Which Title For A Novel Do You Like, Better?

[MediumTex]

That's pretty good, Tex.  Although I think that the type of high speed/low drag boat you're describing would not be the same type of boat you'd live aboard.

Watch many Bond movies as a kid? 

There would be an element of absurdity to a yacht chase scene, but it would be cool.

There could be speedboats docked next to yachts as well. 

I just really like the idea of Schwartz wearing a skipper's cap, but it's your story.

[Coffee]

I've already decided to table the idea for now and do something more along the lines of Paolo Coelho's "The Alchemist".  Because apparently, weak minded people like that kind of dribble and it is easy to write. 

[dualstow]

Looks like a fun read. (Your outline, not the godawful Alchemist, which my ex read on a friend's advice. barf!).

[Pointedstick]

I've already decided to table the idea for now and do something more along the lines of Paolo Coelho's "The Alchemist".  Because apparently, weak minded people like that kind of dribble and it is easy to write. 

If that's how you see it, you may be quite interested in the information in this thread on another forum I was reading the other day:

http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/inventi ... ccess.html

[Coffee]

I've already decided to table the idea for now and do something more along the lines of Paolo Coelho's "The Alchemist".  Because apparently, weak minded people like that kind of dribble and it is easy to write. 

If that's how you see it, you may be quite interested in the information in this thread on another forum I was reading the other day:

http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/inventi ... ccess.html

Thanks for sharing that link. 

When I read this kind of stuff on "Get rich quick" forums, I always take it with a grain of salt. 

My guess is that he's writing smut novellas. 

I have no idea why he would spend so much time (allegedly) writing so much for a niche that he admits has a short shelf life.  Why not focus on evergreen topics?

I also have a hard time seeing a "non-writer" churn out so much content.  Maybe that's why it has such a short shelf-life, because he's churning out drek and not even spending any time editing it. 

Yeah, yeah, I know... it's easy to pick somebody else apart.  But I see these type of guys post their "success stories" on forums all the time, yet provide very little detail that would allow anybody to confirm what they're actually doing.  Why?  It's not as if just anybody can sit down and crank out 8-10,000 words a week, so I don't buy his "low barrier to entry" argument for not sharing any of his titles that are allegedly doing so well.  Meanwhile, there are legit authors who put their titles out for everyone to see and aren't out boasting about it on get rich quick forums. 

Yes, I'm a skeptic.  It's just my nature.   

[MediumTex]

Coffee,

I've always heard that the best way to get rich quick in the publishing business is to write books about investing.

[Tyler]

You can do a lot with boats.

Throw in an unfortunate boating accident where David "loses" the stolen jewels along with his bullion investments, and you've got yourself a happy ending.

Based on the plot, I like Malibu Joe.

[Coffee]

Coffee,

I've always heard that the best way to get rich quick in the publishing business is to write books about investing.

HAHAHAHAHA!  - Good one!!

[Coffee]

I ended up reworking the entire concept of the book into more of a personal growth/transformation niche book.  Let me know what y'all think?


Down-on-his-luck real estate broker David Chase loses his wife, his house, his car and a big business deal... all in the same day.  But when a little dog named "Schwartz" leads him to a small cottage on a beach in Malibu, his life begins to change. There he meets Malibu Joe, a reclusive beach bum who controls a billion dollar investment company. 

Joe tells David that his success is the direct result of a mystical book containing ten laws for eternal happiness and prosperity.  Intrigued but skeptical, David opens the book... and a new unexpected chapter in his life.

[MediumTex]

I ended up reworking the entire concept of the book into more of a personal growth/transformation niche book.  Let me know what y'all think?


Down-on-his-luck real estate broker David Chase loses his wife, his house, his car and a big business deal... all in the same day.  But when a little dog named "Schwartz" leads him to a small cottage on a beach in Malibu, his life begins to change. There he meets Malibu Joe, a reclusive beach bum who controls a billion dollar investment company. 

Joe tells David that his success is the direct result of a mystical book containing ten laws for eternal happiness and prosperity.  Intrigued but skeptical, David opens the book... and a new unexpected chapter in his life.

If the mystical book actually contains good stuff, I like that better than just following Schwartz and Malibu Joe around from scene to scene.

Here is what I imagine the book saying:

1. Take care of your body because it's possible that you aren't immortal and thus you want your ride through life to be as free of physical pain and discomfort as possible.

2. Don't watch TV.  It is designed to damage your mind and then sell you innumerable cures for your broken brain, none of which work.

3. Find a marriage partner who can travel with you through life gracefully.  Your success in this pursuit will mostly be driven by luck, but still do your best to choose well.

4. Don't worry too much about the past or the future.  They're just figments of your imagination anyway.

5. Happiness is a mental state of well-being.  It's not a warm blanket, a fancy car or a million dollars.  Those are just catalysts for some that help to trigger a mental state of well-being (though they often don't work).

6. Many people in this world will lie to you and they don't even know they're doing it.  Learn to see this without getting upset about it.

7. You will rarely regret being kind to other people.  Do this as much as you can without putting yourself in too much danger.

8. Life is a long road (we hope) and your mind can get fatigued just like your body can.  Be careful about ideas and thought patterns that can damage your mind in the same way that a virus can damage a computer by endlessly running unnecessary processes.

9. Don't hate the world, no matter how much it seems to hate you at times.  The world is actually indifferent toward you, but it's also clumsy and often breaks things.

10. Assuming your childhood wasn't miserable, try to remember what it felt like when you were a kid and hold that feeling of wonder, excitement and newness for as long as you can (which usually won't be for very long, but it's still a good thing to try to do).