Joshua Cohen is an American writer of novels and short stories, born in 1980, he grew up in Atlanta city where he studied composition at the Manhatten School of Music, although he never attained a degree and apparently holds the honour in disdain. His literary works include Witz (named best book of 2010 by The Village voice), Four New Messages (Named a Best Book of 2012 by the New Yorker) and Book of Numbers. He’s also written several short story collections and has been very well received throughout his writing career.
Joshua seems to be a bit of an enigma, I found out very little about him despite using all the usual avenues of internet research. His books seem to have a very heavy Jewish influence and more than the occasional nod to the Holocaust, yet they also appear to have a supernatural bent with one of his characters (Benjamin Israelien) being born fully grown and having a forever regenerating foreskin (Witz). But now he has thrown his craft well and truly into the public domain. He is writing a serialised novel Pckwck (yes it is an interpretation of Dickens‘ novel The Pickwick Papers) and he’s letting us watch!
The website gives the description.
About
PCKWCK is a serialized novel written in real time by Joshua Cohen, with illustrations by Leon Chang. The work is a reinterpretation of Charles Dickens’ first serialized novel, The Pickwick Papers.
Beginning October 12th at 1pm EST, Cohen will write PCKWCK over five days in front of the entire internet. Every day from 1pm-6pm EST visitors to PCKWCK.com will be able to watch Cohen write in real time, offer feedback that may affect the outcome of the novel, and talk with Cohen and other readers in the chat room.
PCKWCK is governed by rules for both the writer and readers, as outlined below.
Unfortunately we’ve missed the first three days of writing, but the work is available for us to read and catch up and we still have today and tomorrow where we can see an author at work. Watch his craft in the making and even comment upon, politely please, we’re not internet trolls, we’re well bred, well mannered individuals here at For Reading addicts.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so fascinated by anything for a long time.
Please, go watch Joshua at work, let him know what you think, and let us know what you thought too!
Writing today commences at 6pm GMT – 11 am SPT – 4am AEST
250 physical copies of this work will be available once completed with 100% of proceeds (above and beyond projected costs) going to the ACLU.
A link to pre order is available on site.