Hey /lit/ I'm asking this question only because I've taken a serious interest (after reading up "classics" and all "the good" for the last 2 years) in writing. Recently I've written some abstract short stories I wish to elaborate on and make into something publishable—albeit at first obviously small scale.But my problem is I need a Pen Name. My name is very common for my ethnicity (Italian), and my surname is oddly the same as some famous Italian as well : /So have any of you picked up serious writing and use a pen name? any ideas? how'd you come about that which you use?
Hey /lit/ I'm asking this question only because I've taken a serious interest (after reading up "classics" and all "the good" for the last 2 years) in writing. Recently I've written some abstract short stories I wish to elaborate on and make into something publishable—albeit at first obviously small scale.But my problem is I need a Pen Name. My name is very common for my ethnicity (Italian), and my surname is oddly the same as some famous Italian as well : /
So have any of you picked up serious writing and use a pen name? any ideas? how'd you come about that which you use?
The name generator in /weed/ is an excellent place to pick up a great pen name.
I'm going to be reading a good bit of Bukowski. I plan to get "sifting through the madness for the word, the line, the way" soon...mainly because of the title. It expresses exactly where I am in my life, and I can only hope that the editor chose poems that fit with the theme.I'm interested only in the poetry for now. Do any Bukowski fans have recommendations for what I should really be reading?
I'm going to be reading a good bit of Bukowski. I plan to get "sifting through the madness for the word, the line, the way" soon...mainly because of the title. It expresses exactly where I am in my life, and I can only hope that the editor chose poems that fit with the theme.
I'm interested only in the poetry for now. Do any Bukowski fans have recommendations for what I should really be reading?
>>20895To my own list, I would like to addBest (only) movie he wrote: Barfly
>>20895
To my own list, I would like to add
Best (only) movie he wrote: Barfly
I have a collection of his short stories, "Notes of A Dirty Old Man." Not neat as great as his poetry but still quite good.
http://www.scribd.com/search?cx=007890693382555206581%3A7fgc6et2hmk&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&c=&ft=&q=charles+bukowski&sa=Search#1045Odds and ends of his, ham on rye is there.
http://www.scribd.com/search?cx=007890693382555206581%3A7fgc6et2hmk&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&c=&ft=&q=charles+bukowski&sa=Search#1045
Odds and ends of his, ham on rye is there.
OP here - I went with Pleasures of the Damned and Last Night of the Earth. It seemed sensible for some reason to have the anthology for beginners sake, and his last book of poetry, thinking if he had any parting words of wisdom or otherwise important messages(if he would believe in such a thing) would be contained within.I'll have to go with Women as the first novel...just because I like tits.from LNOTEP-my buddy in valet parking at the racetrack; Comment too long. Click here to view the full text.
OP here - I went with Pleasures of the Damned and Last Night of the Earth. It seemed sensible for some reason to have the anthology for beginners sake, and his last book of poetry, thinking if he had any parting words of wisdom or otherwise important messages(if he would believe in such a thing) would be contained within.
I'll have to go with Women as the first novel...just because I like tits.
from LNOTEP-my buddy in valet parking at the racetrack;
Love is a dog from Hell are his best poems in my opinion.
ITT:most interesting/favorite/mind fucking book you've read1984- George Orwell or A Brave New World- Aldous Huxley
ITT:most interesting/favorite/mind fucking book you've read
1984- George Orwell or A Brave New World- Aldous Huxley
1984 mentioned so many times in this thread that I think the mean age of the posters is 19.Not to say it's a bad book. It's great. But it's also pretty heavy-handed.
1984 mentioned so many times in this thread that I think the mean age of the posters is 19.
Not to say it's a bad book. It's great. But it's also pretty heavy-handed.
>>21704I must say I dislike the way the book has been misappropriated by liberals and libertarians (i.e. citing it whenever the government moves), which partly explains the upsurge in its popularity. Orwell was, of course, a democratic socialist.
House of Stairs by William Sleator fucked my view of social interactions for quite a while
>>21708I suppose you mean liberals in the sense of Classical liberalism, which endorses the free market and often takes a kind of libertarian stance on government involvement? (As opposed to the pretty commonplace understanding of "liberal," which is essentially a person who endorses the more socialist side of a hybrid government between socialism and capitalism.)Otherwise your comment confuses me. A lot of people did take 1984 as a warning to flee from socialism and retreat into the trusty brigade of the capitalists, who can "do no wrong" so long as they follow laws of competition...
>>21708I suppose you mean liberals in the sense of Classical liberalism, which endorses the free market and often takes a kind of libertarian stance on government involvement? (As opposed to the pretty commonplace understanding of "liberal," which is essentially a person who endorses the more socialist side of a hybrid government between socialism and capitalism.)
Otherwise your comment confuses me. A lot of people did take 1984 as a warning to flee from socialism and retreat into the trusty brigade of the capitalists, who can "do no wrong" so long as they follow laws of competition...
House of leaves obviously
Hello /lit/, I have come across a quote that has made me dwelve into my thoughts beyond comprehension. I'm interested in your interpration of this text. It is by the legendary Carl Sagan who has been an influence on me personally. Here it is:"In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe."
Hello /lit/, I have come across a quote that has made me dwelve into my thoughts beyond comprehension. I'm interested in your interpration of this text. It is by the legendary Carl Sagan who has been an influence on me personally. Here it is:
"In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe."
>>21695 interpretation sorry
>>21695
interpretation sorry
It reminds me of something I read once, about how a flower isn't just a flower, but the sum of all things that have happened before it, since the beginning of time. I wish I could remember who said it.
Essentially, yeah, if you really want to make it from "scratch," you need a new universe. Because every particle that exists in something now has existed as billions and billions of other things. Just like the pieces of stars gone supernova are within us and are a necessary precondition for our life. Pretty cool to think that probably billions of supernovae exist within you./space/, a new trial board, and a great one at that, can probably help you more with this.
Essentially, yeah, if you really want to make it from "scratch," you need a new universe. Because every particle that exists in something now has existed as billions and billions of other things. Just like the pieces of stars gone supernova are within us and are a necessary precondition for our life. Pretty cool to think that probably billions of supernovae exist within you.
/space/, a new trial board, and a great one at that, can probably help you more with this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbcdon't know if you've seen this but...wow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc
don't know if you've seen this but...wow.
Any universe has to exist where an apple pie is possible for the apple pie to be able to be fashioned.
It's a little late, but who's tackling National Novel Writing Month this year? Let this thread be a gathering place for those of us facing this challenge.For those who don't know, the idea is to write a 50,000 word novel (more like a novella, but whatever) by the end of the month. That's about 1667 words per day, and it can get a little grueling once the ideas slow down.Good luck to you all!
It's a little late, but who's tackling National Novel Writing Month this year? Let this thread be a gathering place for those of us facing this challenge.
For those who don't know, the idea is to write a 50,000 word novel (more like a novella, but whatever) by the end of the month. That's about 1667 words per day, and it can get a little grueling once the ideas slow down.
Good luck to you all!
>>21676If you have the new word, it's in the lower left hand corner. If you have word perfect, you have to go to one of the tabs at the top--I forget what-- and select word count.I don't know about the older versions of word or of any of the mac apps.
>>21676
If you have the new word, it's in the lower left hand corner. If you have word perfect, you have to go to one of the tabs at the top--I forget what-- and select word count.
I don't know about the older versions of word or of any of the mac apps.
>>21686Also, if you're really anal about the whole thing, ignore words like "a", "an", "the" etc.But yeah, like they say on their site, writing a novel is a one-day thing for most people, as in "One day I'm gonna write a novel." So the contest's main idea is to get you started. And even if you don't win (ie, even if you don't manage to get the 50000 words on time) you'd still have written more than you'd have given yourself credit for, so in the end you've still enriched yourself a bit :)
>>21686Also, if you're really anal about the whole thing, ignore words like "a", "an", "the" etc.
But yeah, like they say on their site, writing a novel is a one-day thing for most people, as in "One day I'm gonna write a novel." So the contest's main idea is to get you started. And even if you don't win (ie, even if you don't manage to get the 50000 words on time) you'd still have written more than you'd have given yourself credit for, so in the end you've still enriched yourself a bit :)
i just came here to see if anyone on 420chan was doing this. i've tried many times and then failed after losing steam. hoping to complete it this time!
Had a friend who did this. It was pretty much trash, but it was admirable trash, because he DID IT.
And I thought this thread was destined to die. It's nice to see there are several 420channers going for it.I broke 10,000 today, so I'm just now on track, after starting 2 days late. The story has started to pick up steam, so I'm excited to keep working on it. It's been enormously helpful that I have a friend who is also doing it this year. We keep each other motivated.
And I thought this thread was destined to die. It's nice to see there are several 420channers going for it.
I broke 10,000 today, so I'm just now on track, after starting 2 days late. The story has started to pick up steam, so I'm excited to keep working on it. It's been enormously helpful that I have a friend who is also doing it this year. We keep each other motivated.
Who has one of these fuckers? I just got mine 3 days ago, and let me tell you, it's changing the way I read. I got one of the new Sony ones, with the idea that I'd read PDFs (the landscape view works perfectly for 8.5"x11" PDFs), because my classes do half the reading in PDFs and I don't like printing stuff out OR reading it on the computer. Best of both worlds.I've been loading a lot of stuff on it lately with help from the good old UnderNet IRC network and its channel #bookz. I download stuff in .lit, .pdb and .prc, open with the amazing and free software Stanza, save to epub, and then load on my reader. The formatting keeps and it looks great -- as easy to read as a book. But now I can take ALL of my books with me, never lose my place in any of them, never have to just read half a book because I checked it out from the library and now have to return it, etc... and I find that because I can just throw the reader in my bag and go, I'm never without great reading material. Very happy so far. Better than paper books. You also don't have to hold it open... can read in any position, hands-free, if you want. Comment too long. Click here to view the full text.
Who has one of these fuckers? I just got mine 3 days ago, and let me tell you, it's changing the way I read. I got one of the new Sony ones, with the idea that I'd read PDFs (the landscape view works perfectly for 8.5"x11" PDFs), because my classes do half the reading in PDFs and I don't like printing stuff out OR reading it on the computer. Best of both worlds.
I've been loading a lot of stuff on it lately with help from the good old UnderNet IRC network and its channel #bookz. I download stuff in .lit, .pdb and .prc, open with the amazing and free software Stanza, save to epub, and then load on my reader. The formatting keeps and it looks great -- as easy to read as a book. But now I can take ALL of my books with me, never lose my place in any of them, never have to just read half a book because I checked it out from the library and now have to return it, etc... and I find that because I can just throw the reader in my bag and go, I'm never without great reading material. Very happy so far. Better than paper books. You also don't have to hold it open... can read in any position, hands-free, if you want.
Just finished my third read. This is an awesome play. Are we in agreement?
I prefer Amadeus, but yes, Equus is pretty incredible.
Hahaha, read this a couple years back in English class. Good times.
This is also a song by Blonde Redhead. I covered the song before I'd ever heard of the play. But I will check out the play now. Thanks for this.Fuck, I love having an e-reader. I just throw everything on there and read as I go.
This is also a song by Blonde Redhead. I covered the song before I'd ever heard of the play. But I will check out the play now. Thanks for this.
Fuck, I love having an e-reader. I just throw everything on there and read as I go.
...this play was around a long time before Blonde Redhead.
so /lit/, think you could help me out?I suffer from insomnia, and I found that the best cure for it is getting high, and reading something that blows my mind.So, help me sleep! could you recomend me some books that are interesting and are divided by chapters? the chapter part is a bonus but it would be nice, I just find it more comfortable to finish chapters at a time, an example of chapters would be "rage" by stephen king, fucking loved that book and the way it was written. I like to read stuff by Stephen King, Lovecraft, Poe, Borges, Miguel Angel Asturias, Maurice Echeverria; I read 1984 by orwell and a brave new world by huxley(would you recomend some of his books on psychedelics? I'm interested but don't know if I'll be disapointed). i also love the poems of Baudelaire and like to do some light reading on philosophy (lately, i've been reading wikipedia articles about it's schools), I also like to read about the way the human brain works(rather psychology than neurology) but nothing to clinical(I've kept myself from reading some of freuds works because I don't know if they'll use language that is too clinical) so /lit/, What would you say fits in my taste of reading? Comment too long. Click here to view the full text.
so /lit/, think you could help me out?
I suffer from insomnia, and I found that the best cure for it is getting high, and reading something that blows my mind.
So, help me sleep! could you recomend me some books that are interesting and are divided by chapters? the chapter part is a bonus but it would be nice, I just find it more comfortable to finish chapters at a time, an example of chapters would be "rage" by stephen king, fucking loved that book and the way it was written. I like to read stuff by Stephen King, Lovecraft, Poe, Borges, Miguel Angel Asturias, Maurice Echeverria; I read 1984 by orwell and a brave new world by huxley(would you recomend some of his books on psychedelics? I'm interested but don't know if I'll be disapointed). i also love the poems of Baudelaire and like to do some light reading on philosophy (lately, i've been reading wikipedia articles about it's schools), I also like to read about the way the human brain works(rather psychology than neurology) but nothing to clinical(I've kept myself from reading some of freuds works because I don't know if they'll use language that is too clinical) so /lit/, What would you say fits in my taste of reading?
If you like that line between philosophy and literature and want to try to delve in a bit, I'd recommend trying out some of Nietzsche. Start with anything other than Thus Spake Zarathustra or The Antichrist... something like The Gay Science is a good beginning. (Essentially "The Happy Science," in reference to philosophy being full of joy and wonder.) That will likely blow your mind in several different directions.If you have not read Dostoevsky, he's fucking incredible, psychologically. Try Notes from the Underground if you're not feeling too ambitious and want to try him out (it's short) or Crime and Punishment if you're ready for 6-700 pages of fucking awesome mentally-insightful and demanding literature.
If you like that line between philosophy and literature and want to try to delve in a bit, I'd recommend trying out some of Nietzsche. Start with anything other than Thus Spake Zarathustra or The Antichrist... something like The Gay Science is a good beginning. (Essentially "The Happy Science," in reference to philosophy being full of joy and wonder.) That will likely blow your mind in several different directions.
If you have not read Dostoevsky, he's fucking incredible, psychologically. Try Notes from the Underground if you're not feeling too ambitious and want to try him out (it's short) or Crime and Punishment if you're ready for 6-700 pages of fucking awesome mentally-insightful and demanding literature.
Also, links.Notes from Underground: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/600 (Audio book: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6536 -- see LibriVox.org for a better recording)Crime & Punishment: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2554Here is Nietzcshe's "Beyond Good and Evil": http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4363
Also, links.
Notes from Underground: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/600 (Audio book: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6536 -- see LibriVox.org for a better recording)Crime & Punishment: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2554
Here is Nietzcshe's "Beyond Good and Evil": http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4363
I've recently obtained lots of goodies and feel like redistributing the wealth, so how about an eBook dump?As you can see I have an interest in psychedelia, theory, media, philosophy, literature, religion and the occult, so that will make up the bulk of the material. If you have anything along those lines feel free to add (I'll also throw in some Sci Fi and Fantasy)... but feel free to add anything else you like too...Some of the stuff I'll post is pretty radical and I don't necessarily agree with or believe in all of the content of everything here... I recommend you approach this stuff with the same critical yet open mind. But it's always good to read different perspectives...
I've recently obtained lots of goodies and feel like redistributing the wealth, so how about an eBook dump?
As you can see I have an interest in psychedelia, theory, media, philosophy, literature, religion and the occult, so that will make up the bulk of the material. If you have anything along those lines feel free to add (I'll also throw in some Sci Fi and Fantasy)... but feel free to add anything else you like too...
Some of the stuff I'll post is pretty radical and I don't necessarily agree with or believe in all of the content of everything here... I recommend you approach this stuff with the same critical yet open mind. But it's always good to read different perspectives...
thanks Em for the additions...and a few more for today....Foreword to I Ching by Carl Jung
thanks Em for the additions...
and a few more for today....
Foreword to I Ching by Carl Jung
(the complete) Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz...anyone who grew up with these books probably remembers the amazing and FUCKED UP illustrations by Stephen Gammell...
(the complete) Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
...anyone who grew up with these books probably remembers the amazing and FUCKED UP illustrations by Stephen Gammell...
Psychology and Religion; West and East - Carl Jung
>>21614i fucking love you mate, i wanted to read those ever since i saw an illustration in /spooky/ that freaked me out, and believe me, it's hard to find those books in a third world country
>>21614
i fucking love you mate, i wanted to read those ever since i saw an illustration in /spooky/ that freaked me out, and believe me, it's hard to find those books in a third world country
>>21611Great, you really made my day - again, thank you!
Thinking about reading this. Anyone wanna share thoughts?
OMFG THAT COVARS SO WITTY LIKE THE WAY IT SPELLZ OUT RANDOM IF YOU FOLLOW THAT FUKKIN LINE I NEVAR WOULD OF SEEN THAT IF THAT LINE WASENT THEIR HOLY FUKKEN SHIT THAT GUY MUST B A JEANYUS OR SUMTHIN1!!!!!111R56U87Y0
>>21656Don't judge a book by its cover.
OP again. Guess no useful thoughts so I started it. Too much math and probability stuff for my taste.
So I've been looking for a really scary book. something that will make me not be able to sleep, and if I do it will be with the lights on.I've already read almost all of stephen king's books and those just don't get to me like they used to. what are /lit/s favorite and scariest books?
So I've been looking for a really scary book. something that will make me not be able to sleep, and if I do it will be with the lights on.
I've already read almost all of stephen king's books and those just don't get to me like they used to.
what are /lit/s favorite and scariest books?
Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber
>>21557I looked that up and the synopsis seemed a bit unninteresting and cliche "oh she's a witch that explains everything"
>>21557
I looked that up and the synopsis seemed a bit unninteresting and cliche "oh she's a witch that explains everything"
Scariest book I've ever read.
edgar allan poe
H. P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe to name the obvious. Personally Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde will do you well, too.
I have a class this semester called "religion and (giving) meaning to life" or something. the word zingeving is hard to translate...so the assignment is "read a novel! there has to be some kind of element or subject in there about giving meaning to life". Suggestions?I go to a catholic university (KULeuven), that's why we have such a gay obligatory course.Somebody just recommended Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's "Le petit prince".
I have a class this semester called "religion and (giving) meaning to life" or something. the word zingeving is hard to translate...
so the assignment is "read a novel! there has to be some kind of element or subject in there about giving meaning to life". Suggestions?
I go to a catholic university (KULeuven), that's why we have such a gay obligatory course.
Somebody just recommended Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's "Le petit prince".
>>21525it's less about meaning and more about being emotional beings.
>>21525Fight Club is not the definitive post-modern novel. It's pop lit written for alienated man who want to get in touch with their inner machismo. If you want to talk about post-modern lit, read some Barth, Pynchon, Murakami, and get back to me.
>>21525
Fight Club is not the definitive post-modern novel. It's pop lit written for alienated man who want to get in touch with their inner machismo.
If you want to talk about post-modern lit, read some Barth, Pynchon, Murakami, and get back to me.
The Cave by Jose Saramago for finding meaning in spite of the machinations of society and its relations.
Waves from Genti can recommend>>21636
Waves from Gent
i can recommend>>21636
>>21642>Palahniuk is pop lit>read some Barth, Pynchon, Murakami>implying the latter authors are underground or not "pop" in any way, shape, or formPop =/= Bad, it just means that your poser ass hears about it because it's right on the display shelf when you walk into Borders, you wannabee.
>>21642
>Palahniuk is pop lit>read some Barth, Pynchon, Murakami>implying the latter authors are underground or not "pop" in any way, shape, or form
Pop =/= Bad, it just means that your poser ass hears about it because it's right on the display shelf when you walk into Borders, you wannabee.