"Book bible" (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Mullins, Bill AMRDEC]

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

"Bibles" for fictional worlds are reasonably common, I think.  Here:

http://issuu.com/rgiskardreventlov/docs/star_trek_tos_writers_guide

is the one for the original Star Trek (although it doesn't refer to
itself as a "bible".)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_%28writing%29

The one Joel refers to seems to be an equivalent document for a series
of books, rather than a TV show.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On
> Behalf Of Joel S. Berson
> Sent: Monday, February 11, 2013 11:07 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: "Book bible"
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
---------------
> --------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      "Book bible"
>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
>
> I encountered the following on an email list.  I have not seen or
heard
> the term "book bible".  The description of what the author wanted
> sounds merely like a book index, although very comprehensive.  Perhaps
> users of the phrase apply it only to fiction series, where the writer
> wants to be factual in succeeding publications (that is, to avoid
> inconsistencies).  I suppose "bible"
> because it is the truth about the fiction.
>
> "I hired a college student to assemble a book bible for my urban
> fantasy series last year. I was doing edits on the second book and
> about to begin the third, and was spending way too much time flipping
> through the first manuscript to fact-check details (was Alex driving a
> Mercedes or a BMW, and was it a convertible? That kind of thing). I
had
> her make an index of all proper nouns, character details, world
> building details, lists of charms and potions my character made, etc.
> She's done the first two books and will be adding details from book
> three this year. It has saved a LOT of time."
>
> Googling seems inefficient (I'm an agnostic, and too many hits are for
> The Book).
>
> Joel
>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
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