The Observer, April 20, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 25
Case student publishes debut novel to surprising success
What would you do if you learned that a loved one you thought was dead wasn't? If you knew the culprit of this misconception, would you then use the talents at your disposal to extract revenge? This is the premise of Rule Number 5, the first novel by senior Case student Ben Weinberg.
Weinberg, a senior management major, has begun to make a bit of a name for himself in bookstores as well as on campus. Last fall, Weinberg's novel was first available from the online self-publishing company he used. However, he was still revising the final product until it became available on major retail websites on March 8, 2007.
Although Weinberg has loved to read his entire life, he did not see himself as a writer until recently. Inspired in the summer of 2003 by what he considered to be one of the worst books he had ever read, Weinberg decided to try and write a better book. With no training, he began writing what would become Rule Number 5 in August 2003, the summer before he began classes at Case.
Writing a bit at a time, Weinberg continued to work on the novel throughout his time here. The first version did not meet his standards, so he simply began again. Eventually, Weinberg rewrote the novel five times before coming to his final version in August 2006. According to Weinberg, he "[couldn't] write a first novel any better."
On completing the novel, Weinberg planned to submit it to several ajore publishers. However, he decided to save some money and time and published the novel himself. Using primarily word of mouth, Weinberg has sold 32 copies so far through online stores and Joseph-Beth (a local bookstore). Since Rule Number 5 went out of stock at Joseph-Beth rather quickly, Weinberg is confident that his novel will end up selling well. In the future, he hopes to see thebook in the Case bookstore as well as other book retailers.
When asked about why he dedicated so much of his life to this book, Weinberg replied, "I enjoy the process of writing." His enthusiasm for writing and pride in his first novel are apparent when he begins to talk about it. Even with some small success so far, Weinberg intends to keep writing as his hobby, although he thinks that he could write at least one more book in the future.
His next book will hopefully be less of a fiction novel and closer to classic literature as he tries to refine his literary style. Although he likes to read about anything, Weinberg has found that fiction allows "dialogue… [to come] more naturally" as he writes. Whether fiction, literature, or non-fiction, however, Weinberg believes that "[a]nything you read will make you more informed about the world."
Rule Number 5 is now available at Joseph-Beth, Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and borders.com. The novel, only available in paperback, is priced at $16.98.
