How do I write a book of the century?

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by AliceSpice, Jul 20, 2016.

  1. Lyrical

    Lyrical Frumious Bandersnatch

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    If any of us knew how to write "the book," surely we would have written it. Honestly, though, the idea of "the book" sounds like fiction. Maybe the story you need to write is about this mythical novel of destiny. But I'm a little puzzled by why you think you're only qualified to write the book of all books.
     
  2. Iain Aschendale

    Iain Aschendale Lying, dog-faced pony Marine Supporter Contributor

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    I might smell a bit of trolling....
     
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  3. 123456789

    123456789 Contributor Contributor

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    Did somebody call?
     
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  4. Iain Aschendale

    Iain Aschendale Lying, dog-faced pony Marine Supporter Contributor

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    Well now I do, of the spelunking variety.
     
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  5. Cave Troll

    Cave Troll It's Coffee O'clock everywhere. Contributor

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  6. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    Short answer:
    You can't.

    Long answer:
    What @minstrel said.
     
  7. ToBeInspired

    ToBeInspired Senior Member

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    It's all about sleeping with the right people.
     
  8. SethLoki

    SethLoki Retired Autodidact Contributor

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    I'd find it a more riveting read if it detailed sleeping with the wrong people. :p
     
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  9. minstrel

    minstrel Leader of the Insquirrelgency Supporter Contributor

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    When it comes to writing (not to mention sleeping with), I wasn't aware there were such things as "the wrong people."

    Oh, well. You learn something new every Thursday, I guess. :p
     
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  10. SethLoki

    SethLoki Retired Autodidact Contributor

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    I was born with the wrong sign
    In the wrong house
    With the wrong ascendancy
    I took the wrong road
    That led to the wrong tendencies
    I was in the wrong place at the wrong time
    For the wrong reason and the wrong rhyme
    On the wrong day of the wrong week
    I used the wrong method with the wrong technique

    Wrong

    Wrong

    There's something wrong with me chemically
    Something wrong with me inherently
    The wrong mix in the wrong genes
    I reached the wrong ends by the wrong means
    It was the wrong plan
    In the wrong hands
    The wrong theory for the wrong man
    The wrong eyes on the wrong prize
    The wrong questions with the wrong replies

    Wrong

    Wrong

    I was marching to the wrong drum
    With the wrong scum
    Pissing out the wrong energy
    Using all the wrong lines
    And the wrong signs
    With the wrong intensity
    I was on the wrong page of the wrong book
    With the wrong rendition of the wrong look
    With the wrong moon, every wrong night
    With the wrong tune playing till it sounded right yeah

    Wrong

    Wrong
    (Too long)
    Wrong
    (Too long)

    I was born with the wrong sign
    In the wrong house
    With the wrong ascendancy
    I took the wrong road
    That led to the wrong tendencies
    I was in the wrong place at the wrong time
    For the wrong reason and the wrong rhyme
    On the wrong day of the wrong week
    I used the wrong method with the wrong technique

    Wrong

    by Depeche Mode

    Didn't want to flood the thread with what ought to be holed up, nay the crowning glory, in the lyrics area. But sure you'll like the above. I'd actually vote for it being 'Video of the Century'
     
  11. AliceSpice

    AliceSpice Banned

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    Unless my way of telling you was by asking you... My current ambition includes writing not just a standard basic book, but a tome of wonders and worth. But before I can get there, I must be willing to do what it takes. People will call me a goofball, a fool, an insane person and/or whatever, but in order to reach the river of wit, you must first go through insanity. And insanity is mildly putting it, for insanity is the largest part in the book.
     
  12. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Okay, here's a question in return. What was the book of the last century? In your opinion? Written between 1915 and 2015?
     
  13. AliceSpice

    AliceSpice Banned

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    The book is boundless, and free. It cannot be constrained by such laws you speak of.
     
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  14. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    You realize the word "century" means 100 years, right? That's the same thing as the time period @jannert gave - namely, one century.

    :confuzled:
     
  15. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Well, have fun. Sounds like anything will do.
     
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  16. AliceSpice

    AliceSpice Banned

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    Yes, thank you for pointing that out.
    Not a book of a century, then.
    The limitless book, shall we it?
     
  17. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    Yes, we shall it.
     
  18. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    I think so...I'm trying to determine whether you mean "limitless" in terms of something that will stand up throughout time - a classic that people will be reading 500 years from now - or whether you just mean the book itself will move beyond all limitations of thought or format or subject matter to achieve some kind of transcendent literary work. Or both.
     
  19. AliceSpice

    AliceSpice Banned

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    Both.
    Glad you understand.
     
  20. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    I don't know if you can plan for that, or adopt an approach designed to lead to that result. I doubt Shakespeare knew that people would be reading his plays 400+ years later. All you can do is write the best book you possibly can and release it into the wild.
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2016
  21. Aled James Taylor

    Aled James Taylor Contributor Contributor

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    To write a book of the century, you would need to be a genius.

    'Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.' (Arthur Schopenhauer)

    So to be a genius, you first need to see the target no one else can see. What is it that one else can see? What is the elephant in the room that everyone is so willing to overlook? What's staring you in the face but you only catch a gimps of from the corner of your eye?
     
  22. minstrel

    minstrel Leader of the Insquirrelgency Supporter Contributor

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    Are you just trolling?
     
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  23. halisme

    halisme Contributor Contributor

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    I've been putting my money on that for a bit to be honest. Either that or pretension.
     
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  24. Seraph751

    Seraph751 If I fell down the rabbit hole... Contributor

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    I think it's dependent on your perspective. This year, I will have been reading books by 3 of my favorite authors for 10 years. 10 years, I have supported these authors as a reader. That is a little over 1/7 of my life (if you look at it from the average) and I look forward to many more books by these authors, as well as new authors whose work I connect with. So for me it isn't so much as the "Book of the Century" but the "Author(s) of the Century". I only have one life you know :) and the fact that the authors have inspired 10 years of loyalty as a reader from me and many others? I would think that that is the way to go. Food for thought.
     
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2016
  25. AliceSpice

    AliceSpice Banned

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    Not in the faintest.
    And, yes, pretension. Selfish or noble pretension, though...? I can't tell the difference, but I will write this book. I'm just a youth, but you'll all see.
     

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