“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” ~ Ernest Hemingway
I’ve often read about writers, especially young writers, who write like the writers they are reading. I don’t have that issue. In fact, I wish I did. How easy would it be if I could instantly write like a successful writer.
However, I have learned some great things from some amazing writers. From Bradbury and Gardner, I learned you don’t have to write poetry to write lyrically. From Hemingway, I learned that the simplest sentence can be powerful. From Faulkner and Twain, I learned you don’t have to stray far from home to find intriguing settings. From Steinbeck and Joyce, I learned a fulfilling story isn’t about living happily ever after.
We can learn so much from the supposed masters of our craft. But, I believe you can learn something from any writer or any reader. Look at the contributors to the Confabulator Café. We all have our own styles, strengths, and weaknesses.