I love writers all across the board, but one who influenced me very directly at the beginning was Mary Renault.
“I don't know what makes a guy want to write songs and sing, but if you've got a message, you want to get it across. When I come up with an idea about the way I feel, I can really state it strongly in a song.”
“I used to be a heavy gambler. But now I just make mental bets. That's how I lost my mind.”