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.

Ruben Reyes Jr.

1.22.25
“If it’s good enough, an album will offer a sense of flow and consistency that helps me write. The vibe and genre should match what I’m working on…
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Jordan Pérez

1.8.25
“Sewing reminds me that I can start with a scrap of fabric or an odd button and just follow myself through leaps of inspiration until I’m left with something that seems like it was always there, that feels honest.
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Brandon Shimoda

12.11.24
“Writing poems for my grandmother was a way to talk to her about the world she was leaving behind.
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Jessie van Eerden

11.27.24
“What larger story can hold my own? To strive toward originality, I tend to root in origins.
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Saúl Hernández

10.30.24
“As writers, we sometimes forget that silence is also a language within which a poem can be awakened.
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Amy Stuber

10.2.24
“The most sustaining practice for my writing over several decades has been being outside, walking.
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Kinsale Drake

9.4.24
“In moments when I give myself room to breathe, the idea for a poem that feels right often peeks through, and I catch a glimpse of a brighter world.
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