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Ok, so I’m just making this topic because I love talking about how other people’s writing influences our own.
I was talking to a friend of mine awhile ago about how heavily influenced my writing is by books, and she said once she heard somebody say something along the lines of, “Creativity ins’t made in a vacuum.” so true lol
It’s happened to me in really unplanned ways, and I’m curious to know what you guy’s experience is with that!!
I’m about to ramble about this… feel free to do the same if you like. Lol, I’d love to hear it.
I read the book “The city of Ember” When I was in fourth grade. I also read the other books (I thought? Just looked it up and there’s five? 😳 Not sure if I’ve read them all now.) It was at the time one of the best books I had read. The general plot is a city underground, made as a remnant to protect the population. They lose the key instructions of how to escape and begin to believe this is normal life. Eventually a girl and boy (Doon and Lina) escape.
So, I obviously was inspired by this, my current WIP is similar in a lot of ways. Something I hope to never replicate is the dull add-on books. It felt like the author never planned out the sequels. After they escaped, first the question becomes, ‘What to do with all of these people’. You have to make up new antagonists, and because of the unplanned feel, they just appear out of the blue. The plot never captivated me again. I don’t know what to do with all of the rest of the population after my protagonists get out of there situation either. The city of ember is a good example of unplanned sequels imo.
Another book I would say influenced me a lot was “North, or be eaten.” Second in the wing-feather series. (please no spoilers, that’s as far as I have read.) I really liked the character arcs, and most of all how each and every family member had something important to offer. I would say honestly it inspired me to let my story be dark at times if it has too. I don’t read dark stuff, the book isn’t that dark, but for me it was. I’m not recommending sensitive people read stuff out of their comfort zone to like “toughen up” or whatever, it’s not pleasant if you aren’t ready for it. But lol, I think it stretched my comfort zone a bit 😂🤣
I started book three, and oh my it is so stressful I can’t. I mean I actually can’t. I stopped reading it 😆. Maybe I’ll finish it later.
I also read the book “fuzzy mud” when I was in fourth grade (Fourth grade must have been my reading year or something lol) . The humor is really childish and dumb, but the idea of a organism that acts as a disease seems to have stuck with me. My OC Tauren has something similar for part of the book.
SO yeah!! I have gotten the book ramble out of my head! 😛
I’d love to hear your experience!
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
Oh! I honestly can’t tell how many books inspired my writings, (you know how it is.) But there are definitely some key ones.
In all honesty, it was reading the Green Ember series that first made me seriously consider writing more than just a short story or two for school. That shows a lot in the story I started then. There were hidden citadels and secret heirs and looming doom all with the understanding that it will be better on the other side of this. At the time, I didn’t really see all the similarities, I mean, the world was so different, and even the plot points and everything were different, but looking back, I see it.
As for my WIPs, both were inspired by books I read. (Or even just heard about)
The Wingfeather Saga captured my attention with the basic idea of fatherless children with (unknown) a huge heritage in a foreign land. (Yeah, that was before I realized the idea was used at all. Lol!) And yes! The way each family member has a role impacted the way I was developing characters so much! Even down to my government that kinda made the King the Thronewarden for all the people, if that makes sense.
Then for my other WIP, it all began in the midst of a journey. That is, one through the Knights of Arethtrea series by Chuck Black. I had long fallen in love with the allegory and world, but the more I read, the more I wished there was a similar allegory based more strictly off the Bible.
So, Kingdom of Shadows was born, although in a very different state than it is now. As time went on, the Kingdom developed away from its foundations. I began to interweave real testimonies I heard with my character’s stories.
Then I read Lord of the Rings. Now, this is an interesting series, and one I read carefully. It also seems to hold no similarities with KoS. However, at the time that I read it, I was struggling with how to illustrate salvation, the Spirit if God, and prayer; basically how to balance the spiritual side of my allegory with the natural side. As I read, I got inspiration that I was able to use it to smooth the rough places of my ideas. Even though LotR is not really an allegory like my story was, it still showed me that God’s work is perfect, it’s what we were made for. It doesn’t have to be overdone, because it is in itself profound enough. If I don’t treat it as weird, the reader won’t see it as such.
And I don’t know if that made any sense, but anyway. XD
I love garnering inspiration from other books, be they fiction or nonfiction. Especially since when you’re floundering in your WIP, you can go back to the inspiration and remember what made your story special, and why you’re writing it in the first place.
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
Ohhhh…I have no idea how many books inspired mine. Honestly I think that each thing I read influences them in some way or another.
Some books which inspired me to write at all were, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Green Ember series, The Little Princess, Young Underground, The Mistmantle Chronicles, and our reading books for school which I would have read through a few weeks into the year, but have to slog through all the work at the school year’s end because I put it off.
For the storyline and my first book, I suppose some were Mere Christianity, The Green Ember, Moscow Mornings, Wingfeather, a bunch of history books, Men of Iron, Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart, and a ton more I can’t recall at the moment.
The second book was highly inspired by those, and Snow Treasure, Promise of Zion, Sir Gibby, and Resistance.
Then the last book, again by many of those, but also American Heroes: in the Fight against Radical Islam, And God was There, and a HUGE emphasis on The Chronicles of Narnia (as this was technically the first book in the series I started, but has completely changed since then).
First Grand Historian of Arreth and the Lesser Realms (aka Kitty)
Fork the GorkI keep hearing about green ember! I need to read it one day. I like it when books show that there’s something better at the end of the protagonists struggle, it’s part of what makes me keep reading. 🙂
At the time, I didn’t really see all the similarities, I mean, the world was so different, and even the plot points and everything were different, but looking back, I see it.
Same!! I usually didn’t notice until afterwards that I had included something similar.
Even down to my government that kinda made the King the Thronewarden for all the people, if that makes sense.
Yes I love that idea! The whole first born being the throne-warden was really interesting to me when I started the series. Having the king take on that role is great, kinda like he has the people’s best interest in mind (unlike a ruthless dictator of sorts 🤣)
So, Kingdom of Shadows was born, although in a very different state than it is now. As time went on, the Kingdom developed away from its foundations. I began to interweave real testimonies I heard with my character’s stories.
That’s so cool! Testimonies are great, everyone has been through so many different things. I can imagine that adds a lot of life to any story.
Even though LotR is not really an allegory like my story was, it still showed me that God’s work is perfect, it’s what we were made for. It doesn’t have to be overdone, because it is in itself profound enough. If I don’t treat it as weird, the reader won’t see it as such.
That’s really interesting. I struggle with finding out how to include a spiritual side to my story. It lacks the depth I want, but I never know exactly how to include it. If I included God or a spiritual layer of sorts, I think I could make my story quite a lot darker without it being depressing. I really like your take on that, that you don’t need to over emphasize it because it speaks for itself.
And I don’t know if that made any sense, but anyway. XD
No! You made perfect sense 🤣😂
Your WIP sounds really interesting! What’s it about?
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
I haven’t heard of a lot of those, but they sound interesting! Which is your favorite of the chronicles of Narnia? I always felt the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe had the most normal plot structure out of all of them, but the magicians nephew was interesting in showing how evil entered their world. I would have liked to here more about the statues the two kids discovered, there was more than just the witch there. I didn’t quite catch the full lore while reading it. I loved the silver chair too.
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
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1. AMAZING Question!!!! Never really thought of it before!!!
And…
2. I have no clue! XD
I’ve read so…so many books about WWII and The Holocaust specifically, it’s hard to tell (and remember! XD) what books have influenced my WIP’s.
And the idea to have one MC be an SS officer? I have absolutely NO IDEA where that one came from. XD
But many books, in different ways, have influenced my books over the years. Movies do as well, as do shows! 😉
Horse and His Boy, or the second half of The Last Battle.
Hmm, I never really thought about Charn much. I’m not totally sure about it’s allegorical significance either.
Now you have me thinking…
The Silver Chair was certainly one of our favorites, or rather Puddleglum was. (Upon being trapped underground: “Well, at least we’ll save on funeral expenses.”)
First Grand Historian of Arreth and the Lesser Realms (aka Kitty)
Fork the Gork@koshka Puddleglum is the best character ever. He’s practically the source of all my half-hearted optimistic humor.
@mineralizedwritings The City of Ember is beautiful! It’s influenced a couple of my dream WIPs (confidential, of course).A lot of books influence me. But my inspirations fall under two catagories: Fantasy and (what I call) WonderFic.
My favorite fantasy books are Chronicles of Narnia, Wingfeather Saga, 100 Cupboards, Dawn of Wonder, and an assortment of other stand-alones. I really enjoy that element of family in most of them, and that’s what I want in my stories. As well as the fantastic worlds. And that sense of yearning you get from wondering, is there more out there?
Wonderfic is basically a story set in the normal world, but with quirky elements mixed in, so it feels as if anything is possible. I’m thinking Mysterious Benedict Society, The Candymakers, and anything that feels dipped in pastel watercolors, but buttery yellow inside…
Does that make sense? XD Like, fantasy is the same, but gold, with dark pink, dark green, and all the darks? *Silently questions my sanity*
I don’t know. All I can say is that books have colors.
#ProtectAdolinKholin
Oh, and my current WIP, Whale Keepers, is fantasy, but definitely falls in the WonderFic camp more than anything else.
#ProtectAdolinKholin
@mineralizedwritings OOOH!!! So I’ve loved reading since…like forever. I just took to it immediately lol!!
That being said…I started writing at like 8! (But I ALWAYS loved making up stories)
Books that have really inspired me though? Are just books that I love!!
For instance if I love a book series, or books and I’m reading it just….makes me want to write.
It makes me want to write something THAT GOOD. Or publish something! OR JUST WRITE XD!!
Some of my favorite series are Kingdom Keepers, Story Thieves, Half Upon a time, etc!!
Kingdom Keepers UGH STOLE MY HEART A LONG TIME AGO! It is just nostalgia for me….
Now, however, influencing me today?
Has most definitely been the Wingfeather saga….
But I really have to keep the discussion on this series to a minimum because it’s an incredible series but it…well….just yea I don’t wanna discuss it 😂
and also rn Keeper of the Lost Cities.
THAT IS MY FAVORITE SERIES RN!!!!! 😍 🤩 LUV IT!!!
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSebI believe wonderfic would fall into the low scifi or low fantasy sections whereas fantasy is high fantasy or high scifi in technicality
Probably the thing that has influenced my writings the most was history class as for books I have read so many I think they have all influenced me in tiny ways also I would have to say I have taken influence from spark-notes summaries and wikipedia summaries. Personally I think I will side with Tolkien and say that the Chronicles of Narnia was a bit too allegorical. When I originally read it in 3rd grade I thought it was amazing but I think that that and the land of stories were the first real fantasy things I read.
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@mineralizedwritings. Okay, but some of my favorite His-Fic books are thus:
Allies by Alan Gratz (WWII)
Grenade by Alan Gratz (WWII)
Preacher on the Run by Jayna Baas (American Revolution)
Refiner’s Fire Trilogy by Lynn Austin (American Civil War)
Seeds of America Trilogy by Laurie Halse Anderson (American Revolution)
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (OH MY GOODNESS, THIS BOOK! 😍 WWII)
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (WWII. The sequel to the book above! 🤩)
The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare (Technically Biblical Fiction, but thus, it’s still Historical, so… 😉 Takes place in the time when Jesus was on Earth)
Sophia’s War by Avi (American Revolution, specifically Benedict Arnold’s betrayal. Loved the portrayal of John Andre in it. XD)
Sunrise at Normandy Trilogy by Sarah Sundin (Okay, Historical Romance, but still has so much history in it! WWII)
Wings of Glory Trilogy by Sarah Sundin (Again, Historical Romance. WWII.)
So…yeah…those are only a handful I’ve read over the years…I read a lot of books. XDXDXD
They explained some of Charns background in the book, but tbh, it was too complicated for me to get it, and I would have liked to know more. It could probably have it’s own book, there’s so much potential.
I really liked the Horse and his Boy too!
And yes, Puddleglum is the best. Isn’t the species name, “Marshwiggle” just the most amazing thing ever? 😂🤣
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
That being said…I started writing at like 8! (But I ALWAYS loved making up stories)
That’s great! I didn’t start until this year, but same, I liked making up stories. I mean I did write something once when I was like 7, basically a one page introduction to some Cinderella retelling… guess who was Cinderella…😳. Okay we won’t talk about that 🤣
For instance if I love a book series, or books and I’m reading it just….makes me want to write
IKR!! That happens to me too!
Has most definitely been the Wingfeather saga….
Same! Love that series! (I’ve only read to book 2)
But I really have to keep the discussion on this series to a minimum because it’s an incredible series but it…well….just yea I don’t wanna discuss it 😂
That’s fine I get it! I got such bad fantasy burnout after reading book 2… it was like almost too much for me. I started book 3 and it was wayyyy to stressful for me… so yeah It might be a good year before I pick it up again.
What inspired you about Keeper of the lost cities? Characters? the plot?
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
EXACTLY. He’s one of the best characters in the series, in my so very humble opinion.
It could, although it would be a rather dark book. It would be interesting, but I’m afraid I was always far more intrigued by the Western Wilds.
YES! XD Definitely one of his best character names. (Now I’m wondering, did he come up with them himself?)
First Grand Historian of Arreth and the Lesser Realms (aka Kitty)
Fork the Gork
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