Once Upon A Novel

I love reading books.

I've been reading them from the moment I learnt to read and will keep on, until I run out of books to read.

That obviously, will never happen.

When we are kids, picture books are what we all love to read.

I too liked them, until I started reading novels at my sister's place.

Obviously, an eight year old wouldn't understand most of the words that go into making that novel.

But I did... sorta.

Even at the school library, when kids my age would opt for picture books, I would pick a novel, Hardy Boys to be exact.

At one time, the librarian asked me, "Can you finish that novel?".

I nodded to her and said "yes", in my soft childish tone.

I liked hearing stories as well.

I remember pestering my grandmother to recite few whenever I felt bored.

The story I always asked for: The Little Red Riding Hood.

It kinda was my favorite too.

Even at the library I would read this book.

I had become so familiar with the story that I could finish reading the book faster than my other classmates.

This one time, the librarian had said that anyone who finishes their book before the bell, has to recite the story to her.

The book I picked: The Little Red Riding Hood.

And I recited the whole story to the librarian, kinda like how my grandma would.

I didn't feel embarrassed or anything, and went back to my seat, while the rest of the class looked at me, impressed.

That's the thing with being a kid, you're never embarrassed even if you do the most stupidest shit.

I continued reading till I started high school. 

And a lot of things changed.

At high school, my reading habit had literally died.

Until, I came across Harry Potter.

My whole world changed after that.

To me Harry Potter was more than an obsession.  

I read the same book again and again, never getting bored.

For the first time in my life, I felt the need to write my own story and not just read a book.

I also started using my imagination for making up stories.

I did attempt writing some stories but failed to complete it.

So what if I couldn't write a story, the best thing that I found out about myself was that I liked to write.

During the Harry Potter years, I read other novels too.

But in the end I would still come back to Harry Potter, because it was that great.

Once Harry Potter had ended, the spark that it had lit in me had kindled a fire.

Though that fire was small, it was still burning, craving for more books to read, stuff to write about, yada yada yada...

As my journey started in the Advertising world, reading books became a ritual for me.

It started with books on Advertising, then went to complete fiction.

Nowadays, that's what I do, apart from playing guitar and writing the occasional blog.

I feel that books are to writers, what practice is to musicians and professionals in their field of work.

The more you read, the more you're able to write.

And now, I even have the means to fund this habit of mine.

I spend a small part of my equally small income in buying a book.

And unlike most of the occasional readers who prefer reading books written by a popular author, I do the opposite.

I go to the bookstore, browse through authors, find a name I'm unfamiliar with, and that's what I will be reading throughout the week.

I don't have a favorite genre, if it's something that piques my interest, then I'll pick it up.

I also prefer reading an actual book rather than from a Kindle.

While reading an E-book is good for the environment, nothing can compare to the feeling of opening a new book, smelling it and reading it in the comfort of your home. 

Plus you have to keep on recharging your Kindle reader. A thing that you'll never have to do to your book.

If you'd ask me about when I plan on writing my own book. 

I honestly, don't know if I'd ever. 

Like any other writer out there, I too have a dream of writing one.

But I'm in no hurry, I'll wait till I get even better with my writing and then try my hand at it.

Till then, reading a nice novel would do well for me.