Where It All Started
We all have our favorite authors today, but who inspired them? And who inspired their inspirations? We aren’t always interested in venturing to the past, especially complicated books with archaic phrases, but those very works are the ones that influenced the spark in today’s top names.
1. William Shakespeare
Otherwise known as the father of playwriting, Shakespeare inspired dozens of authors after him, including some of the biggest names like Herman Melville, Charles Dickens, and Maya Angelou. He also influenced the English language with his vocabulary, grammar, and new words.
Attributed to John Taylor on Wikimedia
2. Jane Austen
Austen pushed a lot of boundaries with her female protagonists, mainly with stories centered around ignoring societal norms. She was a phenom who wasn’t afraid to write strong, powerful women, which was a feat that encouraged countless others after her.
3. Charles Dickens
With colorful characters and insightful, often witty, commentary, Dickens wrote plenty of stories that addressed issues of wealth and power. His immense talent was one of the biggest inspirations for equally impressive names like Edgar Allan Poe, William Faulkner, and Flannery O'Connor.
4. Virginia Woolf
Woolf was never afraid to write about gender norms and mental illness, two pretty large topics of the time. Despite the nay-sayers, she persevered through the criticism and penned some of the best works of the 20th century. She also went on to inspire plenty of writers after her.
George Charles Beresford on Wikimedia
5. Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway brought an entirely new minimalist style to his work. The exploratory prose influenced plenty of other writers, but it also revolutionized literature as a whole. With dozens of bestselling books to his name, it’s easy to see the appeal.
