Reading and Writing (pt. 2)

Reading helps writing, but I don't know why. My dissertation adviser suggested that I relax and read when I was having a hard time writing. He said that it helped you write because you were watching the story unfold page after page, much like I had to do while writing my 'book.'
I find that reading sparks my creativity, not necessarily my work writing. Unfortunately, I don't want to write what I have to write for tenure (academic journal articles). Rather, I have started to write a play and a memoir. In these, I can see the story unfold. I find them meaningful. I want to write them. My other work, while meaningful, has little chance to ever be read. Maybe I just tricked you into reading the abstract. Can you see how a memoir would be more fun?