Writers' influences by gender.

[Paul Whybrow]

An independent Irish publisher, Tramp Press, has revealed that the authors who submitted to them said that they were primarily influenced by male writers. Only 22% of them stated that female writers affected how they wrote.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jul/28/writers-influences-female-inspirational-authors-gender

I have a few quibbles about what is meant by 'influence', but think that they are implying that there's an element of mimicry involved in how a new writer copies the style of a famous author. This can be tricky to do successfully, as I found when trying to write in the laconic style of one of my favourite writers Richard Brautigan, for words just spilled out of me.

'Influence' could also simply mean that one became interested in writing through the books of a particular author. Oddly enough, I was influenced to return to creative writing by reading two novels that I thought to be indifferent for one, and terrible for the other. I was motivated by the thought that 'if that standard of writing gets published, then I know that I can do better!'

In no particular order, here are some of the authors who have influenced me :

In childhood and youth - Enid Blyton, Kenneth Grahame (The Wind In The Willows), Daphne du Maurier, Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan), W.E. Johns ( WW1 Biggles fighter ace).

Adulthood - Barbara Kingsolver, Alice Hoffman, John Connolly, Michael Connelly, James Lee Burke, Dennis Lehane, Lawrence Block, Sara Paretsky, Jonathan Raban, Anais Nin, Guy de Maupassant, Richard Brautigan, Dorothy Parker, Edward Abbey, Pema Chodron.

(I haven't included any poets.)

Looking through that list, there's 20 authors, of whom 8 are women. This gives me a 40% rating by female influence, though I agree with Mark Twain's observation that 'There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.' I could just as easily say that I'm more influenced by American writers, as there are 12 of them on my list. Attempting to be politically correct through the use of statistics can be a bit nuts sometimes!

Of the still living authors, I would be most excited to read a new novel by Barbara Kingsolver or Alice Hoffman - but what does that prove?

What writers influenced the Colonists, and how is your gender bias?

 

[Jennifer Stone]

My influence comes from Richard Laymon, Ariana Franklin, P.C. Cast and Giles Kristian. If I come achieve half of their individual successes, I'd be a happy bunny. These are authors I've read for years, I'd probably read anything they wrote. I do enjoy other authors, like Stephen King, Tim Waggoner and some of our own Litopians. I wouldn't say I have a gender bias; the story is more interesting to me, than the person who wrote it and their gender.
I'd have to say that my inspiration to become a writer came from Steve Jackson and Ian Livingston. The fighting fantasy books that my Nan bought me introduced me to fantasy world building and got me involved with the story development.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Especially in the thriller genre, there is definitely a male bias. Partly because most of the big authors are males, but also partly from a phenomenon I've recently discovered: a lot of people (myself included) typically don't pick up thrillers written by women. For whatever reason, we don't feel they are as qualified. That's something I've had to work very hard to upturn in my own reading, because I feel like I'm just as qualified as a former TV script writer (Lee Child) or veterinarian (James Rollins)--though my writing still needs improvement to get to their level. So why can't other female authors be qualified?

That said, I can't think of one female author I read on a regular basis. The one author that really made me want to write was Lee Child. The two that made me want to keep writing were James Rollins and Joseph Finder. Also in my influencing circle are Steve Berry and Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

It was marketing advice that saw Jo Rowling become J.K. Rowling, as that was thought to be less off-putting for boy readers - also JK sounds a bit like Jake, which is rather butch! She took on a male persona as Robert Galbraith for her crime novels.

I've written a couple of romantic novellas, and am considering continuing the adventures of the protagonists - perhaps as my female alter-ego Rosemary Flowerdew. Now where did I put my green taffeta ballgown?

 

[Jennifer Stone]

It was marketing advice that saw Jo Rowling become J.K. Rowling, as that was thought to be less off-putting for boy readers - also JK sounds a bit like Jake, which is rather butch! She took on a male persona as Robert Galbraith for her crime novels.

I've written a couple of romantic novellas, and am considering continuing the adventures of the protagonists - perhaps as my female alter-ego Rosemary Flowerdew. Now where did I put my green taffeta ballgown?

Don't forget your bonnet and full length formal gloves

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Don't forget your bonnet and full length formal gloves

Damn, of course not - and I'm glad that I hung onto my granny's girdle. Keep a lookout for postcards bearing my image as Cornwall's bearded lady!