Sunday, January 1, 2012

Where I stand on No Going Back

This message is an edited version of an exchange I had yesterday with Publisher Toni. I figured I owed folks an update.

The short form is that the book is a mess but is now on the right track.

That does nothing, however, for scheduling, so let me now give you a longer form. I will finish just in time for the very last-minute deadlines, but that is all.

I have lots of reasons for this piss-poor deadline performance, but they all ring like excuses in my ears, so I won't bother with them. What really matters is that after a very long time I finally realized I was writing the wrong book, an unrelentingly bleak novel that I would not want to read. After figuring out why and figuring out how to do what I wanted while not creating such a book, I put myself back on track. It will be a sprint to finish even on the very last-minute schedule, but I can do it.

I apologize to all for this colossal fuck-up, but I am at least now confident that this will be a good book, one I would like to read and one that others will, I hope, like to read.

I must end by noting that Publisher Toni was, despite what had to be an inner tirade of justifiable cursing and frustration, completely and totally supportive. Writers sometimes ask why I stick with Baen and don't explore other options. Among many other reasons (and there are many), one stands tallest: Toni. She makes the company a family, and she puts up with all of its eccentric members, most certainly including me, and that is worth a very great deal indeed.

6 comments:

Michelle said...

You can do it and the book will be as amazing as the last four. We all have faith!

Mark said...

Thanks for the kind words and the support.

Anonymous said...

Ah, stop worrying, it will be great like all the others. Now get to work.....Happy New Year....Chris....

Mark said...

Thanks for the kind words, Chris. I can only hope so.

But, yes, back to work!

hdan said...

My wife and I both love your books. I'm sure this one will be just as enjoyable.

Though I have to admit, I keep picturing John as having the voice of Michael Weston. "When you're a nanotech-enhanced courier with a hyper-intelligent PCAV friend, sometimes violence IS your best option...". :)

Mark said...

Good one.

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