We all take it as a given that, in order to excel at a certain art, you have to enjoy consuming that art. If you're a writer, you have to enjoy reading, and if you want to make films, you have to watch a ton of them.
But is there a limit to that?
To put it another way--could there be a point where watching too many films, reading too many books, or what have you, hinders development as an artist?
I wouldn't give up reading for anything. But I could see a time where I wasn't reading as much. In fact, I kind of look forward to that time.
Is there something to be said for immersion? Of course. But couldn't there also be benefits to deprivation?
At a certain point, does it really matter what other people have done?
I know a few writers, James Ellroy and Kurt Vonnegut among them, who make a point of refraining from engaging with other writers. That comes up a lot in interviews: older musicians don't listen to a lot of new music, and older filmmakers tend to be ignorant of up-and-comers.
That may be weariness, or it may be part of maintaining a unique voice. If you know what everyone else is doing, it constrains you, because you're either agreeing with it or disagreeing with it. Either way it shapes you.
I don't have an answer, but it's interesting to consider. The internet tends towards information overload. Maybe the best thing to do is to shut the world out. At least for a while.
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A few writers I know tend to not read whatever genre they're currently working on. If they're writing a novel, they'll read poetry or non-fiction and so on.
What surprises me often is how affected my writing is by whatever I'm reading. Almost felt like plagiarism. And yet, when I've found books that are dealing with similar themes are styles as mine, they've been invaluable as resources.
Perhaps quantity isn't the key, but quality. The more we immerse ourselves in a particular art, the more particular we are about what we consume.
Good points all. I guess I'm just surprised at my own lacklustre reading schedule this break. I thought I'd get through the growing stack of books by my bed. Instead I read two and bought ten.
Well, taking a break is important too. I mean, you must have read a ton of stuff you didn't want to over the semester. Sort of starves you of joy a little, I presume.
And sometimes you just need to switch off and do something brainless like play Bioshock.
Yeah, even with the break school's run me ragged. I'm pretty tired of studying boredom and garden theory.
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