Reading Vs Writing

Reading or Writing-which gives more pleasure? This question has been bothering me for quite sometime, might be from the day I started thinking seriously about writing.

Reading has always been my passion-no doubt about it. My reading habit started when I was as young as my Tin-Tin and Tinkle age and given a chance I would love to read them even now. Now, whenever mummy finds me with a Tinkle, she gives a sarcastic smile, which is stronger than her words, and Dad says “Why don’t you grow up? You have lots more to read and learn in this world.” He would have said this at least a dozen of times and hence I have zero interest to listen to it anymore. I have never shrunk my reading habit to any particular kind like fiction, non-fiction, romantic, etc. Give me any book [unless it has any pages missing/dirty/stolen] and you will see me disappear for the next few days.

Does writing mean the same to me? Well I can’t say a yes or a no, but 'might be yes'. Coz my writing involves others too-people who read them. I realized it is not just the passion that I need to write/scribble, but something more. For example when I read Dan Brown’s “Digital Fortress” and “Da Vinci Code” I started loving the art of cryptography [can I call it an art? Think so..] From then when I come across any word related to it….be it encryption, key, code, cipher just anyyyything….. my eyes goes wider, brows raised and ears sharper-that’s the power I could feel in his writing and that’s the power a writer needs. It is really astonishing that he could make me [not just me I’m sure there will be many] love something, even though I have heard about it before.

The writer’s words are meant to be like a magnet, where the readers being the opposite pole. For that, one needs to have a sound knowledge of the language and the grammar. Though I know 3 languages [both to read and write], for the 1st time in my life, I deeply regret that I’m still not comfortable expressing everything in just one language. I don’t know whether people who read my article are really enjoying it or at least they are getting the essence – something, which I want them to feel. Can I transfer my feelings through my writing? Can others enjoy it as much as I do? These questions are still buzzing in my mind. Writing gives me pleasure-but that is not all I want; I want even others to enjoy that pleasure. So yes I can conclude saying-I love Reading-100% and Writing- 50%...the rest lies in the satisfaction of the readers. Coz 50% I write for my pleasure and 50% to be enjoyed by others.