Friday, May 14, 2010

Blog Chain--Under the Influence

This round was started by Christine. She asked:

“Which author or authors have most influenced your writing and how?”

This is going to sound stupid, but I've never really considered this before.

As I've said before, I haven't been writing long. Before I started writing I was much more into art and design. Though there are basic principles that cross over, my appreciation for Van Gogh and Monet and pretty much anything Art Nouveau doesn't do much for my writing. Cover design, maybe. :)

In high school, I did all of my assigned reading, but the only ones I remember really enjoying are Dickens, Poe, Alcott, and Tolkein. And though I was never assigned to read it, one of my favorites will always be To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Beyond that, the authors that have probably had the most influence on my writing and storytelling are J.R.R. Tolkein and Robert Jordan, and more recently Suzanne Collins, Simone Elkeles and Laure Halse Anderson.

Tolkein and Jordan made me love fantasy and the intricate worlds that are so prevelant in that genre.

Collins for her amazing ability to keep me reading even when I know I need to sleep. The woman is a master at pacing. She really makes you care about her characters too.

Elkeles is excellent at characterization and going beyond stereotypes. She's also a great example of creating tension in the romance area.

Anderson has heavily influenced the way I write emotion. She's amazing at taking the setting and using it to show what her characters are feeling. If you're struggling in this area, her books are a great place to start, though they may make you feel incredibly inferior. ;)

I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones that I can think of that have had a direct affect on my writing.

What about all of you? Which authors have influenced you?

Be sure to check out Shaun's post from yesterday and Cole's post tomorrow.

23 comments:

  1. Collins, definitely. For everything.

    Scott Westerfeld for pacing, Anne McCaffrey for plot, Anne Rice for style, John Irving for his ability to make the implausible plausible, and, lately, Riorden for voice.

    Great topic!

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  2. I liked reading this. I'm glad that it's not something you've thought about before. That means you're not trying to be like anyone else.

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  3. I've thought about it because I've been asked before, but I still don't have an answer. There are many authors who I appreciate for one reason or another and perhaps they've each influenced me in subtle ways. I have to say that I love J.K. Rowling's story-telling ability and creativity.

    Since becoming a fiction writer, though, I do read differently now. Now I'm analyzing for what's done well and what not to do.

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  4. For being such a "newbie" writer as you portray yourself, you dissect the important elements your memorable authors provided you really well. I would also argue that your appreciate of art (and knowledge of it) does translate in small and yet significant ways. You probably just don't consciously notice it. Great post, Abby.

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  5. I love the way Ann Brashares creates characters that pull you in so deeply...you cry with them, laugh with them.

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  6. Patricia Polacco, William Stieg, and Patricia MacLachlan are a few of the big influences on my writing.

    Have a great weekend! :-)

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  7. Those are some good influences. I think I've been influenced most by Orson Scott Card, Connie Willis, and Madeline L'Engle.

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  8. I've definitley been influenced by a lot of the same authors. I read a lot of romantic suspense in high school - so Mary Stewart was a big one for me. I think more recently, I've fallen in love with the way Carrie Ryan writes her characters and creates atmosphere.

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  9. I've actually never thought about it either. I admire writing in general. I love imagination and seeing where people go with it, I may not always agree but I still respect the dedication and time put into every book out there.

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  10. You make a point at the beginning about other crafts influencing writing. It'd be interesting to study painting masters to see how they draw focus on their subjects; if they put other details in their work to distract the eye; what secondary "stories" they include in their paintings, how they layer color or depict light. Seems like all of that could translate to writing.

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  11. Collins is great. Fun post, and really, I've never thought it about it much either, but I'm thinking now.

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  12. Great post. I like the pacing of Suzanne Collins and the prose of Libba Bray.

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  13. I'm with you, Abby. It's nothing that I've considered to deeply so I'm going to have a heck of a time answering this for myself :)

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  14. That's a great question and I feel the same way as you. I have to think about it! How do you look at one piece of a puzzle when all the pieces have made me the writer I am and am trying to be?

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  15. Great post, Abby. Like you I had never really thought about it. I'd have to say every book I've read has been an influence, teaching me how to write or not write. We can learn something for all authors.

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  16. Good post! I completely agree about Anderson and setting and also about feeling inferior. :-)
    Monet is my favorite artist as well.

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  17. Ooh, I love To Kill A Mockingbird as well. Terrific list of authors here!

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  18. Great list! I seriously need to go back and read some of these old favorites.

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  19. I loved Robert Jordan growing up but I had to give up when I realized that the series might never ever end. I like to fondly remember the first book which is still one of the best fantasy books ever written.

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  20. Oh my goodness, To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my FAVORITE books!!!!!! :D

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