What author inspired you to write?

WritingWithoutFear · Oct 25, 2012

I've always been a storyteller. Once I was able to pick up a pen and write basic sentence structures, I began scribbling my first written works. I've always been fascinated with suspense, the supernatural, and any story that has that "bump-in-the-night" feel. I was raised, however, in a very religious home, and those kind of stories were frowned upon, so I read The Boxcar Children and Teddy Jo series, simply because I was unaware there was anything else out there. When I was 12 or 13, my cousin (the black sheep of the family...a title which I now hold) gave me a stack of R.L. Stine's Fear Street books (on the very down low). I read them all in a week. It became my mission to read all things R.L. Stine, including the Goosebumps series. Just after I turned 14, his adult novel, Superstitious, was released. I read it in one afternoon. I read it again the next day.

I can unabashedly say that R. L. Stine was my inspiration to write horror. As I've aged and my reading tastes have diversified, I can add several more authors to the list (Lovecraft, especially), but Stine will always be held in a very special (though dark and twisted) space in my writer's heart.

Can you remember what author (or book) first inspired you to write? Or perhaps introduced you to a genre that made your world seem a bit more complete?

chekzchevov · Oct 25, 2012

I was more inspired by movies and other artistic mediums to be honest. I was a writer long before I was a reader. But if I had to choose one, I'd say Kentarou Miura. And I'd leave it at that.

Also, not sure if this is the right place for this thread?

WritingWithoutFear · Oct 25, 2012

This is absolutely the wrong place for this thread. I mean to post it to Basic Writing Questions...but apparently my brain short-circuited. I hope a kindly mod will move it for me. My apologies. :Shrug:

VeronicaX · Oct 25, 2012

Ann M. Martin was my first favorite author, and Francine Pascal. Then I moved onto Nick Hornby, and now I'm obsessing over Stephen King.

I know, diversity, huh?

No one inspired me, really, though--perhaps with the exception of Pascal. I mean, ever since I was able to hold a pen, I've been writing. I still recall the moment I realized it's what I'm meant to do: I was 9 I think, in my classroom, and as if someone turned the switch on a lighter, I knew.

Surreal, but here I am, 18 years later.

Paperback Writer · Oct 25, 2012

Douglas Adams, I remember reading on his website "Writing is easy. You only need to stare at a piece of blank paper until your forehead bleeds.." Also the whole bit about being a researcher for the h2g2/Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy website helped out a lot, and influenced my good grades in the English department during college.

triceretops · Oct 25, 2012

Poul Anderson, followed by Alan Dean Foster.

Loveless · Oct 25, 2012

I can't say that I was inspired by any thing in particular. Ever since I was little my mind was subject to a constant stream of ideas. I'd tell them to anyone who would hear them, which, sad to say, was none since no one could stand my presence. I simply talked too damn much! I decided to write them down instead. That was six years ago. Today I have a fine command of the English language and since I am more older I now have the liberty to share my writings with anyone who would lend an ear (or eyes).

August Talok · Oct 25, 2012

"Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy" and "The Hobbit"

Luzoni · Oct 25, 2012

I'm with a couple others here who've said they didn't have an author to point to, they just started writing. Same here. It's just innate.

But if we're going to just list authors who've further inspired us...Lian Hearn has to be a big one for me. I always go back to her. Michael Crichton, Stephan Baxter, Ben Bova, and dozens of other books I read in middle school whose authors I've forgotten over time.

That's a quiet tragedy, forgetting the title and author of some book that you'd love to reread...I feel like my whole mind is like that, a big dusty library with half-formed images, plots, and such from books I read in middle school and will never find again.

rwm4768 · Oct 25, 2012

Well, J.K. Rowling was the first author ever to make me want to write. My first novel, however, was more influenced by The Hobbit with a good sprinkling of Super Nintendo RPG's. I have since broadened my reading horizons.

Post 2500!!!

Griffin Hayes · Oct 25, 2012

Welcome!

CajunWriter · Oct 25, 2012

Christopher Paolini

CajunWriter · Oct 25, 2012

rwm4768 said:
Well, J.K. Rowling was the first author ever to make me want to write. My first novel, however, was more influenced by The Hobbit with a good sprinkling of Super Nintendo RPG's. I have since broadened my reading horizons.

Post 2500!!!

Got to love a little Final Fantasy!!!

KawaiiTimes · Oct 25, 2012

The writer who inspired me to write was my high school English teacher, Anne Morin.
/enter sappy music here

There are many who I love to read though, and every single time I read a good book it inspires me to write something. It doesn't matter if it's a classic or a short story. Also, I am presently enamored with Chelsea Cain. I haven't read her yet - just picked up her latest book a couple weeks ago and it is on my "to read" pile, but I heard her speak at a convention and decided I want to be like her when I grow up.

Nickie · Oct 25, 2012

All those who wrote historical fiction: Dumas, Dickens, ....

drzimo · Oct 25, 2012

Welcome to the Forum!

Sunwords · Oct 25, 2012

Nice question.
For me, believe it or not, it was Louisa May Alcott. It was her "Jo" who made me first think about writing down any of the stories I used to tell myself before falling asleep.
It was a long way from there, but one day I started.
Next should be finishing one of my manuskripts - actually I need to do a lot of rewriting still.
But I still remember Jo.

GeekTells · Oct 25, 2012

Great question, WritingWithoutFear. At least it's interesting to me.

I could hear your passion for R.L. Stine come alive in your own answer. I imagine that bodes well for your fiction.

Dan Simmons and George R.R. Martin are my own inspirations. I worship at the altar of excellence, and those two showed me how great genre fiction can be (though I lament even the tiniest hint of apology my wording might imply).

I've read other great authors, of course, but Messrs. Simmons and Martin make me want to write and to write well.

aheggli · Oct 26, 2012

The first story I read where I thought "Damn, I wish I'd written that story!" was Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba (its a manga series). The plot and characters and pace is so fantastic! Though like rwm4768, I would also say J.K. Rowling. Though it's more her writing style I like, I'm not that into fantasy, more sci fi/suspense.

regdog · Oct 26, 2012

Porting over to Roundtable

OhTheHorror · Oct 26, 2012

Clive Barker, Edward Lee and Chuck Palahniuk. I know it's a bit of a weird mix, but they inspire me the most.

WritingWithoutFear · Oct 26, 2012

I'm happy to see so many people respond to this question! I find it intriguing to see what kind of authors inspire other writers. One day I hope an aspiring author scribbles my name down on a list of inspirations.

regdog said:
Porting over to Roundtable

Thank you for the move, regdog. My apologies for the inappropriate post. I pinky-promise to be more careful where I post my threads from here on out.

KawaiiTimes said:
The writer who inspired me to write was my high school English teacher, Anne Morin.
/enter sappy music here

Love this answer!

Luzoni said:
That's a quiet tragedy, forgetting the title and author of some book that you'd love to reread...I feel like my whole mind is like that, a big dusty library with half-formed images, plots, and such from books I read in middle school and will never find again.

I feel ya. There are several books I remember bits and pieces from, but have forgotten title and author over the years. That's exactly why I started my "favorite books" journal. When I read a book that I thought was exceptional, I jot down the title and author. Then I make notes on why I thought the story was so great (i.e. characterization, pacing, plot, suspense, etc). I read SO much, including some lousy or mediocre books, that I want to make sure I always remember the great ones. If only I had started this journal in middle school....

OhTheHorror said:
Clive Barker, Edward Lee and Chuck Palahniuk. I know it's a bit of a weird mix, but they inspire me the most.

I

Edward Lee. The first book of his I read was Flesh Gothic and I was hooked. His writing is so...disturbing (which IMHO, is a very good thing). I am in awe at the way he can weave a tale that makes the reader both nauseated and aroused. I love Richard Laymon for very similar reasons.

randi.lee · Oct 26, 2012

Honestly? Steven King. When I was a kid I used to read my mother's books because I found the children's books she bought me boring.

Wisteria Vine · Oct 26, 2012

Andre Norton & Carolyn Keene

Gravity · Oct 26, 2012

Robert Sheckley, Arthur C. Clarke, Mark Twain, and Marion Zimmer Bradley.

What author inspired you to write?

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soup

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