Book Collection By Writers

Muslim Murasu, October 2012

It takes sixty years to produce a writer. Men die between sixty and seventy. Affluent people with peaceful setting live past ninety.
Offspring of writers mostly gravitate towards engineering, medical courses. They do not enter literary world. Monetary prospects are bleak. Writing will bring with it a life of misfortune. Most writers are attracted towards stages, tours and TV publicity. 25 percent writing and 75 percent publicity is the technique in use.
There is not a chance to maintain family without a monthly income of 50000 rupees in current situation. There are very few popular, familiar writers. Those with ancestral house, assets and land are welcome in literary world.
People surviving in literary world with a purpose to serve can create worthy material. They should have read at least 30000 books in their life. There is no writing without reading. Every writer has a chance to collect anywhere between 300 and 3000 books. Renowned writers will get many complimentary copies. Money would have to be spent out of pocket during initial days.
There are only a handful of writers who collect more than 10000 books. This collection turns useless after elderly, senile years. Kids and grandchildren seldom realize their importance. Entire collection is sold in kilograms to scrap shops. A lifetime’s collection is thrown away within minutes. Books collected by rich writers turn unnoticed, gather dust and feed moths. Family members don’t go near library room. It is locked down in the memory of father. No one knows its use.
When a writer passes away, the books he collected with keen eyes and hard efforts go to grave with him. People in literary world should consider this seriously.