Update on What I (Brent) am Doing

[Brent Weeks]

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

[Darth Victory]

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

[KillingOurAngel]

as far as i know with the movie thing, Brent has to give consent for the final release, if he dont like it, it dont go out, either that, or i am sadly mistaken

[Milo]

Unfortunately I really doubt that is the case, as long as Mr Weeks has sold the movie rights to the studio they can do whatever they want.

[ishraque]

Hey Brent thanks alot for the update. I am a bit sad, that it will take you longer to get back to Midcyru because I am anxiously waiting how, and if, you will bring Vi and Kylar get closer together and make them fall in love with one another, because I just love the pairing alot. However, I am really excited and looking forward to BP trilogy and I will be sure to buy it when it comes out. I sincerely hope they dont screw up the movie like how they did with Christpher Paolini's book Eragon but thank you for explaining how things work out in Hollywood and I believe even if you dont sell a bizillion copies, your books sold quite well, I know all my mates loved your book:) I also, believe if they do it properly, this movie could be amazing. Good Luck with your work on BP

[Malus DarkBlade]

Erm speaking of French Covers. I've lost the discussion about this but let me say that, if they were brought in english I, personally, would buy the whole trilogy again. Doing that would bring you to your first banzillion Brent. I think this whole site would buy them again with those covers.

[Lucas Harris]

"I think this whole site would buy them again with those covers."


confirmed

[Conor Walker]

Seconded.

[[e]LiFaN[t]™©]

ditto!

[Brent Weeks]

Thanks. I love the French covers too, and I actually did float the idea of a limited release of the French covers on English-language books. I think that both my French and my American/English editor thought it was a good idea--but not yet.

It's a marketing thing. I'm new, so I think they don't want to mess up sort of the Brent Weeks brand. The English language covers (love them or hate them) are pretty striking. I think they don't want to switch tracks after only one year and confuse all the sales people, book sellers, and random folks who won't understand why the cover is different--is the book different? Should I buy this "new" Brent Weeks book for my son because he liked the first 3 so much? Etcetera. I think my publisher thinks switching to a new cover now would confuse and irritate people more than make them delighted.

There are also business hoops to jump through for my English editors to acquire the art, which might be easy, might be a headache.

So the best I can say is that it might happen _someday_. A few years out at least. The good news is that both editors do like the idea--just not now. (I know, I'm sad too, but it makes sense to me.)

[[e]LiFaN[t]™©]

well tbh i prefer the english covers....but the french is pretty awesome and i would buy them if they were to release them here in english.....

[E.J. Niedzielski]

Yeah here it is- http://brentweeks.ning.com/forum/topics/french-covers
that would be so awesome if they came out in the U.S.

[Exis]

Id third it, been wanting to get those covers ever since I saw the first one.

Heh I hope this Cam guy does a good job. Did anyone see the fightscenes in twilight? I havn't seen the movie but on the MTV movie awards it won best fight scene and was BY FAR the most unrealistic/stupid.

I find it hard to see the books done justice, but its not any of our decision and I can appreciate why Brent did it. It must be hard to risk your creation being sold out like that. I hope all goes well.