Do you think you could write a novel? / LJWorld.com

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Asked at Massachusetts Street on October 19, 2008

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“Not a long one. I’ve written a few short stories, but I don’t think I could write an entire novel.”

— Judy Swartz, artist, Lawrence

“Yeah, I think I could. I’ve always had a lot of different ideas for story lines.”

— Max Yoder, musician, Lawrence

“No. I’m not that into writing. I like reading them, but I don’t think I could.”

— Mayra Perez, cashier, Topeka

“Absolutely. I’ve been teaching for 36 years, so I’ve got a lot of human-interest material to work with.”

— Bill Keenan, math teacher, Monterey, Calif.

Novel concept: Aspiring authors sign up for madcap writing project

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prospector (anonymous) says…

It was a dark and stormy night....
October 19, 2008 at 8:17 a.m.
sunflower_sue (anonymous) says…

There was a mysterious scratching noise at my bedroom window...
October 19, 2008 at 8:58 a.m.
SMe (anonymous) says…

He awoke to a strange odor and an even stranger color of sky...
October 19, 2008 at 9:16 a.m.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…

Peering out the window, she saw the horror. A McCain/Palin sign in her yard, for all the honest world to see. Someone had opened her closet door...
October 19, 2008 at 10:09 a.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

,;-D
October 19, 2008 at 10:33 a.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

... and I will, someday.
October 19, 2008 at 10:34 a.m.
cutny (anonymous) says…

She looked out into her backyard and could see Alaska. She knew something wasn't quite right...
October 19, 2008 at 10:41 a.m.
dminear60 (anonymous) says…

I think I would rather write a biography.
October 19, 2008 at 10:41 a.m.
cutny (anonymous) says…

uh...oops...She looked out into her backyard and saw Russia. She knew something wasn't quite right.
October 19, 2008 at 10:42 a.m.
H_Lecter (anonymous) says…

and while the curious and fearful looked outside, I opened the kitchen door. I was humming Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, op. 73 by Beethoven as I set the convection oven to 350 degrees and opened the pantry door. As I perused the pantry, I thought to myself how enjoyed the opening strings more than the piano, but for some reason the song followed me. Through the swinging door, in another room, I could hear...
October 19, 2008 at 11:39 a.m.
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…

I wrote a 130 page mythological history to a world, that I intend to write a series of novels on top of, but there's that elusive thing called spare time, and it will be a long project. After school.
October 19, 2008 at 11:49 a.m.
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…

and hey, I heard that Colin Powell came out today or yesterday in support of Barrack Obama. Someone point me to Right-Thinker's reaction when that hits here, 'cuz it should be highly entertaining.
October 19, 2008 at 11:50 a.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

jonas: "After school."Ah... after school... another myth?Actually, mine was *written* decades ago...now I just need to find time to port and edit it.
October 19, 2008 at 12:37 p.m.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…

"now I just need to find time to port and edit it." tangiHow do you port something from stone tablet?
October 19, 2008 at 1:53 p.m.
sunflower_sue (anonymous) says…

something that sounded like water dripping on sheet metal...
October 19, 2008 at 2:02 p.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

RET: "How do you port something from stone tablet?"I would tell you, if I could do so without also revealingthe secrets of the pyramids!
October 19, 2008 at 3:54 p.m.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…

Already have, "Gone With the Lemurs" hits the bookstores next week.
October 19, 2008 at 4 p.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

snap: "Gone With the Lemurs" hits the bookstores next week."For those awaiting the DVD, here's the teaser trailer...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkqqMPPg2VI
October 19, 2008 at 4:14 p.m.
BABBOY (anonymous) says…

Yes. But, publishing it and not losing money on it is the real issue.
October 19, 2008 at 5:29 p.m.
beatrice (anonymous) says…

I just finished my first book. ... Pretty soon, I'm gonna read another. -- Rodney Dangerfield
October 19, 2008 at 5:59 p.m.
liggyon (David Lignell) says…

"If I had to give young writers advice, I would say don't listen to writers talking about writing or themselves."- Lillian Hellman
October 19, 2008 at 6 p.m.
Agnostick (anonymous) says…

Sure. I think anybody could write a novel, if they set their mind to it.More important question?Would anybody wanna *read it*...?Agnostickagnostick@excite.com
October 19, 2008 at 6:22 p.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

Ernest said, "The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in,shock-proof shhh detector."
October 19, 2008 at 7:42 p.m.
inmate (anonymous) says…

...it hadn't rained in days and the sprinklers were set for morning, so I stood still and listened. There was a light rhythmic tinkling of cut glass accompanying the dripping, perhaps the chandelier. Closing the pantry door, I stepped lightly toward the door to the dining room. There was only the ambient light from the windows coming from beneath the door. I gently pushed the door open and searched the room with my eyes for the source of the sounds. There was a chandelier above the 12-person table, but it hung motionless and quiet. Entering the room, I walked close to the wall to prevent the floor from creaking. Seeing nothing disturbed, I stopped before the open doorway to the main hallway and vestibule. I listened. The sounds were more distinct and seemed to be coming from the main hallway. I drew a breath and leaned around the doorway molding. There...
October 19, 2008 at 8:10 p.m.
emily_litella (anonymous) says…

...was a scene that made my heart race with excitement; there, hanging and drawn from the chandelier of the great hallway was the victim of the most agonizing death I could have imagined. The guts were everywhere and some still dripped onto the tin wheelbarrow that had been used to carry the victim into the hallway before the fatal carving. The chandelier swung slightly with the still heavy weight of the gutted victim. It was the largest carved Halloween pumpkin I'd ever seen. It must have been 250 lbs before it had its innards ripped out. Still it was a crime scene, mom was going to be really mad that the mess hadn't been cleaned up.
October 19, 2008 at 9:35 p.m.
Pywacket (anonymous) says…

David L~ Love the quote from LH. In my many writing classes and forums over the years, nothing struck a sour note more quickly than stories about writers writing! They invariably discussed (what else?) writer's block... the pacing at 3:00 a.m., the anguished calling upon the muse... To me, such stories always said, "I waited until last night, after getting home trashed from the wheel, to start my writing assignment for today's class, and I couldn't think of anything to write about until a lightbulb went on over my head! How very clever of me--I will write about writer's block. I bet nobody has ever done that before!"
October 20, 2008 at 12:22 a.m.
liggyon (David Lignell) says…

Pywacket,I know, let's write about writer's block...and then add the clever, original twist that it was all just a dream. Glad you liked the quote. It's one of my favorites. Dave
October 21, 2008 at 12:39 p.m.