What Book Did You Wish You Wrote

caitysdad · Apr 28, 2009

I was talking with this with someone and the subject came up, "Did you ever read a book that you wished you wrote?"

Now aside from the obvious answers like Harry Potter and the DaVinci code is there a book(s) that you wish you had written and if so why? For the me the hands down obvious answer is "Salem's Lot" because I thought it was brilliant on so many levels, and has influenced me in so many ways, that I feel like it's a apart of me.

Mr Flibble · Apr 28, 2009

caitysdad said:
Now aside from the obvious answers like Harry Potter and the DaVinci code

I do not wish to have written them. Why would I? Apart from maybe the money, but I don't write because I want to get rich.

is there a book(s) that you wish you had written and if so why?

Depends when you ask me

Um, The Great Gatsby. *sigh*. And I wish I could write an action romance hero like CJ Cherryh.

Or something that could scare the poop out of someone like It scared the poop out of me. I still won't go in the Pennywise shop.

geardrops · Apr 28, 2009

AnonymousWriter · Apr 28, 2009

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. Such an inspiring story with realisic, heart-warming characters. Superbly written too.

If only it was me who wrote it...

mekolo_diesne · Apr 28, 2009

Gosh, almost any book that I've read, since I haven't written a single book, but I'd say The Tale of Despereaux.

firedrake · Apr 28, 2009

'Zemindar', by Valerie Fitzgerald. Brilliant Historical novel.

Quossum · Apr 28, 2009

The Giver -- chills, brilliant

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature -- I am thoroughly in lurve with this book!

--Q

brokenfingers · Apr 28, 2009

Hmmm, while there are tons of books I love and admire, I can't say there's any book I wish I'd wrote.

I just want to write the stories within me, that's what gives me pleasure. I want people to love MY world and characters.

To me, saying I wish I'd written someone else's book would be like saying I wish someone else's kids were mine when I have my own. My kids may not be perfect, but dammit, they're mine and I'm gonna raise them the best I can and love them more than any other.

There are, of course, other writers whose skill with words I wish I could emulate (and I still hope to one day do so.) But there are no other writer's books I wish I'd written.

scarletpeaches · Apr 28, 2009

Wally Lamb's I Know This Much is True is the only book I've ever finished in tears, saying, "I wish I'd written that."

cubed · Apr 28, 2009

The list of books I wish I hadn't wrote, but did, is smaller...

ChristineR · Apr 28, 2009

Anthony Trollope's The Way We Live Now. I couldn't have written it because he died long before I was born, but the way he juggles the characters and story lines and pulls it all together in such an incredible way really made me drool.

BlueLucario · Apr 28, 2009

Orson Scott card's Ender's game

And The Harry Potter series.

Charlie Horse · Apr 28, 2009

American Gods. I'll admit it, I've got a man crush on Gaiman.

eveningstar · Apr 28, 2009

I think this is a difficult question to answer. As tempting as it is to say I wish I'd written some of my favorite books, like Einstein's Dreams or I Capture the Castle or The Princess Bride, if I had written any of them I'd be robbed of the experience of reading them, fresh and unbiased. That's not something I'd want to give up with my best beloveds.

So with that in mind I might have to cheat a bit and go with Tuesday by David Wiesner. No words. Flying frogs. I'd love to have come up with that.

witchunter88 · Apr 28, 2009

I wish I'd written "To Kill a Mockingbird." Truly a masterpiece I can always hope to strive for.

LAWolf · Apr 28, 2009

All of my absolute favorites. Probably Little Women most.

Kaylee · Apr 28, 2009

Christy - by Cathrine Marshall It made me cry, which I don't do easy. I wished I could write something that good that people get into it and get emotinal, and yet come away from it with a good feeling.

Life is what happens, while you're busy making other plans. -- John Lennon

cubed · Apr 28, 2009

witchunter88 said:
I wish I'd written "To Kill a Mockingbird." Truly a masterpiece I can always hope to strive for.

I love that book!

BravoYankee · Apr 28, 2009

Turtledove's newest book about the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, "Give Me Back My Legions!". I had an outline, research, and a prologue all ready!!! lol

GAH!

I'm reading it now, and all I say to myself is, "DAMN YOU TURTLEDOVE!! DAMN YOU TO H E DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS!"

That one was mine! Stupid published, popular, respected, credited authors! lol.

ccv707 · Apr 28, 2009

I don't like to think about being like another writer, because I like the kind of writer I've become, but it would have been awesome to haven written Shogun and Great Expectations. Beautiful stories, both of them. Another book series that would have been incredible to have thought of first is the Legend of the Galactic Heroes novel series from Japan. It was written by Yoshiki Tanaka, spans ten books, and was adapted into a critically acclaimed anime series (never licensed in North America). The sheer scope of these books just about takes my breath away.

Noah Body · Apr 28, 2009

Lucifer's Hammer and L.A. Requiem are two that I wished I had the skill and derring-do to have pulled off.

backslashbaby · Apr 28, 2009

Catch-22

Oh, really so many, including many written by folks here

But Catch-22 is one of those Why didn't I think of that? obvious/brilliant works. I am too young to have thought of it, and surely wouldn't have, but it has that sort of feel.

EFCollins · Apr 28, 2009

For me, there's only one and I don't know why I wish I'd written it. It was a required reading piece in middle school. A little short novel called Island of the Blue Dolphins. I read that bugger and still to this day wish I'd written it. Love that story. And for some reason, I don't even own a copy of it.

Renee Collins · Apr 28, 2009

Hands down, The Great Gatsby.

CDaniel · Apr 28, 2009

First and for most, The Virginian. The Children of Hurin by JRRT would be the second.

What Book Did You Wish You Wrote

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Good thing I like my day job

I see you hiding over there.

practical experience, FTW

Walkin' That Road

What happened?

Blood Elves FTW

Speaking in metaphors

circus girl without a safety net

Boom Boom POW

New kid, be gentle!

He who asks, "Why?"

Entertainment Ronin

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Plotting . . .

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