
Do you write like Shakespeare? Or are you more like Mark Twain? Or Tolstoy?
If you want to get an idea, there’s a website that can compare your text to that of the great writers.
It’s fun, that’s for sure. I entered a piece of recent text, and was told it had a 15% resemblance to Mark Twain. Probably because it was (intentionally) a little old-fashioned.
Then again, I’m not really sure how accurate the results are – or how many authors they have in their database. To test the system, I tried entering the opening page of Dostoevsky’s classic ‘Crime and Punishment.’ It came out as 25% like Leo Tolstoy.
Close, but no cigar.




{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
This is fun! I’m going to link to it on my blog.
The last light from the Bowers Harbor Inn twinkled out. Suddenly an opaque
crescent moon topped the towering white pines allowing the west bay to
glimmer in the evening splendor. Otto carefully loaded the small fishing boat with
some supplies. He then cautiously grabbed the large grain sack and eased it in to
the small craft. He rowed in silence, not wanting to alert anyone with the start of
the motor. There were no fishermen out at this late hour, which he took as an
omen of good luck. After about a half an hour of rowing and nearing, open
water, he started the small engine. He sped towards the remote regions of North
Fox Island. North Fox a wilderness of impenetrable forest consisting of dense
bogs, plagued with quicksand and obscure limestone outcroppings kept even the
most enthusiastic adventures wary of its shores. Once a privately owned retreat,
the state of Michigan purchased the land as part of the Beaver Island Wildlife
Refuge. Otto unloaded his cargo, grasped the grain sack and dragged it gently on
to the beach.
The sack appeared to be moving. He untied it and removed the semi
conscious body of his childhood sweetheart Susie Swartz. Bound by ropes on her
wrists and ankles Susie mumbled softly “Otto you can’t do this. This is insane.”
Otto had dated Susie since before high school. Falling in love the minute he laid
eyes on her. Being his younger sister Allie’s best friend, she frequented their farm
regularly. Their families had adjoining cherry farms on the peninsula near the
historical village of Old Mission. They shared many happy moments together
through the years. Otto & Susie made plans to marry and possibly have children.
Life was so special on the peninsula. They had picnics and occasionally fished in
nearby Lake Michigan. Sometimes they fed each other cherries under the willows
at Bagley pond. Life was astonishing! Then the French came. They came with their
wineries, sports cars and elegant accents. Graceful horses trotted inside white
picket fences and their extravagant residences contrasted with the modest
farms that made up this Michigan peninsula. Otto eventually lost Susie to the
swab sophistication of a French man by the name of Henri Bussey.
The couple became engaged a few months later and set a tentative wedding
date in the upcoming fall. Otto was fuming with jealousy. He carefully plotted the
kidnapping of his one true love. On the island, Susie began to scream. “Untie me
and take me back this instant”. Otto chuckled and left her there. He went back to
the boat and began rowing swiftly in to the lake. “Otto come back. Was he just
going to leave her here? She thought. When he was in deep water, Otto removed
the auger from the toolbox and began to drill holes in the bottom of boat. Water
rushed in. Otto’s eyes sought the moon and he yelled in anguish, “If this is the
only way I can have this woman, then by God, so be it”. He then began to swim
back to his beloved. The boat made a final gurgling sound. It then began a journey
to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
Lou, did you intend to have this text analysed? If so, you need to visit the site linked to above, in the post. Putting it here in the comments won’t work.
It is, however, one of the longer and more erudite, well written comments on this blog…