HYDERABAD: Eminent bilingual fiction writer Aamer Hussein has urged young and budding writers to peruse good and productive books instead of reading silly things so that they can instill in them true love of language and humanity and develop skills prerequisite for writing.

He was speaking to participants in a programme “Meet the Aut­hor” held at Khanabadosh Writer’s Café here on Thursday evening. The programme was moderated by Prof Arfana Mallah.

Mr Hussein advised youngsters to peruse good books instead of reading Harry Potter and other silly things. “Read classics and poetry in whichever language you like. You can develop your skills which are prerequisite for writing and they encompass true love of language and humanity,” he said.

He said that writers took much time focusing on issues and poets and travel writers scribbled life and the things important in life. It was journalists’ responsibility to raise issues being faced by people but even they could be afraid sometimes. Despite that it was journalists’ duty to write to apprise the world of social issues and changing circumstances, he said.

“I quit my job as a teacher of creative writing. How can I give marks to stories after checking them? Instead of being corrected, people learn by reading more and more books,” he said.

Mr Hussein said that he wrote for common people and wove a character from society and history. His characters did not boast, while those of other writers brag­ged about their works, which seemed to be unfair, he said.

He said that he strove to form composite and light characters because of his strong imagination. He loved Ghalib but his favourite Urdu writers were Quratulain Haider, Khalida Hussain, Intizar Hussain and others and he enjoyed reading poetry in both Urdu and English, he said.

He read out some beautiful lines from his story The Name, which was one of stories in his newly-published book. “At night someone paints your name on the walls of people’s homes. How can we stop this contagion?” so said an excerpt.

He said that he noticed that everybody in the country from a hawker to a taxi driver and others wanted to bring about change. People were fully aware of circumstances and they had conscience to change the situation, said.

“There was great potential and creativity in youths whom I met in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and other cities from time to time but I have come to Hyderabad for the first time. It is good that more people are hopeful and much are unhopeful. People sometimes dread of expressing their hopes,” he said.

He said that all people belonging to art, singers, fashion designers and others had to play their role for change in society.

Intellectual and writer Amar Sindhu read out some lines of Urdu literary works of Mr Hussein to the applause of audience. In the end, Aamer Hussein took questions from the audience and answered them in an amusing way.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2018