Before we settle into the madness that is NaNoWriMo, let's have a fun little discussion first.
Who are the writers who have had the greatest influence on you, and why?
These are the people who taught you how to write. The people whose tricks of wordplay made you catch your breath. The people whose works you can't resist quoting in your Livejournals and Facebook profiles or in your unli group messages to friends. The people whose plots and characters you can't get out of your head. The people who inspired you to make your own mark in the world of literature.
I'll start :)
J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis introduced me to the fine art of world-building. Back in my grade school days, as far as I was concerned, I lived in Middle-earth and Narnia. The real world was just... wallpaper xD They may not have been the best or the most accessible authors, but, damn, those guys could create. They were as a whole my introduction to the fantasy genre, to the realms of elves and dwarves and magic and talking animals. I've never looked back since.
Style-wise, my biggest influence would have to be Neil Gaiman. Simply put, I love him. I love the way he can play with ordinary words and craft them into the most lyrical sentences and turns of phrase that roll off your tongue and transform you into a puddle of dorky goo. I love the dark and haunting images he conjures in your mind. I love his inventive plots and his intriguing characters. "American Gods" was my introduction to urban fantasy, which is hands down my favorite genre, followed swiftly by everything else he's ever written. The "Sandman" graphic novels are a masterpiece. Neil taught me about metaphors and employing synesthesia in writing. He taught me how to twist the mundane into something deeper. He taught me how to research interesting tidbits from the annals of history and mythology. He taught me how to make words come alive. Neil Gaiman = God. 'Nuff said.
Terry Pratchett knocked down my conventional notions of staple elements in the fantasy genre. His parodic "Discworld" series challenged firmly-held beliefs, often by desecrating them in such a way that made me laugh out loud in public. He made fantasy funny, which in its own way was an enlightening experience. From him I learned how to write realistic dialogue and characters one could empathize with. I learned to not dump information about people and places all at once in the narrative, but, instead, to spread it out and let it develop with the plot. I also gained broader insights into social and political issues, which is not... quite what you'd expect from a fantasy series, but, then again, Pratchett is all about defying expectations. At the beginning, his stories can easily be dismissed as humorous light-hearted romps, but keep on reading and you'll be hit in the face with some pretty amazing stuff--- I cite "Feet of Clay" and "Thud!" and I rest my case.
Amy Tan is a brilliant wordsmith who delves into the fine lines between human relationships and leaves you totally heartbroken, yet happy that you had the opportunity to read something as beautiful as her work. She is a master of effortless language and lovely images. I mean, look at this (from "The Bonesetter's Daughter"): Yet I have a memory of her telling me with her hands, I can see her saying this with her eyes. When it is dark, she says this to me in a clear voice I have never heard. She speaks in the language of shooting stars. How can you not idolize someone who can write like that?
Gregory Maguire taught me how to write descriptions, how to create particular atmospheres with vivid imagery. He taught me not to be afraid to let bad things happen to my characters. "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" is my favorite book of all time. When pressed for a scene from literature that I can never forget, I always cite as my primary example Fiyero and Elphaba and the blanket that seemed like it would burst into flames, or roses.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez taught me that it's possible to write about things like sex, dementia and people born with a pig's tail while still maintaining an air of quiet, stately dignity. I often find myself awestruck by the depth and richness of his works.
Judith McNaught was my introduction to romance. While not a huge fan of the genre as a whole, I did catch a thing or two from reading her novels. She taught me how to describe eyes and hair and clothes and rooms--- all those little details that matter--- and how to create tension and effectively heighten drama.
Margaret Atwood and Toni Morrison's rambling styles encouraged me to experiment with my own free-flowing thoughts. They came with the added bonus of appealing to my feminist sensibilities and enriching the way through which I perceived the world. Jack Kerouac, Chuck Palahniuk, J.D. Salinger and Kurt Vonnegut stoked the angst-ridden fires of my teen years, capturing with their casual language the beauty and desperation of life and the struggles of those who seek to find meaning in it. They taught me about raw emotions and wildness.
I'm pretty sure that's it, but I might add some more as they occur to me.
Your turn now, guys. Go! :D
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"Crazy isn't being broken or swallowing a dark secret. It's you or me amplified." - Girl, Interrupted
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Okt 27, 2009 - 16 34
In my wanna-be-Literary-with-a-capital-L moments, the writers I'd most like to write like are:
- Diane Ackerman: the way she puts words together is poetry in prose form.
- Gabriel Garcia Marquez: because he is the god of magic realism, and I've always wanted to write magic realism. My imaginary Palanca-winning story is written with magic realism.
- Jose Saramago: because he's kind of like Gabriel Garcia Marquez writing as Diane Ackerman. LOL.
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In my current fantasy-writing state, the writers whose styles I try to emulate are:
- Mercedes Lackey: writes fantasy that's very lofty-minded and honor-driven, and she's absolutely brutal to her characters
- Tamora Pierce: taught me that fiction for children doesn't have to be overly simplistic.
- Michelle Sagara (AKA Michelle West): has great tortured characters and taught me a lot about tension.
- J. D. Robb (AKA Nora Roberts): taught me how to inject romance into stories with lots of blood and gore.
- Neil Gaiman (mostly in my short stories; in my novels, not so much): taught me how to ground mythology in a non-mythological setting.
- Stephen King: packs in action and heart and doesn't apologize for being mainstream.
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The best books I can recommend to writers on the fence (between being writers and being other saner things) are:
- Stephen King's On Writing: because he covers the length and breadth of the tale, and reminds you of things you probably knew but tend to forget
- Carolyn See's Making a Literary Life: because she teaches you the discipline of writing as well as its joys and aches
- William Strunk and E. B. White's Elements of Style: because it gives you the basic units of writing (grammar and syntax) and has a great chapter on style where you are told that sometimes it is necessary to chuck grammar out the window---but only if you're well-versed enough to know which rules to throw and which to keep.
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OK, I've wasted enough work time.
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Okt 27, 2009 - 17 09
Lots of influences there, Treacle Chip. I'll just take a look at my bookshelf here beside my computer; on the average, these books have been with me for around a decade and a half, so I guess these guys are my biggest influences.
Engineering books. Riiight. Mills and Boon. There's Tolstoy and Dostoevsky there too. J.D. Salinger. Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The House of the Seven Gables" is really cute.
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Okt 27, 2009 - 17 34
. . .
hmmm... good question. =)
though i have tons of favorites, here are ten (10) wacky ones that come to mind, simply because i love it:
. . .
1. Umberto Eco (the Name of the Rose, Foucault's Pendulum) - "because he's nuts."
2. Sigmund Freud (the Interpretation of Dreams) - "because he's also nuts."
3. Alfred Kinsey (Sexual Behavior in the Human Male/Female) - "because he's 'absolutely' nuts."
4. Mark Pendergrast (Uncommon Grounds) - "because of him i became a coffee addict."
5. A.A. Milne (The House at Pooh Corner) - "because the bear's original name was 'Edward.'"
6. Nonoy Marcelo (Ikabod Bubwit, Aling Otik) - "because of Lolo Umboy and Bos Myawok."
7. Antonio Molina (The Philippines Through the Centuries) - "a Philippine History almost no one knows."
8. Jose Lacaba (screenplays) - "because of him i got astigmatism."
9. Will Jacobs and Gerard Jones (The Trouble With Girls) - "YOU SAID IT, bay-beh!!!"
and last but far from least . . .
10. Xerex Xaviera - "it truly FIRES the imagination, 'innit?"
----------. . .
"what the band TrueFaith would've been, hadn't they screw-up with stuff back in the 90's."
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Okt 27, 2009 - 21 30
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, because of the magic realism, as you guys already mentioned.
Nick Joaquin, our local version of GGM.
David Eddings, who proved that humor and fantasy can coexist beautifully.
Albert Camus and Jean Paul Sartre, for giving a different POV and existentialist questions.
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, for the awesome world-building they did.
J.K. Rowling, who taught me that making side comments in stories is not a bad thing.
Roald Dahl, for making us see difficult life issues through a child's eyes.
Aaand Dr. Seuss, because he's Dr. Seuss.:P
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Okt 27, 2009 - 22 20
I have just one. It's Murakami. I did not have much access to books when I was younger and only got to read a lot when I went to Manila for college. I read other authors but Murakami has me under a spell. :)
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Nov 10, 2009 - 02 43
Hrm. A lot of them!
Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew) and Julie Campbell and Kathryn Kenny (Trixie Belden), for making me want to write YA mysteries when I was younger.
Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon, and George Lucas, for world-building and characters.
Tamora Pierce for sheer girl power.
Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie for plot.
Amy Tan for imagery (I still wish I had written the Joy Luck Club!)
V.C. Andrews, for the darker side. Her twisted Gothic stories are disturbing tales of innocence and depravity.
Stevan Javellana, Nick Joaquin, Carlos Bulosan, for making me want to write about my own culture in English.
Budjette Tan of Trese Komiks, for characters and plot (I love Alexandra Trese).
Loida MF. San Diego (I'm actually citing a writer of Tagalog romances here) for the way she uses sentences and phrases, and for showing me that sometimes short paragraphs can actually be more punchy than long, dense ones.
Shakespeare, for wordplay.
The biggest influence, though, would probably be Elizabeth Peters / Barbara Michaels, for character creation and humor... many of her books make me laugh aloud when I read them, and I'm still in love with Ramses Emerson / John Tregarth, the thief/spy character who abhors violence. She also has a knack of infusing the supernatural into a story so that it creeps up on you and makes your skin crawl when you finally realize what is happening. Reading some of her books gives me a feeling akin to that of suddenly looking up and realizing that there has been a spectre draped across your window for the longest time, staring at you.
That's all I can think of right now... will probably add more when they occur to me.
----------“The neighborhood is full of houses, all abandoned,” Katrin remarked to nobody in particular.
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Nov 4, 2009 - 07 03
Tolkien, Murakami, and Gaiman. I love how Tolkien created a whole new world and made it so believable, it's really got a spell of its own. I've not read a lot of Murakami but I'm a fan of his short stories and the way he works with the ordinary to make it not-so-ordinary anymore.
My favorite would have to be Neil G. I like how he can change the mood and tone of the story, create wonderful characters and plot twists, use mythology, and write beautiful (and quotable) prose out of ordinary words and normal life events. :)
----------2009: The Storyteller
Inspired by Neil Gaiman and Haruki Murakami
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Nov 5, 2009 - 15 37
George RR Martin - The guy has cajones of steel. POVs are first rate.
----------Julian May - The research that went into Pleicene saga. Morphing a language (MindSpeak)
Neal Stephenson - Taught me how to end a chapter with "in the year of our Lord..." and begin the next chapter with "1655".
Roger Zelazny - Who seriously wrote: "Where were you when the Fit hit the Shan?"
Ann McCaffrey - Characterization is first rate. Remember the scene between Menolly and Sebell.
"And what would you do," the Master said unto the multitude, "if God spoke directly to your face and said, 'I command that you be happy in the world, as long as you live.' what would you do then?" - Richard Back, "Illusions"
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Nov 6, 2009 - 03 00
Stephen King. Hands down. Here's why:
- He made me see vivid movies in my mind. Reading his books is like having him sitting inside your room while he tells you a story.
- He taught me much about the power of words over readers.
- He made me the beauty of the English language. With what I got from him, I also used to see and appreciate the beauty of the Filipino language.
- We both write within the same genre.
- He made me dream of becoming a novelist. I'm going to be like him one day.
----------“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
"And the day came when the risk it took to remain closed in a bud became more painful than the risk it took to blossom." ~ Anais Nin
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Nov 6, 2009 - 04 14
My writing's influenced by the erratic narrative style employed by Chuck Palahniuk, Robert Heinlein's insistence on being bound by science, and, lastly, Lualhati Bautista's casual style of narrative (or, if you don't like, let's say Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, though I must admit I was a fan of gonzo when I was writing news articles). By their powers combined, my trainwreck of a "novel", if it could even be called as such is a personal, yet rational story.
I guess, right now, I made my work in first person because I recently read Suzanne Collins, who wrote her latest book in first person, and I just took the idea and ran away with it I guess. In an attempt to squeeze in as many words as possible, my narrator is a man of science, which allows me to talk about SCIENCE! and other related matters, and also insane, which allows me to go off on a deep-end and write about whatever. Of course, unlike Palahniuk, I tend to stick to one timeframe instead of going off in flashback after flashback, because, frankly, that's stupid. Lastly, Bautista helped me eke out a sort of casual "in-your-face" style while still trying to be redundantly verbose, akin to that of the works of classical authors such as Hugo and Dante.
I guess I'm just copying how everybody else wrote. Except Bob Ong.
----------"To write fiction, it is important to know nothing about what you're talking about."
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Nov 6, 2009 - 09 13
Hm. In order of importance, the influences of my novel are, for somewhat obvious reasons:
1. JRR Tolkien (Lord of the Rings)
----------2. CS Lewis (Till We Have Faces)
3. Frank Herbert (Dune)
4. George Lucas (Star Wars: A New Hope and Revenge of the Sith)
5. Ursula K. Le Guin (A Wizard of Earthsea)
6. The Dreamworks team on Prince of Egypt
7. John Eldrege (guide -- The Journey of Desire)
8. Christopher Vogler and Joseph Campbell (Guides -- The Writer's Journey and Hero With a Thousand faces)
9. Damiana Eugenia (Resource -- The Philippine Folk Literatuer Series: "The Epics", "The Myths", and "The Legends")
10.Wikimedia Philippines (Resource -- Philippines-related articles on Wikipedia)
RE de Leon is a businessman and first time novelist based in Agoo, La Union, Philippines. Mag-Ahon is the first of a trilogy of mythopoeic novels derived from legends of the shores of Laguna de Bay, circa 800 A.D.
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Nov 6, 2009 - 10 25
This is my first try so here goes.
I like the way Paulo Coelho writes. As they say he writes in using the universal language, whatever that is. I like the fact that most of his novels are based on real people with real stories. I guess that is what really pushes me towards writing. So I can write about the people around me. I love Edgar Allan Poe. I can't stop reading his short stories and his poems. I always have a copy of A Tell-Tale Heart nearby. His Black Cat is haunting me. And forever will.
For admiration, I adore (if not obsess) Jostein Gaarder. I have read all of his novels and I would trade anything in the world to meet him and have a talk with him. The wide variety of his novels and the details he puts into them, oh dear. Each page just takes me away. It sucks me into his world. I can quote everything and from which novel it was taken. I asked all of my relatives to get me a copy of his books. And most of the books I have of him are from different countries (because there was a time that Powerbooks, Fully Book and National Bookstore only had Sophie's World and nothing else). My parents know his name because I talk about him. And I love how he writes. For me, he has mastered meta-fiction.
I'm still a big kid at heart. And I still believe in fairy tales and happy ever afters. But not the way Charles Dickens writes them. He writes the well loved tales we grew up in an eerie way that it's creeping me out. If I could write like him, Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, I could die happily in my grave.
----------Fairytales ♥ Endless Short Stories ♥ Last.FM
*still no title for novel. huhu*
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Nov 7, 2009 - 01 26
J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis - I've always loved fantasy books. Tolkien and Lewis have been my most favorite writers ever since I was a kid--ever since I started reading their books. Whenever I'm writing a fantasy (just like now), I am inspired to be creative, original, imaginative, etc.
Kathy Tyers - She wrote the science fiction Firebird: A Trilogy which is my most favorite sci-fi novel. In it, she blended music with time and space. You sure don't see that in every book!
Karen Hancock - She's a fantasy writer as well, and her plots are so creative.
Elizabeth George Speare - Several of her books were awarded either the Newberry Honor or the Newberry Medal. Most of her plots involved well-known historical events. Her books are entertaining, easy to read, creative, and capture the heart of the reader.
Francine Rivers - She writes Christian romance, usually historical fiction, or something along that line. :)
Jane Austen - Chivalrous gentlemen, strong-headed heroines...what more can be said? :)
----------~ Tale Spinner (http://peraldaiel.blogspot.com)
"Writing is hard work and bad for your health." ~ E.B. White
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Nov 7, 2009 - 02 01
Francine Rivers - She writes Christian romance, usually historical fiction, or something along that line. :)
Ah, Francene Rivers. She was highly recommended to me at the line at a Manila Book Fair a few years back, so I bought her Caleb book with great anticipation. Unfortunately, it seems she was unable to cross the Gender gap on that one, Caleb didn't quite turn out the way I had hoped he would.
But I'm game to discover her other writing, as I can tell she just wasn't in her element with Caleb...
----------RE de Leon is a businessman and first time novelist based in Agoo, La Union, Philippines. Mag-Ahon is the first of a trilogy of mythopoeic novels derived from legends of the shores of Laguna de Bay, circa 800 A.D.
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Nov 7, 2009 - 05 53
Margaret Atwood's lyrical, poetic imagery made me become more descriptive in picturing an image or a character or a scene in terms of using abstract, almost hazy, surreal details instead of using concrete and real sensations.
Ernest Hemingway. I love his straight-forward, direct style that he is so famous for. It's all skin and bones, honest, unpretentious writing. And his best story of all, just six words long: For Sale: baby shoes, slightly worn. I always shake my head when I read that. Genius, man, Just, pure genius.
And who could forget William Faulkner? He's a difficult one to crack, but when you do, his way with words just comes together, almost unconsciously; it's free-writing, stream-of-consciousness at its best. And the way he makes characters come alive, even writing a whole history for them set out in broken stories... <3
But there's so many. I can't list 'em all. D:
----------NaNo 07: 9 Hours (Young Adult)
NaNo 08: The Sky is Broken (Military Sci-Fi)
NaNo 09: Speed of Sound (Literary Fiction)
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Nov 7, 2009 - 07 47
But I'm game to discover her other writing, as I can tell she just wasn't in her element with Caleb...
I haven't read Caleb yet, or any other books in that series. The books I read were The Last Sin Eater, The Mark of the Lion Series, and The Scarlet Thread, all of which I really enjoyed. :) I hope you get a chance to find them and read them. :)
----------~ Tale Spinner (http://peraldaiel.blogspot.com)
"Writing is hard work and bad for your health." ~ E.B. White
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Nov 7, 2009 - 22 24
You have an interesting list here ;) Thank you for introducing me to Kathy Tyers, Karen Hancock, Elizabeth George Speare, and Francine Rivers. I'll be on the lookout for their books from now on!
If you're looking for a Christian novel, you might want to try reading books of Frank E. Perreti. I've read several of his books and I couldn't get enough of them. He's really and truly gifted.
----------“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
"And the day came when the risk it took to remain closed in a bud became more painful than the risk it took to blossom." ~ Anais Nin
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Nov 8, 2009 - 04 57
If you're looking for a Christian novel, you might want to try reading books of Frank E. Perreti. I've read several of his books and I couldn't get enough of them. He's really and truly gifted.
I know Frank Peretti. He's one of my favorite authors too. :) I enjoyed reading This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. The Oath was one of the best, though. After I read it, there were times when I would glance out at the sky and wonder if I was seeing a dragon or what (just a figment of my imagination, though). :)
~ Tale Spinner (http://peraldaiel.blogspot.com)
----------"Writing is hard work and bad for your health." ~ E.B. White
~ Tale Spinner (http://peraldaiel.blogspot.com)
"Writing is hard work and bad for your health." ~ E.B. White
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Nov 8, 2009 - 10 17
I know Frank Peretti. He's one of my favorite authors too. :) I enjoyed reading This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. The Oath was one of the best, though. After I read it, there were times when I would glance out at the sky and wonder if I was seeing a dragon or what (just a figment of my imagination, though). :)
Oh wow. This Present Darkness. I love, love, love that book! The very first book from him that I've read. I'm feeling nostalgic now...
I haven't read Piercing the Darkness and The Oath yet—and I will now! :D The other book I read was Prophet. That one was so memorable to me, too, especially the main character's last broadcast. Oops. Spoilers. LOL!
----------“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
"And the day came when the risk it took to remain closed in a bud became more painful than the risk it took to blossom." ~ Anais Nin
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Nov 8, 2009 - 20 04
Oh wow. This Present Darkness. I love, love, love that book! The very first book from him that I've read. I'm feeling nostalgic now...
I haven't read Piercing the Darkness and The Oath yet—and I will now! :D The other book I read was Prophet. That one was so memorable to me, too, especially the main character's last broadcast. Oops. Spoilers. LOL!
I've read Prophet already. :) Yeah, it was good too. Have you read Hangman's Curse?
----------~ Tale Spinner (http://peraldaiel.blogspot.com)
"Writing is hard work and bad for your health." ~ E.B. White
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Nov 10, 2009 - 03 31
I've read Prophet already. :) Yeah, it was good too. Have you read Hangman's Curse?
Oh great! :D I haven't read the Hangman's Curse yet. Wow, it's seems like I have to go book shopping again...and soon! As for the writers you mentioned, I would have to research about them first ;)
----------“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
"And the day came when the risk it took to remain closed in a bud became more painful than the risk it took to blossom." ~ Anais Nin
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Nov 10, 2009 - 06 23
Here are some of my influences:
-Victor Hugo: He is one of the best sociopolitical-literary authors that I encountered in high school. The work of his that inspires lots of my writing is "Les Miserables". Hugo was able to tackle social issues in that book and create a whole host of characters from all walks of life. Although he has the horrible habit of digressions, his scope is great. There's heart in his writing, which is something that I hope comes through in mine.
-Arlene J. Chai: Local author, yes. And the one who gave me a sort of model about writing contemporary settings for the Philippines, in the sociopolitical genre.
-Gabriel Garcia Marquez: The writer who taught me to glorify the absurd.
-Julia Alvarez: "In the Time of the Butterflies" and "In the Name of Salome" are such amazingly in-depth looks at strong women living throughout Latin American history. I take a lot from her very personal and emotional expositions of events.
-Pablo Neruda: The prime mover of my details and romance plots. His descriptions are something I can only hope to ever match.
I think it's quite obvious now why I got turned towards writing "The Favored Ones".
----------My heart, my life, my praise is all for You