Pitching instincts
Good evening blog fans. So, here it is then, the first of the ‘request blogs’ – this one is on pitching instincts. Specifically mine and, I guess, in general.
Apparently, this question came about through something I once said during a seminar session at BL Live (don’t think I parted with any such dubious pearls of wisdom at this year’s event – which was awesome by the way – but who knows…).
In response to a query about advice for pitching short stories, I supposedly said (and I only er on caution because I don’t remember saying this) something along the lines of: Cool. Space Marine. Story.
Hmm… a tad myopic perhaps, but it does illustrate a salient point. Pitch what sells. Yep, that’s right, think commercially people and try and divorce yourself from the petty or selfish urge to tell a particular story about the fish men of Aquapolis or that Fimir short, Ratling sniper novella (actually, that’d be pretty cool) or the weird Brothers of Obscurity Chapter you saw once in a box out in White Dwarf.
It’s highly like there’s only one person who wants to read that, and it’s the person pitching it. Or their mum. Or their mates (who are crap judges of your work and pitches, so don’t really on their feedback. For a tummy tickle and a feather plumping, sure, that’s nice but for good, honest to bejesus critique, get a stranger or a pro to do it). Tops.
I know, I’ve seen it time and again. Heard it time and again. It sounds harsh, but if you want to be a writer you need A) a bloody thick skin and B) the ability to see beyond the extent of your own navel.
Right, that’s the tough love out of the way.
Here comes the contradiction.
You should totally write and pitch what you’re passionate about.
‘Huh?’ you’re saying. ‘Didn’t he just tell me to scrap that kroot detective story?’
*sound of tearing paper and hair being pulled out*
Yeah, I did. What I am saying is, find yourself a commercial idea that you can be passionate about and pitch that. Hopefully, it’ll mean you won’t over egg the cake either. I have lost count of the number of over complicated, over detailed submissions I’ve read through. Man, it is hard work and I really don’t have time to read through a whole bunch of stuff because said pitcher thinks it’s essential to the plot.
It isn’t.
And if you still think it is, you’re waaay too close to your piece and should step away immediately or this’ll be the only thing you ever try, and fail, to write.
Don’t be precious, be clever and pitch something we will like.
Reinventing the wheel or trying to pitch outside the genre is a mistake too. Show us the archetype but give them something interesting in their character that makes me take notice. Oh, and this is pulp sf, not some existential treatise on the nature of war or any of that load of old bollocks. If that’s what you want to write then you’re barking up the wrong treehouse. That isn’t to say that what you write shouldn’t have depth but a spade is a spade, and ours usually have a mag of bullets locked and loaded into them.
Be clear. If you’re not and can’t describe your story concept in a line (two max!) then we probably won’t look at it or like it.
When you’re a bit more established as a writer it does get easier. You do develop an instinct for what works and what doesn’t. Even go was far to consider would your idea work as a series. Could this fledgling short story blossom into an all singing, all dancing mega trilogy with audio dramas, novellas and the lot. Think about scope, but rather potential scope and not the scope of the piece in its own right – you’re getting into over complication and unwieldy plotting again if you do that.
There was a supplementary question appended to the one about pitching instincts (and once again a lot of this boils down to having a good commercial head on your shoulders, and knowing just what it is that your prospective publisher publishes). It concerned whether I get any pitching black spots, where whatever I suggest gets shot down and I’m locked in a dirty funk.
The short answer is: no. At least not yet. Thing is, I know what ranges BL produces. So do you, by the way, it’s articulated in the books that come out every month. Let’s just say if you pitch a story that ties in to Space Marine Battles or Warhammer Heroes, there’s a good chance it’ll get some consideration (especially if you can write and have a decent idea that’s based on a popular part of the background – can’t help you if the first part is deficient but the second one is easy: just read lots and pay attention to the races that get most attention from your fellow hobbyists).
As a writer, I’m already thinking about the next Salamanders series. I can do this because I’ve already put in the hard yards with pitching what was a commercial trilogy that I shored up with lots of short stories and other projects. I’ve got some Space Marine Battles ideas too (one, admittedly, that I had to re-purpose slightly in the light of resistance from our sales and marketing guys).
Re-purposing your story ideas is an interesting concept, and something I might leave for another blog post. You might have a great idea but the setting and context makes it not viable because it isn’t very commercial. What if you take that idea and frame it differently, in a different context. Fireborn started life as a Warhammer short story idea, believe it or not.
I do have a slightly leftfield idea circling around my shell-like. It’s not as commercial as Salamanders, I don’t think, but it is a wicked concept and the context in which it is set is extremely commercial. Certainly, there’s enough there for my editor to take a punt.
I don’t know if this really answers the pitching question. I hope there’s something of interest in what I’ve said.
Okay then, so what’s next?
Nick Kyme is an editor and author who originally hails from Grimsby, a small town on the east coast of England.
March 6th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Hi Mister Kyme
First of all thank you to take your time answering our question . Your point of view for those who want to wrote novel seems to be a clever one : never surrender but face reality .
Here is my question : In the W40K Novel (especially the HH books ) it seems that the different writer had given name of a special culture for the different legion of the Astartes or of some Imperial Army regiment . Some sound like Roman , Egyptian , babylonian even Japanese .
I wanted to know how the author decide which culture will fit to a Legion / Regiment ? Especially for those which are not well known , such the Salamanders , Iron Warrior or the Iron Hands .
And a bonus question : I am French and I never seen a Legion/Regiment or a character which name sound a little bit french . Do you know if any writer of the BL is thinking of that ?
I’ve already dream of a Vilain (like a supra-ennemy in the James Bond way ) whose name will remind me my perfid country or its historical figure ( like Vauban , Gilles de Rais , Philippe-Auguste or even Cyrano de Bergerac )
Anyway thanks to take your time for your fans .
Mes amitiés sincères.
March 6th, 2012 at 6:50 pm
You didn’t say it during a seminar. It was on the official BL forums, in response to a gathering of people who, having flustered themselves upon reading the title ‘Heroes of the Space Marines’, wanted to know if heroism itself was something they should be examining through the medium of ceramite-clad champions. Your response was longer than the four words I recalled, but those summed up the calming simplicity of your message.
We were a hysterical bunch back then. How times change…
This is a great answer. I’m probably going to have to bookmark it, and re-read it once a month. The dirty funk is far too familiar to me.
March 6th, 2012 at 8:41 pm
Fission, although the Ultramarines have plenty that could be termed as ‘Roman’ about them, I believe the name of their primarch Roboute Guilliman was inspired by French, to suggest a chivalric knight and all the qualities such a warrior would hold dear.
March 8th, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Ok Mister Greene , perhaps for an english people it sounds french , but for us (the froggies ) it didn’t
March 8th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Great piece, advice makes a lot of sense. I’ve seen folks talking about submissions featuring new races and new places that only seem to have a tenuous connection to the mainstream Imperium, never really saw what the aim of that was tbh. If you’re going to go that road, doesn’t seem much point submitting it to BL – would seem more appealing to work up your own original background and submit it to someone else or self-publish with Amazon and the likes.
Speaking of submissions and what BL do and don’t like, any thoughts on the viability of Necromunda material? I know they published a range of novels from yourself and others a few years back, plus a bunch of short stories by Mr Green here and other folks – I see they’ve just re-released that material in another omnibus in the past few days. That said, it’s presumably not bread-and-butter stuff for BL – I’m thinking Necromunda fiction wouldn’t make for good pitches so much as Space Marine/Guard material?
March 9th, 2012 at 6:51 pm
I’d suggest avoiding Necromunda. It had a limited life when it first came out and beyond the Direct omnibus editions we’re not planning on reviving it anytime soon. I think your time would be better spent on Space Marines and Imperial Guard, as you say.
Hope that helps.
March 11th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
Definitely, that confirms what I expected alright, thanks. If nothing else, I hadn’t noticed any Necromunda work appearing in Hammer & Bolter, which I’d assume would be the case if it was being kept alive on the back burner.
March 12th, 2012 at 8:43 pm
Hey nick ive got a question and i can think of know one better then you to answer it (if gw allow you too of course). So here it is:
What does Vulkan look like? Is he Caucasian like his father and brothers or have charcoal black skin and red eyes like his sons? And will we ever see a picture of him?
ok maybe more then one question
keep up the good work nick and i can’t wait for the great betrayal.
March 14th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Great read sir.
Your insight, words of wisdom are both entertaining and helpful. Thankyou!
Although I have never thought of writing in my adult life, I “bookmarked” myself as more of a numbers guy than a creative one. Although I have found recently the feeing that I need to write something. This has come about a new years resolution to play less video games and read a novel atleast every fortnight.
So keep the blogs coming.. Like Ive said before, keep writing and I’ll keep reading.
Cheers
March 20th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
hey nick!
You might remember me from BL Live 2012 I was the one who asked you about the Marines Malevolent. I was looking for your e-mail address, I had a draft for something cool I was working on I was wondering if I could e-mail it to you so you could give me a bit of professional feedback on it? cheers
March 25th, 2012 at 10:01 am
Hi Vijay,
First of all, hello again and hope you had a great time at BLL (seems like ages ago now). It’s also great that you’re pursuing some story ideas about the Marines Malevolent – awesome. Sadly, I don’t/can’t really pass comment on synopses etc (at least not outside of my job at BL as an editor). I would honestly love to, but if I did it for one person, I’d have to do it for everyone and then I’d never get any writing done as I’d be giving feedback all the time on other writers’ work. I hope you understand and that’s okay. I’m sure if you submitted your ideas to the BL submissions window and requested feedback then our very talented subs editor would be able to provide some guidance. Of course, it might be that your story is great already, in which case I’ll see you in the pages of an anthology or novel sometime. Again, I hope that’s okay and makes sense. It’s just a rule I have (that most writers have, I think). Best of luck.
March 25th, 2012 at 10:02 am
That question might not be that long in getting answered, to be honest. Can’t say more than that but you will get to find out…
March 25th, 2012 at 7:29 pm
@fission:
i am pretty sure the ultramarines are supposed to represent some sort of french “attitudes”…
they are the most talented tactitians (remember the little crazy guy which said he would never lose:))
they are probably the best artisans of all SM chapters and lust but not least the german version of the ultramarines primarchs name is spelled as follows:
Roboute Guillaume
that looks much “frenchier” to me then the english version.
@mr. kyme:
i suppose you could shorten your thoughts to one sentnence… allways start lose and messy…
that is said about painting pictures and/or comics and i think there is trueth in it for creating stories, too.
March 26th, 2012 at 5:22 am
@b3e : thank you sir for the answer , it’s much more comprehensive forr me now . I didn’t know for the german name , but who decide to change the name ? Perhaps they were afraid of the jewish sound of the name Guilliman .
Thanks for your time , and also to Mr Greene
March 26th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
Ok cool no worries!
Just a cheeky look at my word count, over 33,000 words mwa ha ha! >:) (Not the marines malevolent one the other one im working on – Ahrimans thousand sons)
trololololol