Photo courtesy of Mushon Zer-Aviv
As a book blogger, I am in the privileged position of someone, who can freely talk with a variety of authors and who gets to read some of the best fiction available for the YA market. I find myself openly mulling over and sharing ideas with like-minded individuals on a daily basis, which is an experience that I love. In one such conversation, Mary Osborne, the author of Nonna’s Book Of Mysteries, and I were discussing the possibility that a person or character, who is talented and successful, but whose work fades with the passing of years, may very well influence someone else who becomes known for his or her masterful execution of their work.
To put it succinctly, we were discussing the idea that those who contribute knowledge to our society are merely standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before them. Whether you’ve heard of this concept before or not, its nothing new. It was first conceived in the 12th Century, but the 19th Century lover in me has a preference for the way in which Samuel Taylor Coleridge phrased it in The Friend: “The dwarf sees farther than the giant when he has the giant’s shoulder to mount on.” This idea has me believing that, perhaps, the sphere of one’s influence may be far larger than one might immediately assume, which is, I’d think something really hopeful for aspiring or published writers. One might never know with certainty, but perhaps what you produce over the course of your lifetime could be the stepping stone on which the next Jane Austen or J.K. Rowling is formed.
On another note, this concept suggests that not only does our work have the potential to spark innovation in those who come after us, but also the experiences that we have and the bits of knowledge that we collect over the course of our lives, all help influence the person that we’ll become in adulthood. Although nothing is set in stone, I find this concept a very empowering one because it throws aside other explanations and excuses and at the same time, prohibits regret for the small or large ordeals that we experience in life. Why should we regret anything when we know that the person we become is only possible with all of these obstacles? Take them away, and we may never be able to recognize the person, who we are: s/he would only exist in some alternate universe.
All of these thoughts about influence have got me thinking about what other YA writers think about it. I’d love to know who you consider to be your biggest influences, whether in your personal or professional life. How do you grapple with those who influence you and still be creative and original in your own right? Then my question to anyone who reads this blog, do you believe that the moments you’ve experienced in your life so far – no matter how hard – are worth it because they brought you to where you are now?
On another note, more of these ideas may very well come up on Saturday, June 5th when I post my interview with Mary Osborne. She’ll be around periodically throughout the day to answer your questions AND I’ll be announcing some exciting news as well. If you haven’t yet, please take the time to enter for a chance to win your own copy of Nonna’s Book Of Mysteries, or Book 1 of the Alchemy series.
Melissa Montovani is the founder of YABookShelf.com, where she has been writing content about YA authors and books since 2010. She has over five years of online marketing experience, active followers on Twitter and Facebook and writes freelance reviews for Canadian Children's Book News. She has an M.A. in English Literature and lives and works in Toronto, Canada.
