The most compelling reason to write is a desire to put one's thoughts into words. People may write for a variety of reasons, both commercial and non-commercial, but the basic desire to put thoughts into paper is what drives a person foremost.
Bond gives a practical tip when he says aspiring writers should find a familiar setting such as one's home town or neighbourhood, places we know well.
Writing is something one should do as a matter of habit, a few sentences or a paragraph in a day preferably or every few days, if one wishes to get better at it. He makes a pertinent point about avoiding stereotypes which may be a result of one's upbringing.
The characters in our writing, according to him, should be original and based on real people or place. Use of simple words is the way go. For example, Mr. Knight, his English teacher at school, taught him to use simple words and not mystify the reader. He has dutifully stuck to it for seventy odd years.
One should read multiple genres such as humour, satire, ghost stories, horror, family sagas etc. to see which genre we have an inclination towards.
When it comes to writer's block, he suggests writing a story in the head through visualisation before putting it into paper, a technique to avoid the block.
Towards the end, Bond makes it quite clear that persistence is an important quality an aspiring writer must possess if he/she wishes to taste success in the face of failure and rejection.
I found the book a light read in Ruskin Bond's simple unhurried style.
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