Authors That Inspire Me

Do you ever find yourself barely able to breathe from the sheer captivation of the written word? Some books have that effect, don't they? 

In this post, I thought I would dive into the reasons for my sincere appreciation of some of my very favourite authors, exploring how their works have inspired and taught me...

Let's start with Jane Austen (as I often do 😉). She is the queen of omniscient narration using free indirect discourse. In plain English, this means she is excellent at narrating a story in 3rd person, while tapping into a specific character's thoughts and feelings. She does this with multiple characters at different points in her novels, without using 1st person to share her characters' internal workings. She cleverly reveals their opinions and emotions, but not all at once. Sometimes it's subtle, sometimes it's momentous. At any rate, Austen was an author who loved to surprise her readers and equally loved to make them laugh. 

So how does Jane Austen inspire me? Well, she was an author who created memorable characters and made them leap off the page. She also chose excellent and clever names for her settings that reflected the characters that lived there. For example, she situated the Bennet family from Pride and Prejudice in Longbourn, their village called Meryton; Mr. Knightley from Emma in Donwell and Emma Woodhouse herself in Hartfield.

 Longbourn is a place where the Bennet family - in particular the parents - bear with each other for long periods of time. Also, they have borne children for a long time in the hope of producing a male heir. With five daughters, their estate must inevitably be entailed upon the nearest male relative: their cousin, Mr. Collins. Meryton is a fictional village in the county of Hertfordshire. It is the core centre of all merriment, where assemblies frequently take place and merry dancing ensues... as well as introductions and observations between characters. In Emma, Mr. Knightley is a character who has done well - and also resides at his estate, called Donwell. Hartfield is Emma Woodhouse's home and this is a place where many issues of the heart are addressed. 

So as you can see, many of Jane Austen's fictional locations are cleverly named: her settings almost always reflect some aspect of her characterisation or themes. In my own writing, the one thing I need at the start, in order to be able to write the story, is a "motivational title," as I fondly call it. This means that once I have a title, I will feel inspired to write and know how the story will unfold, because my title directs and motivates the plot. The title revolves around the heart of the story - it is relevant and true to my story's purpose. For example, "The Childless Mother and the Motherless Child" is my most recent Work In Progress. As you can see, the title is slightly oxymoronic and clearly juxtapositional: all with a purpose. Another title that encompasses the story's core motivation is "Yours and Mine: a love worth fighting for." It would be interesting to hear if you could guess that this book is about conscientious objectors during the first world war... and their love lives. On a less romantic note, "Breathe Again" revolves around a young boy working in the 18th century mines of poverty-stricken England. Hopefully the relevance, again, is clear. 

Jane Austen was the absolute epitome of excellent writing and I am so happy to be so inspired by her. Do share your own experiences, if you are a fond Jane Austen reader and enjoy writing yourself... 

Now let's move on to Charlotte Brontë. I have read and thoroughly appreciated Jane Eyre, Charlotte's most famous and personal novel. Written in the 19th century, Jane Eyre is described as a semi-autobiographical novel, because Charlotte Brontë used significant events in her own life to inspire her plot. Jane Eyre being sent from Gateshead to Lowood school is similar to Charlotte's own experiences at an institution that resembled her descriptions in the book. Jane's experience of losing her dear friend Helen Burns to typhoid is similar to Charlotte and Emily losing their two older sisters, Maria and Elizabeth to typhoid before being sent home to be educated by their strict aunt and loving father. Charlotte, Emily and Anne - along with their brother Branwell - formed a book club and supported each other in their enthusiasm for writing, starting at a young age to be creative. While Jane Eyre is an imaginative novel, it is interesting to see the real-life parallels to Charlotte Brontë's experiences. 

Probably the most significant parallel is that of Charlotte's love life. She worked as a governess in Brussels and while she was there, studying French, she fell in love with a Belgian gentleman, the founder of the school, who - it turned out - already had a wife. Does this ring any bells? While it is unlikely his wife was insane like Bertha Rochester, the inspiration for Jane Eyre is evident. Charlotte knew what her character was going through. Could this be why she wrote Jane Eyre in first person? The depth of emotion in the book and the strength of feeling make it a beautiful, enriching read.  

I am inspired by Charlotte Brontë to write from the heart, to tap into my own personal experiences and to write about the things I know. Sometimes it's easier to be carried away by imagination to worlds and periods beyond us - and doubtless, this still produces a riveting read - but to write about what you know can provide personal treasure readers can take from your book. Lessons they can learn - lessons you can teach. You and you only. Your schema is unique and no other individual has your fingerprint or your writing power, because no one has ever lived an identical life to yours. While people share experiences and others may relate to what you've been through, you have something to share that others don't. I want to be like Charlotte Brontë - unafraid to unburden my soul and pour it into my writing, creating characters and storylines that stand the test of time. 

I will soon continue this exploration of authors that inspire me in a coming post... But for now, fare thee well, dear reader and God bless...