[Orual]

I think that being exposed to a wide variety of influences is a good thing. Of course, I think that when writing a book reading novels and short stories is the best thing to do...especially if you read a lot of different styles and authors. Reading plays can also be beneficial, and not only Shakespeare: Sheppard, Williams, or more modern authors like Jane Martin (Anton in Show Business).

And I agree with Imladris when she says that a combination of reading and watching television, as long as it's good television (no, "The Bachelor" does not count), will help you write. With the rise of 'reality TV', smart shows are getting more and more difficult to find, but there are still some. Some shows I watch to get my creative juices flowing are...

The West Wing. You've got to love a show that doesn't dumb itself down for its audience. If you don't get it, they don't care--the writers are relentlessly intelligent and witty. My favorite characters are the dry, sarcastic C.J., and the often unintentionally funny Josh.

Babylon 5. Another show that won't pander to the lowest denominator. Past the cool, cutting-edge-for-when-it-was-made FX, its web of characters and relationships takes five seasons to play out, and it pays off brilliantly in the end. Favorite character: Londo Mollari, clever and never without a retort.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. I classify them together because they are from the same creator and they share many of their directors and writers. Some of the episodes are a little conceptual and disconnected, but they remain my two favorite shows because of the depth of the characters. Buffy (the character) is my number one inspiration for my heroines...she's a female warrior, but the fact that she's a girl who fights doesn't supercede her personality. Favorite characters: Spike, who evolves through the series more than almost any other character I've ever seen on a television show, and the naive, blunt Anya, who always says exactly what she means.

Sometimes I write fanfiction to get into the mood of writing. Mostly, though, I use television as a springboard for characters.