Algorithm predicts book success based on word usage

[Svrtnsse]

...and on that note: A Computer Program Made A Game By Itself. Well, That's Unsettling.
Admittedly, I didn't try it out so I don't know how good it is, but still.

 

[ThinkerX]

Like I told a poster here a while back:

Soon, on the shelves of your local bookstore, you will see:

'Fantasy Epic' by 'A. Computer'

 

[Svrtnsse]

Like I told a poster here a while back:

Soon, on the shelves of your local bookstore, you will see:

'Fantasy Epic' by 'A. Computer'

I can see that happening - except there will be a name that sounds like it could be a real person. People won't want to read a book written by a computer, even if it's technically more well written than something written by a person.

Then a while later, maybe a generation of readers or so it will be commonplace. People will be able to customise and download their own epics generated by their favourite algorithms. You'd be able to tune the amount of humour, action, romance, violence, sex and all kinds of other things to get a book that suits your own personal preferences.

 

[Penpilot]

Eureka... I have emailed out my manuscript that follows the algorithm to the letter to all the big name publishers, accompanied by a copy of this article. I can't wait to get my millions and my book tour with appearances on Leno and Conan. I'm going down to the car dealer right now to pick up a Ferrari. What do you guys think, red or blue?

OMG... I've already gotten a reply with a title suggestion, When Hell Freezes Over. Hmm... seems like I'll have to fight for one of my original titles, One Born Every Minute or Counting Before Hatching.

Mark this day folks. This is my first step to becoming rich and famous.

 

[Philip Overby]

I'd read a book written by a computer just to say I've read a book written by a computer. Who knows if I'd enjoy it or not.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

I think you already have. Isn't "The Phone Book" written by computers? Though come to think of it, it is a best seller!

Cheers, Greg.

 

[AnneL]

Then a while later, maybe a generation of readers or so it will be commonplace. People will be able to customise and download their own epics generated by their favourite algorithms. You'd be able to tune the amount of humour, action, romance, violence, sex and all kinds of other things to get a book that suits your own personal preferences.

Now see this would be a good story.

 

[BWFoster78]

I'm going down to the car dealer right now to pick up a Ferrari. What do you guys think, red or blue?

Penpilot,

This is an absolutely ridiculous response.

Blue? Really? You'd buy a BLUE Ferrari?

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Honestly a Ferrari? When everyone knows that Lamborghini was built specifically to beat Ferrari. You should at least aim a little higher!

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Svrtnsse]

Cars?

I'll get me a dragon. I'll buy me an island in the pacific, set up a state of the art research facility in an underground cave and have the world's greatest scientist build me a dragon from genetic samples of dinosaurs and the latest in nano-bio-tech.

 

[Devor]

Well, I guess this proves it. I use too many verbs and adverbs and won't give them up . . . so I guess I'll . . . just - quit writing, now.

:frown2:

More seriously, I posted this so I suppose I should say that I'm disappointed. Their scientific algorithm boils down to little more than an elaborate word count. They couldn't even look at, say, sentence length and structure? Or even the items you already see calculated on Pro Writing Aid?

Honestly, a good application of market research and what's come to be called "big data" could tell us so much about the industry, about who buys what books and why and when. But in every survey and study I've stumbled upon, I've seen very little evidence that any of the principles of modern market research have hit the publishing industry. I guess that's because the industry is in the process of fragmenting, when big data takes consolidated resources to implement. But still, my disappointment is extreme.

 

[BWFoster78]

In all seriousness, Devor, I, too, am disappointed.

While I don't necessarily think that this type of analysis can provide a "paint by numbers" path to success, it could have provided some kind of useful information. Instead, the paper seemed pretty worthless.

 

[Penpilot]

Blue? Really? You'd buy a BLUE Ferrari?

To match my blue tuxedo.

Hi,
You should at least aim a little higher!

B-B-B-But my mail order bride seems to like it. Got her on the same day as the car. Three more payments for the car. Five more for the bride and to bring over her aunts and uncles and parents and siblings. I also got a couple of more title suggestion for my to-be-award-winning book, We Have A Restraining Order and Please No More.

All right I'll stop now.

On a more serious not and actually dealing with the original post. Writing is art, so an algorithm that predicts a successful book is in essences predicting what successful art is, or at the very least what popular art is. Yeah... good luck with that.