Should I take breaks from writing?
I enjoy writing short stories very much, even though it is only a hobby for me, and I never gave thought towards publishing anything. I find that it's a good way to be productive with my time.
There are two pieces of advice I have followed since discovering my love for writing: write often and read often, and I try to do both, but sometimes writing gets in the way of much needed reading time. I don't consider it a bad thing at all, but I feel as though my writing isn't up to par because of it.
I was thinking about taking a break from writing for a week or two to catch up on my reading, as a way to "recharge" myself, and I was wondering if this was a good idea.
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The safest time to take a break is between projects, I think. Taking a break in the middle of a project could kill it, there is too much of the project still in your head, held in 'working memory'. As long as the characters still live in your mind you won't lose that, but when you stop writing and are no longer reinforcing the machinery of the story by thinking about it every day, you lose that working memory.
The danger of taking any break is never coming back from the break. I can't see a reason for asking this question unless that possibility worries you. I wouldn't worry much, if writing really is fun for you, then returning to it should be fun too.
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Should you take a break from writing?
Yes.
Writing is, at its core, a creative process (especially where fiction is concerned). You can't force creativity. Or at least you shouldn't. If you try to force your writing, your writing will be... well, forced.
A rule of writing I've always followed is that if things just aren't working out or you don't have the interest you did yesterday, go do something else. Do something which requires engagement on your part, like playing a game or talking with friends. But don't, say, take a run in the park. Don't be alone with your thoughts, because they will invariably turn to your writing. Force yourself to confront something else for awhile, then come back to your writing when you're ready.
Just make sure that you write something after a week, even if you immediately throw it out. Without practice, your writing will begin to stagnate.
While it is not relevant to this answer, one thing I wanted to note was something you said in your OP:
sometimes writing gets in the way of much needed reading time.
This is a warning sign to me. Reading is very important. It is one sure way to become a better writer (assuming you are selective about what you read, of course). But your phrasing suggests that you find yourself wanting to write during your set 'reading-time'.
Whatever you do, do not fight this. If your interest in your writing is up, and you feel like it's been sub-par lately, the last thing you need to do is quash the urge to write when you have it.
Reading is very important, but it can be done at virtually any time. Writing cannot. Writing comes and goes as it pleases. Writing doesn't care about your schedule, or your sleep patterns for that matter. You should not be trying to fit writing into your schedule. You should be trying to fit your schedule around your writing. If you're serious about writing, that is.
Now if your writing is truly just an enjoyable hobby, then my only advice to you is this: relax. Don't worry about your writing being on 'par'. Don't grade your writing. If you write for fun, that's all that matters: writing. Write what you want, when you feel like it.
The only one you need to please with your writing is yourself. And if the act of writing is enjoyable, then you're already there.
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