First Book Friday: Erik Scott de Bie
Welcome to First Book Friday, with today’s special guest star, Erik Scott de Bie.
Normally I write the introductions here, but I loved what Erik had on his site, so I’m stealing it! (Either that or I’m too busy prepping for Confusion to come up with something. You be the judge…)
“In his free time, Erik stalks the streets of London clad in black, storms the ancient castles of Scotland, and faces French fire-dancers on warm midnights along the Seine. He has stared Death in her pretty face, vanquished his greatest nemesis in the name of true love, and earned some rather spectacular saber scars. (You should’ve seen the other guy.)”
Also, he writes books.
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My first novel, Ghostwalker [Amazon | B&N | Mysterious Galaxy], is a product of several fortunate coincidences and a lot of hard work, but it stands on a foundation of one simple character flaw: I am a geek.
I got into D&D around age 10, and I almost immediately started writing all sorts of adventures, character backgrounds, and even stories. My first long fiction — the background of my character Whisper, an elf rogue in the Forgotten Realms setting (coincidentally) — I wrote at 13. It was supposed to be 10 pages and ended up being 45. I knew at that point that writing was what I wanted to do.[1. Jim’s note: My first few stories came about in a very similar way, actually.]
This led into my favorite pastime, which was writing. When lots of kids my age were trying anything to avoid writing, I was shut up in my room typing away on my computer. I took inspiration from all sorts of novels, TV, and films — I would always ask myself how I would have done that ending differently. My work was awful, of course (my wife managed to get a hold of a disk of some of it, which she keeps as blackmail), but I kept at it, building and practicing and honing. I wrote about one novel a year between the time I was 14 and, well, now.
I never even thought about submitting any of it for publication, though–for me, this was just a fun pastime, which I would occasionally share with my friends and family. Then in college, I went through a serious health crisis, and it gave me the little kick-in-the-butt of urgency I needed to give it a shot. I sent a 10-page sample to Wizards of the Coast, and got a very nice rejection letter from Phil Athans and Peter Archer (with handwritten notes), who encouraged me to submit more in the future. This was big for me.
Less than a year later came the Maiden of Pain open-call, for a novel in a Forgotten Realms series about priests of various deities. My submission was not really a “priestly” novel, but more of a “fighter-y” tale. They didn’t buy that one, but they kept me in mind for another limited call that they were going to do later, for one novel in the Fighters series, and one in the Wizards series. I remember they mailed it to my parents, rather than to me (as I was in college, I listed my permanent address as theirs), and my dad immediately called me to read me the entirety of the letter: I could submit for one book or the other, and it would be a story based on either a Fighters prestige class or a Wizards signature spell. I listened to the story options, and I couldn’t get past the third entry on the Fighters list: Ghostwalker. Everything clicked for me, and I knew that was the one I had to do.
I think writers don’t write for the money, or the fame, or the glory, or anything like that. I think when it comes down to it, writers write because they need to write. There’s something in them that begs, wheedles, and demands to get out, and woe to the writer who doesn’t listen.
I had the entire story formed in the next two days, the proposal sent off within the week or so, and I just started writing the novel. In a sense, I knew that I would get the contract, but to an extent, I didn’t care if I didn’t. Which is not to say it wouldn’t have sucked if I didn’t get it (because it would have), but it was just the story I needed to tell, and so I did. Writing that novel took into account so many things that I’d gone through in my life and was going through at the time: movies, books, philosophy, music, my health, romance, and just . . . life. How could I not write it?
I was overjoyed to get the contract officially signed (and I was very angsty about getting it signed and executed and all the paperwork taken care of), which I expressed for all of an hour, before I got back to writing chapter nine.
I’m very happy with how the novel turned out, and I stand by it today as one of the best things I’ve written. There are some things I could do better, of course, and my style has evolved a great deal over the many books (some of them published!) that I’ve written since then, but I think it stands as a great introduction to my style. If you like this one, there’s a good chance you’ll like what I’ve come out with since.
P.S. For Ghostwalker’s five-year anniversary of being in print (which is pretty cool!), I actually did a retrospective on the novel over at my website. Readers can get in touch with me there, at my blog, find me on Facebook or Twitter, or drop me an email at erikscottdebie AT yahoo DOT com.
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Erik Scott de Bie
January 21, 2011 @ 10:23 am
Thanks Jim!
(Note to the editor: Typo in paragraph 4, where I mean “serious,” not “series.”) 😀
Cheers
Jim C. Hines
January 21, 2011 @ 10:26 am
Missed that when I prepped it. Fixed now.
And thanks for sharing your story!
zollmaniac
January 21, 2011 @ 10:31 am
“I think writers don’t write for the money, or the fame, or the glory, or anything like that. I think when it comes down to it, writers write because they need to write. There’s something in them that begs, wheedles, and demands to get out, and woe to the writer who doesn’t listen.”
I’m surprised at how many writers forget this very simple truth and I always have to wonder about those who complain about writing. I know writing isn’t an easy or simple thing, but it should be fun and enjoyable when you’re doing it. Not a burden.
Thanks for the post! It was a great read.
Jim C. Hines
January 21, 2011 @ 10:35 am
Some days it’s fun and enjoyable. Some days it’s a burden. Some days I want to break things.
It reminds me of something Chief Grand Master said in karate, talking about the study and practice of Sanchin-Ryu. Personally, I have a lot of fun with karate, but he pointed out (and I’m paraphrasing) that sooner or later, you’ll hit a point where it’s not fun anymore. If you only do it when it’s fun, you’re never going to get very far.
Also, different writers are different. Some write for fun. Some write because if they don’t they can’t pay their mortgage. Most write for multiple reasons.
zollmaniac
January 21, 2011 @ 10:45 am
If they’re only writing so they can pay their mortgage, then they’re probably in the wrong profession. Granted, it may be too late for many to switch, but if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, then why are you doing it?
I guess what I see typically is people ALWAYS complaining about how much of a burden it is to write or acting like its some form of homework from school. When you look back on your work, after all that hard work is done, you should remember the time as a happy time. Not one that induces headaches and makes you not look forward to your next adventure.
I don’t have Karate as an example, but when I was younger, I played basketball in High School. I absolutely loved basketball, but I dreaded going to practice and sometimes it felt like a burden to me. In the end though, when I look back, I get that same sense of love as when I was still playing. In the end, I did quit playing, but because I was losing my love for it the more I played.
Jim C. Hines
January 21, 2011 @ 10:53 am
“If they’re only writing so they can pay their mortgage…”
So is it better to be unemployed than to do a job you don’t love?
Also, I know very, very few people who *only* write to pay their mortgage.
Where are you seeing all of these people complaining about writing?
zollmaniac
January 21, 2011 @ 11:05 am
“Where are you seeing all of these people complaining about writing?”
Granted, these complaints are mostly heard from those who think they want to be writers (usually for the wrong reasons), but I’ve heard it from even currently published writers. The worst place I hear it from is NANO and I heard it a lot while I was taking writing classes from other students (young and old).
“So is it better to be unemployed than to do a job you don’t love?”
Is it better to resent your life while being employed? I think people could argue that question either way. My personal choice is to not be unemployed, but I’m working towards a goal that will – hopefully – lead to me doing what I love full-time.
Erik Scott de Bie
January 21, 2011 @ 11:12 am
To clarify what I was initially saying, I believe AT HEART writers write because they have to–it’s just a part of them that demands to be sated.
As to the actual physical demands of the moment, of course writers write to pay mortgages, grocery bills, and college tuitions. And of course some writers do it for the fame and recognition of their peers and fans. I am not at all meaning to imply that writers shouldn’t be interested in the money or the recognition–to a very real extent, writers need to be paid because not only does it allow them to keep writing, but it also gives them the space and encouragement to be better writers.
Consider the difference between these scenarios: You produce a product (let’s say a clay pot) for a stranger. In scenario A, the stranger says “meh,” takes the pot, and gives you a couple bucks. In scenario B, the stranger says “Wow! That’s great! When can I get more?” and pays you what the pot is worth (or more). Under which scenario are you being encouraged to produce more pots–and under which scenario do you have more money so you can buy materials and afford the time to work on the pots?
What I was saying was that I think ultimately, a writer starts writing (and perseveres at it, in spite of all the difficulties and hurdles in his or her path) because it’s a basic human necessity. I write, therefore I am. You know?
Cheers
Jim C. Hines
January 21, 2011 @ 11:12 am
Fair enough. Given that I’d lose the house my family lives in, not to mention the health insurance that keeps me alive and allows my wife to function, unemployment isn’t an option here.
I’d be curious as to what you’re reading from published writers. I complain about the writing too. Sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes it’s painful. Sometimes it frustrates the everliving snot out of me. That doesn’t mean I don’t love it.
With would-be writers, one phenomenon that’s fairly common is that a lot of people don’t actually want to write. They want to have written. Discovering that these are two separate things, and that the former is a prerequisite of the latter, can be a bit of a shock 🙂
Erik Scott de Bie
January 21, 2011 @ 11:16 am
“With would-be writers, one phenomenon that’s fairly common is that a lot of people don’t actually want to write. They want to have written. Discovering that these are two separate things, and that the former is a prerequisite of the latter, can be a bit of a shock”
^^^Well said, Jim.
Which is not meant to discourage would-be writers from writing. We can all do with a little soul-searching from time to time, and ruthless honesty with oneself.
If you’re not writing because you want to–*have to*–write, then you’re in for a world of hurt and heartache. Because trust me, the hits will keep coming, and if you don’t really love it, you’ll quit. And you should, because life is just too short.
Cheers
Jim C. Hines
January 21, 2011 @ 11:18 am
I suspect there are some folks who start trying to write because they think it’s a shortcut to Rowling-level riches, but for the most part I’d agree with you. Heck, why else would most of perservere through so many years of rejections? 🙂
Erik Scott de Bie
January 21, 2011 @ 11:29 am
I know, right? Seriously. If you aren’t a stubborn piece of work, writing will break your heart and drive you insane. 🙂
(Might do that anyway!)
Cheers