User blog comment:JohnathanNash/Writters I look to for help/@comment-26112985-20150927181413/@comment-26475800-20150927225843

There is no doubt that Poe is a master. He just isn't one of the ones that I look to and strive to be comparable to. Although, he is looked at as the father of horror and mystery, he just isn't one that I keep going back to. I have read a lot of his works, and they were all good.

However, there are also other authors who I have learned from. Poe, Bentley Little, Matherson, Chris Kuzneski, and L. Ron Hubbard are all great writers, and I have learned a lot more on how to write from each of them. But, that doesn't mean that they will make my list for being the best of the best in my mind.

Like you said it is all opinions. I wasn't trying to take anything away from Poe, but he just isn't one of the ones that I look to emulate. I read a lot, it doesn't matter what genre, or who the author is. Some are great writers, most of them are, except Anne Rice, just kidding Fizz.

The amount of good authors is amazing. There is no way that I could appease everyone with this list, and I didn't try to. I have chosen the five I like the best for the reasons I feel they excel at. Do I like everything Stephen King writes?

Hell no. In fact, he pisses me off more than any other author on that list. You will see he is not chosen for how he ends a story. But with his ability to get you so invested in the characters is amazing. That is why each and every author on this list is there with why they are on the list. I feel they all have short comings as well as being so great with the things they do well.