Have you ever read a book about a certain subject, that made you want to meet the actors in it, or learn that new language, or try out that recipe from the book, or go on a trip, or want to read more, or, want to become a mage/wizard or video gamer? When you feel like that after reading a book, you know the book is amazing and probably needs a standing ovation.
I’ve known a few such books on different subjects that made me want to do crazy things such as:
- Go on a solo hike after reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed
- Find Hogwarts and apply for a course there after reading the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
- Get a towel and go on a space adventure trying to find out answers from the Universe and learning how inconsequential human beings are after reading The Hitchiker’s guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- Try to cook like Julia, after reading My Life in France by Julia Child
- And many more……
To add to this insane list of things that I will not be able to achieve, add wanting to be a kickass video gamer, even though I suck at it. This is what happened to me after I finished reading Ready Player One.
I loved the book. It doesn’t matter if you’re a video game fan, because I’m not one. And yet, the amount of detail on each game, the history of video gaming, the world building around how the future could look like if we had a virtual reality game like the OASIS, just blew my mind off. The protagonists are amazing and the story is fast paced. There is no time wasted in moving to the next challenge or the next twist in the story. The characters are all straight forward, no dark person turned grey scenario, and I liked that for a change.
This book is a tribute to video gamers and also to the 80s culture. I knew a few of the TV shows, movies, books and music referenced in the book, but wasn’t aware of a whole lot. Now I’ve made a list of some of the books, movies and music artists in the book to try and check them out. Also, now I’m ready to watch the movie and see how much justice Steven Spielberg has done to the book..haha, no I won’t judge. I just want to see a little of OASIS and I want to see how Aech and Art3mis look on screen, to be honest 😉
Things I’d love to hear back from the readers 🙂
- Have you read this book or watched the movie? What was your experience like?
- What a book that made you want to be a part of the story or be a character from the story or try to do something new, inspired from the story?
Starry Eyed Enigma 
I have read the book and watched 1/2 the movie.
This book or movie was not for me. I read it with assurance from a trusted source that even though it was essentially about video gaming that the 80’s references would make up for that as far as interest went. I did not find that to be the case.
The movie was ok. I lost interest and turned it off about 1/2 way through though.
🙂
How many stories have you written!? 4 for the month is the goal, right?
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Hahah, I can understand. My husband read the book after I had glorified it, and he had mixed feelings too. On one hand he was hooked to the gaming and 80s references and the dystopian setting with OASIS in it, but on the other hand, it is written in first person, in a very linear fashion and the characters stick to their personalities. So I can understand that it may not be rave worthy for everyone 😀
Yeah, I changed my goal to 4 for the month after your suggestion and I have one more to go, which I am planning to write this weekend. I posted an essay-story inspired from my own day on Monday this week, as part of one of my stories 🙂 I have this idea of a book, maybe a novella and I used some of the initial prompts to extend some chapters for that story, but haven’t been using the prompts for the others- how have you been doing? I’m also stuck in how I want my story to end 🙂
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I normally like first person and dystopian too! ha ha I really couldn’t get past the gaming!
I am so happy that you are working with your new goal. I have written everyday. Some days I like my stories better than others of course. I have been taking some of them to writers groups to polish and send out too. I like to have them sit for a little while usually to get some distance. I have been trying to stick to the prompts but I had a hard time with the sales one yesterday.
I usually just keep writing when I don’t know how my story will end! It sometimes works. 🙂 Sometimes an idea comes to me when I am driving or in the shower on how to work out a story too. Maybe that will work for you too! Reading some endings to some short stories or novellas might spark an idea too.
Happy Writing!
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Oh that’s a great idea! Ok I’ll give that a try😊 on a separate note, do you write anytime in the day or do you have a designated time for writing too? I think that’s one area I’m lacking in because I just try to squeeze in time to write when I find it, but most of the days because I have full days at work and at home, I end up just reading for an hour in the night and not writing🙄😊
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I write all throughout the day…kinda. I am always making notes to remember later or something to put into a story. I do try to carve out at least an hour a day to sit down and compose. Most of the time that is in the morning or during my lunch time at work. On the weekends when I have all my kids I try to do it first thing in the morning sometimes before I even get out of bed! I will admit my reading has suffered during my writing sprint. I am reading but it is more snippets lately. Sorry…it is not a cut and dry answer!
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Oh not at all.. it’s great to learn about other writer’s routines too😊 and I guess something’s got to give isn’t it? I read more and so my writing suffered and it was vice versa for you. But maybe I’ll try the lunch break writings on weekdays idea😊
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