need to know

[starjones]

i want to write a book about a couple of people who go on a trip and end up getting trapped inside a cabin. for a long time.

then they get cabin fever and go crazy.

that is it in a nut shell

before i write it, i was wondering if anyone knows of a book similar to this. i dont want to write the same story they did.

[librarius_qui]

If you had such idea, even if someone else had some similar one (which I can't recall, honestly), go ahead, write it! Never mind if someone wrote anything like it before!

It'll be 100% yours, as long as you write it with art & craft.
It may turn out better than any other similars ...

That's what I think.


librarius
:crash:

[JBI]

The Shining by Stephen King. From what I understand though, since I have not read the text, the Kuberick film by the same name, based on the book is far stronger. Still, it is exactly what you describe, with some mediocre - I would call it magical realism, but I don't think it is meant to be taken that seriously, and I don't think the work constitutes realism - thrown in for no apparent reason.

Still, the concept has been explored elsewhere, even in Golding's Lord of the Flies, which is the same concept transported to an island.

[Jozanny]

Closer to the actual classics, Maupassant was in some ways the French Poe, and he wrote a short story fairly close to what you describe. I cannot remember the title, and remain too lazy to scroll through my e-text to get it for you, but you can download his complete short stories. This network may in fact have it, here:

http://www.online-literature.com/maupassant/231/

I found it, as you see, despite being completely gauche this morning! As to just writing your story, as qui suggests, or getting sucked into the process of imitation, which asking for referrals will lead to, I'd say it is a two way process. I started publishing my poetry when I was 22, and I really did not consciously opt for one school over the other, except I eschewed formalism.

Now I am an old woman, and influences do meld my journalistic successes and the ghost of Henry James dogs my fiction. The most important thing, however, is learning how to write well and having a good conceptual grasp of your grammar. Write first, and as you polish you can tackle the hard things like fully fleshed characters and a well paced plot arc.

[PabloQ]

The Shining by Stephen King. From what I understand though, since I have not read the text, the Kuberick film by the same name, based on the book is far stronger. Still, it is exactly what you describe, with some mediocre - I would call it magical realism, but I don't think it is meant to be taken that seriously, and I don't think the work constitutes realism - thrown in for no apparent reason.

The Shining is not actually a good example of what you're looking to write. The protagonist is actually driven mad by a sort of possession by him of the hotel or the ghosts haunting it. The protagonist is the only one who goes mad and it's not from cabin fever. I actually was reminded of "The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane which examines the relationship of four shipwreck survivors in a lifeboat. But I agree with librarius. Write it. There are a lot of ways you can go with the idea and the story can still be original and unlike any other.

[JBI]

The Shining is not actually a good example of what you're looking to write. The protagonist is actually driven mad by a sort of possession by him of the hotel or the ghosts haunting it. The protagonist is the only one who goes mad and it's not from cabin fever. I actually was reminded of "The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane which examines the relationship of four shipwreck survivors in a lifeboat. But I agree with librarius. Write it. There are a lot of ways you can go with the idea and the story can still be original and unlike any other.

I was talking more about the movie - which isn't very true to the novel. In the movie it is hinted at more of it being internal madness than anything.

[kelby_lake]

There's a film called Cabin Fever, I think