Hannah Pittard
“I walk around my apartment and read aloud from The Norton Anthology of Poetry.
Writers Recommend
In this online exclusive we ask authors to share books, art, music, writing prompts, films—anything and everything—that has inspired them in their writing. We see this as a place for writers to turn to for ideas that will help feed their creative process.
Tan Lin
“I’ve spent six or seven years reading The Man Without Qualities—sometimes I read it all the way through and sometimes random excerpts of it.
Margaux Fragoso
“I devour psychology books because they help me understand my characters
Téa Obreht
“As a teenager, I spent hours dreaming up plots for books. This was something I felt was cooler than going to the mall,
Nikky Finney
“When I was eight years old my mother found me beneath my younger brother’s crib in the fetal position and sweating. I was sick with a terrible fever. But, as she reports, I was also smiling.
Eleanor Brown
“Every week, my mailbox explodes with magazines—National Geographic, the New Yorker, O, and People.
Justin Taylor
“Don't take notes. This is counterintuitive, but bear with me.
Aimee Nezhukumatathil
“I love turning to field guides, old issues of National Geographic, or biology textbooks to get a jump start when the writing comes slow.
Jacob Paul
“The time I spend in the saddle on long bicycle tours—day after day, with no clear sense of where I might camp or buy food or shower—influences my writing process.
Dan Gutstein
“When I’m feeling a bit blue as a writer, I give myself an arts assignment, one that often features ‘categorical’ elements.