WRITING IS ITS OWN REWARD

It isn't as if I can't walk to Little India to pick up some of the bigger magazine titles. In fact Outlook India, at least its current issue is available online. There are no annoying passwords that you need to first key in, then remember to access articles from their latest issue.

Despite the convenience of that, I love it when Bala visits India and heads back with a bag load of books, magazines and newspaper. I put this on my 'to read' shelf, then lovingly go through a copy of The Sunday Express, a month after it was released. This week, I read Time Out, Mumbai, with its fabulous cover on wine, followed by Mint and yesterday it was time for the March 26th issue of Outlook.

As always, Outlook didn't disappoint. Lots of readable stuff, starting with the cover 'Why We Hate Politicians' to Amitabh Bachchan's defence of his role in the (in)famous UP is safe ads to a review of Amitava Kumar's Home Products.

I spent all evening going through it lovingly page by page, word by word, till I reached this enormously entertaining side-bar in Bibliofile. Since it's hard to capture it's essence, I'm quoting it verbatim:

Of Writerly Perk
When writers complain of measly advances and royalties, they don't tell you about the fringe benefits. Publish a book, and even if it's a decade old, it entitles you to a lifetime of freebies:
1) invitation to the dime-a-dozen litfairs across the country, including free air tickets (for two), stay in best hotel, free food and booze;
2) foreign jaunts (surf the net and find out which country is hosting a book fair with India as guest of honour)
3) writing residencies in exotic residencies in exotic locales (same perks as 1 only for longer)
4) a job abroad teaching suckers how to pen a book

As proof of it, its followed by a write-up on the Paris Book Fair that's selected 30 Indian authors for an all expenses paid trip. As Outlook would tell you Go figure!