Hi! An intro and question

I thought I'd introduce myself. I am a'tuinsails, and I am a novice writer (haven't actually sold anything, but still writing), and I also love reading.

The writers that I think have most influenced my writing are Terry Pratchett and Stephen King -- which might be the reason I'm not published yet. Not a lot of people really get my sense of humor. It can be quite macabre.

Anyway, I look forward to discussing writing and books with the group. But I also want to ask a question that I think says a lot about bibliophiles who like to write.

What writer has influenced you the most?

A'tuinsails

Hi there! I'm Kell and I'm another novice aspiring to authordom - mostly via short stories. Like Atuinsails, I'm a major Pratchett fan although I don't think my style is anything like his (oh, how I wish!). I have quite a dark sense of humour and like to stick in a twist, so I think my own style is something more akin to a lighter Ben Elton (at least, I'd like to think so).

I've joined a couple of writing forums and also post my short stories on my blog for comment/critique/pointers of any kind. (http://360.yahoo.com/kell_smurthwaite).

I've always fancied myself a writer, but am imaginitively challenged, not a good thing for a writer, so although I have been writing for over fifty years, I've never been able to come up with a story. I hope you'uns don't mind if I kibbitz from time to time in this group. That's my style. I'm a self taught lurker.

Hey everyone, I'm Heather. I love books and I love writing, not sure which I love more... However, I don't think I can say that any authors that I've read have influenced me when it comes to my writing. Certain authors, like Carolyn Keene and Lurlene McDaniel, have definately influenced my life and my reading tastes. But what I write is not something I've read many published novels on, so... yeah.

I kinda doubt I'll ever get published, because of the subject matter of my stories, but I'd rather write for fun and not get published, then get published but be writing something I'd rather not, you know?

Hi everyone, I'm siew. I haven't written anything in quite a while, but I plan to again soon, so I thought I might join this group to see what everyone else on here is doing. I write short stories mostly, and for pleasure only; I dabble in poetry now and again when I'm in a silly mood....I'm better at my prose though, and it's safer for the world if I don't get lyrical.

I would say my style is cheeky but subtle, with an interest in humans and how they think, and I'm inspired by writers like Katherine Mansfield and George Eliot. Especially Mansfield; the way that she generates flow of consciousness (is that the term??? I definitely haven't done this in a while!) in her narrative draws you in as a reader and leaves you having to think for a bit, and then re-read over again to really savour the subtle and layered way she creates character. I find people and characters most fascinating, and the way Mansfield leaves a lot unsaid that you need to grasp from between the lines has always impressed me.

Anyway, I look forward to future discussions on here, and Kell, I'll be checking out your blog some time too :)

Message 3: geneg -- Like you, I write all the time but I also suffer from a total absence of imagination. I'm great with getting angry passionate (or passionately angry) letters to editors of newspapers and magazines published and I started keeping a journal last summer in which I write my thoughts on various subjects.

I think you're the sister I never had.

Well, kageeh, as far as being the sister you never had I take that as a compliment, although my wife might have a problem with it.

I live in the deepest part of Bush country, and since my letters to the editor are almost always pointing out the shared fallacies, discrepancies and propaganda put out by the Bush noise machine they never get published. This is all I will say about politics on LT. I swore when I joined it would be, for me, a politics free zone.

I have tried to blog any number of times, but always find myself bloviating and then losing interest. I have an account at LiveJournal and hope to be able to blog there, but I have this feeling...

(Edit) I think my style would be short, pithy aphorisms. That would satisfy my need to express myself within the limits of my ADD.

Message 7: geneg -- Please accept my apologies! I had no intent to cast aspersions upon your gender identity and I have no idea what made me assume you are a she. Alas, I already have two older brothers and now I will shut my mouth and crawl quietly away . . . .

welcome everyone!

I'm not sure I'm influenced by any particular writers though there are some that I 'wish' I could write like lol

Sometimes I do read something and think 'I could even do better than that' so that in itself inspires me to write!

I do like being surprised by a book. I love it when you don't see it coming or can't tell what's going to happen next or how it will end.

some of my favourite authors are Jim Butcher a very talented fantasy writer, Ian Rankin a Scottish Crime Writer, James Lee Burke his books are so atmospheric you can just believe you are there, Simon R Green the man has an incredible imagination and sense of humour.

If I could write half as well as any of them, I would be happy. :)

Hello, I am Sydney. This past year I really got into writing. Why just this last year, don't ask me. I only write for pleasure and I don't really plan on being published. I mainly write for my friends and family and my blogs.

I'm not sure if any particular author influences me. But I still love to write.

I don't have one. Normaly ideas just pop into my head, the lastest story I'm working on doesn't have a plot or anything I'm just making it up as I go.?

That's a tough question! It may be easier for a neutral party to see "influence" in one's writing, but I think Karl Jay Shapiro, Richard Hugo, and James Baldwin had an influence on me. Emily Dickinson is probably too original to influence anyone, but I feel as if I learn something every time I read her. Re: detective fiction, Hammett. For work-ethic, Georges Simenon.