From Storybooks To Scholarship: A Personal Reflection On Reading & Writing
A Life Shaped by Books
WORLD Book Day served as a moment of reflection for a writer who recently completed a long-anticipated book, revisiting how reading laid the foundation for his journey as an author.
He noted that the experience reinforced a simple truth: writing is built on reading, and no author emerges without first becoming an avid reader.
Looking back, he credited his father for introducing him early to books, a gesture that shaped his intellectual development from childhood.
Early Exposure to Literature
Growing up, he recalled how his father regularly bought storybooks and later made his personal collection of novels and plays available to him.
By the time he finished junior secondary school, he had already read most of Shakespeare’s plays and several other classic works accessible to him at the time.
A major turning point came in 1999 when his father brought home a large Webster Dictionary, which he described as a personal “treasure” that he repeatedly studied.
Inside the dictionary, sample sentence structures inspired him to begin practicing writing in a more deliberate way.
Newspapers, Magazines and Writing Growth
He also highlighted the influence of newspapers and magazines available at home, including Punch and Tell.
Through these publications, he developed an appreciation for editorial writing and commentary, drawing inspiration from prominent journalists whose work shaped public discourse.
These exposures helped him build early command of written English and sharpen his analytical thinking.
From Reading to Writing Career
By secondary school, his reading expanded into a wide range of fiction authors, which further strengthened his writing foundation.
He later focused on academic and professional texts in virology and public health, aligning his reading with his career in science and research.
He explained that books remain central to intellectual growth, describing them as nourishment for imagination and knowledge.
The reflection concluded with gratitude for reading, writing, and the journey that began in early childhood.
