REACH Folder
Some of you know that a long time ago (coming up on 8 years—wow!) I was given the opportunity to write HALO: THE FALL OF REACH.I had seven weeks to write this 100,000 word novel.
It wasn’t a cold start. Eric Trautmann and I had cobbled together a 10-page chapter-by-chapter outline, so I knew where I was headed. But still, that was a stretch for me.
Honestly, I don’t remember how I did it. I was working full time getting ready for the release of the first XBOX, so I had to cram in all that writing before and after work hours.
(Kudos to Trautmann because he was my long suffering editor and had to put up with endless typos and “creative” grammar. Kudos to Syne...who doesn’t talk much about that time, either. She kept me fed and probably put up with some pretty bad writer-ly behavior...)
Anyway, like I said, I don’t remember that time (and no, I wasn’t on drugs (other than caffeine)). It’s a black spot in my memory. But today I was nosing around in the FALL OF REACH files on my hard drive and I saw a file folder named: “GOD JUST LET THIS END.”
That made me smile. :)
Labels: Fall of Reach, Halo, writing
posted by Eric Nylund at 7:58 AM
26 Comments:
Now the real question is did you make that folder or did Syne? ;o)
Haha! thats great!
Looking forward to atlmd!
That's hilarious. Actually made me laugh out loud.
Reading THAT brought a smile to MY face.
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers, apparently. It didn't end when you typed that, and for that I, personally, am very glad.
VERY glad.
I find it interesting that you don't remember that time.
Here's hoping life is wonderful on your end, Mr. Nylund.
Things on mine are... interesting. Somewhat unpleasant, mostly just surprising, but interesting nonetheless. C'est la vie.
So. I have to ask: "Halo: Reach." Have you "touched" it in any way? I know Reach is Bungie's brainchild, but... come on. You led us there first. ;)
Ever a fan,
~Angel
I'm in the middle of Fall of Reach now. The start of the chapter after John and the Spartans are in front of a Covenant vessel in space. Really enjoying the book. Also, have you been involved with Halo: Reach, seeing as how you wrote the story for it?
Thats how I feel sometimes during the book I'm writing. It's not writers block its just that I have the idea just I can't write it. I'm getting bored with it. So I'm saying the same thing until the character gets out of that scrap with his friends and the Zombies that are coming for them.
GOD HELP ME END THIS!!!!!
Patience is also something I need to work on, I always want something done NOW!!!!! I always want something here NOW!!!!! I'm very impatient.
Have a good day.
Talk about speed. I've never written with a deadline before, other than mine
but i bet such kind of thing helps one learn to write faster.
Nikoda – lol. I _think_ it was me.
Angel – Thanks.
Angel and DK743 – Microsoft Game Studios (where I work) has a policy about its employees commenting on games in production outside normal publicity channels; so all I can say is “no comment” even to the question if I am even involved or not. Sorry. Hope you understand.
Mind if we see these folders ;D
That is still my favorite Halo book. To hear you wrote it in seven weeks is both awe-inspiring and severely depressing. Haha.
Seven weeks is 49 days: Which is fast for 100,000 word novel. For me, seven weeks would only give me enough time to write a 45,000 word novel. Which I can not do yet, longest one I've written was 30,000 words and about 217 pages. But that is a huge improvement in the timespand of a year.
Congrats on writting that thing in less than two months.
THE FALL OF REACH was an awesome book, my favorite HALO book too.
I like how you call it your black spot. I think I heard somewhere that when the genius become truly inspired, they lose all sense of themselves for a moment in time. This was your mad genius moment. :)
You should have "God Just Let This End" as a title in a particularly harrowing chapter as an easter egg. ;)
How was your 4th? Did you drink vicariously and shoot shotguns in the air? I hear the Pacific Northwest is particularly notorious for that.
For my Fourth of July, I went up north, watched Fireworks,chased some kid with a lightsaber around and threw glow rings at him. (90% of the time I got a head shot. Yes!)
Then I went inside early and went to bed an hour later.
I'm 16, and I want to be a successful author. However, many people laugh at me and call me stupid because of this, that I'm too young and not good enough. Am I too young to write successful books, or am I just not good enough?
They just laugh and say that because they don't like writing,they want to bring you down because you're better than them.
The more you read, the more you write, the better you get.
Thanks, really needed that
I want a black out moment.
What I was just amazed by reading this again was that this was eight years ago. Like--holy crap. I remember reading this...about five years ago in sixth grade. And to think it was three years before that (which seems like a lifetime ago)...
Overlord Jebus – No way! : )
Xela—thanks. Don’t be depressed. You’ll never know what you can do until someone gives you a gun-to-head deadline like that!
Dakota – Thanks!
Dragonzord – yes, BBQ, lite beer, fireworks! = the Win on our 4th of July
DK743 – please read my previous post on why most authors break into print when they are 30 years old. Keep writing. We all need the practice.
Dangerusdave – yep. You’re getting old. How do you think _I_ feel? : )
Seriously?
I have three or four of those in my Halo archives, too. Mostly in the "Art of Halo" section.
Ha!
LOL @ Trautmann.
Looks like the Halo franchise brings people to their limits, whether they want it to or not lol.
Thank goodness for reliable people being the ones Bungie worked with! :D
kinda random question ive read all the halo books so far and was wonderin if you had any ideas about expanding on the 4th one or writing another after it and if there is a yes to this question another is about how long must i wait for it to come out.
I must say this one of the best books in the halo series next to ghosts of onyx however i liked the ending much better so when is the next one coming?
hey, man! i LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE "halo: ghost of onyx" it has to be the best book i have ever read. i had told a few people about just the short plot of it, and they went and got the book and read it all in one night. it IS the best book i have ever read, i love how much detail you put into it. from the color of kirts mjolnir armor to the names of al the Spartans,it is perfect.
Eric, I think it's great you give insights like this to the Halo universe you'ved helped foster. Got any more insider stories for us? ;)
This is the best book I have ever read. I hope more are made.
Oh and I have a question,could someone please tell me who the spartans on the cover are?
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