Thread: What are your biggest influences?

Originally Posted by Unearthed Films

Actually... none. I used to enjoy Stephen King when he was out of his mind but now, he's just doing retreads. I've read a lot of books but I've found that an actual influence will actually corrupt your writing. Your own voice will overlap with the influence you admire and actually steal your voice, and you can loose yourself. Well, at least your own personal voice which is what writing is all about.

That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

I think it's important not to find inspiration in a particular author but in some aspect of their writing style. For me, I have been influenced by Julian Barnes (Arthur and George), Kazuo Ishiguro (Never Let Me Go) and Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay). These writers have managed to convey complex ideas and plotlines in plain, simple English - proving that you don't need to be a literature buff or wordsmith to write (though it helps).

I have also been influenced by Stephen King's early work for setting a scene and creating mood, and by the playwright George Bernard Shaw for creating dramatic scenes out of believable, everyday characters and situations.

One of my greatest influences as a writer has been Neil Gaiman. I am also a huge fan of Charles De Lint, but Gaiman has been one of my biggest influences for over 20 years.

Originally Posted by Slugfly

A year later (around there) I read the Da Vinci Code. I was done in two days, and totally blown away by it. I watched the movie again after, and was disappointed to the point of being angry. I don't even remember the discrepancies now

True. The movie was pale and lacking in comparison with the book. The movie, to be honest, didn't do the novel any justice.

The epic scale of Lord of the Rings and Dune have really influenced the direction I'm taking with writing. The sheer magic and wonder of Harry Potter, the gritty realness and terrible imagination of Stephen King, the musing style of Herman Melville, the royal drama and dialogue of Shakespeare. The feeling of rollicking, grand adventure in Clive Cussler novels which I grew up reading.

Cinema has also influenced me. I like revealing the plot and other details through dialogue, focusing the prose on action, rather than spelling out the circumstances of the story. Some of that is necessary, but I'll try to demonstrate something before I explain it, which movies without the benefit of a narrator have no choice but to do. So showing-not-telling basically.

Originally Posted by aye_priori

What authors and books have influenced you the most as a writer?

It's all John Saul's fault. Specifically, Hell Fire.

I’m my own person. I don't need to model myself on anyone.