grew up with an alcoholic mother and various abusive fathers. He attributes books to saving his life and shaping him into a leader he is today and further says:
“I took a speed reading course and read 700 books in seven years – all on psychology, philosophy, anything that could make difference in life.”
Jawaharlal Nehru was a voracious reader. He would read a lot in jail. The popular and very well acknowledged book and a must read for every Indian, “The Discovery of India” was written by him while serving jail terms during struggle for independence. So was Mahatma Gandhi, a good reader and a great writer. His book “My Experiments with truth” is worth reading.
The great scientist Late A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a pride of India whose life is source of inspiration to all, says:
“Books are my favorite friends. And I consider my home library with many thousands books, to be my greatest wealth. Every new book based on some new idea, inspires me and gives me a new thought to pioneer.”
J.k. Rowling, the most celebrated authoress who grew up to write master piece “Harry Potter”, started writing at the age of 6, says:
“I lived for books from the young age. I wanted to become a writer. I had a burning desire to become a writer.”
Barrack Obama, ex-president of US says:
“When I was not working, the weekends would usually find me alone in an empty apartment making do with the company of books”
So this brings home a point that one must read a lot; make it a habit and see how one grows up as a writer. Reading opens the gate of thinking; it lets you explore other possibilities of thoughts. To a non-native speaker of English, it helps to widen the horizon of words and feeds the mind with new syntax / sentences. As for energy one must eat, one must read to write.
