It’s that time of year, again, when everyone is talking about brackets, predictions, and the excitement of the contest. For book fans, though, this may not mean college basketball’s NCAA tournament. For the past five years, Out of Print Clothing has been hosting an online literary version of March Madness: Book Madness.
When Writers and Book-Lovers Make Brackets
When Book Madness first started, it was a competition between 124 English “classics,” whose wins and losses would be decided by votes. The bracket was split up into four sections, the New York Public Library, the British Library, the Royal Library, and the Library of Congress. Over the years, it has been genre specific (e.g. 2014’s Science Fiction). This year, however, Book Madness is returning to its roots and using “classics” again, including everything from literary monuments like Ulysses, to pop culture touchstones like Nancy Drew, to beloved children’s classics like Harold and the Purple Crayon.
Book Sports: A Blessing, or a Curse?
Many bookish people aren’t very familiar with sports—at least, the type of bookish people who would follow a March Madness spin-off of literary proportions aren’t. If you are one of these people, your experience with book madness might surprise you. Although following the contest can be fun—especially if you compete alongside friends—it can also be very frustrating. Part of this frustration stems from which books win (“Charlotte’s Web beat Lolita?” Really!?”), which is a feeling most sports fans famously suffer every year. One of the unique frustrations of Book Madness, however, surrounds which books are selected. If you love reading postmodern fiction, or have strong, negative opinions about dystopian fiction, Book Madness will likely irritate you. Unlike established sports leagues, Book Madness must draw on a nearly limitless wealth of good books—and, in the interest of its audience, choose some of the most easily recognizable titles. This focus on popularity can leave many masterpieces (that may be a little more dense) off the list in favor of pop-culture works.
Fun for Writing Enthusiasts
Of course, if you’re a sports fan (or have listened to them talk), complaining can be at least half the fun. After all, fun is the point of sporting events and of Book Madness. If you’re interested, check it out and see just how fun it is to get angry over book sports.
End Up on the Bracket One Day – Hire a Ghostwriter
Okay, while none of us will probably end up picking a perfect bracket (of either the basketball or literary variety), the odds of you becoming an author are significantly higher—and the reward even greater. Ghostwriting is a growing practice—one where seasoned professionals bring their mechanical expertise towards writing while you supply the ideas. By hiring a top-notch professional, you can ensure that your ideas are strung together by the finessed sentences they deserve. Our ghostwriters can help you create a book you can be proud of in any number of genres. Contact us for more information on how you can become an author, today.
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