Reading or Writing

[madlodger]

I've been thinking about things and it dawned on me that Reading is a bit of addiction in my case. A lifelong addiction, that is. I started writing only recently and have that feeling that Writing is addictive as well. Being at work and figuring out an outline of the chapter instead of working is a sure sighn, hehe! Most people here are more experienced at both.

So, if you had to choose only one thing: Reading or Writing, which one would you keep?

It might be difficult to decide for some people, I'm sure. So, imagine that for as long as you Only Read or Only Write there would be World Peace. So, which one, then?

[Guest Alien Pirate Pixagi]

I'd keep writing. While yes, I love reading to death, writing is one of my few outlet and keeps me from eating puppies.

[Guest Adara]

I'd keep writing. While yes, I love reading to death, writing is one of my few outlet and keeps me from eating puppies.

lol, I agree, though I chose nervous breakdown. I would never want to choose between either. I love both so much....

[Nanaea]

I chose reading. I can live without ever writing anything again, but I can't live without books. I'm a bibliophile.

[WotanAnubis]

Reading, no question. I'd probably still be writing stories in my head, but I'd have no problems not putting onto paper.

But perhaps I only think that because I'm so used to having the option available to me.

Well, whatever. I'd still pick reading.

[Guest Serenanna]

Writing. I love to write, simple as that. As it is now, I only read when either someone sends me something to look over or if a fic I know is good updates. Books I usually pick up on reccomendations.

. . . then again, if never reading manga again counts in too, I might reconsider changing my vote.

Sere

[DarkCabaret]

I chose Nervous Breakdown! I'd die without being able to do both! I love reading but writing is awesome too..... just thinking about it gives me a headache!

[Demosthenes]

I chose reading. Funny, but if I were to live out the rest of my life in a steel box with nothing but paper and pen, or books to read, I choose the books. Other people's work will always be able to transport me better than any of my own.

[Leonhart29]

I chose writing. The thing is, I started out reading when I was four (and my parents read to me before that), but as soon as I could wield a pen I was writing little stories. It's the one constant I have in my life. I have a journal I carry with me everywhere, I have hundreds of spirals with stories and junk in them, and it's the one thing I always make time for. Hell, even when I was married and it would have meant big time trouble if my ex-husband had caught me doing it I still wrote - which in a nutshell means I have and would risk my life to do it. I was denied the right to read or write (unless it was something he deemed worthy - which means all I had was the Bible) and I never once snuck a book into the house - but I sure as hell snuck a shit load of spirals and pens in. There's not many people who can say that about either choice.

[Iggy_lovechild]

Gah! Nervous breakdown for me! Though I must admit that I write a bit more than I read when I think about never being able to read certain books again or the idea of not discovering new books and authors to love...Gah! Noooo! I just can't handle that!

[Demosthenes]

What if it wasn't as extreme as living in a box? If you could live everyday life?

I would still choose reading. Writing is more of a compulsion for me. Even if I gain absolutely no joy from it, I find myself still grinding on. And like I said before, I will *always* enjoy others' work more than my own. If you think about it, how much work can you produce in one lifetime? Certainly nothing compared to the sheer amount of of fiction out there at your fingertips that you can discover and will bring you endless delight.

[redsliver]

I can't write well without reading and if I can't write I can draw so there'll be some means to get my brains on the paper. I'd have to keep reading.

[Iggy_lovechild]

I suppose if I really, really had to make that do or die choice (I've been ruminating over it for the past couple days), I would have to choose writing. While I have more self-control these days (like a save function in my brain), I remember when I first started writing. When inspiration hit me I had to write right then. If I didn't have a notebook with me, I'd write on anything I could find. Napkins, printer paper, those disposable placemats at some restaraunts, anything was fair game.

I'm in a terribly moody state today because I've been working on two different fics compulsively over the past couple days and have been having trouble focusing long enough to just get it the fuck done. While finding something that I can't read frustrates me, I don't become a holy terror.

Of course, if manga and graphic novels count in the "not reading" bit, all bets are off and I'm still having a nervous breakdown.

[NefertariAran]

Even though I'd probably have a bit of a nervous breakdown at first, I'd have to go with reading. I would live without being able to put my ideas on paper, hard as it would be, but I would survive. Besides, I can always play out the stories in my head. But tell me I wouldn't be able to read a book ever again, and I'd go crazy

[StoryJunkie]

well, I had a long heart-to-heart with the Creator of the Universe (yesh,so it lasted less than a minute, it seemed long!) and He said to me: eyes are not meant for this. Eyes were created to acknowledge the work of nature.

So I pondered that a while.

So why am I here still? Aside from my itchy palms, (wherein everylast one of you is beneath the flat of it!), I...hm...I forgot what I was going to say. I hate that when that happens. It was a really good punchline too. Oh well.

*OH! (what do you know, the "Darker Than Black" torrent is finished!)

[teeta]

Nervous breakdown ...

Seriously, those two are very dear to me, I can't choose between them. It's like that: when I don't read, I write and vice versa. I could give up watching TV (hm, I actually have) and could give up many other things in my life, orange juice included, but not writing or reading. They're equally important to me.

But if someone put a knife to my throat and said: "Choose or die!" ... err ... reading? Because it's more versatile? There are so many things I haven't read so far that it would be a shame to give up on them!

[Schmetterling-Meeko]

I'm a big fan of both. I like to switch off writing and reading to get any work done in a day's time. I've recently bought a number of books, two that are research, but the others are just for fun reads. I haven't been able to get to them though because I have so many suggested readings that were either emailed to me or I have books given to me by friends that I need to read first. I like reading, but balancing the writing and reading takes most of my day so television has been put on the side. I tried watching it last night and just didn't find it that enjoyable.

[Kyouryoku Senshi]

Writing. I used to read a lot when I was younger, but I read pretty slow so it takes a lot of patience to get through long books especially if it is tedious.

[cu-kid9]

I would have to choose reading, hands-down, on this one. I agree with Demosthenes that reading others' works will always bring me more enjoyment. Also, like redsliver, I draw, so my bursts of needing to be creative could be channeled in that direction.

[cu-kid9]

I draw also and voted reading, but now I have second thoughts about it. Writing seems to be addictive and getting reviews is addictive as hell [/color]

Writing really is addictive -as are checking obsessively compulsively to see if you have any reviews - but my whole thing is there are times when I'm completely stuck on a story, when I can't come up with any more ideas. It's during those times that I take a break and tuck into a really good book...and even when I'm writing away, I'm always engrossed in one, if not two or more, novels.

If I couldn't read, I wouldn't learn...