What Now?
This is an interesting part of the writing process: you’ve just turned in something and you have to decide what to work on next.Of course, you could sit back and wait to get that advance offer, editorial notes, or feedback from readers--or you could forge ahead and start something new with all the free time.
Today I’m looking over my IDEA FILE, trying to figure out what new project I want to tackle. This file is where I jot down all my crazy thoughts for new novels, screenplays, comics—anything that comes to mind while I’m busy working on a project to completion.
I’m also getting offers from parties who want me to write for them. This is a good thing, but it complicates matters. I have the speed and stamina these days to work on two things at once...but no more than that. I want to be careful to balance between commercial projects and developing my own original work.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m extremely grateful to be in this position. Ten years ago I was living in an un-air conditioned cabin in a Central Florida orange grove, wondering where (or if) my next paycheck would come from.
posted by Eric Nylund at 5:07 PM
35 Comments:
haha, I'd love to look over that idea file! I'm sure that could be fill a huge interesting afternoon of stuff.
Must be great to go from having not many offers to having too many - but it'd be hard to work out what you want to do versus what other people want you to do.
Idea file is the most important friend of any writer. That and a file cabinet to store all you work in. Shame my makeshift one holds up nothing worth mentioning. Using your xbox 360 box as a storage unit for work and ideas is not a good idea.
Something you also mentioned before Eric (like, really far back) was to not take a break from writing, because that's never a good idea. Best thing to do is any type of writing, at least to keep up the skill level you're at currently.
Huh. Ten years ago I was living in a poorly air conditioned cinder block house in Northwest Florida....
Stop following me.
;o)
Humm.. Idea File, huh? I've had quite a few ideas for novels that I would love to start (read: two), but haven't found the time. Perhaps typing up a "general idea" with a basic outline would be a smart move?
I know I won't start on any soon, but somewhere down the line I know I'm going to start. Yay or nay?
Tj – You be far less entertained that you think. Even good ideas need lots of hard work (weeks, months—even years!) before they get developed into non-cliché great ideas.
Pinecone—yes, it’s a problem I don’t mind having!
SB—I used to keep a paper file with scrapes and post-it-notes with all my ideas. Problem was my handwriting so bad that after awhile I could never read them!
Nikoda—that’s the “destitute and desperate” phase that all good writers go through :)
MS—like I said, it can take a long time and buckets of good old-fashion sweat to transform ideas into something great. Outlines are fine, so are character sketches, setting notes...but more than that thinking about the idea--what works, and what doesn’t, and making it fantastic--just takes time. Get to work now!
Heh. Looks like I took your advice before I even read it, Eric! Got started on a little bit just today.
Thanks anyway; your words are promising!
~MS
I can definitely see the process taking years...
I'm writing my first book right now, and it started as three short/sketchy chapters, and then I just stopped and couldn't write anything for three months. In August I wrote 10 chapters, and now I'm just sort of slumping around again rewriting the second chapter a couple times. I'm also busy with school and student teaching, so when I get home I usually just feel like talking on the phone or playing a game, not working. I also think that during my big August burst I reached the end of "act 1" of the story, so now I'm ironing out the wrinkles (some of them huge...) in the story.
One thing that (I think) I've learned from this is that Tom Clancy and some of these guys that put out multiple books a year must have some kind of computer program writing the books for them! Or else they're just not doing their ideas proper justice. I commute a couple hours a day and almost all of that time is spent just meditating and think about and getting excited about my story. I feel like I'm working on it 24/7 and even still it's writing itself at a modest pace, you know?
I really hope it gets published some day, but that's not really the primary goal for me anymore the way it was when I was a greedy undergraduate. Thankfully, teachers in my state make a pretty comfortable living, especially after tenure, so I won't have to go through what Mr. Nylund had to with paychecks!! I guess what I mean is that (like the Arbiter and Master Chief, lol) the book is like "my fight" and I want to see it finished!!!
Sorry for such a long comment... I just love the craftsmanship that goes into writing and wanted to describe how it's been going for me since (before I started writing) I was like like, "Pfff.... I could write a book in like a week if I wanted to!!!"
Martin,
I get up early to write _before_ I go into work...but, of course, different techniques work better for different writers. Good luck!
-Eric
Hi Eric,
I'm a big fan of yours and was wondering if your Battlestar Galactica comic was still in the works or if it had been canceled? If you can't talk about it or just don't want to, I understand.
Ryan-- THE CYLON WARS series is still in the works (about 95% done). I'll be posting something about it soon.
Take care, --E
HMMMMMM READ ur halo books too much, love them,
1st one: twice(lost)
2nd one: four times
3rd one: 3 and half time (lost)
4th one: 5 times.
READ WAY TO MUCH BUT I LIKE THEM
In the 3rd one a small sentence mentions "grey team" which was lost out of UNSC space...
You could always start up there:P
This post has been removed by the author.
Eric, I love your writing, but when are you getting a doctorate (in literature or otherwise)?
A thesis on narrative and gaming culture perhaps? I'd dig it, and I think it would bring more scholarly interest to the gaming community (which must be good).
I'm also looking forward to the Battlestar Galactica comic.
Sometimes I get the idea that the story behind a comic is not that well thought through.
Will be great to read a comic by on of my favorite authors!
Read reviews of great books at
cagoni.blogspot.com
Poql—thanks for the kind words. Yes, the idea of gray team has crossed my mind--as well as many others, but the decision of where to take the story next rests with Bungie and Microsoft Licensing.
Benjamin—No plans to go back to school...unless it were to teach :).
Carsten—The Cylon Wars is well thought out, trust me. It will be very dense for a comic. Hopefully there will be an announcement about this soon.
--E
Oh man. Eric teaching?
I'd be the first to sign up.
This post has been removed by the author.
Hello everyone!
I just registered today and would like to start by asking a question: What do you think should be treasured by a writer, his idea file which contains plenty of ideas and where secret ideas can also be found or the finished product which is the published book? I'm just curious because I never reveal ideas to my fellow writers due to the fear of them being stolen.
To clarify that, treasured in the sense that idea files and projects currently being worked on should be kept secret or is it ok to show some parts of it to fellow writers or to share the entire idea.
Viperz_d--answered your question in my latest post. Thanks for asking!
--E
Hey Eric... Great to finally track you down! It'll be nice to keep up on a former colleague's progress through a venue other than Facebook or LinkedIn :) Be sure to keep us posted on what games you're currently playing. Cheerio -- from jschklar (I'm back in town).
Hi Jason,
Good to hear from you. Give me a call or shoot me an email!
-Eric
I agree with sir_brilliant, it's not a good idea store ideas in a computer or xbox 360 since these things can be damaged and their prone to hacking even if you have a firewall(You'll never know).
i read in halopedia the halo wiki that you might write a novel about spartan grey team if you are i though the three protagonists should be call Gabriel-007,Michael-017,Raphael-107 i got these names from the three archangels the reason why i picked these names because bungie uses a lot of bible references and they love the number 7.What do you think? Be honest is it good or bad?
Bungie already has a Story Bible from which Eric extracts the characters, events and everything else, then he writes the novels.
By the way, this if my first post in your blog Mr. Nylund. I have really enjoyed reading your Halo novels, especially Ghosts of Onyx. I look forward to reading another one of your Halo novels in the future, if it's possible. :D
All best wishes, UNSC Trooper.
I heard about the Halo Bible that Bungie has I though it didn't exist.But I want to know what Eric Nylund thinks about my idea? By the way cool name and photo UNSC Trooper.
Apollyon- Those names are fine, although perhaps too heavy handed to name _all_ the members of a team after angles. At this time, however, I’m not taking suggestions for future Spartan names. As you might imagine I’d get way too many requests like this, and there’s not guarantee that I’ll be writing more HALO novels.
Btw, the HALO Story Bible _definitely_ exists.
UNSC Trooper – Thanks! Hope I get to write more, too. While the story bible exists, I also get to make new material up, which Bungie then incorporates into their universe.
Thanks for reading my comment and answering my question Eric it means alot to me not everyday a famous author answers your question.If this question bothers you Im sorry I know you get alot of requests because you write Halo novels which make Halo fans want their ideas in it such as characters and other things.I wish you luck on your next project...Sorry about the question I asked.
Apollyon -- No problem. Ask questions anytime!
Right now I'm wondering if and when I've ever going to GET a paycheck and whether or not being an English major was a good idea...
Hey Eric ive read your books and enjoyed all of them. im Currently attending high School. I have been writing a book of my own and was wondering if could give me any suggestions on how to make it a hit like yours.
Hey Eric, I've loved ur Halo novels from the get go. Urs have always been better than the Halo novels from other authors like "The Flood".
I'm a student in High School and always wanted to write a novel but i always seem to hit a dead end whenever i start. I once wrote 30 pages for a novel then just couldn't write any more. Do you have any tips for me?
it seems odd but in the halo wars trailer for the game spartan group omega seems to use different armour... maybe do a story on the older series or newer series....
i wnat to lern more about the varients of spartan too. more in depth.
Hey Eric-
I was just wondering, if Bungie approves your books and the content that is in them, then why isn't there any mention of more Spartans in the game?
Post a Comment
<< Home