It has to make the reader think/say this: "I was entertained for minute. Then the plot showed up!" -Nostalgia Critic reviewing Moonwalker. And that is an insult we can all relate to when reading a bad piece of literature.
After looking up that, I fail to follow your train of thought. So please feel free to explain that bit of awkward reasoning.
I'm with @Aled James Taylor with his find on genius and targets (though wouldn't want to glimpse his gimp) and I was entertained by this thread till the plot showed up (thanks @Cave Troll ) Now though this goat gruff is wandering from the bridge to posts greener.
How did this turn into a conversation about fountain pens, BDSM, and Donald Drumpf? I've never used a fountain pen before, but I really want one. I use a mix of both my computer and just a journal and a really nice normal pen to write (even though my handwriting sucks, too). As for the book of the century, you need it to be about something that would make it the voice of this generation. So...something with terrorists, Justin Bieber, Psy, Drumpf and set in WWII ('cause all the best stories apparently now take place during WWII). Throw in some controversial themes, maybe find a way to get it banned when its published and you've got yourself the book of the century.
Forgive me for my childish behavior, as sometimes I just get out of hand. But, besides the point, I'd like to better myself as a person, but I don't know how, and I was hoping these forums would give me a push... But not like a kick/ban push kind of thing, 'cause that would be odd.
Forget EVERYTHING else you've read in this thread, they clearly didn't understand the question: "How do I write a book of the century?" There are two ways, the first of which I strongly recommend because... well... its a lot easier. Step 1: Go freshen up on early 21st century history. Not just the fun parts where we start experimenting with making sexbots and dating apps, but all of it. Step 2: write book about it. Step 3: profit Congratulations, you just made a book of the century! Now, this second method makes a leap in judgement and assumes you mean THE book of the century. Please stop reading now if you're faint of heart or weak of will. Step one is a bit of a doozy. Step 1: World Domination. Yeah, sounds difficult, but its necessary. Step 2: Round up all of your subject (ungrateful slaves) and force them to burn every book in existence or you destroy them, their homes, families, and anything else that happens to be in the area. Step 3: write a book. Doesn't really matter what its about. Heck, it could be a book about burning all other books. Either way, its the only book of the century.
Ok, sorry, it was a joke. But in truth, you are setting standards for yourself very high if all you want to do is write the book of the century. Writing something like that is completely impossible. You don't know what people will like, what will strike a chord with audiences that will make them think that it is the book of the century. For all we know, Fifty Shades of Grey will be called that (god help us all if it is). If the only reason why you want to write is for that reason, then you shouldn't be writing. The secret to creating a good book is to write what you like and what you want to see, not what you think will be popular, most definitely not what you think will create the book of the century. You should write for two reasons: one, because you have a great idea for a story and you want to see it written down and published and two, because you love to write. After that, only time and a lot of effort will tell if your work will get published, if people will like your work, and most of all, if it will strike a chord with people enough that it will become the book of the century. And if that book doesn't become popular enough for that, keep trying. The important thing, though, is to keep writing. Hope that this is actually more helpful than some of the other comments.
Umm, I slightly messed up with step one, so now there's some people with dark suits outside my house and they say I might not be able to come here anymore. Or anywhere actually
There was originally, and it worked, and it would work again, if you could only figure out which one it was. The others are just a smokescreen.
