Getting into reading and writing
A couple months ago, I decided to read Metamorphosis by Kafka because everyone I know read it in highschool, except for me, somehow. It was so enjoyable that it made me want to get into reading more. I read a couple non-fiction books, got into a couple novels (re:zero and the apothecary diaries), some fanfiction, some original stories from Ao3, and recently I picked up a book recommended by a couple people I watched on youtube (The silent patient, which so far I've liked).
It's not much, but after reading all that, plus being inspired by a writer friend of mine, I began considering picking up writing as a hobby. It's a little embarrassing to say that given how little I've read.
I have read in the past, of course. It's not my first time ever reading books, but the gap between the last book I read before Metamorphosis is bigger than I would like to admit. I believe this has negatively affected my ability to absorb and comprehend what I read, which makes me feel like that one Illiterate Orc meme.
Is it okay to pick up writing if I've barely read any books? Is the reading comprehension issue something I actively have to work on to improve or will it passively get better the more stories I read?