Good books for a picky, hard-to-please aspiring writer

M.C.Statz · Jul 22, 2017

I've been a little too insecure to post this question before now.

What books would you recommend to an aspiring author? I don't mean non-fiction, how-to-write books. I mean fiction books that can provide inspiration.

I haven't read a full book in over ten years. I love writing. My current story has me very engaged. But I don't particularly care for reading. I read a bunch of Tom Clancy and Dragonlance when I was a teen, but don't consider those viable inspirations. I read a few early Stephen King novels, and while they captured me, I don't want to write horror. The only book(s) I've read that I would consider wanting to use as inspiration is the Book of the New Sun series by Gene Wolfe. I tried reading The English Patient, and even though a portion of the opening really did capture me, I found the language inhibiting. I tried Get in Trouble by Kelly Link, but it seemed a little Young Adult, and I didn't identify with any characters off the bat.

I feel I'm being a long winded, but I could use advice.

I've hit my quota for the day and am half deep into a bottle of cab. I want to read more, but I have a very hard time finding anything in the prose medium that really captures my attention.

What I'm asking, if you have anything that strikes you, is what I should order on my Kindle and read between writing sessions.

Harlequin · Jul 22, 2017

Ahah, a gene Wolfe fan!

Go get yourself a copy of Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer, and Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny.

Harlequin · Jul 22, 2017

But really, I'd read all the Wolfe books, and dont forget his Latro in the Mist series.

Other suggestions;

Left Hand of Darkness (beautiful prose)
Library at Char Mount (wtf factor you mentioned in other thread)
Dancers at the End of Time (more wtf)
The Etched City (beautiful AND wtf)
Jane Eyre (everyone should read this)
The Outsider (Camus, no introduction needed)
Kiss of the Spiderwoman (a masterclass on dialogue)
Wings of the Falcon (best ya book ever written)

M.C.Statz · Jul 22, 2017

Harlequin said:
Ahah, a gene Wolfe fan!

Kinda. I read through the Wizard Knight books and wasn't really compelled. Didn't make it far into the Book of the Long Sun, but could be compelled to try again with a strong recommendation.

But between Book of the New Sun and Urth of the New Sun... uh, yeah... I'm still moved to my core, many years later.

M.C.Statz · Jul 22, 2017

Harlequin said:
But really, I'd read all the Wolfe books, and dont forget his Latro in the Mist series.

Other suggestions;

Left Hand of Darkness (beautiful prose)
Library at Char Mount (wtf factor you mentioned in other thread)
Dancers at the End of Time (more wtf)
The Etched City (beautiful AND wtf)
Jane Eyre (everyone should read this)
The Outsider (Camus, no introduction needed)
Kiss of the Spiderwoman (a masterclass on dialogue)
Wings of the Falcon (best ya book ever written)

Thank you, you are very kind for taking the time to pick these titles.

Harlequin · Jul 22, 2017

There's a sff critique blog called Yet There Are Statues (named for that famous conversation in BOTNS) and I would say most things on his four and five star lists are worth a read.

Lord of Light just, JUST, nudges book of the new sun out of first place for me.

divine-intestine · Jul 22, 2017

I can recommend the Bartimaeus Trilogy (technically not a trilogy anymore though) by Jonathan Stroud and Neil Gaiman's books, especially Neverwhere.

M.C.Statz · Jul 22, 2017

divine-intestine said:
I can recommend the Bartimaeus Trilogy (technically not a trilogy anymore though) by Jonathan Stroud and Neil Gaiman's books, especially Neverwhere.

Neil Gaiman! I read Good Omens (with Terry Pratchet, never got too much into Disc World) and Star Dust. American Gods left me in the dust...

folclor · Jul 22, 2017

I feel you. I am exactly the same way. My best suggestion is read a lot of different things (or try, I know it's difficult for me to pick up a book sometimes) and then follow the vein you gravitate toward as you read. A couple years ago I got into a Forgotten Realms vein, but I fell out of it halfway through a really good book. Now I can't finish the book.

pschmehl · Jul 22, 2017

What do you write? ISTM that's what inspires you, so books in that genre should be at the top of your list.

Layla Nahar · Jul 22, 2017

I go to the library and just browse the shelves. I look for interesting titles, pick it up, read the blurb, and if I can handle the first page, I borrow it. Most of the time I end up with something entertaining enough to get through the whole book. I do the same thing in the bookstore, but I'll make sure I can get through more than the first page. Sometimes it takes me several visits to the bookstore before I commit and buy.

blacbird · Jul 22, 2017

An eclectic list of some of my faves:

Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke
Lord of the Flies, William Golding
The Invisible Man, H.G. Wells
The Ox-Bow Incident, Walter Van Tilburg Clark
The October Country, Ray Bradbury
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
Night Watch. Terry Pratchett
The Water-Method Man, John Irving
The Yearling, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
The Woman in the Dunes, Kobo Abe
The Exorcist. William Peter Blatty
The Green Ripper, John D. MacDonald
Mildred Pierce, James M. Cain
Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton
The Chip-Chip Gatherers, Shiva Naipaul
One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Marquez
Lord Jim, Joseph Conrad
The Wild Palms. William Faulkner
Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said, Philip K. Dick
Out of the Silent Planet, C.S. Lewis

Every one of these (and many more) contains narrative lessons for any aspiring writer. Read widely and deeply, and you'll improve your writing, and enjoy it.

caw

divine-intestine · Jul 23, 2017

M.C.Statz said:
Neil Gaiman! I read Good Omens (with Terry Pratchet, never got too much into Disc World) and Star Dust. American Gods left me in the dust...

I never liked Good Omens or American Gods. Loved Stardust and Coraline (books and films) though.

Everyone seems to love Terry Pratchett, but I'm not just that into him.

Harlequin · Jul 23, 2017

Eh, we all have books like that.

Everyone seems to love Patrick sodding Rothfuss, but at this stage I'd happily set his beard on fire.

CathleenT · Jul 25, 2017

I can give you my list, but these books only inspire me: LOTR, anything by Connie Willis, anything by Patricia McKillip--just for the impeccable prose if nothing else, Tim Powers, Zelazny, Charles de Lint, Robin Hobb. There are many others, but it sounds like you don't care for YA.

This is so personalized. People say all the time that they admire Hemingway, but I'd clean toilets to avoid reading him again.

It may help to figure out what kind of books inspire you, if that applies. In my case, it's all about heroes. If the story doesn't have one, I don't care about it. Others need a love interest. Unique world building. I'd figure out what it is that rings your bell when you want to tell a story, and look for books like that.

Harlequin · Jul 25, 2017

Lol. I also can't stand Hemingway. Or ayn rand.

Contented Reader · Jul 25, 2017

I think Peter S. Beagle is an amazing writer.

M.C.Statz · Jul 25, 2017

I appreciate the suggestions everyone especially since you all took the time to gage my interests and not suggest Hemingway. I'm three chapters into Too Like the Lightning and I find it most agreeable. (Commas intentionally omitted for clarity)

Harlequin · Jul 25, 2017

I do love that, but it also makes me feel quite inadequate at the same time, in writing terms >.>

The double edged sword of reading good books.

Melody · Jul 25, 2017

Good suggestions for inspiration, but I also agree with Paul. If you can start with inspiring books in your genre of choice. There's so much to pick from, you know?

M.C.Statz · Jul 25, 2017

Harlequin said:
I do love that, but it also makes me feel quite inadequate at the same time, in writing terms >.>

The double edged sword of reading good books.

TBH if it wasn't so good I would have just put it down. I'm not always the biggest fan of intense world building. "Bash? Hive? What's a sensayer? Guildbreaker, huh? Must not be very popular. Oh, that's a family name, never mind." I find trying to figure out all that stuff takes me out of the story. Somehow, I never felt that way with BOTNS. I felt I always knew exactly what he meant with the unusual jargon, just by the context alone.

Fruitbat · Jul 25, 2017

M.C.Statz said:
TBH if it wasn't so good I would have just put it down. I'm not always the biggest fan of intense world building. "Bash? Hive? What's a sensayer? Guildbreaker, huh? Must not be very popular. Oh, that's a family name, never mind." I find trying to figure out all that stuff takes me out of the story. Somehow, I never felt that way with BOTNS. I felt I always knew exactly what he meant with the unusual jargon, just by the context alone.

You could use the "look inside this book" feature on Amazon, for the listed books that sound promising to you. Those first few pages will probably make it clear to you if it's something you'd be interested in or not. (I can't really tell if I'll like a book or not without seeing at least a few pages of the book itself). Good luck!

ETA: I'm thinking of this now because I'm reading a book that was recommended to me and while it sounded good from my friend's description, I really don't like it at all. I recognized that after just a few pages. Not sure if I'll bother finishing it or not. Anyway, I shoulda checked out the "look inside this book" first.

Bongo · Jul 25, 2017

A friend of mine just wrote his first novel, and he told me it was inspired by the book the Alchemist. Someone else had suggested also that I read that book. I ordered it from Amazon a month ago, and it never arrived. Called them just now, and the customer service girl on the phone said excitedly, "...that GREAT book, The Alchemist!" when she checked my account for the problem order. I said, "I take it your read it," and she reiterated that it was a great book.

I haven't a clue, but I reordered it

.

I'm into non-fiction and have a rough time getting through novels - I'm hopeful for this one though. I understand it's short, too - which helps.

I also enjoyed and got a lot out of the book Illusions, by Richard Bach.

borogove · Jul 25, 2017

Harlequin said:
Eh, we all have books like that.

Everyone seems to love Patrick sodding Rothfuss, but at this stage I'd happily set his beard on fire.

Haven't read any of his stuff, but now I'm going to have to.

Harlequin · Jul 25, 2017

Hah. Let me know how you get on.

Yes tltl is a setting junky book I reckon. And it's a slow burn plotwise too.

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