Sci-Fi/Fantasy Inspiration

1. 58

   dust2duskposted 12 years ago

   I know it's kind of an overdone question, but I'm curious: who are your inspirations for your sci-fi and/or fantasy writing? Who really sets the bar for you, and in what way?
   
   For me, this list goes something like this:
   -Joss Whedon (for the incredible dialogue and tendency to turn tropes on their heads)
   -Hayao Miyazaki (for his capacity for building fantastic worlds and developing subtle and complex plots)
   -Anne Rice (for proving that one can write sensual prose about anything, including streets, books, old chairs, and dead guys)
   -R.A. Salvatore (for demonstrating growing moral awareness in both his characters and, I suspect, himself over the course of his writing career)
   -Jim Butcher (for melding the genres of film-noir-detective-drama with action-fantasy and proving that such a thing can be done well)
   -Eric Kripke (for great dialogue and for creating deeply flawed characters that you can still love)
   
   Yeah, I've included people who did tv shows and movies here. It's a different style of story-telling, but it can still be a great source of inspiration.

   replyreport
   1. 69

      cdub77posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Speaking of different types of inspiration, R.A. Salvatore has a video game coming out, I'm very interested in that.  I tend to like Ursula K. Le Guin and Philip K. Dick. or anyone else with the initial K. (j/k).

      replyreport
2. 88

   AdeleCosgroveBrayposted 12 years ago

   I write fantasy short stories and novels.  Some have been published, too. 
   
   My ideas come from all over the place.  I don't understand writers who say they're short of ideas.  I never have anything like enough time to write all the ideas I have!  My ideas  come from foklore, ancient history, art (I've a background in pottery and fine art), and also philosophy.  Less lofty sources can include random bits of conversation overheard on the train, or a photo which gets my interest for any one of a million reasons; or by simply asking 'what if...?'

   replyreport
3. 0

   RookerySpoonerposted 12 years ago

   If fairy tales are included as fantasy, then Hans Chritian Andersen and Oscar Wilde are my inspirations.

   replyreport
4. 60

   Johnjfernandoposted 12 years ago

   Jim Hawkins from Treasure Planet
   Lord of the Rings
   Silver from Treasure Planet/Treasure Island
   
   I thought wanting to write sci-fi/fantasy adventure since i was 11 years old. I started imagining about it when i was probably six. I am currently working on a 7 part series novel that i worked on to put together for more than 7 yrs now. Also some mini novels i call, 'character speicals' about cetain characters that have a great impact on the story all around.
   here is my link to the preview of it:
   
   http://johnjfernando.hubpages.com/hub/John-Tobio

   replyreport
   1. 60

      LookingForWaldenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Butchers the man.
      
      Tolkien is the best there ever will be though.

      replyreport
   2. 61

      Captain Redbeardposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Treasure Planet was a great retelling of an epic story. Almost as good as the muppet version

      replyreport
      1. 60

         Johnjfernandoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, epecially with Captain Flint and Long John Silver. This was adaptation from the novel, 'Treasure Island.'

         replyreport
5. 60

   logic,commonsenseposted 12 years ago

   Stephen Donaldson
   Harlan Ellison-his Dangerous Visions trilogy started a new wave.

   replyreport
6. 60

   LookingForWaldenposted 12 years ago

   I know a lot of people like him but I like a lot of Simon R. Green's stuff.
   
   Also I find lovecraft seeping into my writing style.

   replyreport
7. 60

   couturepopcafeposted 12 years ago

   Still like Neil Gaimen and Charles Vess.

   replyreport
8. 87

   brittanytoddposted 12 years ago

   No one has said Vonnegut yet?  He's amazing.  The first story in Bagombo Suff Box is one of the best sci-fi narratives I have read.

   replyreport
   1. 69

      cdub77posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I always forget Vonnegut can be considered sci-fi.  Great addition to the list.

      replyreport
9. 87

   brittanytoddposted 12 years ago

   Thank you.  Pynchon is also another favorite.

   replyreport
10. 61

    Captain Redbeardposted 12 years ago

    I think Tolkien is certainly top notch. Before him I don't think there was anything quite on the scale as The Hobbit and LOTR trilogy set and all the other stories he wrote about middle earth. He plays a huge role in my mind when I writing something in high end fantasy.
    
    sci/fi is a certainly a different kind o' beast isn’t it? Everything from the Fantastic Four comics, Star Trek books back to one of my favorite stories of all time, The Time Machine by Mr. Wells himself just before the turn of the century in the 1890's. I think Wells is probably my favorite. With stories like The Island of Dr. Moreau and The Invisible Man, my imagination is consistently asking, "What if?"

    replyreport
    1. 60

       LookingForWaldenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Good call on Wells.

       replyreport
11. 59

    emichaelposted 12 years ago

    H.G. Wells is a big inspiration of mine. Also Bradbury and Orson Scott Card

    replyreport