Arguments in the Marginalia 

Most readers share a precious, yet complex relationship with books, marked by joy, guilt, discovery, curiosity and so much more. Dear Troubled Reader, written by Suresh Menon, is an advice column on all things literature and language. It addresses questions that readers have, from the simple to the profound, treating every question with equal seriousness. You might ask: How do I begin reading? Or is writing a mirror into the writer's world? Expect recommendations from the columnist, remedies for ‘bad’ reading habits, advice on navigating the inevitable reading slump, and much more.

We hope this column becomes a space of hope and companionship for you, the reader. A place that brings you back to your bookshelves with renewed love for reading and the desire to discover new voices and fresh literature.

Send your questions via email to editor@the-hyphen.in, or leave a comment below.

I am unable to read anything that is not written by a woman. I worry if this limits me as a reader, I feel I am closing myself off to a dimension of experience. Do you have a similar experience? 
Saptaparna Samajdar, Journalist

Hope you read this Saptaparna (I happen to be a man). No, I haven’t had a similar experience. I read man, woman, child, machine, and if the cat who sits outside my window were to write, I would read her too. But seriously, this is less a literary issue than a psychological one, and I am not qualified in that field. After reading this, scientists might call the condition the ‘Samajdar Syndrome’. Out of curiosity, what happens when you do read something written by a man?  

While writing fiction, how does one make sure a character stays true to themselves?  Fiction offers a free rein to build a character. So, how does one  decide whether a certain mannerism or dialogue or anything for that matter works for the character?  
Sonia Chand, Film Director 

Let the character do what they want, it is up to you as a writer, Sonia, to convince the reader that this is exactly what they would have done given that particular set of circumstances. It is often useful to let someone else take a look at the work. Sometimes writers are too close to their creations to notice inconsistencies, although you could argue that inconsistencies are part of human nature. You could begin by noting down the things that matter: motivation, speech, flaws, likely reactions and so on. But avoid the pitfall of predictability as you write – it is often the unpredictable that makes the story.  

I obsessively organise and note-take every interesting line I come across in a book, to remember it or quote it. But this has taken away the joy of reading, turning it into an assignment. How do I navigate this, and enjoy reading while still retaining what I have read? 
Poojana Prasanna, Bookmaker

The simplest solution, Poojana, is to carry a pencil and mark lightly in the margin. These can be erased later. I always read with pencil in hand, and sometimes get into an argument with the author in the margins. Nabokov, Twain, Austen are only some who wrote their comments in the margins. Coleridge’s friends would lend him books just to enjoy his marginalia. I had a book on Coleridge’s marginalia once but can’t find it now. Perhaps it is the opposite of  what used to happen to Coleridge; a friend might have ‘borrowed’ the book and kept it! 

I know many voracious readers who struggle to write well. If reading exposes us to language, ideas, and different styles of writing, why don’t that translate into the ability to write? 
Shakti Swaminathan, Teacher, Reader

I use my computer a lot, Shakti, but that does not make me a computer expert. I have watched over a thousand cricket matches, from the club to international level, but I am no threat to Jasprit Bumrah or Shubman Gill. Reading can make you a better writer but not necessarily a good one.  

I have never been a fan of fiction. But I want to explore different genres, especially themes I am not usually drawn to. How do I start? 
Tamoghna Chakraborty, Digital Communications Associate 

Google is a good place to start Tamoghna. There are such lists as 100 best novels around the world. If you are not drawn to historical fiction or horror or fantasy or science fiction, you could start there. 

I recently met an author whose work I’ve read for years. They weren’t at all what I expected. Although I know the whole “never meet your heroes” thing, I didn't think it would hit me this hard. Now, every time I open their books, I think of the ordinary, kind of disappointing person I met – I don’t know if I can read their books again without that image getting in the way. Does that feeling ever fade? 
Anonymous

Yes, that feeling can fade and disappear with an effort of will (I hope). Authors are at their best sitting alone in a room writing. Many are sociable, happy people you will be glad to meet (and there are enough literary festivals in India for that). But many are also crotchety or otherwise dreadful folk no one enjoys meeting! Isn’t that true of all mankind? The relationship between literary greatness and personal behaviour is complicated. Hemingway, Faulkner, Fitzgerald were alcoholics, Dickens was a misogynist, William Burroughs killed his wife. The poet Yeats has a line about choosing between the writer and his art: “The intellect of man is forced to choose / Perfection of the life, or of the work...”