Writers often hear that they must read books in order to succeed at writing. I wholeheartedly agree. There are a number of reasons it’s crucial to a writer’s success, but personally I know I learn a lot in the process of reading.
Part of the way I learn how to write well through reading is to make note of what stands out about writing I consider to be “great.” This is why I’m starting a series of Pen-spiration posts in which I hone in on my favorite authors and analyze what it is about their writing that has inspired me throughout the years.
It only seems appropriate that I’d begin this series by taking a look at my number one favorite author: Chuck Palahniuk.
I was a little late to the game in discovering Chuck’s books. About five years ago, an old roommate of my husband’s was gushing about Invisible Monsters and she was surprised to learn I had never read any of Chuck’s novels. The second I admitted I was unfamiliar, she thrust a copy of Invisible Monsters into my hands and promised I would fall in love. Indeed, I did.
The first thing that inspires me when reading Chuck’s books—and the thing that keeps me coming back to read every single one—is the characterization. Never have I seen more oddball, obscure, and disturbing—yet somehow slightly lovable—fictional characters. Every time I draft up a character that seems a little “off” or “boring,” I think of the characters in Haunted, Survivor, and Diary (to name a few). These characters are not the type of people I could imagine sitting next to at work or talking to over my fence. Chuck’s characters would admittedly seem out of place in any of my own fiction, but their traits and personalities remind me that the best characters are the most unique. If I feel like I’ve met my characters a hundred times over in my daily interactions, I can only assume they’d be all too familiar to my audience; therefore, I strive to create characters that are truly one of a kind.
I’m also inspired by Chuck’s farfetched plotlines. He has found the perfect balance between believable and unbelievable. My belief is that he accomplishes this in the way he practices “showing” versus “telling.” If he were to list out an outline summary of the events in his stories, I would probably scoff at them and say, “That would never actually happen, and it’s way too out there.” Yet, that’s not how Chuck tells his stories. Rather, he tells them through imagery, characterization, and emotion, and these things are woven together in such a way that even the unbelievable plotlines don’t come across as implausible. What this teaches me is that admirable writing is a balance of the story itself, and in what way the story is told.
Who is your all-time favorite author? What has his/her writing taught you or inspired you to try within your own writing?
Hope McCain 