Why do you write / read? (three options)

Why do you enjoy writing / reading?


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Mata Hari

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My university professor said this to the class on the first day:

"People who enjoy literature should enjoy one of these three things: ideas, words, or stories. Which of these is your reason for enjoying literature, and why?"

I was going to include a 4th poll option ("a combination of the three"), but I figure if you really think about it you will come out with one of the options above the others...

Personally, I read / write because I enjoy ideas - specifically the idea of a perfect character who inspires me in some way. I arrived at this answer after some serious thinking. My first instinct was to choose 'stories'.
 
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Stories, I think.

A love of ideas just means you think a lot. It doesn't mean the ideas get written down. If you love stories you'll want to get them written so other people can enjoy. Words are merely the tools.
 

KTC

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In a WRITER forum, you didn't allow for multiple choice option! I'm not clicking on one.
 

Mata Hari

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EVERYONE would pick "a combo of the three" if there was that option, so it kind of renders the question issued by the poll useless. :)

As I mentioned, I had originally chosen "stories" as well, but then I got to thinking about why I liked stories... and I arrived at the conclusion that I like to read because of the ideas behind stories.

I don't necessarily mean that I read stories only for the ideas that they give me, or the ideas fueling them, but that every story is built upon ideas that reflect human life. Every story is an amalgamation of ideas acquired in the human experience.

I enjoy hearing about these ideas through story. No story is a story without an idea.

So maybe this is really a trick question. All of them must work together in some kind of crazy literary loop, and if you admit to liking one, really you like all three...

Damn, maybe I should have included that as the forth option...

lol.
 

Wayne K

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I write so I can score with chicks. I don't understand the question I guess.
 

Wayne K

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Oh, it's why do I enjoy writing.

I stand by scoring with chicks.
 

panda

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aadams73

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Story is king. But the other two are close on its heels. I love arranging words the way a florist loves arranging flowers.
 

Barb D

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I voted for ideas, although of course it's all three. But if there's not an idea behind the story, the story has much less of an impact on me. And beautiful words don't make a story compelling if it has no plot or idea behind it.
 

JoNightshade

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Your professor thinks he's clever.

He's missing my choice, though. People. I read to get to know people. I fall in love with characters.

If I have to pick from the list, though, it's probably ideas followed closely by stories. I'll read for either, but the ones I like the very best are stories that convey ideas. But, as I said, even better than either is a compelling personality.
 

virtue_summer

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Your professor thinks he's clever.

He's missing my choice, though. People. I read to get to know people. I fall in love with characters.

If I have to pick from the list, though, it's probably ideas followed closely by stories. I'll read for either, but the ones I like the very best are stories that convey ideas. But, as I said, even better than either is a compelling personality.

Put me down for people as well. To me characters are the most important part of any story.
 

ejwriter

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oh, and i vote for words. (ideas second and stories actually third).

there are so many good stories out there that i enjoy reading, then promptly forget about after i put the book down.

but a few authors (like vonnegut with his ideas and kerouac with his words)... are unforgettable.

that said, one of my favorite books of all time is my fave for its story alone (one flew over the cuckoo's nest).
 
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