On writing novels
Waller
Legend
That whooshing sound is the joke flying over your head!
BookTenTiger
He / Him
That is very funny. 
Also, it is interesting how some novelists make efforts away from the entire story coming from their own head. For example, Philip K. Dick used I Ching to guide the plot and characters of The Man in the High Castle. Other abstract writers, like George Perec of the Oulipo movement, would use artificial limitations to create works they might not have thought of otherwise, like the novel he wrote without the letter E. I think in these cases there's a kind of collaboration between the artist and the methods they use to create their work.
It's totally beside the point and has little to do with the joke, but it's something I find really really fascinating!
Also, it is interesting how some novelists make efforts away from the entire story coming from their own head. For example, Philip K. Dick used I Ching to guide the plot and characters of The Man in the High Castle. Other abstract writers, like George Perec of the Oulipo movement, would use artificial limitations to create works they might not have thought of otherwise, like the novel he wrote without the letter E. I think in these cases there's a kind of collaboration between the artist and the methods they use to create their work.
It's totally beside the point and has little to do with the joke, but it's something I find really really fascinating!
Greggy C
Hero
No bro, I got the joke, which is just poking fun by taking literally what someone was trying to say, probably a young teen.
Unfortunately most of Hollywood is like that today, poor stories that don't make any sense, just "made up" drivel.
ART!
Deluxe Unhuman
Some of my favorite writing is in the old serialized pulps, when fiction magazines were very popular. Writers were churning stuff out for monthly or even weekly periodicals. One of the strengths of that process is that the writing can have this great, raw, visceral quality to it that I really like.
I can't remember which Edgar Rice Burroughs series this was in (because I've read a lot of his stuff and some of it blurs together), but at one point the hero leaves a city he had some adventures in, and at the beginning of the next chapter he realizes he left an important maguffin in the city, and heads back, gets it, and then heads back out on the road from the city. Clearly, he had submitted one installment for publishing in a magazine, and while writing the next realized he'd forgotten something, and in publishing it all as a book he didn't bother to rewrite that part. I love it!
I can't remember which Edgar Rice Burroughs series this was in (because I've read a lot of his stuff and some of it blurs together), but at one point the hero leaves a city he had some adventures in, and at the beginning of the next chapter he realizes he left an important maguffin in the city, and heads back, gets it, and then heads back out on the road from the city. Clearly, he had submitted one installment for publishing in a magazine, and while writing the next realized he'd forgotten something, and in publishing it all as a book he didn't bother to rewrite that part. I love it!
cavetroll
Explorer
This reminded me of the Kingkiller Chronicle, clearly made up since there is no ending. What tickles me pink is that Goodreads lets people write a review of the 3rd book which is has not come out, probably will never come out and so you get beautiful reviews like this:
Dear Pat,
I don’t want to sound impatient but I can’t help but wonder when you’re finally going to grace us with your last book. You see, I’m a sucker for statistics and I did my math so I thought about a lot of things you might be interested in. (The results were pretty alarming and I’m fairly certain you might be inclined to agree with me. XD)
So without further ado I’m going to give you a few reasons to publish “Doors of Stone” a little sooner:
1.) “The Name of the Wind” was first published on March 27, 2007 so that means that it’s been 13 and a half years since the first book of your trilogy was released.
2.) A 15 year old teen who read it when it hit the stores would be around 28 years old by now. Just two more years and she/he’s been waiting half of his life for the end of your series. (Quite an achievement, I’ll give you that. ;-P)
3.) When “The Name of the Wind” was published you were 34 years old. (I have to trust Wikipedia on that one, hope it’s correct, I know in some cases age can be quite a touchy subject. ;-P You seem to have an awesome humour though, so I guess you won’t hold it against me, right?)
4.) Anyway, you were 34 years old when the first book got out, you were four years older when “The Wise Man’s Fear” hit the stores. So 38. The release date was March 1, 2011. Double the years and we have eight years which would mean “Doors of Stone” should get out in March 2019? Wouldn’t that be a nice marketing strategy? At least that way no one could claim you’re not consistent. ;-)
Update 2019-07-13: Okay, new theory since March 2019 has passed and the book wasn't released: What about adding 7 years after "The Slow Regard of Silent Things?" It got out in October 2014, so about 3 years after "The Wise Man's Fear" and "The Name of the Wind" got out in 2007 so four years before that. Which makes 7 in total, so that would mean October 2014 plus 7 years is October 2021? XD
5.) So I was 19 when “The Kingkiller Chronicle” started, I’m 32 now. You were 34 when it started, you’re 47 now. I think it’s safe to say that both of us won’t get any younger. (If you can prove me otherwise please write me a message and share your knowledge. I’m sure me and supposedly the rest of the world would be very interested in the concept of eternal youth. ;-) Truth be told, you might even earn more money with this kind of knowledge than with your last book. Oh, damn. Am I giving you ideas?! Scratch that, we definitely want to read your last book, the mystery of the philosopher’s stone can wait a few more years.)
6.) Your beard looks lovely and I’m sure it would look great on the back cover of that last book! ;-P
7.) Don’t make me buy a 10 year special edition of “The Wise Man’s Fear” before “Doors of Stone” is out. Would be so not cool and you’re cool, I know that you are. nod nods XD
Well, I hope those were enough reasons! If not you can always write me and I’ll make sure to come up with another bunch of more than just good reasons. I’m a very creative person, I can handle it. ;-P
Kind regards,
Virginia – The Sassy Library Fox
Dear Pat,
I don’t want to sound impatient but I can’t help but wonder when you’re finally going to grace us with your last book. You see, I’m a sucker for statistics and I did my math so I thought about a lot of things you might be interested in. (The results were pretty alarming and I’m fairly certain you might be inclined to agree with me. XD)
So without further ado I’m going to give you a few reasons to publish “Doors of Stone” a little sooner:
1.) “The Name of the Wind” was first published on March 27, 2007 so that means that it’s been 13 and a half years since the first book of your trilogy was released.
2.) A 15 year old teen who read it when it hit the stores would be around 28 years old by now. Just two more years and she/he’s been waiting half of his life for the end of your series. (Quite an achievement, I’ll give you that. ;-P)
3.) When “The Name of the Wind” was published you were 34 years old. (I have to trust Wikipedia on that one, hope it’s correct, I know in some cases age can be quite a touchy subject. ;-P You seem to have an awesome humour though, so I guess you won’t hold it against me, right?)
4.) Anyway, you were 34 years old when the first book got out, you were four years older when “The Wise Man’s Fear” hit the stores. So 38. The release date was March 1, 2011. Double the years and we have eight years which would mean “Doors of Stone” should get out in March 2019? Wouldn’t that be a nice marketing strategy? At least that way no one could claim you’re not consistent. ;-)
Update 2019-07-13: Okay, new theory since March 2019 has passed and the book wasn't released: What about adding 7 years after "The Slow Regard of Silent Things?" It got out in October 2014, so about 3 years after "The Wise Man's Fear" and "The Name of the Wind" got out in 2007 so four years before that. Which makes 7 in total, so that would mean October 2014 plus 7 years is October 2021? XD
5.) So I was 19 when “The Kingkiller Chronicle” started, I’m 32 now. You were 34 when it started, you’re 47 now. I think it’s safe to say that both of us won’t get any younger. (If you can prove me otherwise please write me a message and share your knowledge. I’m sure me and supposedly the rest of the world would be very interested in the concept of eternal youth. ;-) Truth be told, you might even earn more money with this kind of knowledge than with your last book. Oh, damn. Am I giving you ideas?! Scratch that, we definitely want to read your last book, the mystery of the philosopher’s stone can wait a few more years.)
6.) Your beard looks lovely and I’m sure it would look great on the back cover of that last book! ;-P
7.) Don’t make me buy a 10 year special edition of “The Wise Man’s Fear” before “Doors of Stone” is out. Would be so not cool and you’re cool, I know that you are. nod nods XD
Well, I hope those were enough reasons! If not you can always write me and I’ll make sure to come up with another bunch of more than just good reasons. I’m a very creative person, I can handle it. ;-P
Kind regards,
Virginia – The Sassy Library Fox
Dire Bare
Legend
ERB was just trying to add some realism into his stories
. . . . how often do you leave the house in the morning, and realize you forgot something important!!! Did the protagonist go into a profanity spiral when they realized they had to go back? That would mirror my life . . . .
