Books/Stories for Inspiration?

[RedRidingHood]

What do people read when they are stuck with writer's block? Do you stick to your genre, or do you read a variety of things and hope to find something that will spark and idea?

 

[Kelise]

I read my absolute favourites. I have a few. One for characters and world, one for writing style, and so on. I read them so I'm inspired to try harder to be as good as I can be in the same ways.

So basically, I seek motivation, I guess. That usually spurs my thinking. I've never really had the 'don't know what to write next' thing, as I generally know my characters well enough as to how they'd react, or I know the end of the plot to know what I'm working towards. If I have writer's block, it's because I get stuck by writing either what's not needed, or what's not right for my novel.

 

[Gryffin]

When I feel blocked I try to read something new in addition to something familiar. The combination of reading something new and familiar at the same time seems to inspire me for some reason.

 

[Digital_Fey]

Like Starconstant said, revisiting the works of my favorite writers often helps remind me why I'm writing and where I want to go with it. I also find it useful to read some plain vanilla fiction, just to break out of the fantasy groove, maybe get some ideas of elements I'd like to meld with fantasy.

 

[DameiThiessen]

I read old myths. Things with nameless origins, the less detailed the better. That way I can take the elements of those stories or monsters and work them into my story without feeling like I'm stealing. If a story plot or creature comes from a specific author I can't use it. Hence why I will not use orcs in any of my stories.

 

[mythique890]

I read new things, as many as I can, but all within my genre. First, because it helps me keep up to date on what is being published, and second because I find that I am inspired by different stories/authors in different ways.

 

[Xanados]

You know what I read for inspiration? The Prose Edda, Snorri Sturluson. A text from the close of the Viking Age. It is the source of all fantasy. I only recommend this "book" to hardcore mythology nerds and followers of Asatru.

 

[Gryffin]

I should also add that I am very inspired by poetry. I read a poem and I take my personal interpretation of it and try to be creative. I have had some great ideas after reading poetry.

 

[Thursday]

I try not to read at all. I don't want to end up with a 'new' idea that's actually someone else's. I've woken up and started writing because of a dream I've had and then a few pages later realized I read it somewhere else recently.

 

[JBryden88]

Irish Myths, the Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski and Song of Ice and Fire, and Robert E. Howard's Conan are all things I read for my world.

 

[Wordweaver]

I read the Dark Tower Series by Stephen King. Constantly. As in as soon as I finish the last page of book seven, I open the cover of book 1, The Gunslinger, and start again. Just so I can relive the experience of reading the first line:

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed."

First time I read that line, it gave me the shivers. Always puts me in a writing or at least creative mood.

 

[Johnny Cosmo]

You know what I read for inspiration? The Prose Edda, Snorri Sturluson. A text from the close of the Viking Age. It is the source of all fantasy. I only recommend this "book" to hardcore mythology nerds and followers of Asatru.

Actually, the Prose Edda was finished around 1200 I think, and the Viking Age came to a close around 1066 with the Norman Conquest of England. And it's not the source of all fantasy. The majority of popular fantasy, yes, but not all. However, it is a vital source of information for those interested in Old Norse and Medieval European inspired fantasy.