Finding Inspiration in Books
As a writer, I am often inspired but whatever I am reading. So for example, if I am reading a collection of sparse, Asian-inspired poetry, I may write similarly concise poems. If I'm reading something lyrical and dense, I am more likely to brocade my paragraphs with adjectives. When I read more experimental works, I am inspired to take literary chances.
Recently, I read "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer. I loved his use of voice, the poetic way the characters' thoughts were depicted. This made me want to take more risks in my own writing and to bring more of a poetic feel to my prose. Because of this, I wrote two pieces I would never have written otherwise, both for Season 8 of the LJ Idol competition.
The first piece, which I called "Chateau L'Endurance," was based on the prompt "Sticks and Stones." This phrase, of course, conjured up memories of grade-school bullies (from the saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me"). Rather than simply sharing a story of a childhood confrontation, I took a more poetic, dreamlike approach to the topic. The end result was a flight of imagination, where I asked the reader to picture building a unique castle or fortress from both bad and good experiences, using some specific examples from my life. My reader feedback to this piece was positive, with many people praising the unique approach.
The second piece, "The Problem of Diving Horses," was a response to a "current events" writing prompt, where we were supposed to write something inspired by a news item. I drew my inspiration from a piece about the conflict that developed over the prospect of bringing diving horses back to Atlantic City. But rather than just writing an essay about the pros and cons of treating horses that way, I took the piece in a more intuitive direction. I allowed the news story to inspire a wealth of associations, which I followed through, stream-of-consciousness style, to a personal revelation about communication between loved ones. This piece met with an even more positive response, with readers exclaiming that I had outdone myself, or that it was their favorite piece of mine.
That is why I find it so exciting to discover new authors. I look forward to learning from them, as both a reader and as an author.
Writers, have you had similar experiences? If so, whose writing have you found inspirational?
Recently, I read "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer. I loved his use of voice, the poetic way the characters' thoughts were depicted. This made me want to take more risks in my own writing and to bring more of a poetic feel to my prose. Because of this, I wrote two pieces I would never have written otherwise, both for Season 8 of the LJ Idol competition.
The first piece, which I called "Chateau L'Endurance," was based on the prompt "Sticks and Stones." This phrase, of course, conjured up memories of grade-school bullies (from the saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me"). Rather than simply sharing a story of a childhood confrontation, I took a more poetic, dreamlike approach to the topic. The end result was a flight of imagination, where I asked the reader to picture building a unique castle or fortress from both bad and good experiences, using some specific examples from my life. My reader feedback to this piece was positive, with many people praising the unique approach.
The second piece, "The Problem of Diving Horses," was a response to a "current events" writing prompt, where we were supposed to write something inspired by a news item. I drew my inspiration from a piece about the conflict that developed over the prospect of bringing diving horses back to Atlantic City. But rather than just writing an essay about the pros and cons of treating horses that way, I took the piece in a more intuitive direction. I allowed the news story to inspire a wealth of associations, which I followed through, stream-of-consciousness style, to a personal revelation about communication between loved ones. This piece met with an even more positive response, with readers exclaiming that I had outdone myself, or that it was their favorite piece of mine.
That is why I find it so exciting to discover new authors. I look forward to learning from them, as both a reader and as an author.
Writers, have you had similar experiences? If so, whose writing have you found inspirational?
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Dispatches from Wonderland
Author Alyce Wilson's blog, providing both writer's thoughts and reader's comments.
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