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On writing
Aug. 24th, 2009 04:37 amAs some of you have noticed, I post tiny pieces of fiction up here from time to time. I really wish I could post longer pieces, but I get so critical of my own work that I end up deleting probably four times as much stuff as I post.
That being said, a lot of different things influence me when I'm writing. I read quite a lot... I find it impossible to go to bed without reading at least a few pages of some book, so naturally, the area around my bed is littered with various novels or collections of stories.
Sometimes, these influences are fairly obvious. After reading Transmetropolitan (for the umpteenth time) or Doktor Sleepless, my writing style shows just a bit (okay, more then a bit) of Warren Ellis in it. Other favorite authors of mine are H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King (although the way he ended the Dark Tower series was bullshit), Robert Heinlein, Spider Robinson, Robert E. Howard (especially the Solomon Kane stories), Raymond E. Feist (the earlier Midkemia books more then the later ones), J.R.R. Tolkien, and Alexandre Dumas. Of course, I'm probably leaving out a dozen authors that, were I at home, I would just look over and note their names.
Of those, I'm probably most influenced by Ellis, King, and Lovecraft. My fiction does not tend towards the light and fluffy (you may have noticed that), but I can't seem to really find my own voice... at least not yet. Supposedly, it took Lovecraft several years to really find his own way in writing. I think it was the same with Heinlein, but then Heinlein had a slightly easier job of it, in my opinion. But Lovecraft, once he found how he wanted to express himself... wow. I mean, name me another pulp fiction writer from the late 20s to late 30s who is remembered today.
My fiction tends towards the dystopian, largely because I'm a cynic, and largely because I believe that fictional utopias are a cop-out. I mean, it's easy to write "All is well and good in society". See? I just did it. You never have to really explain anything, because everything is perfect. And if you don't have to explain anything, or describe anything, what's the point of writing?
hrm... not really sure what else to say... See? Trouble writing long pieces. What a shock.
That being said, a lot of different things influence me when I'm writing. I read quite a lot... I find it impossible to go to bed without reading at least a few pages of some book, so naturally, the area around my bed is littered with various novels or collections of stories.
Sometimes, these influences are fairly obvious. After reading Transmetropolitan (for the umpteenth time) or Doktor Sleepless, my writing style shows just a bit (okay, more then a bit) of Warren Ellis in it. Other favorite authors of mine are H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King (although the way he ended the Dark Tower series was bullshit), Robert Heinlein, Spider Robinson, Robert E. Howard (especially the Solomon Kane stories), Raymond E. Feist (the earlier Midkemia books more then the later ones), J.R.R. Tolkien, and Alexandre Dumas. Of course, I'm probably leaving out a dozen authors that, were I at home, I would just look over and note their names.
Of those, I'm probably most influenced by Ellis, King, and Lovecraft. My fiction does not tend towards the light and fluffy (you may have noticed that), but I can't seem to really find my own voice... at least not yet. Supposedly, it took Lovecraft several years to really find his own way in writing. I think it was the same with Heinlein, but then Heinlein had a slightly easier job of it, in my opinion. But Lovecraft, once he found how he wanted to express himself... wow. I mean, name me another pulp fiction writer from the late 20s to late 30s who is remembered today.
My fiction tends towards the dystopian, largely because I'm a cynic, and largely because I believe that fictional utopias are a cop-out. I mean, it's easy to write "All is well and good in society". See? I just did it. You never have to really explain anything, because everything is perfect. And if you don't have to explain anything, or describe anything, what's the point of writing?
hrm... not really sure what else to say... See? Trouble writing long pieces. What a shock.