For fans of The Night Angel Trilogy and fantasy author Brent Weeks
Update on What I (Brent) am Doing
Hey, just posted this elsewhere, but thought I'd put in someplace easy to find that wouldn't get buried:
Here's my update on book and movie stuff as of 5 September 2009 (today):
I had said that the _earliest_ we'd get another Midcyru book was 2011, because I was going to write Black Prism first. But it seems I--and I hope you, too--like lots of plot twists and deep characters. So Black Prism has blossomed from one stand alone book into a trilogy. The first book of Black Prism (sorry, don't have good titles yet) _should_ be published in late 2010. That's if things go as I think they will. Right now I'm 124,000 words into the novel, first draft, and I expect it to be 140- to 150,000 words. (Maybe a smidge shorter than The Way of Shadows.)
I'm busting my butt to get this book done on time--I'm writing six days a week and have been for most of this year. Today, a Saturday, I wrote 1,700 words (a good day), and now I'm trying to cruise the forums a bit and answer emails. These are things I really enjoy doing, but they do take time and energy. But my main priority is to make Black Prism awesome. The fact is, I don't get paid until I hand in this book, and I don't get paid the rest of my advance until the book is published, so I have a financial incentive to just get the #$%# thing done and on the shelves. BUT, I'm not going to let it go until it rocks and I'm proud of it. I hope I can do that quickly, and I've already got a huge list of things I need to fix in draft two, but every book is different. Also, the publishing process--parts that are totally out of my hands--is brutally slow. Then there are parts that I have no choice about: Joe Abercrombie noted recently that even though his next book would be ready to publish around Christmas time of next year that his publisher didn't want him to get buried by all the huge writers who publish around that time, so his book would be out maybe February. Seriously, Christmas is like a feeding frenzy because so many books are bought around then--but it's hard to get shelf space or get anyone to pay attention when all the huge books are released then, so it's a marketing decision that each company makes for itself. You might publish then and move a lot of copies (or not), but if you publish in February, maybe your author will hit the NYT best seller list--because there aren't that many other new huge books to compete against, and then your author's NEXT book will have a chance to be considered a big dog and grab more shelf space. See? It's a gamble, and it's one the author has nothing to do with. Orbit may well choose to publish me in the Christmas season of 2010, but if I get the book to them late and they don't think they can mobilize the sales momentum they need, they might decide to postpone it. Again, lots of things I have nothing to do with can affect this timeline.
So, basically, I'm working hard, I think I'm on schedule, but it's a creative endeavor, and I can't make promises about every part of the process. I think you'll love this trilogy I'm working on, so I hope after you read the first book you won't be disappointed that it's going to take a little longer to get back to Midcyru--which I do still plan to do after BP! So the best I can do is to keep you updated, which I'll try to do as things happen and as I _can_ talk about them.
One last update: MOVIE stuff: I recently sold the movie rights to the Way of Shadows to Cam Gigandet (the OC, Twilight, Never Back Down, and a _ton_ of upcoming stuff). Cam has been on set, so we haven't had a chance to chat, though I expect to perhaps next week. At that time, I'll be able to give more details, and as things progress--if they do--I'll post more updates when I can. I guess my biggest thought that I want to share about this is that unless you're JK Rowling or Tolkien and have sold a bazillion copies, you're low man on the totem pole in Hollywood. I have not sold a bazillion copies. I will help the project in any way I can, and obviously I have high hope and I do believe the movie(s) could be awesome, but the fact is that they can tell me to go away and they can abuse my baby if they want to. As a non-bazillionaire author, you have one choice when Hollywood comes knocking: yes, or no. I've also written some scripts in my day (not good ones, it's a totally different art, and one I didn't master, unless something ridiculous happens, I won't be writing a NA script), and I understand that a movie is a different art than a novel. A Night Angel movie will have to focus the story and, yes, change it some. If I wrote it myself I would do that. I'm comfortable with that. I mean, visual arts like painting are different from a novel, too. Does the cover of my books--even the French, more narrative cover--encapsulate ALL that is in the books? No, not even close. But are they awesome nonetheless? Yes, I think so. So I'm quite hopeful that we--or Cam, rather--is going to gather a team that is passionate about this story, and will do everything they can to make it awesome. Again, if I can help in that, I will. There are things a movie just can't do as well as a novel--if it could, I'd be a screenwriter instead of a novelist. On the other hand, there are some things a movie can do that a novel can't. Imagine some of the fight scenes and magic on screen. That's pretty stinking cool, huh?
Anyway, that's what's going on. I've figured I need to finish my rough draft by the end of this month, so I hope you'll forgive me if I'm not on this forum too much in the next month or so. Or if you've emailed me, it might be even longer before I'll get back to you. I'll let you know as things happen, and thank you all for all of the encouragement. You're awesome, and you make my job way more fun than I have any right to. Thank you.
-brent
Here's my update on book and movie stuff as of 5 September 2009 (today):
I had said that the _earliest_ we'd get another Midcyru book was 2011, because I was going to write Black Prism first. But it seems I--and I hope you, too--like lots of plot twists and deep characters. So Black Prism has blossomed from one stand alone book into a trilogy. The first book of Black Prism (sorry, don't have good titles yet) _should_ be published in late 2010. That's if things go as I think they will. Right now I'm 124,000 words into the novel, first draft, and I expect it to be 140- to 150,000 words. (Maybe a smidge shorter than The Way of Shadows.)
I'm busting my butt to get this book done on time--I'm writing six days a week and have been for most of this year. Today, a Saturday, I wrote 1,700 words (a good day), and now I'm trying to cruise the forums a bit and answer emails. These are things I really enjoy doing, but they do take time and energy. But my main priority is to make Black Prism awesome. The fact is, I don't get paid until I hand in this book, and I don't get paid the rest of my advance until the book is published, so I have a financial incentive to just get the #$%# thing done and on the shelves. BUT, I'm not going to let it go until it rocks and I'm proud of it. I hope I can do that quickly, and I've already got a huge list of things I need to fix in draft two, but every book is different. Also, the publishing process--parts that are totally out of my hands--is brutally slow. Then there are parts that I have no choice about: Joe Abercrombie noted recently that even though his next book would be ready to publish around Christmas time of next year that his publisher didn't want him to get buried by all the huge writers who publish around that time, so his book would be out maybe February. Seriously, Christmas is like a feeding frenzy because so many books are bought around then--but it's hard to get shelf space or get anyone to pay attention when all the huge books are released then, so it's a marketing decision that each company makes for itself. You might publish then and move a lot of copies (or not), but if you publish in February, maybe your author will hit the NYT best seller list--because there aren't that many other new huge books to compete against, and then your author's NEXT book will have a chance to be considered a big dog and grab more shelf space. See? It's a gamble, and it's one the author has nothing to do with. Orbit may well choose to publish me in the Christmas season of 2010, but if I get the book to them late and they don't think they can mobilize the sales momentum they need, they might decide to postpone it. Again, lots of things I have nothing to do with can affect this timeline.
So, basically, I'm working hard, I think I'm on schedule, but it's a creative endeavor, and I can't make promises about every part of the process. I think you'll love this trilogy I'm working on, so I hope after you read the first book you won't be disappointed that it's going to take a little longer to get back to Midcyru--which I do still plan to do after BP! So the best I can do is to keep you updated, which I'll try to do as things happen and as I _can_ talk about them.
One last update: MOVIE stuff: I recently sold the movie rights to the Way of Shadows to Cam Gigandet (the OC, Twilight, Never Back Down, and a _ton_ of upcoming stuff). Cam has been on set, so we haven't had a chance to chat, though I expect to perhaps next week. At that time, I'll be able to give more details, and as things progress--if they do--I'll post more updates when I can. I guess my biggest thought that I want to share about this is that unless you're JK Rowling or Tolkien and have sold a bazillion copies, you're low man on the totem pole in Hollywood. I have not sold a bazillion copies. I will help the project in any way I can, and obviously I have high hope and I do believe the movie(s) could be awesome, but the fact is that they can tell me to go away and they can abuse my baby if they want to. As a non-bazillionaire author, you have one choice when Hollywood comes knocking: yes, or no. I've also written some scripts in my day (not good ones, it's a totally different art, and one I didn't master, unless something ridiculous happens, I won't be writing a NA script), and I understand that a movie is a different art than a novel. A Night Angel movie will have to focus the story and, yes, change it some. If I wrote it myself I would do that. I'm comfortable with that. I mean, visual arts like painting are different from a novel, too. Does the cover of my books--even the French, more narrative cover--encapsulate ALL that is in the books? No, not even close. But are they awesome nonetheless? Yes, I think so. So I'm quite hopeful that we--or Cam, rather--is going to gather a team that is passionate about this story, and will do everything they can to make it awesome. Again, if I can help in that, I will. There are things a movie just can't do as well as a novel--if it could, I'd be a screenwriter instead of a novelist. On the other hand, there are some things a movie can do that a novel can't. Imagine some of the fight scenes and magic on screen. That's pretty stinking cool, huh?
Anyway, that's what's going on. I've figured I need to finish my rough draft by the end of this month, so I hope you'll forgive me if I'm not on this forum too much in the next month or so. Or if you've emailed me, it might be even longer before I'll get back to you. I'll let you know as things happen, and thank you all for all of the encouragement. You're awesome, and you make my job way more fun than I have any right to. Thank you.
-brent
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Shadow Wolf on -
Hi Brent! thanks for the update, we really appreciate you taking the time out to even check on this place. So no need to apologise. I was wondering if you were able to at least tell us what genre Black Prism will fall into? will it be Science fiction or fantasy, etc? I cannot remember if you have mentioned this before, sorry. If not, I'm still hanging for it. My husband and I are looking forward to whatever you put out, that's how much we loved The Night Angel trilogy.
I doubt you remember this, but in November 2008 you emailed me about the fan art contest... well I never did make that deadline even though you gave me an extension... I would love a little push to finish it, still have to do the inking, so will there be any up coming fan art contests again? :P
Good luck with the writing, it sounds like you're working your butt off.
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Permalink Reply by Brynweir on -
I'm fairly certain that he said somewhere that Black Prism will be fantasy - Lots of magic and sword fights. I believe he has mentioned several times that he is developing a new (kickass) system of magic specifically for Black Prism - maybe said on Twitter.
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Permalink Reply by Shadow Wolf on
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Ah ok, thanks Brynweir. I don't use Twitter so I would of completely missed that and i wasn't sure if he already mentioned it here.
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Permalink Reply by Brent Weeks on -
Yeah, Black Prism will be fantasy with lots more magic than at least The Way of Shadows had. Set in an alternate world, of course, very different from Midcyru and different from ours, too. But it is a bit reminiscent of about 1500 AD Mediterranean areas. So, rudimentary firearms, swords, and magic.
Which is about as cool of a thing as I could think of. ;)
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Permalink Reply by KillingOurAngel on -
Hello Brent, thanks again for the permission on the mention of your book in my own, if i get it published, i certainly hope it will get you some more cash, i loved the end of "Beyond The Shadows" i am currently working on painting an art piece based on the books, so far it has the seven Ka'kari's curoch, iures, and a broken heart with an arrow through it, along with the names of every character i see important in the books, thank you for producing 4 months of happiness and something to look forward to for me, you have forever changed me, and touched something inside that bring's my writing to a better place
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Permalink Reply by Josh on -
You loved the ending, I literally just finished it lol. And I want more. : ) I'm always glad at the end of an awesome series, but sad because I don't want it to end.
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Permalink Reply by KillingOurAngel on
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you should add referances to ancient rome and greece
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Permalink Reply by Aum Thanki on -
It sounds Awsome! i can't wait to pre-order it. I am expecting big things though! i have faith in you Brent ;) Don't let us down! (which i HIGHLY doubt you will) ;) :D
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Permalink Reply by Justin G on -
I think a NA movie would be kick @$$!!!! I know they will change the story a bit, but it is such a good story that it would be hard to make it a bad movie
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Permalink Reply by Silence's Death on
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did you read the Inheritance cycle by chirstopher paolini? They royally screwed that one up in the movie.
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Permalink Reply by Silence's Death on
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Unfortunateally thats most likely what will happen to an NA Movie.
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Permalink Reply by Darth Victory on -
Hey Brent, thanks for the update. Just wanted to say that it doesn't matter how long it takes for your next books to come out, I'll still be there. I think the movie will be great (if they don't kick you off the set =P ) even if they chaneg the story a little.
Go the Night Angels
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