James Ellroy and Charles Bukowski Help Me Out.

James Ellroy (Lit Reactor)

Charles Bukowski (The Toast)

A Turn to Established Authors Aids in Battling Writer's Block

 For me, writer's block does not involve a blank screen. It manifests itself in page after page of unreadable word chum. So I decided to keep open on my desk various books from a variety of successful authors. When in need of a description or character trait or fresh metaphor, I turn to these scribes for inspiration. For instance, I was trying to describe my protagonist and read this passage from Charles Bukowski's short story, "The Most Beautiful Woman in Town."

"Cass was the most beautiful girl in town. [Half] Indian with a supple and strange body, a snake-like and fiery body with eyes to go with it. Cass was fluid moving fire. She was like a spirit stuck into a form that would not hold her."

I'd probably have written, "Cass was real good looking and sexy."

In any case, I wrote nothing so poetic, but I did think of a decent description and moved on from there.

A variety of styles, themes and genres comprise the eight books I'm currently using for inspiration:

The Most Beautiful Woman in Town and Other Stories - Charles Bukowski.

Glue - Irvine Welsh

The Exorcist - William Peter Blatty

Elmore Leonard's Western Roundup # 3 Valdez is Coming and Hombre - Elmore Leonard.

The Sowers of the Thunder - Robert E. Howard.

American Tabloid - James Ellroy.

The Fun Parts - Sam Lipsyte.

The Debut - Anita Brookner.

Thank you, everyone!