So, I imagine most on here who write (which is, indeed, most of us) have writers we've read over the years that we consider inspirational, whose ideas or style have slipped into our own. So who are your literary inspirations?
A couple for me:
H. P. Lovecraft - leaving aside his racism and classism for a moment, HPL's ideas about horror and creating a kind of dark background to reality that we explore at our peril definitely inspired me. Just look at "Voice of Ice" on here if you need to see that. I probably had some of his style at one time, too, and may still have some of it but I've tried to get away from some elements of it (repeated emphasis of rather odd, obscure adjectives like "squamous").
Clark Ashton Smith - less well-known than his friend Lovecraft, CAS wrote "weird fantasy" that is definitely an inspiration for my fantasy stories (not so much "Night of the Wind" but definitely the sequel I'm toying with). His short stories and occasional novellas (he never did write anything that would really qualify as a novel) paint word pictures of strange exotic worlds, usually with a dark edge to them. He also borrowed from Lovecraft (and vice versa), frequently bringing his friend's cosmic horror into the mix. Like Lovecraft, his stuff his now mostly Public Domain so just search him up on Project Gutenberg or other PD literary sites.
This is a tough one. I’m a “streaky” reader so a lot of writers have influenced me. To name a few:
- Erma Bombeck
- Dave Barry
- Patrick McManus
- Tom Robbins
- John Steinbeck
- Larry McMurtry
- Tom Wolfe
- Barbara Kingsolver
Gee, there should be more women on this list. Let me work on that...
I'm inspired by words and dreamers. I read most anything that grabs my attention. As a writer, I let my thought's get carried away at times. But I mean no harm. I'm a firm believer of the written words of Poe. As dark is my shadow when I write. Humor and sensuality follow. There are several writers on SS that put me in awe of their talent.
I have never really analyzed my work or taken the time to develop a writing philosphy. I simply decided about six years ago that I could write just about as well as a lot of the folks I was reading. It began there and I wrote and wrote.
In the past, during my life, I've read thousands of books and hundreds (if not thousands) of authors. I've never really noticed that any of them influenced the way I wrote. But if we are talking of authors that inspired us, then I can come up with quite a few. I won't bother to list them all because they are 'legion' as they used to say.
Raymond Chandler weaves a wonderful story that keeps a reader interested and wanting to dive in and explore his world. With the tools of the trade necessary to stay alive, like a gat or two.
Kenneth Roberts really can spin a tale. His stories of the sea and the people that worked and fought there are always fun to read.
Shirley Jackson could write in so many voices and worlds. Humor and suspense and horror. She is truly inspiring as a writer.
Lucy Maud Lovelace and Lucy Maud Montgomery remind me of each other in a number of ways. Not the least is their way of telling great stories of and for girls (and boys like me.)
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) inspired me in a lot of ways. He was a great writer of wit. Making one laugh out loud with his commentary on the humans around him.
Anne Tyler never fails to give me the pleasure of introducing me to strange and fascinating people, involving me in her world.
C. S. Forestor can keep one inside his novels for hours on end, making you want to be there and see the action, and hoping and praying the inhabitants of his world will succeed in their endeavours.
I could go on and on. I'll take a break now. Cheers.
Good thread. Glad to see Shirley Jackson mentioned so often.
My own list (I will try to keep this short):
Elmore Leonard - for dialogue and shifting POV
Shirley Jackson - for all rather reasons given above
David Foster Wallace - for those long, beautiful, looping sentences
Stephen King - natural storyteller, just hits all the right notes
John Irving - for World According to Garp, a perfect book, funny and sad and wise
Kurt Vonnegut - made me want to get a writer
Fire and Ice - A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words competition, first place
Monster - Survivor competition, first place
Edgar Allen Poe
Robt. McCammon
Peter Straub
Agatha Christie
Nelson DeMille
I could on and on, but I believe they have helped make me a pretty, "dawg gone writer." I'm sure some will disagree.
Plato
Shakespeare
Dostoevsky
Nietzsche
Maya Angelou
Patanjali
Agatha Christie
James Patterson
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Mark Twain
Beverly Lewis
