Recommended Free Tools
In a first-person excerpt published by Scroll on May 19, 2025, Ruskin Bond reflects on the solitude, uncertainty and occasional companionship of a writer’s life. The age of 91 belongs to that 2025 framing; Scroll’s author index described him as 92 in a May 2026 entry.
What Bond means by writing for “that lonely soul”
Bond’s closing phrase points to an unknown reader: someone who may feel alone and find recognition or company in a piece of writing. The writer may never meet that person, but the possibility gives the work a connection beyond the act of writing itself.
That connection is not a promise of popularity. Bond writes that a work may reach only a small number of readers, and that writers cannot control how it will be received. His advice is to write for oneself rather than depend on approval from others: “Basically, we write for ourselves.”
The disappointment behind the advice
Bond recalls that his first book of poems sold twenty copies. In the same anecdote, he remembers asking someone who received a copy whether they liked it; the response praised the illustrations rather than the poems. The figure and exchange are Bond’s recollections in the excerpt, not independently verified sales data.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute#1 Best Overall
The story makes his counsel concrete: writing can expose a person to indifference, rejection and obscurity. Bond’s conclusion is, “So, we must write for ourselves, and then we won’t be disappointed.” It is a way of describing how to keep writing without making a reader’s response the sole measure of the work.
Loneliness is a moment, not necessarily a whole life
Bond distinguishes the lonely path of writing from the circumstances of his own life. In the scene he describes, family and household activity are around him; at other times, particularly in the evenings, he is alone. He writes, “This is not a lonely scene, and mine is not a lonely life.”
Rank #2
The distinction matters to the excerpt’s reflection: solitude can be part of a writer’s work without defining every part of a person’s life. Bond also acknowledges that writers’ situations differ, rather than presenting his own experience as a universal account.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the excerpt is—and where it appeared
Scroll published the piece on May 19, 2025, as a first-person book excerpt, not as an interview transcript. It is drawn from Life’s Magic Moments by Ruskin Bond; the publication credit names Penguin India. The headline’s “at 91” refers to Bond’s age framing at the time of publication, not his current age.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- FINGERPRINT with FP logo
- Greatest Works of Rabindranath Tagore (Deluxe Hardbound Edition)
Rank #3
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
