Stephen King describes writing as the thing that keeps him going, and Roald Dahl says, "writing is to me what burbon is to a drunk." Do any of the rest of you feel like this? I know that sometimes I do, it's probably why I build fantasy worlds. Since I can't just up and run away from the world for a couple of days (I'm not about to walk and I can't drive legally so I'd probably get caught and sent home) I write in this fantasy world. If I'm really lucky my head gets completely into the story and I don't think about the outside world at all. It's sort of my drug so that I can forget about whatever crap I'm going through at that specific time.

Do any of you feel the same way? or something like that?

The Great Uberslacker

I tend to do a lot of things, some at the same time ("dove-tailing"?), but there are things, like writing and genealogy, that I will think about a lot even when I'm not in that particular "zone." What I am thinking about the most depends on what "zone" I was in most recently.

Moderating here at Hatrack, or any of the other things I do working with writers (you didn't think this was the only thing, did you?), can fill my thoughts, too.

Don't know if I'd call them addictions, though. Unless the thinking is an addiction of sorts. If I didn't have something to mull over as I go along, I'd probably go bonkers, so maybe the thinking is the addiction....

And writing--but I eat salty food when I write. Then reading.

Yes, writing is an addiction.

Seriously, I wouldn't say that I'm addicted to writing. Actually, just the opposite. I need impetus to actually write. I'm constantly thinking, except when I'm asleep (I would say I was addicted to sleeping, but I don't think that you can be addicted to something that is a universal need of all humans, all vertabrates, in fact), so I guess that I might be addicted to thinking, but I bet that more people think than show any signs of doing so (maybe not very interesting or original thoughts, but neurobiologists have correllated certain types of brain activity to cognition, and so far haven't found a lot of humans that don't at least display electrical activity consistent with cognitive activity).

Suffice it to say, my book habit is REALLY expensive. That's why I'm taking up writing . . . to PAY for my reading habits.

And I am NOT addicted to writing. I'm addicted to making up stories, and I'm quite good at it. Putting them down on paper . . . I HATE it! In fact, I can think of few things I hate more. Although, seeing the words once I'm DONE writing is rather nice.

"Most writers hate writing. They like having written, but hate writing. I only know one writer who enjoys writing, and I'm worried about him."

I HAVE TO CHECK MY MAIL!

And for me I have to write or I turn into the female dog from hell. Anyoneknow of WMS pill? (Writer's Mental Syndrom)

I never stop thinking of new story ideas, or new ways to develop old story ideas... which is unfortunate, since I find it so hard to actually put all of that addictive thinking on paper. And the longer I wait to write it down, the more of a loggerjam backup of ideas I get in my brain.

Reading, Writing, Drawing, Painting, and Music.

But as far as writing goes. Aye, its an addiction. A mistress and a tormentor. I love it, and yet there are few things that I dread as much. They reason for this being is that its all well and good once I get into the mind set of writing. But getting into that mindset, forcing my mind to concentrate on a story that, at the slightest hint of, my mind has already raced ahead chapters. And then of course there is the terror of when I must eventually stop... its like planting a tree. The roots just get established, then you uproot it again.

Then there is the terror that waits in the darkness. No matter how tired I am, how much I just want to sleep, as soon as my head hits the pillow my mind begins to overflow with ideas, demanding me to get up once again and tend to them.

So I am addicted to writing but it is a very cruel taskmaster.

Just a writing