Ever been compared to

[popmuze]

A famous and/or published writer when you started out or at any time since?

As I said somewhere else, a teacher once compared a few sentences of mine to Bernard Malamud, which made me feel great, until he ripped the rest of the page to shreds.

Later someone in a workshop said my stuff reminded them of Morris Renek. I said, "Who?" Then I picked up his books for a nickel apiece on the internet. Wow, I only wish I could write like him.

When I first did YA novels I was gunning for "the next Paul Zindel," but never got close.

[reenkam]

I had a teacher tell me my stories reminded her of Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings...

Personally, I didn't see it at all and I don't think I write like either author and the story wasn't remotely similar to either except that they're all fantasy...but I think she was trying to be nice. :Shrug:

Another time I had someone tell me that they could tell that I was trying to write like Tolkien and they could see all of the references to the books in my short story...awkward part is that I've only read one Tolkien (The Hobbit) and I had only seen the first movie, at the time. Oh, and my story took place in 16th century England. Apparently my place names were "totally from The Lord of the Rings." It was odd...because all my place names were actual cities in England at the time (and now, too).

Basically, I hate being compared to anyone...because it never makes sense.

[JEMcGee]

I have yet to describe my novel to anyone and not have them tell me it reminds them of something they have read - usually something different than others have said and most times someone I have never even heard of.

At first it really bothered me because I felt like the comparison was indicating a suspicion that I was copying others, but now I just ignore it because everything has been done before, and since this is futuristic sci-fi it's not unusual to predict something is going to happen that someone else has already predicted since we are all relying on the same past and present.

As for my writing style - nobody has compared me to anyone. I don't know if that's good or bad. *L*

[WordGypsy]

My mom is dead set I'll be the "female version of Stephen King." :D Gotta love mom!

[BlueTexas]

I was compared once, but now that you ask, I'll be damned if I can remember who it was. The comparison was made by my FIL though, so take that FWIW.

[Alexandra Little]

When I first tried a writer's critique board, someone commented, "I've never read Lord of the Rings fanfic on here before" and I was like (in a growly voice): "It. Isn't. Fanfic. It's mine, I wrote it, it came to me!"

So I really dont like comparisons anymore. They're usually wrong or unflattering in my case.

[christinex]

My original stuff, not so much. But several people have compared my Star Wars fanfic to Timothy Zahn's work, who is definitely the best of the profic writers as far as I'm concerned. So that made me feel good. :D

[Azraelsbane]

A friend's pastor that served as a beta reader for my first novel said I reminded him of Kurt Vonnegut.

I've also been told that I write like Tolkien on a drug trip... I'm really not sure how the two mesh, although admittedly the comparisons were based on different genres.

I basically think both people were just out of their minds. I don't think I write anywhere near well enough to be compared to those two.

[maestrowork]

Elmer Fudd.

[elisabeth]

Not writing, but one of my art teachers said my painting looked like one of Cezanne's!

:)

[johnrobison]

I've written about my experience interviewing publishers for Look Me in the Eye. One of the questions I asked was, "Can you show me some examples of books you've done that you'd compare to mine?"

As you can imagine, that produced a flurry of comparisons, with each publisher choosing their own set.

I read every one of the books they handed me, and I saw something of my own writing in each one.

The moral: You can find some basis to compare your self to almost any other writer, given 300+ pages to study. In some cases I agreed about the comparisons, while others seemed a stretch.

[BlueBadger]

I've been compared to Neil Gaiman, whom I've never read (save for "Coraline," which was excellent. I should be lucky enough to write that well) and Douglas Adams, whom I've never really liked. :D

[johnzakour]

Douglas Adams by cinescape:

http://www.mania.com/31296.html

Simon R Green by Barnes and Noble:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=38RDES4IA5&isbn=0756400902&itm=1

There have been others, as every reviewer has their own take on my voice.

I much rather have people be compared to me though. :)

[JoNightshade]

My mom, who is no expert on the subject thank goodness, compared me once to Francine Rivers. She has not made that mistake again. ;) (Actually I've never read anything of hers so I shouldn't be so offended, but... Christian women's fiction? How good can it be? I don't like Christian fiction or women's fiction, despite being a member of both groups!)

My creative writing teacher compared me to a couple of people I cannot remember since I had not heard of them. But basically she really liked the spareness of my prose, and the subtle way I approach sensitive issues. (Incest, disability, etc.)

People have compared me personally to Louisa May Alcott, which is not too bad I guess. Not my writing style, though, just my personality.

[Lyra Jean]

I was told that all my stories sound like episodes of Twilight Zone. The old one.

Which is nice cause that's what I was going for.

Okay I confess. It was my mom who said that.

[triceretops]

When I was writing for the magazine markets I must have gone through at least 300 submission/rejections. I got to know several publishers and editors personally as a result of this frequency. One compared me to King, and I hadn't read anything at all by King during the time. But when I did, I said, "Yep, that's me--verbose with run-ons all over the place."

Another comparison was to Roald Dahl, and I had NO idea who this was until I looked it up. Charlie and the Chocolate factory, sez I? Ummm...couldn't quite figure it. But there it is.

Tri

[megan_d]

I get a lot of Neil Gaimen comparisons, but I suspect that's more because I write urban fantasy and less because I'm as awesome a writer as he is.

[gingerwoman]

I just get. "I've never read anything like it." lol

[Inkdaub]

I was compared to Camus by a crazy guy that began calling me at home to tell me how great I was. He didn't have even a slight grasp of the plot and soon began referring to me by my protagonist's name. I don't put my phone number on my title pages anymore.

[Xx|e|ph|e|me|r|al|xX]

Xx|I don't know if this comparison is something of which to be proud, but it made me feel pretty good...
On a site on which I posted my story (well, just the first 6 chapters), one girl (who, let me say, was not a friend at the time, just an acquaintance) said that "as a die-hard fan of Anne Rice", she liked my story "as much as...no, maybe more than any of her stories".

But other than that, I've got nothing. My mom's said I'm better than the authors she's read recently (she's not a big reader, so that's only one or two XD). But still, that's my mom.

I really haven't gotten enough feedback, especially from real readers/writers, so I just don't have much to go by, much less comparisons. :o|xX

[David I]

A professor who liked my work said it reminded him of Graham Greene, but other people have said John Barth...

Go figure.

[Nakhlasmoke]

Graham Greene? Niiiiice.

My sister said David Gemmell meets Neil Gaiman, which was sweet, but er...no.

[Shadow_Ferret]

In college, one of my writing instructors said I sounded like Raymond Carver, but I never saw that.

More recently someone said I sounded like Nelson DeMille, which seems more likely to me.

Unfortunately, even if I sound like Carver or DeMille it hasn't helped me get published.

[Bartholomew]

I've been compared to "A writhing chipmunk wallowing across the keyboard in it's death throws." Probably my proudest moment.

[Spiny Norman]

I've been compared to Douglas Adams and Dave Barry when I'm feeling funny, Hunter S and Salinger when I wasn't. Although it's undeniable that they've all made an impact on me, I still would prefer to be my own thing.

I think it's possible that A. They just picked famous names or B. the curriculum of literature my readers stick to is pretty limited.

Still, you take what you can get.

[Siddow]

I had a critiquer tell me that my book read like "a collaboration between Stephen King and Julia Childs". LOL. Too much food prep, ya think?

[Willowmound]

the "female version of Stephen King."

Stephanie Queen?

[BlueBadger]

Douglas Adams by cinescape:

http://www.mania.com/31296.html

Ha ha, I write for Cinescape, though I didn't write that review. ;)

[maddythemad]

My grandfather said it had the timeless themes of War and Peace.

The book is YA chick-lit.

I kid you not-- I love this man.

[Pisarz]

I just get, "you're a strong writer, but this isn't for me." Does that mean they admire the fact that I go the gym but that my novel sux?

[Southern_girl29]

One of my beta readers said that my writing reminded her of Laura Ingalls Wilder. That was a huge compliment to me as I love those books.

[Spiny Norman]

I just get, "you're a strong writer, but this isn't for me." Does that mean they admire the fact that I go the gym but that my novel sux?

They probably meant your prose is solid and readable but they didn't like the plot/genre/characters. I guess? That's how I've always taken it.

[johnzakour]

Ha ha, I write for Cinescape, though I didn't write that review. ;)

Ah, too bad it was one of my favorite early reviews. Though at the time I was a little jealous as Cinescape and Ain't it Cool News got their ARCs before I had my copies. Still they were nice to read.

(I actually figured you didn't write that review since you mentioned you weren't a big fan of Mr. Adams. I do have a keen grasp of the obvious!)

[johnzakour]

In college, one of my writing instructors said I sounded like Raymond Carver, but I never saw that.

More recently someone said I sounded like Nelson DeMille, which seems more likely to me.

Unfortunately, even if I sound like Carver or DeMille it hasn't helped me get published.

Ah, just hang in and before you know it you'll be published and they'll be comparing you to John Zakour. ;-) If not him then maybe somebody really good.

[davids]

Elmer Fudd.


iI got really close to the Fuddster-but fell far far short-Fog Horn Leg Horn was where I ended up-but hey that is nice to is it not?

[BlueBadger]

Ah, too bad it was one of my favorite early reviews. Though at the time I was a little jealous as Cinescape and Ain't it Cool News got their ARCs before I had my copies. Still they were nice to read.

Yeah, they keep me in a cage while I write manga reviews for them. If I overstep my bounds, they zap me. Just kidding. Publishers love us for some reason. I sometimes get advance manga copies months in advance. No complaints here!

(I actually figured you didn't write that review since you mentioned you weren't a big fan of Mr. Adams. I do have a keen grasp of the obvious!)

Brilliant! :D Seriously, I respect the hell out of Adams as a writer. His subject matter just never clicked with me. I never got into Prachett either, so maybe British humour isn't my cup of tea (ie, I'm too dumb). I am, however, a lover of Canadian comedy, which sits nicely between Britian's dry humour and America's In-Your-Face shows and comedians. I am a forever-fan of The Kids in the Hall, for example.

[AJ Clare]

I got compared to Armistead Maupin once, which was cool, because I've always been a huge fan of his books.

And Elmore Leonard, but I'll just take that on trust, because I've never read so much as a word by Elmore Leonard.

[Zoombie]

I was once called a budding Adolph Hitler, just becuase I made a crack in Gym class about how when I grew up, I was going to kill six million jews and one clown.

The punch line was: "Why the clown?"

"See!" I'd say, "No one cares about the Jews!"

But insted, they dragged me off to the principles office. Sigh...teachers.

In terms of writing, I was once told that I write like Stepan King. I said, "Uh-oh...that was supposed to be a comedy."

Then the critter asked how I could think a tortured and abused child running away from her tormentors then getting hit by a car can add up to humor. I said I was joking.

He didn't laugh.

I guess I'm just not funny...

[Willowmound]

First one was funny...

[Shadow_Ferret]

Ah, just hang in and before you know it you'll be published and they'll be comparing you to John Zakour. ;-) If not him then maybe somebody really good.
If I ever do get published, believe me, I'd be more than happy to be compared to you, or someone good. ;)

[Will Lavender]

The weirdest thing I've heard, although it's not really a comparison:

I was talking to an agent from ICM about the book's movie rights. He was talking about possible directors for Obedience, and the name he threw out was...

...Jared Hess. The guy who did Napoleon Dynamite.

I said, "That's...interesting." :D

I went with another agent.

[Stew21]

I don't get compared to anyone. Mostly because almost no one reads my work.

[lostlore]

A famous and/or published writer when you started out or at any time since?

First chapbook I self-published was compared to a famous writer I hadn't yet read -- but when I did I latched onto every book and word he wrote, having felt the connection intensely ... and then spent years trying to shake off the influence of that bright light.

I can accept that a writer might hold one or a few particular A-list authors closer to him than others, but you've got to be very careful about it -- and always remember that you're playing with death when you do. I think messing around with a single or a few certain writers too closely and absorbing their movements is soothing at first but if you don't break away it ends up being the worst kind of poison, the surest way to settle into the minor leagues of second-ratehood forever.

You don't want people, when they look at you, to read off the names of your influences on your sleeve -- you don't want them to think those names at all, but admire your own sharp look, and come away with nice thoughts of your step and your grace and your charismatic shine.

[Willowmound]

"...your charismatic shine." :)

[Summonere]

Thomas Wolfe
Mike McQuay
Harold Robbins
Clive Barker

(Oh what a mix.)

And then there's this:

"[His writing is] like a vibrating dentist's drill grinding into the decay of a rotten tooth..."

[swvaughn]

I have been compared to a summer's day -- neither more lovely nor more temperate.

So I guess that's a cold early spring day: volatile and covered with mud. :D

[davids]

James A. Barbeetron

John Steinbauch

Ernest Stitchingway

and last but not least-nobody else in particulate

[reigningcatsndogs]

Che Guevara by a High School Teacher -- long story!!

Writing -- Mary Higgins Clark. Don't know; haven't read any of hers, and the comparison came from my mother (I know, here we go, back to the toilet paper and poop pen for another masterpiece in her opinion!!):Shrug:

[batgirl]

Kelly Link (on OWW) compared the opening of "Fluke" to Jennifer Crusie and Connie Willis. This caused me to wander around in a daze, grinning foolishly.
Willow Knot, the novel I had at Viable Paradise, was compared to Gene Wolfe and Howard Waldrop (which caused me to go and read Waldrop - I already liked Wolfe).
Friends have said that "Foretold" and the co-written novel Siege of the Revenants remind them of Barbara Hambly's work.
I have no complaints about any of those.
-Barbara