Who are your influences?

We've all been influenced by authors. Our writerly styles are molded by what we read and what we surround ourselves with. And so I think it would be interesting if everyone could post who their greatest literary influences have been, whether you're muse a comic book or from Homer. My own influences reach pretty far across the board:

(in no particular order, except for the very last one)

1.) Cormac McCarthy
2.) Sylvia Plath
3.) Orson Scott Card
4.) Kurt Vonnegut
5.) Markus Zusak
6.) Victor Hugo
7.) Christopher Paoloni (I can explain!)

-Kylan

An explanation of your number 7 would be very interesting indeed, Ky! My curiosity has been piqued.

Alas, I am afraid I cannot provide as illustrious a list as you have done. Nevertheless, here is mine.

1. Stephen King
2. Madeline L'Engle
4. J.R.R. Tolkien
5. Alan Moore
6. Neil Gaiman
7. T.S. Elliot

How dare you (Kylan).

Mine? Ar-Kay:

1) George Orwell;
2) J.R.R. Tolkien;
3) Markus Zusak;
4) Ian McEwan.

I should read more, but those are my Big Four.

Not in order

Jane Austen
Oscar Wilde (for wit and irony)
Jasper FForde
My dad



um, Stephanie Meyer? lol just kidding!!

I really had to think about this one

(in no particular order)

* F. Scott Fitzgerald
* Jane Austen
* Shakespeare
* Sarah Dessen
* Charlotte Bronte

An interesting question...

1) Helen Griffiths - My single greatest influence because she was what drove me to writing. I only read one book by her (about an ugly horse) and I was young, but she influenced me to actually start writing my own story.

2) Jack London

After this, in no particular order:

* J.R.R. Tolkien
* Orson Scott Card
* Bruce Coville
* Isaac Asimov

~GryphonFledgling

I've actually been wondering about this for a while. One day, I just decided that a literary "hero," if you will, is rather important when it comes to writing. And so, my list thus far contains the following:

1.) Donita K. Paul
2.) My good (or best) friend's mom, Kristin Wolden Nitz
3.) JK Rowling
4.) Tamora Pierce
5.) Elsa Watson

(Not in order)

*Sarah Dessen
*George Orwell
*James Patterson
*Lemony Snicket


And actaually music influences my writing more than other books, even.

Paoloni was the guy who inspired me to write my first novel, which was a load of crap. But he pushed the first domino, I guess.

-Kylan

....ew....

in no particular order

1) Neil Gaiman
2) Roald Dahl (the adult short stories more than the children fiction)
2.5) Stephen King
3) J.RR. Tolkien
4) JK Rowling
5) Janny Wurts
6) Bernard Cornwell
7) Unknown author of a book the title of which I've long since forgotten - it was an Arthurian tale and it probably had the biggest impact on me.
Alan Moore
9) Tad Williams

ha, I have quite a few jigsaw pieces that have in some way influenced the puzzle that is my writing. There are more, I'm sure but I can't be bothered looking them up.

Okay well i only have one for now,

***Stephenie Meyers***

Random order:

Neil Gaiman
Alan Moore
JK Rowling
Michael Chabon
Kurt Vonnegut
Ray Bradbury
Bernard Cornwell
David Gemmell
Brian Jacques (first inspiration)
E.E. Cummings
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Pablo Neruda

hmmm...interesting question.
also in no particular order
1) Melody Carlson
2) Caroline B. Cooney
3) Markus Zusak
4) Ellen Hopkins
5) Dean Koontz. I've only read a little bit of one of his mystery novels but I like that it really pulled my in for the first few pages, so I'll put him down anyway.

These are more of my favorite authors than "influences" but they could be the same thing in a way.

Don't have very much but here's a few:

DJ MacHale
Stephenie Meyer
James Patterson
Meg Cabot