Constellation of Stupidity

Hello all!

A while back I made a thread about writing a book on working in gaming retail. I couldn't find that it, so when I actually started the story, I made another one. Now, I'm making another thread because I deleted the info from the second one (for reasons I can't get into here) and can't edit my info.

The long and short: I'm writing a novel that's loosely based on a true story that happened 2 years ago. Yes, it's about gaming retail. But it's also about the many lies I've told, a "crazy" pseudo-stalker I had to get rid of, and a ton of weird people and situations I encountered along the way. It's also about sex (none for me) drugs (a bit for me) and rock and roll (mostly Korn... and totally not for me).

It's not (absolute) shit. So, if you've read anything I've forced down your throat in the past (specifically Confessions), you needn't worry. (And for making you read that first story, I'm very sorry. It really was bad. But I wrote it in high school. What do you expect?)

I just want your feedback. What did you hate about it? Do you consider it a technical wreck? If you were in dire need of toilet paper, would you use it to wipe your bum? I need to know. (However, this is a rough copy. All minor kinks will be ironed out later.)

(Btw., Here's the second thread I was referring to: http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/s...t=37821&page=3)

I present to you the first 100 pages of Constellation of Stupidity:

Edit: This is the right sub-forum, correct?

Niiiice. I remember the whold stalker chick thing. I'll be sure to download this and read it once I get internet at home.

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Originally Posted by bbobb

Niiiice. I remember the whold stalker chick thing.

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I was kinda hoping you'd forget...

I really, really, really hate the title. I mean, really. Makes me not what to read it.

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Originally Posted by Diff-chan

I really, really, really hate the title. I mean, really. Makes me not what to read it.

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What do you propose?

"Yes, I Got That Madden"

"To Low For Fat Hoes"

"Clerks"

"What's President Evil?"

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Originally Posted by arjue

"Clerks"

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:td:

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Originally Posted by Diff-chan

"To Low For Fat Hoes"

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:tu:

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Originally Posted by Revoltor

"Yes, I Got That Madden"

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:icepick:

"yeah.....so my boyfriend really wants this one game"

"Gaming is Stupid, Canada is a Myth"

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Originally Posted by arjue

"Clerks"

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Originally Posted by Brisco Bold

:td:

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Actually, I should add to this response. When I first had the idea to write a story about retail, I very much copied ideas from Clerks without ever seeing the movie (or even knowing it existed).

After reevaluating the stor(ies) I wanted to tell, I came up with something more in the vein of Douglas Coupland's Microserfs and Neil Straus's The Game.

On an unrelated note: I believe The Game is a must read for Buttcheeks/Ironplant. I always forget to tell him though.

Meh. It was more about Hugo Ellis (you're hugo ellis I presume?) than video game retail, but I guess that's the interesting part (as mentioned with people wanting to know more about his drunken room mate stealing bar stools). I don't like the blog format either, it seems like a kind of lazy way to do things instead of reformatting things to flow nicely. Maybe that was your goal. I'm no literary master myself but that's how I felt when I read it.

hugoellis.com doesn't work anymore. :(

I appreciate your feedback, but there are things about your critique that puzzle me:

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Originally Posted by Andrew

Meh. It was more about Hugo Ellis (you're hugo ellis I presume?) than video game retail, but I guess that's the interesting part (as mentioned with people wanting to know more about his drunken room mate stealing bar stools).

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Originally Posted by Me

The long and short: I'm writing a novel that's loosely based on a true story that happened 2 years ago. Yes, it's about gaming retail. But it's also about the many lies I've told, a "crazy" pseudo-stalker I had to get rid of, and a ton of weird people and situations I encountered along the way. It's also about sex (none for me) drugs (a bit for me) and rock and roll (mostly Korn... and totally not for me).

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Originally Posted by Hugo, on page four and five

Over the years, I’ve received many emails about my personality, history and attitude towards my homeland. Common questions and comments:

1) Were you always such a bitter asshole? (See: Hugo makes E3 booth babe cry; security is called)
2) Why did you move to San Francisco?
3) How and why did you become a journalist?
4) What were you doing before coming to San Francisco?
5) Who are these people you make scattered mentions of (Chris and Sameron, for example)?
6) Why the hatred for gaming retail? (See: I hate videogame retailers)

I’ve started a new, longer tale to answer all these questions.

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Originally Posted by Me, one post up

Actually, I should add to this response. When I first had the idea to write a story about retail, I very much copied ideas from Clerks without ever seeing the movie (or even knowing it existed).

After reevaluating the stor(ies) I wanted to tell, I came up with something more in the vein of Douglas Coupland's Microserfs and Neil Straus's The Game.

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It is about gaming retail, and it's about Hugo's life. But a lot of what makes up working in a shitty job is how lower management (Hugo) can -- idiotically -- allow their relatively unimportant occupation to consume every facet of their life. I've seen this happen to countless employees. The way it plays out, I find, is fascinating.

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Originally Posted by Andrew

I don't like the blog format either, it seems like a kind of lazy way to do things instead of reformatting things to flow nicely. Maybe that was your goal. I'm no literary master myself but that's how I felt when I read it.

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The blog idea came to me because... well, everyone has a blog nowadays, and I figured it'd be an interesting vehicle for the story. Tucker Max and Maddox are signing book deals. Just recently, Max actually signed a deal with a Simon and Schuester for his next book. (Random comment: I heard somewhere that bloggers are really just failed reporters.)

I always considered ditching the format in the event that everyone who read the story happened to dispise the way it was written. In fact, as it stands now, if you got rid of the format, the story would sound exactly the same.
I do plan to make the format more instrumental to the narrative. But this will obviously come later.

I'm no literary master either (obviously!). But I don't think the blog format ruins the narrative's flow one way or the either. Right now, the comments section plays a wholly minor role in the story, and this only occurs three times:

1) To make fun of the author for something he does;
2) To question the author about a questionable rant he makes about the video game industry, and;
3) To ask him an entirely unrelated question about the store at which he was previously employed.

As I said earlier: if you ignored the blog aspects, it would read like a typical (albeit amateur) story.

But, really, what the hell do I know? I may have completely missed your point entirely. I could also be presiding over the world's worst piece of fiction here.

I guess I was half expecting a kind of Clerks thing about the job itself more than the person being consumed by some miniscule event in his life (or what should be -- a bad retail job). I guess in that light it is exactly what you wanted it to be.

Okay, so I can't edit the thread title anymore, or delete it. *mod: could I?*

Anyway, that book I was talking about? I finished it. Again, I want to know why you hate it.

Btw., Andrew: It is no longer a blog.

Dude you wrote a 325 page book! Very cool.

Will read and report back.

Whatever happened to all those people writing a book in a month?

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Originally Posted by cigsthecat

Whatever happened to all those people writing a book in a month?

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I hear about this all the time. I could not do it. This took four years—off and on—to do.

I won't promise to make it to the finish line, but I'm going to fire her up and see how it goes.

Good job following through and getting something completed. Writing a book has been a goal of mine... getting around to it and actually digging in is way easier said than done.

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Originally Posted by cigsthecat

Whatever happened to all those people writing a book in a month?

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I gave it a go last year but i hated my story and i fell too far behind. Trying it again this year and once again I'm behind, but at least I'm enjoying my story.