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Written for You
Somebody must have suggested Bob Curry write a book. He didn’t just wake up one morning with the idea. Or did he? Well at least working in a publishing company he should have no problem finding people to read it. Or will he? Read along as this dark comedic play moves quickly to an epic conclusion. Will you enjoy reading a play? Of course you will don’t forget it is and will always be Written for You.
146 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2013
3 people are currently reading
1667 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Cognard
5 books323 followersOne of my main interests, and, what I am so passionate about, being an author, is the joy of writing dialogue. I will often write the entire conversation of a chapter, and then complete the rest. So far, although both my books have been primarily Young Adult in nature, I do strive to make them appeal to all genres and audiences. I am not certain if I will remain in YA style forever, but, the stories I have written felt right in that area. I receive great enjoyment in creating puzzles or drama in my books, and , I love to see how the charaters will react. In addition to that, I also enjoy having multiple endings in mind when I write something, for that allows me to really let the charaters react freely, thus, making for a most interesting novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 7, 2020
the back of this book says: Will you enjoy reading a play? Of course you will, don't forget it is and will always be, Written for You.
and yet i do not think this is true.
and it's no fault of the book - this is my third shot this year at reading contemporary drama, and i think i just have an aversion to the format of plays. i'd rather have seen this staged, or read this in prose-form. i've enjoyed plays in the past, but they were old timey things like shakespeare and euripides. i didn't even enjoy The Stonemason: A Play in Five Acts, and cormac mccarthy is one of my all-time favorite writers. so this is definitely a case of not written for me, but maybe for you.
because the premise is good: bob curry is an accountant for a publishing house who has written a book and has tried repeatedly to get his co-workers, his family, and even his therapist to read it, receiving a wide range of excuses in return about why they haven't yet, but they're totally going to… eventually. and it's all very funny and familiar - i've certainly had books pushed on me by people, whether they've written them or not, that i've put off reading because i didn't think i would be able to give them the feedback they were hoping for, but wanting to be polite about it. and bob's not-so-subtle, and apparently pathological, attempts to turn every conversation back to his book are humorous, as are the many publishing-jokes scattered throughout involving difficult authors, the passing-the-buck of expense account receipts, and general office woes.
but there's another layer to the book that is darker, as the few people who have read bob's book and have made arrangements to meet up and give him their feedback suddenly go missing, which is of course just as frustrating as not being able to get people to read it in the first place. around the same time, bob begins to experience lost-time blackouts and develops an unusual relationship with a mysterious entity named joe, so undercutting the humor is a more serious thrum of psychological suspense as you try to determine how reliable bob is as a character, and what is going on in the scenes left unwritten and unremembered by bob.
it's a fun, funny, and surprising story, but i think i just don't engage in stories written in play-format. i like me a bit of detail, description, interiority, and the way plays chop up the story into dialogue alone keeps me-as-reader at a distance instead of snuggling me close into the developing story. it feels artificial, if that makes any sense. maybe i'll come around on drama, someday, the way i eventually did on short stories, but right now, it is just not a structure i love. however - if you are less play-averse than i am, give it a go, because the story itself is a good one.
just don't say you're going to read it and then make a million excuses about it. because that's just annoying.
come to my blog!
and yet i do not think this is true.
and it's no fault of the book - this is my third shot this year at reading contemporary drama, and i think i just have an aversion to the format of plays. i'd rather have seen this staged, or read this in prose-form. i've enjoyed plays in the past, but they were old timey things like shakespeare and euripides. i didn't even enjoy The Stonemason: A Play in Five Acts, and cormac mccarthy is one of my all-time favorite writers. so this is definitely a case of not written for me, but maybe for you.
because the premise is good: bob curry is an accountant for a publishing house who has written a book and has tried repeatedly to get his co-workers, his family, and even his therapist to read it, receiving a wide range of excuses in return about why they haven't yet, but they're totally going to… eventually. and it's all very funny and familiar - i've certainly had books pushed on me by people, whether they've written them or not, that i've put off reading because i didn't think i would be able to give them the feedback they were hoping for, but wanting to be polite about it. and bob's not-so-subtle, and apparently pathological, attempts to turn every conversation back to his book are humorous, as are the many publishing-jokes scattered throughout involving difficult authors, the passing-the-buck of expense account receipts, and general office woes.
but there's another layer to the book that is darker, as the few people who have read bob's book and have made arrangements to meet up and give him their feedback suddenly go missing, which is of course just as frustrating as not being able to get people to read it in the first place. around the same time, bob begins to experience lost-time blackouts and develops an unusual relationship with a mysterious entity named joe, so undercutting the humor is a more serious thrum of psychological suspense as you try to determine how reliable bob is as a character, and what is going on in the scenes left unwritten and unremembered by bob.
it's a fun, funny, and surprising story, but i think i just don't engage in stories written in play-format. i like me a bit of detail, description, interiority, and the way plays chop up the story into dialogue alone keeps me-as-reader at a distance instead of snuggling me close into the developing story. it feels artificial, if that makes any sense. maybe i'll come around on drama, someday, the way i eventually did on short stories, but right now, it is just not a structure i love. however - if you are less play-averse than i am, give it a go, because the story itself is a good one.
just don't say you're going to read it and then make a million excuses about it. because that's just annoying.
come to my blog!
April 14, 2018
Written for you is a short modern play which focuses on Bob, who works for a publishing company and is attempting to get his family, therapist, friends and co-workers to read a book he has written. Everyone seems to have an excuse as to why they have not been able to read it yet. To complicate things, people in his life, who have started reading the book or have read it, begin to go missing, Bob's subconscious speaks to him, and he has a mysterious scratch on his neck.
In the beginning of the play, I wasn't quite sure what was going on. Was this a comedy? Was this a mystery? The book is dubbed a dark comedy. I'm not a big play reader, so this format took some time to get used to the writing format. It didn't flow very well for me as I am used to reading novels. The play felt slow until the ending when things picked up and there is the *twist/reveal*. As I stated, I am mainly a novel reader. I am used to having more detail, more setup for scenes, etc. I believe this makes the plot easier to follow and helps to move the plot along. There are several characters in this book and none seemed to really make an impression on me. Although we get glimpses of the characters personalities in their dialogue, I found that except for Bob and his therapist, none of the other characters stood out for me. I would have liked a little more detail regarding the different characters.
Als0- while reading I wondered if the “Billy” from Bob’s story was the “Billy” from the Author’s book “Three Twigs for the Campfire”? hmmm
Interesting premise with a nice twist at the end.
I received a kindle copy of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
January 17, 2016
If Larry David wrote a script for a Kafkaesque play to be produced by Woody Allen and starring the cast from Office Space… it might look something like this.
Joseph Cognard the true source of this original and darkly comedic short play fills his work with wicked dialogue and a cast of existentially challenged players. Bob has written a book and has forced his work on all of his friends and co-workers, and his therapist, but no one can bring themselves to read the thing. The book not being read is a running joke but Cognard uses Absurdist Theater and magical realism to further enhance this entertaining short work.
Unique and funny.
Joseph Cognard the true source of this original and darkly comedic short play fills his work with wicked dialogue and a cast of existentially challenged players. Bob has written a book and has forced his work on all of his friends and co-workers, and his therapist, but no one can bring themselves to read the thing. The book not being read is a running joke but Cognard uses Absurdist Theater and magical realism to further enhance this entertaining short work.
Unique and funny.
September 4, 2016
I was kindly gifted a copy of this book from the author, which has in no way impacted my opinion. Thank you to the author, Joseph Cognard, for this opportunity.
This play includes layer upon layer of false starts, false clues and false endings, and I was intrigued and enraptured with this strange but beautiful story from the very first page!
This play follows Bob as he attempts to live a semblance of a normal life despite being plagued by depression and tangential speech patterns. We glimpse segments of his work life and his meetings with his therapist, Dr. Beale. Bob's main sorrow is his inability to get those in his life to read the manuscript for his debut novel. His obsessive pestering and preoccupation drive all those he encounters to distraction and becomes a source of contention in all of their lives.
This synopsis could lead you to believe that this is a very dark read, which it is in places, but, for the most part, this was a book that was as humorous as it was disturbing. I don't think there was one completely sane character in the entire play (we're all mad here).
Despite its relatively short length, this managed to incorporate many layers to the reality and the perceived reality of the protagonist as well as deceptively misleading the reader multiple times before the real purpose of the text was revealed at the very end.
This converged into many genres, from humour to crime fiction, and kept me hooked and second-guessing all of the character's motives. Don't let the unimaginative sounding protagonist's name fool you; this is an insane and intense story!
This play includes layer upon layer of false starts, false clues and false endings, and I was intrigued and enraptured with this strange but beautiful story from the very first page!
This play follows Bob as he attempts to live a semblance of a normal life despite being plagued by depression and tangential speech patterns. We glimpse segments of his work life and his meetings with his therapist, Dr. Beale. Bob's main sorrow is his inability to get those in his life to read the manuscript for his debut novel. His obsessive pestering and preoccupation drive all those he encounters to distraction and becomes a source of contention in all of their lives.
This synopsis could lead you to believe that this is a very dark read, which it is in places, but, for the most part, this was a book that was as humorous as it was disturbing. I don't think there was one completely sane character in the entire play (we're all mad here).
Despite its relatively short length, this managed to incorporate many layers to the reality and the perceived reality of the protagonist as well as deceptively misleading the reader multiple times before the real purpose of the text was revealed at the very end.
This converged into many genres, from humour to crime fiction, and kept me hooked and second-guessing all of the character's motives. Don't let the unimaginative sounding protagonist's name fool you; this is an insane and intense story!
December 5, 2015
The curtain rises, the house lights dim and the stage lights come up. Cue the actors. Joseph Cognard’s Written for You is actually a play put to pages, so consider this a character driven tale! Bob wrote a book, and figured he could get his friends and co-workers to read it, because, well they work at publishing company, which, I might add does NOT mean these employees have the talent to write.
It seems no one has time for Bob’s book and the excuses are pretty farfetched and often comical. Were these characters made of wood, there would be a lot of noses growing, for sure! Will Bob ever get his book read? Will he ever get it published, even on his own? Is this the plight of every first time author?
Now an obsession, he starts seeing a doctor to talk through his writing issues. Also offering a copy to the doctor, who also, has a million excuses not to read it. Could it be that bad? Maybe someone has read it and hasn’t the heart to come forward! Who knows??
Follow Bob as he goes from scene to scene in a desperate attempt to find just ONE person who will read his work. Comical, with a bit of snark, this short read actually came across my inner theatre as a coffee shop kind of play! Amusing, light, with great dialogue, you’ll find yourself offering to read his book just to give him some peace!
I received this copy from Joseph Cognard in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: December 26, 2013
Publisher: Joseph Cognard
Genre: Fiction |Comedy
Print Length: 129 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
It seems no one has time for Bob’s book and the excuses are pretty farfetched and often comical. Were these characters made of wood, there would be a lot of noses growing, for sure! Will Bob ever get his book read? Will he ever get it published, even on his own? Is this the plight of every first time author?
Now an obsession, he starts seeing a doctor to talk through his writing issues. Also offering a copy to the doctor, who also, has a million excuses not to read it. Could it be that bad? Maybe someone has read it and hasn’t the heart to come forward! Who knows??
Follow Bob as he goes from scene to scene in a desperate attempt to find just ONE person who will read his work. Comical, with a bit of snark, this short read actually came across my inner theatre as a coffee shop kind of play! Amusing, light, with great dialogue, you’ll find yourself offering to read his book just to give him some peace!
I received this copy from Joseph Cognard in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: December 26, 2013
Publisher: Joseph Cognard
Genre: Fiction |Comedy
Print Length: 129 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
May 10, 2017
Well! I must admit to being pleasantly surprised with this twisty little play!
When I was approached by the author for a review request of Written For You I was a little skeptical as to how I would enjoy it as is it not at all my genre; but I am a firm believer in stepping out of one's comfort zone once in a while (hard as that may be!) and in this case I am quite glad I took the leap.
Written For You is not your typical play, and is unlike anything else I've ever read. At first you're not really sure of where anything is going, if you're wasting your time, or if you even understand English, yet you soon find yourself interested by the characters and the plotline nonetheless. Some bits are confusingly written and there is a severe lack of background information and setting in many instances, but overall if you just go with the flow and plow through, it is really quite an enthralling read! I was literally holding my breath through the last quarter, and the shocking ending was as unexpected as it was disturbingly entertaining. It's a short, fun and interesting work that will have you scratching your head in wonder and endlessly trying to guess the hero's outcome.
That being said however, this book is in severe need of editing; the numerous typos and grammatical errors were as distracting as they were annoying, making the play appear very unprofessional. Story-wise, I really liked the idea, but the delivery needs a lot of work and polish. Many characters made sudden appearances without ever being properly introduced, and it was often hard to keep track of who was who and what they were doing. "Joe" in particular was very hard to follow - as I'm sure is intended - but with a bit more detail and a bit more polishing, he could become a lot less confusing without losing any of his appeal or mystery.
Aside from those issues though, Written For You was a great little play and I genuinely enjoyed reading it for the most part, something I had not exactly expected. A sincere thank you to the author for providing me with a copy to review!
When I was approached by the author for a review request of Written For You I was a little skeptical as to how I would enjoy it as is it not at all my genre; but I am a firm believer in stepping out of one's comfort zone once in a while (hard as that may be!) and in this case I am quite glad I took the leap.
Written For You is not your typical play, and is unlike anything else I've ever read. At first you're not really sure of where anything is going, if you're wasting your time, or if you even understand English, yet you soon find yourself interested by the characters and the plotline nonetheless. Some bits are confusingly written and there is a severe lack of background information and setting in many instances, but overall if you just go with the flow and plow through, it is really quite an enthralling read! I was literally holding my breath through the last quarter, and the shocking ending was as unexpected as it was disturbingly entertaining. It's a short, fun and interesting work that will have you scratching your head in wonder and endlessly trying to guess the hero's outcome.
That being said however, this book is in severe need of editing; the numerous typos and grammatical errors were as distracting as they were annoying, making the play appear very unprofessional. Story-wise, I really liked the idea, but the delivery needs a lot of work and polish. Many characters made sudden appearances without ever being properly introduced, and it was often hard to keep track of who was who and what they were doing. "Joe" in particular was very hard to follow - as I'm sure is intended - but with a bit more detail and a bit more polishing, he could become a lot less confusing without losing any of his appeal or mystery.
Aside from those issues though, Written For You was a great little play and I genuinely enjoyed reading it for the most part, something I had not exactly expected. A sincere thank you to the author for providing me with a copy to review!
June 19, 2017
I received this book for free from the author Joseph and was asked to give an honest review.
I would love to see this play acted out on a stage it would be wonderful to see the characters come alive.
We meet Bob Curry speaking with his doctor and find out he has wrote a book. As the play unfolds we find out that Bob works in a book Publishing From and has asked each of his friends to read his book as these people start showing up dead we watch the drama unfold and the dark humour is hard not to laugh along with.
I look forward to reading more from this author he ticks all the boxes form my taste in reading
I would love to see this play acted out on a stage it would be wonderful to see the characters come alive.
We meet Bob Curry speaking with his doctor and find out he has wrote a book. As the play unfolds we find out that Bob works in a book Publishing From and has asked each of his friends to read his book as these people start showing up dead we watch the drama unfold and the dark humour is hard not to laugh along with.
I look forward to reading more from this author he ticks all the boxes form my taste in reading
April 25, 2017
Rating: 3.80
Plot:
I don’t wanna disclose the plot since this is a play so read the description:
Somebody must have suggested Bob Curry write a book. He didn’t just wake up one morning with the idea. Or did he? Well at least working in a publishing company he should have no problem finding people to read it. Or will he? Read along as this dark comedic play moves quickly to an epic conclusion. Will you enjoy reading a play? Of course you will don’t forget it is and will always be Written for You.
Characters:
I really liked the characters, they were funny and quirky and I enjoyed reading about them. My favorite characters would have to be Bob, Suzanne and Joe.
Thoughts:
Now before I start I wanna say that I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review and this has in no way affected my opinion of the book itself.
Let’s start with the writing: This play was well written and I enjoyed the flow of the words and so on. However, I did find something troubling: while I was reading the play, I found several spelling and grammatical errors. Now I don’t know if they were intentional or perhaps overlooked by the editors or it could also be that my kindle copy of this book was corrupted I’m sure but other than these errors, I had no issue with the writing.
Now on to the plot, this is the reason I gave the book a low rating.
It was very slow since things didn't really pick up until the end of act two. And honestly I found that I had to force myself to finish this play. You see, things just moved so slowly! And I was lost for most of the play since I couldn’t really see a clear plotline.
All I knew was that I’m reading about a depressed guy trying to sell his book, but no one’s reading it. I desperately wanted to know where the story was going but I found no such clue in the text. This led me to contemplate the decision of DNFing the book but I was already half was already halfway through and decided to just push through it and I’m glad I did since the ending was worth it.
I was just utterly lost for most of the book though and personally as a reader I need to know where a story is leading me, with a clear plot line but since this book didn't have one (at least not one I caught until the end) it left me a little irritated and annoyed. I guess my advice to the author would be to drop little hints for the readers or viewers throughout the middle of the book to keep them engaged. I found myself wondering if I should just drop this about halfway in the book. So I would suggest adding little tid bits to keep the readers engaged and guessing so that they get to the end because believe me the ending was worth it.
Anyways that’s all I have for you!
If you like slow plays with dark humor, go read this.
Plot:
I don’t wanna disclose the plot since this is a play so read the description:
Somebody must have suggested Bob Curry write a book. He didn’t just wake up one morning with the idea. Or did he? Well at least working in a publishing company he should have no problem finding people to read it. Or will he? Read along as this dark comedic play moves quickly to an epic conclusion. Will you enjoy reading a play? Of course you will don’t forget it is and will always be Written for You.
Characters:
I really liked the characters, they were funny and quirky and I enjoyed reading about them. My favorite characters would have to be Bob, Suzanne and Joe.
Thoughts:
Now before I start I wanna say that I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review and this has in no way affected my opinion of the book itself.
Let’s start with the writing: This play was well written and I enjoyed the flow of the words and so on. However, I did find something troubling: while I was reading the play, I found several spelling and grammatical errors. Now I don’t know if they were intentional or perhaps overlooked by the editors or it could also be that my kindle copy of this book was corrupted I’m sure but other than these errors, I had no issue with the writing.
Now on to the plot, this is the reason I gave the book a low rating.
It was very slow since things didn't really pick up until the end of act two. And honestly I found that I had to force myself to finish this play. You see, things just moved so slowly! And I was lost for most of the play since I couldn’t really see a clear plotline.
All I knew was that I’m reading about a depressed guy trying to sell his book, but no one’s reading it. I desperately wanted to know where the story was going but I found no such clue in the text. This led me to contemplate the decision of DNFing the book but I was already half was already halfway through and decided to just push through it and I’m glad I did since the ending was worth it.
I was just utterly lost for most of the book though and personally as a reader I need to know where a story is leading me, with a clear plot line but since this book didn't have one (at least not one I caught until the end) it left me a little irritated and annoyed. I guess my advice to the author would be to drop little hints for the readers or viewers throughout the middle of the book to keep them engaged. I found myself wondering if I should just drop this about halfway in the book. So I would suggest adding little tid bits to keep the readers engaged and guessing so that they get to the end because believe me the ending was worth it.
Anyways that’s all I have for you!
If you like slow plays with dark humor, go read this.
September 24, 2013
Bob Curry works for a publishing house, and is seeing a shrink because he's depressed. He also, it turns out, has a problem with tangential speech, which means he'll constantly veer off into other subjects when he's talking to someone. Oh, and he's written a book (amusingly, the book in question does actually exist, and is also by the author of this book). Bob desperately wants to know what other people think of his literary endeavours, and has asked his colleagues, family, friends and even his shrink to read it and give their opinion. But although his tangential speech causes him to ask them all repeatedly about his book, every time nobody has read it yet and he just gets back excuses. Then his date of a few days earlier goes missing, and everything really starts to go downhill from there.
I should say that this is actually a play. I don't usually read plays, I find them quite challenging. I love the descriptive content and detail of fiction, and I tend to get lost when it isn't present (I think it's just the way my brain is wired). But this was enjoyable, even though it was the bare bones of dialogue and occasional stage directions. Quite dark in places, quite satirical, a nice element of mystery and some deliciously wicked humour blended with a surprise ending. I did think I had it all worked out, but wow, was I wrong! The characters came across well as individuals, and the plot moved along pretty well.
This was definitely enjoyable, and something I could see working well as a stage play. There could maybe be a place for a little final spit and polish on the dialogue, as one thing that didn't quite sit right while I was reading was the lack of contractions—characters saying "I am" or "I will" rather than "I'm" or "I'll"—which sometimes made the 'speech' feel a little stilted. But otherwise, this was good, and I loved the final couple of scenes for the "What? No! I didn't see that coming!" factor.
I should also mention that I received a free copy of this e-book from the author—thanks Joe!—so it seems only fair to write a review by way of a thankyou.
I should say that this is actually a play. I don't usually read plays, I find them quite challenging. I love the descriptive content and detail of fiction, and I tend to get lost when it isn't present (I think it's just the way my brain is wired). But this was enjoyable, even though it was the bare bones of dialogue and occasional stage directions. Quite dark in places, quite satirical, a nice element of mystery and some deliciously wicked humour blended with a surprise ending. I did think I had it all worked out, but wow, was I wrong! The characters came across well as individuals, and the plot moved along pretty well.
This was definitely enjoyable, and something I could see working well as a stage play. There could maybe be a place for a little final spit and polish on the dialogue, as one thing that didn't quite sit right while I was reading was the lack of contractions—characters saying "I am" or "I will" rather than "I'm" or "I'll"—which sometimes made the 'speech' feel a little stilted. But otherwise, this was good, and I loved the final couple of scenes for the "What? No! I didn't see that coming!" factor.
I should also mention that I received a free copy of this e-book from the author—thanks Joe!—so it seems only fair to write a review by way of a thankyou.
August 19, 2014
A cast full of such bazaar and unique personalities, "Written For You" , shows how people of varying (strange) minds and actions work together in a text publishing company. And the play comes with it's own psychiatrist - who has her own zany thoughts and issues to deal with. Ha, what a hoot !
Hysterical, full of life and human thoughts, and I had so much fun reading this play, laughing and shaking my head at the absurdity of it all. The main character is so like-able, all he wants is for someone to "please" just read his book ! ! !
A hidden, darker part is at play also - a surprise ending awaits - and it was VERY unexpected - my jaw hung open - for how long, who knows. . .
Wonderful play - I am smiling and chuckling while I type my review.
Absolutely looking forward to your next piece of work Mr. Cognard.
Mr. Cognard graciously provided his ebook to me at no charge for an honest review.
Which I did.
October 29, 2013
I'll be upfront and tell you that the author, Joseph Cognard, very kindly gave me a free paperback copy of this play in exchange for an honest review. One thing I like about him is that he always makes it clear when offering freebies that he wants an honest review and seeks the truth so to improve his writing. We should all have such an attitude!
This is not a novel. It is a play and as I love the theater, I enjoyed trying to picture this being performed live on stage in front of me.
Bob Curry, our protagonist, lives in Manhattan in New York City and works in the financial department at Patton Publishing. As you can imagine, this can be a wonderful job for an author and Bob wants desperately to be an author. He has written a book and tries to get everyone from family and friends to the people at work to read it. We first meet Bob in his therapist's office and he wants her to read it too!
Poor Bob is depressed. He also has a problem with tangential disorder. Tangential speech and thought disorder is a condition which makes Bob annoy people when he changes the subject when people are talking and keep bothering them about whether they have read his novel.
Bob's therapist Dr. Bael is definitely not the warm and fuzzy type and it is clear that Bob is seriously on her nerves. Some hilarious moments occur in her office. Here is an example- Dr. Bael informs Bob that she will not be available for his usual appointment the next week because she is going on vacation. He asks, "Can you do that?" and she replies, "Not on what your insurance company pays me, but I actually have a few paying patients." Bob is quite alarmed. He tells her, "There is no way I am going to be able to make it through next week without seeing you. I am afraid I might turn back to the hard stuff." She sympathetically asks, "Narcotics?" to which he replies, "No. Porn."
You can tell from that snippet that the author has a wicked sense of humor and that the play is a comedy.
No matter what topic Bob is discussing with anyone, it always comes back around to his book. He suggests Dr. Bael carry it along on her vacation cruise and read it there. Even at work when talking to Suzanne about a $2,000 taxi bill he doesn't understand, off he goes asking her if she had read the copy of the book he gave her.
The ending is as bizarre as Bob so I won't give any spoilers. You'll need to read it to find out what happens.
This is not a novel. It is a play and as I love the theater, I enjoyed trying to picture this being performed live on stage in front of me.
Bob Curry, our protagonist, lives in Manhattan in New York City and works in the financial department at Patton Publishing. As you can imagine, this can be a wonderful job for an author and Bob wants desperately to be an author. He has written a book and tries to get everyone from family and friends to the people at work to read it. We first meet Bob in his therapist's office and he wants her to read it too!
Poor Bob is depressed. He also has a problem with tangential disorder. Tangential speech and thought disorder is a condition which makes Bob annoy people when he changes the subject when people are talking and keep bothering them about whether they have read his novel.
Bob's therapist Dr. Bael is definitely not the warm and fuzzy type and it is clear that Bob is seriously on her nerves. Some hilarious moments occur in her office. Here is an example- Dr. Bael informs Bob that she will not be available for his usual appointment the next week because she is going on vacation. He asks, "Can you do that?" and she replies, "Not on what your insurance company pays me, but I actually have a few paying patients." Bob is quite alarmed. He tells her, "There is no way I am going to be able to make it through next week without seeing you. I am afraid I might turn back to the hard stuff." She sympathetically asks, "Narcotics?" to which he replies, "No. Porn."
You can tell from that snippet that the author has a wicked sense of humor and that the play is a comedy.
No matter what topic Bob is discussing with anyone, it always comes back around to his book. He suggests Dr. Bael carry it along on her vacation cruise and read it there. Even at work when talking to Suzanne about a $2,000 taxi bill he doesn't understand, off he goes asking her if she had read the copy of the book he gave her.
The ending is as bizarre as Bob so I won't give any spoilers. You'll need to read it to find out what happens.
Read
April 28, 2017I received a free Kindle copy of this book in exchange for a fair review of it.
I am sorry that I couldn't progress through this play -- I had to end it halfway, even though it was quite short. To give my review, I would repeat this review by Kayla verbatim, as she hit many of the points I noticed.
To add on to that review, I found that the characters had the same personality. The characters weren't established well in that they all speak the same way and have the same kind of cynically poetic one-liners. They don't have any backstories or anything to add to who they are besides their dialogue about quirky experiences and negative comments about work.
The parts about the analyst that the main character had are troubling, because that character certainly isn't how a professional therapist or analyst works. In fact, it just seems to be a negative caricature of one. If this character is based off of someone in real life and is not far from the author's description, I don't believe this analyst should be in practice. In addition, the psychological phenomenons that the main character experienced didn't seem well-researched, or perhaps, effectively written.
The one-liners were clever, I'll admit that, but these lines don't have a good story to fit in.
That being said, I hope this feedback will encourage the author to continue writing and produce more works if he hopes to.
I am sorry that I couldn't progress through this play -- I had to end it halfway, even though it was quite short. To give my review, I would repeat this review by Kayla verbatim, as she hit many of the points I noticed.
To add on to that review, I found that the characters had the same personality. The characters weren't established well in that they all speak the same way and have the same kind of cynically poetic one-liners. They don't have any backstories or anything to add to who they are besides their dialogue about quirky experiences and negative comments about work.
The parts about the analyst that the main character had are troubling, because that character certainly isn't how a professional therapist or analyst works. In fact, it just seems to be a negative caricature of one. If this character is based off of someone in real life and is not far from the author's description, I don't believe this analyst should be in practice. In addition, the psychological phenomenons that the main character experienced didn't seem well-researched, or perhaps, effectively written.
The one-liners were clever, I'll admit that, but these lines don't have a good story to fit in.
That being said, I hope this feedback will encourage the author to continue writing and produce more works if he hopes to.
July 29, 2013
(This review can be found on my blog The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl).
I've never had an opportunity to review a play before, but I thought I'd give it a go since I've enjoyed reading Joseph Cognard's work before. Luckily, I enjoyed this play!
Bob writes a book after being told by his therapist to write one. However, Bob's therapist denies ever saying suggesting such a thing. Bob's convinced she wanted him to write a book though and tries to get everyone he knows to read it. When people start to critique Bob's book, bad things start happening.
I like the title. It's a very interesting one. However, it did kind of made me think of a love story instead of a dark comedic play.
The cover of this book is genius! I love the way, since it's a play about a book, there's a desk with the clutter. I especially love the turned over coffee mug!
The play confused me a little bit, so I can't comment on the world building that accurately. However, from what I did understand, the world building was good. Besides the confusing parts, it was easy to imagine the scenarios that took place.
The pacing was okay although it went a bit fast in some places which left me scratching my head wondering what had happened and what I had missed. I really enjoyed the pacing towards the ending the best though.
The plot was a good idea. Bob has depression and has been diagnosed as having tangential speech meaning hat he tends to change the subject quite often. This doesn't help Bob when it comes to his colleagues as he is always trying to change the subject to his book. Bob's book is his downfall. There's also a fantastic plot twist which I never saw coming!
Being as this is a play, the characters aren't as developed as a normal book. Saying that, they are still believable characters. I found Bob to be a good guy even though he was annoying. I think he was meant to be annoying due to his tangential speech. He is so consumed by wanting to know if people have read his book and their thoughts on it, that he doesn't realize how annoying he is. Dr. Bael seemed to come across as very detached. There were times when I wanted to scream at her! Again, I think the author wanted her to come across this way.
The dialogue, to me, came across as very confusing in some parts. There were times I felt like this took away from the story. At times, I thought the dialogue felt a bit forced. There were also some grammar and spelling mistakes although I didn't feel that it took away from the book. However, there are is a lot of comedic timing throughout the book which made it enjoyable. I very much enjoyed how Cognard even uses his other book, Three Twigs for the Campfire, as Bob's book. What a genius idea! There is swearing in this book although it's not over the top, and it makes sense as it's meant for adults.
Overall, Written for You, A Play by Joseph Cognard is very random but in a good way. Personally, I think it would do fantastic on stage, and I would love to see it as a stage play.
I'd recommend this book for those aged 18+ who are in the book industry whether it be an author, publisher, etc.
I'd give Written for You, A Play by Joseph Cognard a 3.5 out of 5.
(I received an ebook of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
I've never had an opportunity to review a play before, but I thought I'd give it a go since I've enjoyed reading Joseph Cognard's work before. Luckily, I enjoyed this play!
Bob writes a book after being told by his therapist to write one. However, Bob's therapist denies ever saying suggesting such a thing. Bob's convinced she wanted him to write a book though and tries to get everyone he knows to read it. When people start to critique Bob's book, bad things start happening.
I like the title. It's a very interesting one. However, it did kind of made me think of a love story instead of a dark comedic play.
The cover of this book is genius! I love the way, since it's a play about a book, there's a desk with the clutter. I especially love the turned over coffee mug!
The play confused me a little bit, so I can't comment on the world building that accurately. However, from what I did understand, the world building was good. Besides the confusing parts, it was easy to imagine the scenarios that took place.
The pacing was okay although it went a bit fast in some places which left me scratching my head wondering what had happened and what I had missed. I really enjoyed the pacing towards the ending the best though.
The plot was a good idea. Bob has depression and has been diagnosed as having tangential speech meaning hat he tends to change the subject quite often. This doesn't help Bob when it comes to his colleagues as he is always trying to change the subject to his book. Bob's book is his downfall. There's also a fantastic plot twist which I never saw coming!
Being as this is a play, the characters aren't as developed as a normal book. Saying that, they are still believable characters. I found Bob to be a good guy even though he was annoying. I think he was meant to be annoying due to his tangential speech. He is so consumed by wanting to know if people have read his book and their thoughts on it, that he doesn't realize how annoying he is. Dr. Bael seemed to come across as very detached. There were times when I wanted to scream at her! Again, I think the author wanted her to come across this way.
The dialogue, to me, came across as very confusing in some parts. There were times I felt like this took away from the story. At times, I thought the dialogue felt a bit forced. There were also some grammar and spelling mistakes although I didn't feel that it took away from the book. However, there are is a lot of comedic timing throughout the book which made it enjoyable. I very much enjoyed how Cognard even uses his other book, Three Twigs for the Campfire, as Bob's book. What a genius idea! There is swearing in this book although it's not over the top, and it makes sense as it's meant for adults.
Overall, Written for You, A Play by Joseph Cognard is very random but in a good way. Personally, I think it would do fantastic on stage, and I would love to see it as a stage play.
I'd recommend this book for those aged 18+ who are in the book industry whether it be an author, publisher, etc.
I'd give Written for You, A Play by Joseph Cognard a 3.5 out of 5.
(I received an ebook of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
October 1, 2013
Written for You was written as a play, which confused me from the start because I have a TBI from a car accident. I didn't quite get what Bob was up to until I got near the middle of the book. Then the story started coming out in a way that I could understand. Dr. Bael (his psychiatrist) was pretty cool, but his imaginary friend Joe was a hoot. He was always trying to get Bob to kill someone because they were the enemy. And I like the way he gets along with Suzanne, she is just too funny. For me, that is when the mystery started to appear and I got interested in the story. I love murder mysteries. All in all, I ended up liking the book. And I must say that I did not expect the ending to be as it was. I won't give away any of the details because that would ruin everything. If you like reading plays, this book is worth the read. It's a little serious, it makes you laugh, and the ending is going to sneak up on you when you are not paying attention. Written for You
March 29, 2014
I received a free kindle version of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed reading this play. As I read, I imagined what it would be like to watch it being performed and I think it would be very entertaining. It did have some language in it, which I don't care for, but the story was fun. Bob keeps trying to get people to read the book he wrote and to have them give him feedback. I thought I knew where the author was taking the story, but the twist took me by surprise. I loved the ending. :-) I can imagine the reaction of the audience when the curtain goes down. It was fun.
I enjoyed reading this play. As I read, I imagined what it would be like to watch it being performed and I think it would be very entertaining. It did have some language in it, which I don't care for, but the story was fun. Bob keeps trying to get people to read the book he wrote and to have them give him feedback. I thought I knew where the author was taking the story, but the twist took me by surprise. I loved the ending. :-) I can imagine the reaction of the audience when the curtain goes down. It was fun.
October 4, 2013
I don't normally read books in play form. I really enjoyed this book, the story was great. My problem was I found it a little hard to follow at times, but that's me, I'm so use to novels.
January 29, 2016
I'll be upfront about this. The author sent me a free Kindle copy of "Written for You" in exchange for an honest review. I kind of don't want to be honest because I feel bad writing harsh things about a book whose author gave me a free copy, but I was asked to be honest, so that's what I'll do.
I did not really like "Written for You." It's written in the form of a play and consists of mostly dialogue and stage directions, and it tells the story of Bob, an employee at a publishing company who is trying to get somebody, ANYbody, to read the book he wrote. Through the story we see Bob's interactions with his coworkers, his family members, and his therapist.
My first (and possibly most superficial) complaint about "Written for You" is that it looks like nobody made any attempt to copy-edit it. There was some sort of error on virtually every page--extraneous, missing, or abused punctuation; elementary homophone mixups; and missing or repeated words, among other things--stuff a copy-editor worth her salt would've caught and fixed. I understand that the book wasn't traditionally published, but copy-editing is something that needs to be done in order to avoid alienating grammar-conscious readers such as myself.
I also got a negative impression of the author's attitude about the publishing industry. Bob's experiences during the story show people who are miserable with their jobs, and it felt like an attempt to warn people away from joining the publishing business. As someone who wants to someday work in that business, I rather resented seeing it portrayed so negatively.
One essential characteristic of a well-written story is that the readers care about the characters. That did not hold true for "Written for You." Bob's social ineptitude was extreme to the point of absurdity and did not make me feel any empathy for him. The supporting characters all came off too jaded, cynical, and sometimes just plain mean for me to connect with them either. I suppose this might have been a product of the play format of the story, which didn't allow me to see any of the characters' thoughts, but there are other ways to garner empathy for characters, like letting them tell jokes that are actually funny. (The only time I laughed while reading "Written for You" was at the very end of the book, when someone who has gone to a lot of trouble to keep a secret realizes that it was all for naught.)
Another issue I had with this book was that the biggest, most important conflict wasn't revealed until almost the very end. There was no buildup of tension. The story just kind of rambled along aimlessly as Bob tried to get anybody and everybody to read his book until BAM! it turned into a murder mystery. And when the culprit was revealed, I felt like there had been no dropped clues as to the identity of the killer that would've allowed an astute reader to deduce who it was.
I will say one thing I did like about "Written for You"--the ending. The person who murdered several of the other characters realizes that they are going to get caught despite their efforts to conduct a thorough cover-up, and it is deliciously ironic.
I hate to say it, but if I'm being honest, I can really only give this book 2 stars. The basic storyline could have been good if more thought had been put into making the events that happened between the beginning and the end relevant to the plot, helping it move along, but the execution was sadly lacking.
I did not really like "Written for You." It's written in the form of a play and consists of mostly dialogue and stage directions, and it tells the story of Bob, an employee at a publishing company who is trying to get somebody, ANYbody, to read the book he wrote. Through the story we see Bob's interactions with his coworkers, his family members, and his therapist.
My first (and possibly most superficial) complaint about "Written for You" is that it looks like nobody made any attempt to copy-edit it. There was some sort of error on virtually every page--extraneous, missing, or abused punctuation; elementary homophone mixups; and missing or repeated words, among other things--stuff a copy-editor worth her salt would've caught and fixed. I understand that the book wasn't traditionally published, but copy-editing is something that needs to be done in order to avoid alienating grammar-conscious readers such as myself.
I also got a negative impression of the author's attitude about the publishing industry. Bob's experiences during the story show people who are miserable with their jobs, and it felt like an attempt to warn people away from joining the publishing business. As someone who wants to someday work in that business, I rather resented seeing it portrayed so negatively.
One essential characteristic of a well-written story is that the readers care about the characters. That did not hold true for "Written for You." Bob's social ineptitude was extreme to the point of absurdity and did not make me feel any empathy for him. The supporting characters all came off too jaded, cynical, and sometimes just plain mean for me to connect with them either. I suppose this might have been a product of the play format of the story, which didn't allow me to see any of the characters' thoughts, but there are other ways to garner empathy for characters, like letting them tell jokes that are actually funny. (The only time I laughed while reading "Written for You" was at the very end of the book, when someone who has gone to a lot of trouble to keep a secret realizes that it was all for naught.)
Another issue I had with this book was that the biggest, most important conflict wasn't revealed until almost the very end. There was no buildup of tension. The story just kind of rambled along aimlessly as Bob tried to get anybody and everybody to read his book until BAM! it turned into a murder mystery. And when the culprit was revealed, I felt like there had been no dropped clues as to the identity of the killer that would've allowed an astute reader to deduce who it was.
I will say one thing I did like about "Written for You"--the ending. The person who murdered several of the other characters realizes that they are going to get caught despite their efforts to conduct a thorough cover-up, and it is deliciously ironic.
I hate to say it, but if I'm being honest, I can really only give this book 2 stars. The basic storyline could have been good if more thought had been put into making the events that happened between the beginning and the end relevant to the plot, helping it move along, but the execution was sadly lacking.
April 10, 2017
In the interest of full disclosure, Joseph Cognard gave me a free kindle copy of this play in exchange for an "honest review," which is what I intend to write here.
Written For You is a funny play. I think it's strength is more in the wit of a black comedy than the suspense of a mystery, though it has a fine twist at the end, which I will leave unspoiled. Bob is a neurotic office worker who has gotten it into his head that someone--he thinks it was his therapist--told him to write a book, though no one is willing to take credit for giving him the idea. And no one is willing to read the manuscript. Not his co-workers at a book publishing firm, not his therapist, not his family. Much of the play is actually spent with Bob trying to get people to read the manuscript, which seems to be the major conflict of the play. Many of the scenes where Bob is trying to balance his requests for people to read against his own psychological quirks and the quirks of those around him are very funny and well written. But it really seems like a play of two halves, because the latter portion (perhaps the last 1/3, not a full 1/2) focuses on a series of murders related to Bob and his book, which Bob believes he has committed and simply doesn't remember. The murder plot doesn't feel strictly necessary. I think Bob's struggles to get people to read his book could have been enough to make a delightful farce, but the murder mystery aspect feels a bit dinner-theatre/Clue/bad Agatha Christie to me. I would have rather seen this closer to Woody Allen, where the comedy was asked to stand on its own.
The best scenes in this play take place in Bob's office. There is a lot of great material there about the cutthroat publishing industry, the cynicism of office workers, and the psychological toll taken by working in the corporate world. These are also, I think, the best written and funniest scenes. The scenes with the therapist are a bit less interesting, and I felt the scene where the therapist ended up telling Bob about her problems was a bit predictable as it seems like a common technique in comedies involving therapists (though there was a bit of foreshadowing in that scene, which I didn't pick up on until later in the play, so maybe my initial judgment was a bit too harsh). But the office scenes are good examples of comedy built on wit and cutting social commentary.
Also, with the kindle edition at least, the latter 1/3 or so of the play begins to have more typos and errors. They don't generally interfere with meaning, but it would be nice to have seen those errors cleaned up in copy editing.
Written For You is a funny play. I think it's strength is more in the wit of a black comedy than the suspense of a mystery, though it has a fine twist at the end, which I will leave unspoiled. Bob is a neurotic office worker who has gotten it into his head that someone--he thinks it was his therapist--told him to write a book, though no one is willing to take credit for giving him the idea. And no one is willing to read the manuscript. Not his co-workers at a book publishing firm, not his therapist, not his family. Much of the play is actually spent with Bob trying to get people to read the manuscript, which seems to be the major conflict of the play. Many of the scenes where Bob is trying to balance his requests for people to read against his own psychological quirks and the quirks of those around him are very funny and well written. But it really seems like a play of two halves, because the latter portion (perhaps the last 1/3, not a full 1/2) focuses on a series of murders related to Bob and his book, which Bob believes he has committed and simply doesn't remember. The murder plot doesn't feel strictly necessary. I think Bob's struggles to get people to read his book could have been enough to make a delightful farce, but the murder mystery aspect feels a bit dinner-theatre/Clue/bad Agatha Christie to me. I would have rather seen this closer to Woody Allen, where the comedy was asked to stand on its own.
The best scenes in this play take place in Bob's office. There is a lot of great material there about the cutthroat publishing industry, the cynicism of office workers, and the psychological toll taken by working in the corporate world. These are also, I think, the best written and funniest scenes. The scenes with the therapist are a bit less interesting, and I felt the scene where the therapist ended up telling Bob about her problems was a bit predictable as it seems like a common technique in comedies involving therapists (though there was a bit of foreshadowing in that scene, which I didn't pick up on until later in the play, so maybe my initial judgment was a bit too harsh). But the office scenes are good examples of comedy built on wit and cutting social commentary.
Also, with the kindle edition at least, the latter 1/3 or so of the play begins to have more typos and errors. They don't generally interfere with meaning, but it would be nice to have seen those errors cleaned up in copy editing.
April 26, 2014
*This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest and unbiased review*
I admit to being nervous to read a play. I honestly haven't 'read' a play since I was at school some 15 years ago. I was worried that without the inner dialogue and descriptions of a novel, or the art of an actor, I just wouldn't 'feel' the characters. That really wasn't the case though. I have often complained in novels where the dialogue is unrealistic or stilted or lacking in any character. Given that there is little more than dialogue in a play script it has to be almost everything. In this I was really drawn in by the central character Bob and the world around him was surprisingly richly built. I was intrigued by him and fascinated as to where this was going. The other characters were also sufficiently unique and interesting and added to the sense of the bizarre and confused that characterised Bob's life, and this play. The only caveat on this for me though was Dr. Bael, who I needed to understand a little more for me to have felt fully the ending.
As an amateur kindle based reviewer (and organiser of a read to review program) I am swamped by requests to 'just take a look' so the theme of this play really amused me. This was a real nugget of a story that was a joy to read in that way where you find a little wry smile appearing at the characterisations.
I am not enough of a play goer or reader to really comment on how this would actually be as a play. As a book I would have liked it longer. Partly because I think the impact could have been felt more dramatically, the tension and unravelling building a more heightened sense of suspense. But also just because I enjoyed the eccentricities of the characters so much I could have gone on reading more about them.
I like this author's dry humour and interesting character portraits. I'd happily pick up (or rather download) another work by him and maybe even another play.
I admit to being nervous to read a play. I honestly haven't 'read' a play since I was at school some 15 years ago. I was worried that without the inner dialogue and descriptions of a novel, or the art of an actor, I just wouldn't 'feel' the characters. That really wasn't the case though. I have often complained in novels where the dialogue is unrealistic or stilted or lacking in any character. Given that there is little more than dialogue in a play script it has to be almost everything. In this I was really drawn in by the central character Bob and the world around him was surprisingly richly built. I was intrigued by him and fascinated as to where this was going. The other characters were also sufficiently unique and interesting and added to the sense of the bizarre and confused that characterised Bob's life, and this play. The only caveat on this for me though was Dr. Bael, who I needed to understand a little more for me to have felt fully the ending.
As an amateur kindle based reviewer (and organiser of a read to review program) I am swamped by requests to 'just take a look' so the theme of this play really amused me. This was a real nugget of a story that was a joy to read in that way where you find a little wry smile appearing at the characterisations.
I am not enough of a play goer or reader to really comment on how this would actually be as a play. As a book I would have liked it longer. Partly because I think the impact could have been felt more dramatically, the tension and unravelling building a more heightened sense of suspense. But also just because I enjoyed the eccentricities of the characters so much I could have gone on reading more about them.
I like this author's dry humour and interesting character portraits. I'd happily pick up (or rather download) another work by him and maybe even another play.
September 15, 2013
I like to think I have this sixth sense and let me explain to you why. I have this unique ability to be able to figure out where a story is going, what will happen, and how it will all play out. I think I have lost that sixth sense while reading this play because I honestly had no idea where this story was going or how it was going to end. As soon as I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was thrown for a curveball and something different occurred.
I haven’t read too many plays but I feel I might have to because I honestly enjoyed this very much. I read a majority of it in one sitting because I kept wanting to know what would happen next! This play centers around Bob Curry and his desire to have everyone he meets read his unpublished novel. Bob suffers from tangential speech which means he can’t help but change the subject when someone else is talking. Because of this, most of the time, he changes the subject to talking about his book. I, personally, thought this was a very unique trait and made the play especially funny. I loved the supporting characters, they had very entertaining personalities and some of the one liners had me laughing out loud.
Overall I give this book four stars as in was intriguing, unique, and different from anything I’ve ever read. I would love to see this acted out!
A copy of this book was provided to me from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I haven’t read too many plays but I feel I might have to because I honestly enjoyed this very much. I read a majority of it in one sitting because I kept wanting to know what would happen next! This play centers around Bob Curry and his desire to have everyone he meets read his unpublished novel. Bob suffers from tangential speech which means he can’t help but change the subject when someone else is talking. Because of this, most of the time, he changes the subject to talking about his book. I, personally, thought this was a very unique trait and made the play especially funny. I loved the supporting characters, they had very entertaining personalities and some of the one liners had me laughing out loud.
Overall I give this book four stars as in was intriguing, unique, and different from anything I’ve ever read. I would love to see this acted out!
A copy of this book was provided to me from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
February 17, 2014
I was given this book by the author via a link on the LoP site in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't quite know what to expect of this book when I started it. I haven't read a play for so many years I thought it would make a change.
Reading this was a change in oh so many ways! It was so much better than I expected. I had no idea where it was leading and the end was quite a suprise. This book had me literally laughing out loud so many times. It was an odd book and I seriously don't mean that in any nasty way - it is just hard to categorise. I really did enjoy it.
I would love to read something else, probably a novel rather than a play, by this author with as much humour as this had. I was even talking to my colleagues about aspects of the story. The tangential speech pattern disorder made my day....aren't we all a bit like that?! :-)
Thank you for the read and the many laughs!
I didn't quite know what to expect of this book when I started it. I haven't read a play for so many years I thought it would make a change.
Reading this was a change in oh so many ways! It was so much better than I expected. I had no idea where it was leading and the end was quite a suprise. This book had me literally laughing out loud so many times. It was an odd book and I seriously don't mean that in any nasty way - it is just hard to categorise. I really did enjoy it.
I would love to read something else, probably a novel rather than a play, by this author with as much humour as this had. I was even talking to my colleagues about aspects of the story. The tangential speech pattern disorder made my day....aren't we all a bit like that?! :-)
Thank you for the read and the many laughs!
July 16, 2025
Won this in a first reads giveaway. I thought I knew where this play was heading, but I was wrong. And I enjoy it when I'm wrong. There is a twist at the end of this play that takes it from a standard play about a crazy person to a unique reading experience.
I enjoyed the depth of the characters as well. For a first time playwright, Joseph Cognard escaped the trap of making every character sound the same. The characters were different from each other, and each was given a chance to reveal a surprise about themselves in the script.
My biggest issue was the formatting of the script. Because this book is about publishers and book drafts, the formatting seemed to be attempting to reflect that with multiple puncuation marks, typos and inconsistant formatting. But it felt a bit gimicky and unnecesary to me and made parts of the play a bit confusing.
I enjoyed the depth of the characters as well. For a first time playwright, Joseph Cognard escaped the trap of making every character sound the same. The characters were different from each other, and each was given a chance to reveal a surprise about themselves in the script.
My biggest issue was the formatting of the script. Because this book is about publishers and book drafts, the formatting seemed to be attempting to reflect that with multiple puncuation marks, typos and inconsistant formatting. But it felt a bit gimicky and unnecesary to me and made parts of the play a bit confusing.
April 24, 2014
**I was gifted a copy of Written For You from Joseph Cognard in exchange for an honest review. In no way has this influenced my rating or opinion of this book. Thank you to Goodreads and to Joseph Cognard for this opportunity.**
For starters, this is the first time I have ever read a play. I have not even been to a play. I enjoyed parts of the play and other parts kind of dragged for me. At one point I thought Bob was a multiple personality, and I am still unsure if he was or not. It was a bit confusing for me and took some time for me to read. I figure this might be because I have never read in this genre before. Because this is what I think the problem was, I will give plays another chance if I come across one that sounds interesting to me.
If you like plays, then this might be right up your alley.
For starters, this is the first time I have ever read a play. I have not even been to a play. I enjoyed parts of the play and other parts kind of dragged for me. At one point I thought Bob was a multiple personality, and I am still unsure if he was or not. It was a bit confusing for me and took some time for me to read. I figure this might be because I have never read in this genre before. Because this is what I think the problem was, I will give plays another chance if I come across one that sounds interesting to me.
If you like plays, then this might be right up your alley.
October 27, 2019
Thought it started out really slowly but the final quarter made it all up. I liked Mike's description of his life as an editor, although it was only a shot part of the play. I didn't read anything about the book before starting it, only the author's request for an honest review. And until nearing the end I thought I had already figured the whole mystery out and was so proud of myself and only mildly curious about how the things were going to be wrapped up but boy was I proven wrong. However, spelling errors at times bugged me a little, now I regret not taking note of them which might have been actually helpful instead of just complaining.
March 18, 2014
I got this book as a gift from the Author and I really enjoyed it. It is written in the format of a screenplay and as I peeled back the layers of each chapter I was certain I figured out how it would end, but I was caught completely by surprise. It had interesting and complex characters, and I had a hard time putting the book down because I really wanted to find out what would happen next. Joseph Cognard was able to keep my attention the whole way through and I can't wait to read other works by this author.
June 2, 2015
I was provided with a free copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading Written for You. The ending was a complete shock, but looking back, it made perfect sense. I love it when books do that: sucking you in, making you think one thing, then BAM! It adds a thrill to this book when that happens, and this book captured it perfectly.
Written for You is a worthy read. I'm glad I came across this hidden gem.
I really enjoyed reading Written for You. The ending was a complete shock, but looking back, it made perfect sense. I love it when books do that: sucking you in, making you think one thing, then BAM! It adds a thrill to this book when that happens, and this book captured it perfectly.
Written for You is a worthy read. I'm glad I came across this hidden gem.
July 29, 2013
Written For You is one of the funniest plays that I have ever read. Joe Cognard's writing is on point, and he has a great ear for dialogue. This satire of the publishing industry will have you in stitches. If you love Martin McDonough, you will love Joe Cognard !
After, his plays are Written For You.
After, his plays are Written For You.
February 2, 2014
I was Contacted By the Author and he sent me a copy via email
for a honest review.
The start is a little slow but as I was reading
the book got really interesting and there was a
twist towards the end but I won't reveal how
since it would ruin it for future readers
thanks for the copy :)
for a honest review.
The start is a little slow but as I was reading
the book got really interesting and there was a
twist towards the end but I won't reveal how
since it would ruin it for future readers
thanks for the copy :)
January 12, 2014
Read as digital ARC.
This script had me laughing my way through it and then, I was even more thrilled when it turned into a mystery. Written for You will make you laugh, make you think and leave you wondering what it would look like on a real stage.
This script had me laughing my way through it and then, I was even more thrilled when it turned into a mystery. Written for You will make you laugh, make you think and leave you wondering what it would look like on a real stage.
August 9, 2017
Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this play by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Written for You is a dark, humorous, and witty play about a man named Bob who just really wants his friends and coworkers to read the book he has just written. The ending is a bit dark and very unexpected.
My main issue with the play as a whole (which brings my rating to about 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3) was the very obvious lack of a copy editor. There were so many typos it was often hard to focus on the dialogue.
The characters were also a bit underdeveloped and I found the main character, Bob, to be unsympathetic.
Other than that, I enjoyed the witty dialogue exchanges, the interesting plot twist, and the ironic humor. The play is very promising and I would definitely enjoy watching it performed live.
Written for You is a dark, humorous, and witty play about a man named Bob who just really wants his friends and coworkers to read the book he has just written. The ending is a bit dark and very unexpected.
My main issue with the play as a whole (which brings my rating to about 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3) was the very obvious lack of a copy editor. There were so many typos it was often hard to focus on the dialogue.
The characters were also a bit underdeveloped and I found the main character, Bob, to be unsympathetic.
Other than that, I enjoyed the witty dialogue exchanges, the interesting plot twist, and the ironic humor. The play is very promising and I would definitely enjoy watching it performed live.
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