I find that as I plow ahead in writing my serial novel, Forget About It: The First Al Zymer Senile Detective Mystery, I turn back to some of my favorite authors for fuel and inspiration.
Does this happen to anyone else?
For instance, I’ve lately been dipping into the works of William Gibson, whose last book was Spook Country (which should definitely be read before his newest, Zero History). Also, I have right at hand a great Laurie R. King novel, The Art of Detection, in which she combined her two crime series into a fabulous story. And many of Lawrence Block’s classic Matt Scudder books (including Eight Million Ways to Die) wait nearby, in case I need them to stimulate my own prose creation.
With mentors such as these, how can I go wrong?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
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4 comments:
Yes, I firmly believe we're influenced and inspired by our favorite authors. They fuel our imaginations, and we take that and go in original directions. (Or, at least, most of us do.) Without knowing what came before us, it's hard to move ahead.
I even develop an accent from reading certain books so I have to be careful what I read when I'm writing. I'm as impressionable as I was at 14.
I find what I am writing can also influence what I am reading. I have been writing a crime fiction story for seemingly forever and find my reading interests are more into thrillers and crime fiction than ever before.
What I find best to get into the mood to write is music. I set up a playlist on iTunes and have a nice soundtrack running as I write.
The music idea is great. My playlist ranges from Mozart to Neil Young, with stops at Townes Van Zandt and Nanci Griffiths.
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