I am one of the few young, young writers out there. There are not many that write at my age, but those that do, they either don't like what they write or write something and think it is bad. I do both. I started out with short stories than moved onto shorty stories. After reading some of Bradbury's work I have more inspiration to write because he made me realize that there is no limits to what one can write about and one can take a idea any where. Thanks to Bradbury I can do more and better.

You hit on a point I really like about Bradbury's writing. He can take an idea anywhere! Some of my favorite Bradbury stories are very simple, but his vision and use of language have made them masterpieces of the imagination. What Bradbury did for me was to turn me on to ideas. With an open mind and a creative imagination, you can do almost anything with almost nothing.

In "Kaleidescope," Bradbury takes a very simple premise -- a space ship explodes and the astronauts drift out into space in different directions -- into a very moving (yet somehow hollow) story about how each of these different men face death.

In "The Pedestrian," he turns a narrative of a guy out for a walk into a profound social critique that becomes one of the inspirations for "Farenheit 451".

In "The Dwarf," he takes an unhappy dwarf who finds temporary repreive from himself in fun house mirrors, into a social commentary on how cruel mankind can be.

In "The Skeleton," he takes a story of an obsessive-compulsive hypocondriach into a very personal horror story with a twist ending.

He takes a nothing little idea and turns it into whatever he wants.

It is an inspiration to the rest of us as to what the power of a open imagination can do.

That is it. That ia what I mean. I know what you are saying. Bradbury takes and idea and goes to the end of the earth with it. He proves there are no limits.

Mr. Dark
How long have you been a fan of Bradbury, When did his message first grab your imagination? Has he help you to write or to look at things different? Let me know. Did you like "The Dwarf", and "The Skeleton"? Can you tell me more about them? i would like to read them they sound interesting.

I'm heading out the door. I loved the Dwarf and Skeleton. There is some detailed analysis of the Dwarf out there. You might try a search on dearf or my name and see if you can find it.

Bradbury fan since 9th grade (1967 or so). My story is under Dandelion's thread about (I can't remember the title, but it has over a hundred postings on it).

Bradbury set me alive, intellectually. He opened doors for me that I'm still opening. I've never tired of his stories.

I see everything differently since reading F451 in 9th grade. Even friends and family commented on the change in me.

Ashley--You can find both of those stories in The October Country, one of my personal favorites. Enjoy, and let us know what you think of them!!

Mr. Dark
F451 was the same one that got hooked on Bradbury.

lmskipper
Thanks for the tip, I'll keep you posted.

How young of a writer are you?

If you have ever read Stephen King's on writing, he believes that it takes a unique set of organic hardware, as well as a spark to make a writer.

I've been writing since the 6th grade, how about you?

Faler
How young? well lets say that i am about to enter my seventeenth year of life and have one more year of required schooling left. That is how young.
I have not read anything of Steven King's yet but I have had many suggestions to read some of his work. What do you suggest I read? I've been writing since 6th grade as well. What do you write? Can I read some of your work?

Not to badmouth King, but there are plenty of other writers that should take priority over him. He's good, but not the best. Read Vonnegut first.
Cheers, Translator

Before anyone else seizes the golden opportunity, let me be the first to say...

SEVENTEEN AND CRAZY!

Translator
I'll keep that I mind. Why should i read that first? what make it better?

dandelion
SEVENTEEN. Yes, of course, what else would i be? AND CRAZY! Well this I will only be able to take this as a compliment because man of the world great minds were considered crazy. However, I do not see myself as crazy but then again who would. In what ways am i crazy? You have not entered the jungle that is my mind. So how can you know me and call me crazy? You have to know me before you can say that.

Sorry! That was suppose to say "many of the worlds great minds" not "man of the worlds great minds ". I was typing to fast for my own good.

I liked Vonnegut's "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater". Great piece of touching social criticism/satire.

"Crazy" - an allusion: from the uncle in F451 about Clarisse, of course! That is a compliment from Dandelion, not a sarcasm!

In my highly skewed opinion, Vonnegut is better because he is simply better at storytelling. I loved Cat's Cradle. I will not mention Bradbury as you're probably reading him right now.
Cheers, Translator