The Great American (Cellphone) Novel: A Writer’s Digest Exclusive!!
I, like many youngish people, use the text message feature on my cell phone in an excessive manner, which is indisputably annoying and potentially harmful, especially when trying to cut…
I, like many youngish people, use the text message feature on my cell phone in an excessive manner, which is indisputably annoying and potentially harmful, especially when trying to cut things or cross major intersections. But unlike a lot of other young people who are probably just text messaging their friends to tell them about the cute boyz they sat by at the new Hannah Montana film, I, friends, am making history. See, I am writing a hit novel. On my cell phone. Although the fad has yet to hit the US, cell phone novels are huge in Japan. Seriously. Some 21 year old lady friend named Rin tapped out a novel on her cell phone that sold 400,000 copies in hardcover. The New York Times proves this by saying so here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/world/asia/20japan.html?_r=1&ref=books&oref=slogin
And so, in honor of this newfound use of my text messaging ability, I just wrote a novel on my cellphone during the car ride back from my grandparents house in Springfield. It will come out in limited release (to all of my Contacts on my Contact List) later on this week but as a sneak preview, I am posting a never-before-seen portion on the Writer's Digest site. So, without further adieu, here is a two chapter excerpt from The Nite Out by Kevin Alexander:
Ch 1.
Sup, said John.
N/M. U? said Geoff.
Geoff told him he'd promised 2 get drinks L8R w/ a cute girl that he met at the mall. John says kewl but sarcastically. John h8s the mall, and tells Geoff. Geoff LOLs but doesn't mean it.
4eva ago the 2 were BFF. Now John and Geoff seemed 2 be not awesome. 10sion loomed.
Ch 2.
OMG, is this Boyz II Men? Carrie wondered. I f-ing heart B II M!
Geoff nods and turns his iTrip up.
I also have Jodeci, Geoff offers.
RU kidding me, Carrie says aloud. Carrie thinks he might be 4 her.
I didn't know U heart music, Carrie said, LOLing. U R a QT! We;ve G2G to a concert sometime.
Totes, Geoff says. U know who else hearts music? John.
Who's John. Carrie wants to know.
No 1. says Geoff. At least not 4 now.
There it is, friends. Can't you totally see the developing narrative arc? And don't get me started on the tensions arising between the protagonists/antagonist... I know, I'm surprised it's my first cell phone novel too. I'll let you know how the bidding goes when the deal for the manuscript inevitably goes to auction.
JK.
LL Cool J
Jane Friedman is a full-time entrepreneur (since 2014) and has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She is the co-founder of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and is the former publisher of Writer’s Digest. In addition to being a columnist with Publishers Weekly and a professor with The Great Courses, Jane maintains an award-winning blog for writers at JaneFriedman.com. Jane’s newest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press, 2018).