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Writing question: Who’s your favorite author?

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As writers, we’re influenced by a universe of factors, but none possibly as important as our favorite authors. A few of mine: Kurt Vonnegut, Flannery O’Connor, Walker Percy, Graham Greene.

Who are your favorite authors?

9 thoughts on “Writing question: Who’s your favorite author?”

  1. I never was much of a reader. I guess it was never finding anything that interested me. Late in life I found that I like to read essays. In this, I found David Sedaris. On my entrance application to film school I noted him as my reason for getting into film…a comedic essayist. Strange but true.

  2. I am a huge reader, and picking my favorite author is a next to impossible task. Some of my current favorite authors who deserve a much bigger audience include Kelly Link, Michale Flynn, Kage Baker, Jack McDevitt and Robert Coover.

  3. Larry McMurtry has been tripping my trigger of late… in the middle of an early epic of his called "Moving On" right now. For great characterizations, you can do no better.

    Beyond that, some obvious ones… Bradbury, Elmore Leonard, John Irving, Updike.

    All time? Garrison Keillor, more than likely. He put three short Wobegon novels out in the past year… Pontoon, Liberty, and Pilgrims. Probably his best work yet. Fast, charming reads.

  4. Hunter S. Thompson, Charles Dickens, and Philip K. Dick. But for non-fiction I like Andrew Bacevich and Thomas Friedman.

    I'm always disappointed when I meet screenwriters who don't read the classics, especially writers in genres with rich literary traditions. If you're going to write Sci Fi at least go back and check out Wells or Verne.

  6. franz kafka: a guy wakes up and finds he has turned into a bug. (how visual is that, right?)

    and, on the flip side, albert camus, whose work is all-but impossible to film.

    i also really like arthur c. clarke, asimov, bradbury, cormac mccarthy, homer (yeah, the greek dude (or series of dudes)) and, i have to admit that one of the biggest influences on me is…

    the old testament, which, in my mind, is basically the definition of "simple story, complex characters."

  9. If anyone is trying to understand/develop their own unique "voice" on the page, in my opinion there is no one better to study than Chuck Palahniuk, the writer of Fight Club, Choke, and a bevy of other stunning novels.
    Chuck's voice is so unique that after you read just one of his books, you'll be able to read just a few lines of any of his stuff and be able to tell instantly who wrote it. If you'd care for a sample, go to http://chuckpalahniuk.net/files/features/pygmy-book-excerpt.pdf
    It's an excerpt from his latest novel, Pygmy (and I am in no way affiliated with CP or his website).

    As far as other authors, I'm a sucker for anything by Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, Robert Heinlein and Philip K. Dick!

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