If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you might remember an old post where I suggested that we will never see a new Shakespeare, as there is no time for classics to evolve in the warp consumption we engage in, with facenovels, minibooks, etc.

I just stumbled on a new reason: You don’t have to be Shakespeare to write a Shakespeare novel anymore!

Just look at Germany’s most successful novelist right now, 17-year old Helene Hegemann. Her debut novel “Axolotl Roadkill” tops the bestseller lists and is the finalist for one of the country’s most prestigious literary awards.

It’s amazing that such a young, debutant, writer can produce such a mature piece of literature. Well, it turns out she hasn’t really. She’s added the words (letter for letter running up to entire full pages) from other authors’ books to her story.

Being accused of plagiarism, Hegemann bluntly replies that she’s just sampled some inspirations. Just like music artists do. Just like in music, everything’s basically already been written, all that’s left to do is to mix it up in new ways.

You may never be able to break new ground like Shakespeare, because reader warp their consumption, and because Shakespeare and centuries of authors after him have already written everything there is to write. But you can still write a Shakespeare novel, just sample him and make your own remix book! Maybe it will earn you a top spot in the bestseller list and a prestigious literature award.

It worked for Helene Hegemann. News about the sampling propelled book sales even further (maybe because now everyone can be sure that it comprises top notch, classic, writing?) And just like in the movie industry, sales of the sampled books took off, too…