Greggulator Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Hello there. My latest creative writing project has taken place via Yelp reviews.I am writing as Karl G., a recently divorced actuary who has moved into the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia and is in the process of self-discovery and personal growth. I think some of you may like this!They are here. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolidGoldBomb Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.K.o.S. Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Just briefly skimmed, will read in more detail later, but pretty brilliant. We just finished reading Nabokov's Pale Fire over in the DVDVR book club and this seems very similar to that (in the sense that you read it and go "Why... why is he writing about all this?"). Also, speaking as an actuary who marks out at references to actuaries, props for making the guy an actuary! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted August 1, 2014 Author Share Posted August 1, 2014 Just briefly skimmed, will read in more detail later, but pretty brilliant. We just finished reading Nabokov's Pale Fire over in the DVDVR book club and this seems very similar to that (in the sense that you read it and go "Why... why is he writing about all this?"). Also, speaking as an actuary who marks out at references to actuaries, props for making the guy an actuary! Thanks! I have him specializing in developing risk models for parking garage companies. If you want to give me any sort of lingo I can use to help make it more accurate, I'd really appreciate it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstout Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Holy crap, that's completely awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilwaldo Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Brilliant!!! You could focus on the added value of being near a popular lunch time attraction for your risk models. Being near a popular venue could yield a 10% increase in under two hour patrons so long as they are not forced to park higher than the 3rd floor. Above the 3rd floor and the increase rapidly drops to 0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyLaw Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 This is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcosLoura Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 You're awesome Gregg. I'm jelly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.K.o.S. Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Just briefly skimmed, will read in more detail later, but pretty brilliant. We just finished reading Nabokov's Pale Fire over in the DVDVR book club and this seems very similar to that (in the sense that you read it and go "Why... why is he writing about all this?"). Also, speaking as an actuary who marks out at references to actuaries, props for making the guy an actuary! Thanks! I have him specializing in developing risk models for parking garage companies. If you want to give me any sort of lingo I can use to help make it more accurate, I'd really appreciate it! I'll shoot you a PM this weekend sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted August 6, 2014 Author Share Posted August 6, 2014 This has gone viral a bit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E.J. Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Blending the lines between reality and fiction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted August 8, 2014 Author Share Posted August 8, 2014 Sorry to keep updating this. But this thing took off like crazy!I was interviewed by ABC News about this whole weird experiment! And Business Insider also ran a piece about it! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted October 7, 2014 Author Share Posted October 7, 2014 I recently performed as Karl G. at a bookstore I reviewed as part of this project.We filmed the show.Here they are if you'd like to watch! And Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcosLoura Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I want to grow up to be you Gregg. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Sorrow Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 That's fucking awesome, man. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red is Dead Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Holy crap dude. Brilliance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 You need to leverage this into enough buzz that you can become the Andy Kaufman to some local indy babyface. You can manage a masked goon called the Ax-tuary. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurningBeard Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 This is ace, how did you come up with the idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 This is ace, how did you come up with the idea? As far as the reading at the bookstore? My friend Jaimie (who was the MC) was plugging the whole Yelp stuff on Facebook. She's friends with the woman who owns the bookstore. I finally got around to reviewing the shop (it's in my neighborhood and is really great). The lady who owns the store loved this whole project. We got in touch and came up with an idea for the show. We really hit it off and we're going to do more events. I knew the project had legs because a lot of my friends (and even my wife, who usually rolls her eyes at my comedy attempts) were into it. And then I saw a lot of THEIR friends -- people I don't know, for the most part -- were into it, too. I sent the link to a popular local Philly-based website that has plugged my stuff before. They posted it. And then it picked up some steam. It reached the eyes of someone at ABC News somehow who thought it was a good project. They hit me up on Twitter and interviewed me. So weird and funny. The best part is that these local businesses picked up some press. I didn't even think of that part when I was writing this and started to try and make it go viral. I doubt anyone has gone to visit these places because of my dumb reviews. But a bunch of my friends (and people I didn't know) went to the store at the bookstore and had never been there before. I plugged the store, obviously, and told people to buy some books if they could to help keep the place going. They rang up some sales that night, which is awesome. (And no, I did not receive a commission.) As far as the whole project -- I wish I could explain how I came up with the idea. I've been mildly obsessed with Yelp for a while now and how ridiculous it is. I started writing the first batch of reviews when I couldn't sleep one night and then just thought it would be funny to make it a narrative story. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurningBeard Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Yeah I meant the idea of using Yelp as your narrative tool. I'm stuck in old modes (to the nth degree as I've reverted to typewriter and paper for stories and will take a picture of the story to post online) so shit like this I think is fantastic and innovative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 Yeah I meant the idea of using Yelp as your narrative tool. I'm stuck in old modes (to the nth degree as I've reverted to typewriter and paper for stories and will take a picture of the story to post online) so shit like this I think is fantastic and innovative I might take the typewriter approach. I'm trying to work on a new project (a spoof of the truly awful "Rich Dad Poor Dad" I've temporarily entitled "Rich Step-Day Poor Step-Dad") but get distracted on my laptop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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