I read, I write, I even edit a little. I've also started reading and commenting on low-rated new stories.

I read because it lets me be in a land far, far away, if only for a few minutes. It lets me be something else, be someone famous for all the right or wrong reasons, be someone with talents far from my own, be someone that can do things I can't. My life is a good one—better than I know—and I wouldn't trade it for any other, but reading a good story lets me borrow from someone else, and become more.

I write because of how much I enjoy reading. I know the feeling a well-written story brings to me, and I want to bring that to others. The fact that I enjoy writing as well is a nice side-benefit. Exploring a world I created, showing it off to others, is the main reason I try to write grand, sweeping stories. I have trouble keeping myself constrained to a small plot, area, or story, but it's not exactly something I need to work on. Writing brings to the fore many of my inadequacies, and helps me change or—like in this case—accept them.

I comment on new stories because I know the frustration of being a new author. You don't have a following to bump up your stories like an established author, so your stories often flounder and die quickly, usually with no comments or a single non-constructive comment along the lines of "This sucks" or "I like this". You don't usually have the great ideas to draw people in, or the free time or knowledge to get great execution. It's hard to get onto any kind of list to get your fic more attention, so far too often absolutely nothing comes from posting a story besides a few up- and downvotes. I aim to change this.