Roland Barthes wrote in Writing Degree Zero that "there is no art which does not point to its own mask" and it could also be said that there is no art which does not point to its own inspiration. Emily Dickinson frequently used the language of religion - even in poems not about religion - and this made her Biblical influences obvious (much like the Brontës' language). Religious mythology and fairytales have been a big influence on many fiction writers, including myself. At a young age I would be reading ancient Egyptian myths and Russian folklore, and these inspired me to start writing stories.
Writing can be inspired by anything. My writing is, so like John Cheever I am often inspired by everyday life and people, but like Dickinson I'm also influenced by bigger topics such as death and scientific discoveries. My imagination tends to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary so I am influenced by other fantasy and science fiction authors who do this - like Neil Gaiman, Enid Blyton, Alan Moore and Philip K. Dick. Music and lyrics inspire me as much as these writers, though - particularly The Sisters of Mercy and Siouxsie and the Banshees:
Nice post, I think music is definitely a huge influence in anything creative!
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