It's for a Book: Difference between revisions

 

A subtrope of the [[Bavarian Fire Drill]], compare [[I Have This Friend]]. Comes up a lot because [[Most Writers Are Writers]]. See also [[Film Felons]].

 

== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==

* In ''[[Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle]]'', Syaoran uses this excuse in one of the worlds to gather information of legends. He got the idea from his father, an archeologist, who used it all the time.

* In [[Agatha Christie]]'s ''[[Five Little Pigs]]'', Hercule Poirot is asked to reinvestigate a murder that had happened sixteen years earlier. When speaking with some of the witnesses, he claims he is writing a book about famous murders in order to get them to provide written accounts of what they remember.

** In ''[[Third Girl]]'', author surrogate Ariadne Oliver claims to be researching how easy it is to follow someone, when following a suspect on behalf of Poirot. She tells the suspect she's concluded it's quite difficult.

** Of course, it's pretty clear that {{spoiler|Slughorn knows on some level that Riddle's story is complete bull: asking for info on Horcruxes for "a project" would be akin to a 6th grader asking for information about anal broomstick rape "for homework"... but he plays along anyway because he doesn't want to think badly of or disappoint his star pupil}}.

** And several books earlier, in ''Chamber of Secrets'', Hermione pulled the same trick to get [[The Ditz|Professor Lockhart's]] permission to get the book with the directions on how to make Polyjuice Potion from the Restricted Section.