Hamid Ali NB
All the people in their maturity period keep ambitions, dreams and most specifically want to pursue a successful profession. Many want to be professional doctors, engineers, technicians and many more. But it really gives tension to say that nobody wants to be a full time writer in Pakistan.
The basic reason is that everybody thinks writing is not a profession, therefore, no life in this field. It is to update that in 16th century Europe, when the printing press got introduced and books started to publish, there emerged a class of professional writers who survived on the income of their writing.
The intellectual Erasmus from Holland earned his livelihood through his writings. Most importantly, when Will Durant’s book story of Philosophy became a bestseller, he decided to leave the profession of teaching and become a full time writer. Furthermore, when Oswald Spengler wanted to write his classical book Decline of the West, he also resigned from his post as a school teacher.
Why in Pakistan it is not possible to become a professional writer and depend on the earning from writing?
The basic reason is that there is not a single person who considers writing a profession in Pakistan. Therefore, in other fields a vast number of students are willing to invest their time but not in the field of writing. There is no denying of the fact that if this trend continues, there will be shortage of writers in this country.
I with my heart and soul request provincial and central ministers of education to encourage the profession of writing and should reward the writers who have been contributing in field of literature.
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