My Writing Inspirations
For centuries and centuries, great writers and philosophers have been mentored and inspired by the great writers before them.
In my mind, it’s like a cascade of generation after generation drawing from what is behind to create what is ahead.
And I, as a writer, am no different. Since I was old enough to connect letters to meaning on the pages of a book, I have been growing and learning from other authors. But today, there are a handful of writers that I credit for my daily inspiration. Most of them are contemporary, some are even contemporaries.
I am not making any claim that these are the best writers in the world, these are simply the writers who personally inspire me to write more and write better. Read on, you might be surprised at who’s on this list.
1. Laura Hillenbrand
If you know me, you know this would obviously be my first pick. Laura Hillenbrand is the New York Times bestselling author of Seabiscuit and Unbroken. When I first read Unbroken, it rocked my world. The story itself astounded me. It stirred up every feeling I think there is. I was in awe of not just the story, but how the story was told. Every single bit of what Hillenbrand wrote was true. But it read like a novel. It was far removed from stuffy, factual biographies with no narrative arc. This ignited in me a desire to tell beautiful, redemptive stories in a compelling, captivating manner—a desire I began to make a reality over the summer. But stay tuned for more info on that!
2. Rick Bragg
Rick Bragg is a Pulitzer Prize winning southern author of books such as All Over but the Shoutin’ and Where I Come From. He writes about his experiences growing up in the backwoods of Alabama. But what sets his writing apart is his masterful use of detail. His descriptions are so vivid and lively, the word that comes to my mind to describe anything he writes is rich. And he is writing about something as non-glamorous as rural, redneck Alabama. To make someone want to read about that is a feat in itself. Every time I read anything he writes, it opens my eyes to the minute details in everyday life around me and inspires me to make my writing as rich and detailed as possible.
3. Lin Manuel Miranda
I know what you’re thinking— this guy isn’t an author. No, I guess he’s not a book author but he sure as heck is a writer. If Shakespeare, a playwright, counts as one of the greatest writers of all time, then Lin Manuel Miranda, creator In the Heights and Hamilton, surely counts. There are several reasons I admire Miranda’s writing so much. First of all, I have read Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton biography that inspired Miranda to write Hamilton. And let me tell you, it is dry. For Miranda to pull themes and plots out of a massive bank of information and craft it into a compelling, engrossing narrative that took the world by storm is amazing.
In my writing, this is what I want to do—weave dry facts into living, breathing, captivating narrative and characters. Secondly, his use of recurring imagery and wordplay is exceptional. He masterfully fuses themes and repetition throughout a three-hour play based in true events as they subtly shift in meaning and significance. Using fiction devices in telling true stories is my favorite thing, and Miranda is a master.
4. Morgan Harper Nichols
Now, this is an even more unconventional pick. Morgan Harper Nichols is an Instagram influencer. But guess what, she’s a writer. She’s also an artist. Her characteristic blend of visual art and words takes her work to the next level. It inspires me to get out of my box of thinking and writing and explore creativity and different ways to do things. Also, her writing is so freeing and encouraging. It has picked me up through many hard times. Take it from her on creativity: “This is the season I will make beautiful things. Not perfect things. But honest things that speak to who I am and who I am meant to be.”
5. Mary Madeline Schumpert
Mary Madeline Schumpert is a young author and blogger. She is a contemporary of mine and we worked together at our school newspaper. She just graduated college a couple years ago but has already written a whole book and has a beautiful blog. The best way I could describe her words are thoughtful. She is an inspiration to me in writing good, strong words of good, strong thoughts and learnings. Her words and thoughts have helped me and spoke to me in ways that have illuminated dark parts of me I didn’t even know were there. Also, because she is so young, she is an inspiration to me to just do it. To just start writing. And she shows me that it is possible. Follow her on Instagram at @earthtomm.
I am so grateful for the writers who have gone before me. And maybe one day my writing will inspire someone else- who knows! All it takes is one idea to spark the generation to come. So, how will your work be remembered?
Sincerely, Hannah
Photography: Hannah B.