08-25-2012, 04:52 AM
I've always thought the easiest influence to pick out in my writing was Ernest Hemingway, which might be hilarious because I've read all of one book he's written (A Farewell to Arms) and a handful of short stories. But a lot of things about Hemingway appeal to me and his style is so distinct, I think it's easier to attribute things to him because of that. Things I probably picked up from him include: use of short sentences; overuse of conjunctions to make super long sentences; an unabashed love of repetition as a literary device; really, really, really extended metaphors; and occasional fixation on really mundane things (fucking peanuts, man). Some of these things are more obvious in roleplay than others, but maybe I'm also just... overly aware of this specific influence.
Other than that, there's the natural tendency to emulate whatever it was I read last and enjoyed. Which. These days. Is most often fanfiction, but hey, there's literary merit in that, and I'm not ashamed.
Other than that, there's the natural tendency to emulate whatever it was I read last and enjoyed. Which. These days. Is most often fanfiction, but hey, there's literary merit in that, and I'm not ashamed.