Blog Chain: Writing Influences

Today’s blog chain idea comes from Christine. She asks:

“Which author or authors have most influenced your writing and how?”

I was thrilled to see this question because I have been asked this a lot. And if I’m not asked, I like to share anyway because 1) I feel I need to credit these authors for providing inspiration and 2) If people are familiar with the writings of those who motivated me, maybe they’ll understand my book’s style better (which saves me the trouble of repeating “No, this book is not like X at all. It’s more like Y.”)

The books I loved reading as a teen were realistic fiction by Norma Klein and Norma Fox Mazer. Whenever the subject of writing came up and people asked what kind of books I wanted to write, my answer was always the same: “Like the kinds the Normas write.” Not only was their writing style beautiful but they were the first books that I read that addressed real problems teens faced that didn’t always revolve around boys or romance. The other thing I loved was that they had characters of different cultures who just co-existed. A stepdad or entire family just happened to be Jewish. It wasn’t central to the plot or anything, just was, like in real life. I loved being able to identify with characters on this level.

The first YAs I read as an adult were those of Laurie Halse Anderson (SPEAK), Sarah Dessen (DREAMLAND), and Deb Caletti (QUEEN OF EVERYTHING). I loved the narrative style, the beautiful language, the focus on serious issues, the moving stories, and character development. These women were my inspirations as I began writing my own YA. I noticed my writing style and voice were similar, and it was empowering to know I didn’t have to sacrifice my technique or tone down the heaviness of the topics to conform to what others thought YA should be.

I don’t just read YA, but I admit that is the genre I gravitate to most. I feel it speaks to me the most and it’s my go-to material for insight on character or story development because the authors I like best in this genre draw the reader in immediately.

There are authors who write with adults in mind who inspired me as well (e.g. Maeve Binchy for her fantastic story-telling, setting development that makes readers feel like they are in Ireland as well, and her ability to create relatable and absorbing characters), but I think I will write an entry focusing on them another time because their impact on me is different from the authors above.

Share your writing inspirations and check out Sarah‘s sensational post tomorrow!