Do I write like H.P. Lovecraft or Margaret Mitchell (Gone With the Wind)? According to an online writing analyzer, I write like both. I submitted some paragraphs into this silly analyzer from a few different stories I had written. The results were surprising considering I've read only one story by Mr. Lovecraft and zilch by Ms. Mitchell.
If my writing has been influenced directly by anyone it's King, Poe, Koontz, McCammon, and/or Matheson, though I can see how traces of Lovecraft and Mitchell would still end up in my writing and here's how:
I can best demonstrate this using music as the subject. Naturally, one would not say that the music of Metallica is reminiscent of blues greats like Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, or Howlin' Wolf. Some younger people may have not even heard of most of the musicians I just named, but it is important to note that the bands that Metallica were influenced by were heavily influenced by all of the above, however, indirectly.
If my writing has been influenced directly by anyone it's King, Poe, Koontz, McCammon, and/or Matheson, though I can see how traces of Lovecraft and Mitchell would still end up in my writing and here's how:
I can best demonstrate this using music as the subject. Naturally, one would not say that the music of Metallica is reminiscent of blues greats like Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, or Howlin' Wolf. Some younger people may have not even heard of most of the musicians I just named, but it is important to note that the bands that Metallica were influenced by were heavily influenced by all of the above, however, indirectly.
Metallica, as well as 99.9% of every other band out there--with at least a little bit of aggression and distortion in their sound--have been influenced by either Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin or both. Both Sabbath and Zeppelin started out as being heavily influenced by black roots blues. Sabbath and Zeppelin acted as a middle man for the next stage in rock and metal. In other words, without Sabbath and Zeppelin (among others...I'm just using two of the most influential as an example) you wouldn't have Metallica. They'll be the first to admit it.
Some of the new bands just coming out, instead of growing up on Sabbath and Zepp (though both bands seem to be timeless), they are growing up on, and directly influenced by, Metallica. They copy Metallica's sound, the distortion, the "chugga, chugga, chugga." Though some of the original sound of early rock from the old blues greats is lost in translation, the influence is still there, and so it is with writing.
Some of the new bands just coming out, instead of growing up on Sabbath and Zepp (though both bands seem to be timeless), they are growing up on, and directly influenced by, Metallica. They copy Metallica's sound, the distortion, the "chugga, chugga, chugga." Though some of the original sound of early rock from the old blues greats is lost in translation, the influence is still there, and so it is with writing.
If Stephen King (or another of my influences) reads Lovecraft and/or Gone With the Wind; it can comes out in his writing. To be reminiscent of Poe is not to necessarily be in the first person point of view with your story riddled with "woes" and "nevermores," or other poetically romantic 19th century lingo. It's the feel and telling of the story and often times the theme. We get influenced by the influence's influences, but hey, if some online writing analyzer wants to compare my writing with that of one of the most influential horror writers in the last century, as well as the author of one of the most popular literary classics, then I'm okay with that.
Nevertheless, we are unique.
The internet is filled with ridiculous quizzes telling you what state you should be living in, and in what era, with what job, and what fictional character you're most like. I'd like to think that most take these with less than a grain of salt. The results are all based on the most minute of information about you. We're all unique individuals. Each one of us likes and dislikes things for different reasons. I fancy the 70s soft rock band "Bread" because they take me back to a wonderful time in my life. They're not for everybody. For me it's nostalgic. It means something different to me than Joe Blow. Sometimes I watch an indie film that I realize nobody I know is going to be able to appreciate, so I won't bother sharing it with others. I can tell I enjoyed it for personal reasons...because of my individuality. I'm just thankful for the experience.
Nevertheless, we are unique.
The internet is filled with ridiculous quizzes telling you what state you should be living in, and in what era, with what job, and what fictional character you're most like. I'd like to think that most take these with less than a grain of salt. The results are all based on the most minute of information about you. We're all unique individuals. Each one of us likes and dislikes things for different reasons. I fancy the 70s soft rock band "Bread" because they take me back to a wonderful time in my life. They're not for everybody. For me it's nostalgic. It means something different to me than Joe Blow. Sometimes I watch an indie film that I realize nobody I know is going to be able to appreciate, so I won't bother sharing it with others. I can tell I enjoyed it for personal reasons...because of my individuality. I'm just thankful for the experience.
We, as individuals, are so unique from one another that things affect people in completely different ways. One person can smoke for 60 years and die from something completely unrelated to smoking, whereas another can smoke for 20 years and die from lung cancer. We all have separate attractions based on nostalgia, positive somatic markers, life experience, and circumstance.
We are individuals, and we are unique.
RSS Feed