Are we dissipating our creativity on message boards?

[berk]

There have been threads about how addictive these boards can be, and I can certainly look at myself as a supporting example. But my question here is a little more specific: do any of you ever feel you're putting so much time, research and creativity into some of your posts that you wonder if you might not be better advised to direct all that creative energy into some personal project or projects? I know some members are already doing that - Joe Rice is writing a comic, Paul McEnery is writing or preparing to write a book (I think?), Wesley Dodds I believe is doing a Ph.D thesis (?) and the Never-Ending Board is full of some great artwork and stories, but still ... we sometimes individually spend hours per day on these boards reading, pondering, debating, criticising one another's posts, and I can't help wondering whether or not some of that time and thought might be more constructively used in pursuing a more personally fulfilling goal. You know what they say about Oscar Wilde.

On the other hand, I enjoy reading the discussions here and conversation, interaction with other people is an excellent way to discover new ideas and perspectives and to avoid the pitfalls of forming your own thoughts and worldview in complete isolation. So I suppose we should seek some kind of balance. And, selfishly, there are a few posters whose stuff I seek out here as assiduously as I do my favourite published authors, so I'd miss that if they suddenly clammed up. But on the other other hand, if that meant they came out with a book a year or two from now, that might well more than compensate, so ....

[nubly]

some of these topics are good for writing essays. i usually browse through different forums for ideas when i need to do an essay

[Lex]

I can kind of agree. I spend so much time on these boards, then I don't find time for my writing projects. Lately, I've been toying with the idea of taking a break from CBR (and the rest of the internet) for a week just so I can focus on stuff I really want to get done.

[cable guy]

I sometimes fear this very topic.

But then it comes back to
1) I enjoy it very much.
2) I'm only on for an average of an hour a day. I know that adds up, but still... I don't know what else I could be doing to earn more money or further my career. With that one hour per day.

[Ayo]

Message boards: more serious than the crack epidemic!

[BlairH]

I usually just spew out any old right-wing rhetoric. I'm not too creative.

I need to save my creativity for my Law Degree.

[roguespirit]

unfortunately I think you might be right. I'm working through a course called The Artists Way at the moment and oneof the things it requires you do to is to do no reading for 1 week. I decided that this included forums as well.

Man I got so much stuff done that I;d been meaning to do for ages that week and had a really good satisfying week, uincluding making a start on a writing project that I'd been putting of for a while.

As much as Ilike forums I have decided to give them a little less time so that the rest of my life diesn't start to slip by without me noticing

[Rae Rodriguez]

But my question here is a little more specific: do any of you ever feel you're putting so much time, research and creativity into some of your posts that you wonder if you might not be better advised to direct all that creative energy into some personal project or projects?
I'm working on a few projects -- I'm illustrating a graphic novel, working on my own idea for a comic book, and also on a music project. These boards are addictive however. I check 'em before I go to work, and I'm on and off when I get home from work. It's almost sad. Almost. :D

[Citizen V]

Yes,one could look at it as slightly addicting.Because normally,you can find good posts and learn a few things as well.Its also a good place to be open minded,at my forum you can talk about anything you want without fear of being ridiculed.

[howyadoin]

On the other hand, I enjoy reading the discussions here and conversation, interaction with other people is an excellent way to discover new ideas and perspectives and to avoid the pitfalls of forming your own thoughts and worldview in complete isolation.That's my stance on the matter. Posting at CBR has helped my writing and my critical thinking, given me a venue to show (and discuss) my art, enabled me to help out other artists - particularly with regards to Photoshop - inspired me, and exposed me to writers, artists, musicians and filmmakers that I might not have checked out otherwise.

Plus I just got a check in the mail today from a client that I met through CBR.

It's an incredibly valuable resource, to me.

[Sanagi]

For me they're totally different kinds of creativity.

[clayholio]

I don't find that CBR distracts me much from my creative pursuits. A lot of creative activities are rather solitary, and it's nice to be able to log on here and see what people are talking about, even if I don't get involved in every discussion. It's not the same as having people around, but a few minutes here usually helps me feel less isolated, and thus better able to deal with working by myself.

[Dan Apodaca]

When I want to write, I write. When I want to play music, I play. When I want to post on CBR, I post.

I find no competition between any of the above.

[K'Nort]

I have zilch creativity, so I'm fine.