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Post by waldenwriter on May 31, 2009 15:04:26 GMT -5
Tolkien right now seems to be a big influence on my fantasy stuff. For my Walden-set short stories, my interest in mythology (primarily Greco-Roman & Norse) is an influence too.
For sci-fi I'm not sure as I haven't read a lot of sci-fi.
I think classic novels have a big influence on my writing in general, because my lit teacher this last semester kept saying I was too wordy in my papers. And classic novels can be very wordy.
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Post by Spokane Flyboy on Jun 3, 2009 16:36:20 GMT -5
Yeah. Some of the classics have put me off with their overwhelming show of prowess in vocabulary. There are role-players, however, who are far worse and commit what I call "thesaurus rape". When you see people that have to use things like "cerulean oculars" ("blue eyes", to save some of you the search), and similar overly verbose language for even the most mundane of object, it gets irksome to read. Of course, I've taken a technical English course and have learned how to get more force out of fewer words.
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Post by gabriel on Jun 5, 2009 9:00:05 GMT -5
This is easy. Robert E. Howard for genre and world. Faulkner for writing style. Dashiell Hammet for pacing and plot style. Chandler for sarcasm. God for significance of message.
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Post by dizzyjam on Jun 5, 2009 23:44:59 GMT -5
I'm just going to throw out a list of authors that in one way or another have influenced me. It would be a bit much to say who did what because there would be a lot of repetition between them, plus I'd rather list the person who did what first, and I can't do that for everyone of them, so here goes:
Authors from my lifetime:
The original author of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books series that used pen names for both of them and other series as well.
C.S. Lewis George Lucas (Maybe not an author, but a writer nevertheless) Peter David Timothy Zahn Kevin J. Anderson Michael Chrichton Tom Clancy Stephen King Dean Koontz Frank Peretti Ted Dekker
and that's just from fiction.....
Here's some people I've read the last year or so that is influencing my now (some are repeats):
Ted Dekker Eric Wilson Kevin J. Anderson Brian Herbert Frank Herbert Stephen King R.E. Bartlett Mitchell Bonds Theodore Beale Jeff Gerke (still haven't actually read any of his fiction except sample chapters, but he's been a big influence with this Where The Map Ends website and helpful products)
Now in one way or another all of these folks have been or are influencing me now. I hope it makes me a better person, and when I finally finish a story to be published, I hope it means I was able to write a great one because of their influence.
God bless and be encouraged!
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Post by myrthman on Jun 7, 2009 0:12:53 GMT -5
Teskas (and everyone else who's interested),
When I read your post about the stars and Psalm 19, I remembered a Bible study series we did at church last year. The title of the series eludes me at the moment but it was all about how the stars reveal God's story and glory. There are tidbits sprinkled throughout Scripture, including the mention of several constellations. All this was new to me and I absolutely loved it.
A lot of the information was pulled from E.W. Bullinger's The Witness of the Stars. I haven't looked at the book yet but it was recommended by my pastor for further reading. I bet you would enjoy it too!
God bless and stay in wonder!
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jinn
Full Member
Posts: 119
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Post by jinn on Jun 11, 2009 23:42:47 GMT -5
Some of the classics have put me off with their overwhelming show of prowess in vocabulary. Hemingway was a classic minimalist, a joy to read. He made it his focus to tell just the story, without overwhelming description or floweriness. He was very good at it, in spite of his extensive vocabulary.
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Post by pixydust on Jul 1, 2009 12:42:00 GMT -5
Oh, good question! For me it was two fold, I think. Before I decided to try my hand at writing (The Fall) I was an avid reader. A lot of horror and poetry...I know weird-o combo. Before The Fall:Silvia Plath Keats Tennyson (I had several English poet anthos and devoured them all over and over. Memorized several poems I really liked) King Koonts McCammon ( Boy's Life is wonderful!) Rice Saul Barker (I would read up to two books a day and made sure I read every book from my favorite authors that I could find) I also read Pillars of the Earth several times even though I didn't read Follet. After The Fall:Anything by Robin Hobb or Juliet Marillier. I just love their fantasy work. I read all of Rivers' books. Several of them more than once. I really liked The Last Sin Eater for the voice. And of course I gobble up all the YA/Teen stuff I can get my hands on. Of those I'd say Lois Lowry's THE GIVER series was the most influential, and HP of course. Lately I've been so excited to see all the amazing new talent coming through YA. Libba Bray is amazing. And I just read THE HUNGER GAMES and was BLOWN AWAY! Jeff: You'd love that one So, I don't know that I can say a specific few. I'm digging back into the poetry again, though. I think it helps the prose say sharp.
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Post by violan5 on Jul 13, 2009 18:37:51 GMT -5
I think those who influenced me are Brian Jacques, Ted Dekker, and Tolkien. i LOVE the Circle Trilogy by Dekker. Paolini is good too.
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von
New Member
Posts: 47
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Post by von on Jul 26, 2009 11:32:15 GMT -5
CS Lewis Orson Scott Card Feintuch Tolkien Chesterton Wodehouse Patrick O'brian and so many more
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catofninetales
Junior Member
People are the only thing you can take with you to heaven.
Posts: 66
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Post by catofninetales on Aug 15, 2009 1:40:55 GMT -5
Fiction:
Asimov. AKA "how to do epic."
Tolkien. As above.
Ludlum. Excellent ability to place characters in physical action, and to create even more mental tension than physical.
Francine Rivers. Consummate researcher, excellent spiritual show-don't-tell, huge heart for radically transforming readers without breaking them.
Non-fiction:
Werner Gitt, information theorist. Laid out a set of theorems drawn from empirical observation of information in nature. Revolutionized my ideas about what writing is for, what communication is for in the eyes of God, and validated my experience of fiction as a message medium.
Bill Cooper, genealogist. Wrote the most boring, fascinating book ever on pagan Saxon and Celtic genealogies. It MUST be turned into story somehow, it's too good to stay scholarly. Formative to my current-till-further-notice project.
A little standard thing off the shelf of a big-box bookstore, called "The Art of Subtext." How to make your characters act on things they don't even know they think or feel, and make it obvious to the reader. Kinda on the literary side. LOVE it.
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Post by beckyminor on Aug 15, 2009 9:27:21 GMT -5
This has been very interesting to read through and see people's influences. Oddly, one of my big influences (lately) has been Lloyd Alexander, since I've been reading his Chronicles of Prydain with my son. Though they are children's books, Alexander still does an awesome job with crafting memorable characters with unmistakable voices, which is what I hope to take away from reading his work.
Tolkien and Lewis began my journey into fantasy, so I would be remiss not to give them credit. I also echo what others have said about other role-players influencing my work. I've known a couple of guys who knew how to craft a great villain, and much of what i get right in my own writing, I owe to them.
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Post by Cully the Swamp Walker on Aug 24, 2009 12:35:22 GMT -5
At first I was all about Tolkien, CS Lewis and Asimov. In truth, I still am, but more recently Robin Hobb has really struck home with me. I absolutely LOVE her Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies. When my 17 year old was ten, we spent a year's worth of evenings sitting by the fireplace and sipping tea while I read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy to him. His younger brother, now ten himself, may get the same treatment albeit with Hobb's trilogies. Only thing with Hobb, I may have to skip over a few scenes with Fitz and Molly!
CB
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