Nick Kyme

It’s perhaps poetic irony or a piece of cosmic synergy that I finish reading Infinite Crisis on my Android phone the moment my own ‘crisis’ emerges.

For those of you who don’t know, I’ve been wrestling with a crisis of confidence this past few weeks and it all really came to a head this bank holiday weekend. In two days when I should have been knocking out between 2,000 and 3,000 words, I did almost nothing. I just couldn’t get myself motivated and hit one of those appalling moments when everything you read that you’ve written just looks like the most abyssal shit ever.

‘Get some perspective,’ I hear you cry. You’re right of course and after getting back to work today and looking again in the cold light of dawn what I’ve done, I can say that Nocturneis looking fooking great. Naysayers can piss right off; I’m coming out fighting.

It’s funny, the first piece of advice I usually give to wannabe writers is ‘read’ and then ‘write’ (sounds obviously, doesn’t it?), but what I should really say, as a caveat to that sound if slightly useless arrow-pointing, is ‘believe’. You’ve got to believe in yourself and persevere. If you don’t – forget it now; you’re screwed mate. Sorry.

Weathering those slings and arrows is what it’s all about. In a world as big as ours (and yet so infinitesimal in the grander scheme), there are going to be some douche bags. It stands to reason. Don’t listen to them. Keep on moving. Up, up and away!

So, yeah, after some nice comments (thank you, people, from the bottom of my heart – and I really mean that), and a bit of pep talk, I’m back in the game.

I’m slogging through the finale to be honest, but that’s how it always goes. Getting over the finish line and getting started are the two toughest bits, only marginally harder to overcome than the midway slump and the first, second and third act mini-crisis. What can I say? It’s a bloody minefield. You work largely in isolation and don’t get chance to see how your best laid plans have fared against the enemy until it’s too late to change them. Welcome to being an author, baby.

I think the problem I’ve got with Nocturne right now is that I’m over the 100k mark and still don’t quite know when it’s going to end. I said to myself before I started, ‘I’m looking at 110,000 to 120,000 words here’. I still think that’s going to be the case but when you’ve had two deadline extensions and your pushing 105,000 with a bunch of stuff left to do you A) don’t want to rush it and B) will be kind of glad when it’s over.

It’s a question of ‘doing justice’, I think. There are so many characters to get in there, so many storylines I want to provide some kind of closure for as well as building to a fooking big dust-up between Dak’ir and Tsu’gan (those two have got to throw down, haven’t they?).

Considering this ‘work’ as a whole, and I say ‘work’ opposed to trilogy because of the sheer number of integral and interconnected short stories that I’ve written about and around the Tome of Fire, there’s no great surprise that rounding off this chapter, as it were, was going to be a challenge.

I want to do more, that much I do know. Graham has his Ultramarines and their multiple arcs, Dan has Gaunt’s Ghosts, Aaron’s got the Night Lords (still not ruled out an interconnected trilogy with those swines either, if ADB is up for it), I guess I have the Salamanders or at least my little bit of it.

Knowing what I know about the trilogy’s denouement, some thoughts are already starting to populate my brain with potential story strands embedded. Nothing concrete yet, not even an antagonist but some ideas none-the-less. It’ll probably be a while; I have some other books to write first, not least of which is the mainstream crime novel I promised myself. I’m about 10,000 words into that and committed to writing it when I head off into the wilds for another writer’s retreat next month.

So, yeah, rolling with the punches and coming back for another round. I’ve still got a little way to go on Nocturne but if I dig in I know I can put this monster to bed.

Take it easy.

I don’t know where you are in the world, hopefully it’s nice and sunny. Here in Nottingham, it’s pretty dreadful. It’s damp and rainy; not that invigorating sort of rain but the really limp, rubbish kind that just makes you feel kind of sad.

So, I’m still slogging away on Nocturne(I hope to Vulkan that people will like it – it’s nearing the end and I’m pretty much out of any useful objectivity on this project now). I’ve reached the 101,000 word mark and still have a lot to go. I’m thinking this will reach the 110 – 120,000 word mark (sorry, Christian – that’s my editor, by the way).

It’s tough and getting myself motivated for the sprint over the finish line isn’t easy. I don’t think I’ve ever so so bone-tired writing a novel. Even Firedrake with all the associated rubbish that was going on at the time wasn’t as tough as this. In all honesty, it’s making me wonder if all of this trauma is actually worth it.

Some good, bizarre news this week. I sort of (and I say this with a fairly huge amount of salt) became a NYT bestselling author. Well, I was in the collection Age of Darknessthat hit the list. I’m sure it’s nothing to the likes of some of the proper BL luminaries that have hit the list under their own steam with their own books, but for me it was kind of a big deal. Bwoop.

It seems Promethean Sun is finally reaching everyone who ordered a copy. I got mine last week if you can believe that. Thanks to everyone who said nice things about it and enjoyed it.

Fall of Damnos has gone to its second printing, which after only two months on sale is pretty awesome. I glad there are people enjoying it. To those who gripe about the story (i.e. there’s a lot of battling), I would just say: do one. The book’s obviously not for you (apologies – feeling slightly belligerent today).

As a writer, especially one who works for BL, you really do open yourself up to the blades of the public. A thick skin is essentially, especially if you have misguided leanings towards trawling blogs and forums, or reading reviews. My advice? Don’t do it. The nice stuff is kind of affirming and does spur you on, but the not so nice stuff just tends to piss you off and demotivate.

When you work full time like I do and are also trying to look after a house rabbit, clean up the house and have ‘a life’, there’s not a busting lot of time to actual be a writer. I really don’t need that time curtailing in any way by some douche bag who thinks Space Marines should only be written in a certain way or that his/her ideas about a certain race are the only valid ones and all others are rubbish. No thanks, mate – I haven’t got time to read/listen to that crap. Grr.

So today I’m writing what will hopefully be the last few chapters of Nocturne. The plan was to finish it by the end of the bank holiday but birthdays and a bit of much-needed socialising got in the way.

E3 kicks off very soon and though I sadly won’t be in LA to enjoy it, I am looking forward to reading/hearing/seeing some of the games that are heading up the show. Arkham City, Uncharted 3, Modern Warfare 3 and Gears of War 3 are probably my main draws but there’s bound to more stuff that’ll float my boat too.

On the fitness/training front (which I know some people ask me about from time to time), I’m on an occasional running schedule at the moment. I aim for about three times a week, roughly 5km per session. In Spring/Summer I usually run exclusively outdoors but I tried a new treadmill in the GW gym last week. It was quite a beast. I maxed it out at 12mph and ran for about 25 minutes (apparently the maximum time limit is 40 mins, so when I have a bit more time and are free of writing for a bit I’ll give this a go too).

In other fitness news, I plan to return to my running club the week after next. I figure this week is all about Nocturne and getting it finished. I’ve also just started swimming, which is bloody knackering. I’m pretty fast (ish) but my body is definitely not conditioned for this sort of exercise yet. Still, I’m going to stick it out until it is and enhance my all-round fitness that way.

Right, I’m going to make another cup of coffee and see if I can get kick started on the novel. Wish me luck.

PS Shakespeare rabbit is all well and good. He’s actually going to rabbit slimmers club on account of that fact that he was looking a little portly. Aside from being a scruff bag in need of a good brushing (my bad), he’s starting to look pretty svelte like his dad. He’s actually sad behind in the kitchen as I type.

It’s been a while. Sorry about that – I’m trying to get Nocturne finished and usually have to ‘go dark’ when I’m reaching deadline crunch-time. It’s 93,000 words and counting (still not totally sure how long this one is going to be).

Man, there is loads of stuff I want to blog about but simply don’t have the time so I’ll condense.

Just got an android phone and have started downloading comic books, amongst other app type stuff to my handset – how awesome is that! Seriously, I’m loving have some comic book action to keep me entertained on the train etc. Woot and, indeed, bwoop!

Thanks to everyone who has sent me Facebook messages, posted blog reviews and the like for Fall of Damnos. I was dismayed the other day to see a bit of a stinker for it on Amazon.co.uk. The guy’s entitled to his opinion but can’t help thinking he totally missed the point. However, on the other side of the pond in the good old US of A, it’s going great guns, so thanks for ramping up its average to a very healthy 4.5 stars. Seriously though peeps, if you really enjoyed the book and think folks like you will enjoy it too then please put a review up (and I’m really talking to the UK readers here).

I’m having a short break from the writing today to go and see Pirates of the Carribean 4. I’m expecting it to be average, so let’s hope that I’m pleasantly surprised.

I know that folks are miffed about Promethean Sun and all the hoo-har and general crapness regards packaging, when it was released, getting orders to customers, postage and packaging charges and all that jazz. I’m pissed off too. What I want is for everyone to be able to enjoy this book as much as I did writing it. There’s more coming from me re: 30k Salamanders. I deliberately trod a bit lightly, revelation-wiser, with Promethean Sun because it was only going to be available to a relatively short number of the readership and didn’t think it was fair that fans missed out on anything hugely essential. So, yeah, basically – I hear your pain and totally sympathise. Nuff said.

Really getting into Game of Thrones right now. Very cool show with humongous production values. It’s obviously worthy of a much longer post later on, but for now let’s just say I like it a lot.

Signings over the next few months will see me in Chicago for USGD and Northern Ireland at GW Belfast. I’ve also got a trip to Travelling Man in York and associated GW stuff throughout the year. More on those as I know about them. Of course, I’ll be at UKGD too with Nocturne.

Okies – that’s the door (it really is), so ta, ta for now. I’m off to watch some pirates. Yarr!

(Apologies for typos – didn’t have time to spellcheck!)