Curious to hear if others find that when they're not writing (because the desire has deserted them) they also lose interest in reading too. Up until about three weeks ago I was reading, and thoroughly enjoying, Margeret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, but then the desire to write left me and I haven't picked up her book since. And this is not a first - happens every time.
Well, that is a horrible book (I read it). My advice (which I actually follow) is to write every day. Even if it is writing one sentence or maybe fixing an existing sentence. Every day write...period. Read your stuff out loud. I found out reading my stuff out loud when fixing it is a big help. Now, if you are not writing because you are at a boring part of your book, well, change it. Add something that makes it interesting or things going on in the background that are interesting.
Well, this thread wasn't intended as a request to help me get back to writing, but since you brought it up I'll just make it clear this doesn't work for me. Forcing myself to write has a negative and damaging effect on any creativity that might still be lurking somewhere in the deepest recesses of my mind. The whole 'not writing' thing goes through three stages: Loss of interest, followed by a complete halt, and finally a deep hatred of creative writing in general. And thanks! Because, maybe inadvertently, you've just helped me see why I lose interest in reading too.
No. To me, they're not related in that sense. I may even stop writing but I'll never stop reading. It's an addiction I got in childhood.
No, I don't stop reading, but what I read dramatically changes. When I'm being creative, I tend to read new things or reread things that I read a long time ago. When I'm not feeling creative, I reread stories that I've already read a thousand times. Some people like to wind down by getting stoned and watching the same episode of The Simpsons they've seen so many times they can lipsync it. I get the same cathartic nostalgia cracking open Jaws or Flatland.
I read a lot when I am not writing. Right now I am reading a bunch of Ray Bradbury's short stories. They are wonderful and amazing and inspirational.