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Today’s topic supposed to be Top Ten Inspiring Bookish Quotes, or some such, but I am yet again going my own route because, as much as I read, I’ve never been one to collect words of inspiration. In fact, I am far more likely to find inspiration out of the book as a whole and have said many times throughout the last couple years how much I admire certain authors for their ability to do certain things well. This week has ironically inspired me to compile all of those well-crafted books in one place.

Top Ten Twelve Authors Who Inspire the Aspiring Author in Me!

World-Building

The Lascar’s Dagger by Glenda Larke

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

The Legend of Eli Monpress by Rachel Aaron

These three authors are definitely my favorite world-builders! Each story they create has a different setting, magic system, and atmosphere and each time I am in awe at their creativity. Honorable mentions for this category include Julie E. Czerneda and Ann Aguirre.

Character

Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

A lot of others do a good job the characterization, but these three authors stand out to me as exceptional because their characters are so rich and lifelike you feel like you’re reading about real people. They are often flawed and don’t always make the best decisions, which is probably why they always feel so human.

Voice

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

The Name the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

I will be the first to admit that I don’t read books to specifically appreciate how authors weave words together, but these three authors crafted their tales in such a way that I couldn’t help but pay attention. The language was beautiful and poetic without being pompous or over-the-top. Simply lovely!

Story

Bone Shop by T.A. Pratt

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

How someone crafts a story together so brilliantly always blows my mind, and these three authors dazzled me with how well their stories were composed. I’m sure you’re all not surprised to see Harry Potter on the list, and I think story is what I’ve always appreciated the most about it.

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I have plans to go back and reread all of these authors to help me improve my own craft. There are so many examples of  brilliant writing within each one – if I could absorb the skills from each I would be totally set! I would like to point out that many of these books could easily fit in all the categories, I just placed them the one I thought they represented the best.

What books inspire you? Any from my list?

by Niki Hawkes