So, a year ago, when I was in-between jobs and desperately needed the money, I signed a contract to write a series of zombie novels. I've always wanted to dabble with writing Dystopian fiction, particularly involving zombies, however a three book series seemed like a lot for a genre already saturated with carnivorous corpses. What new twist did I have to offer?
I came up with the idea of a mold spore discovered in Uganda by a notorious warlord that slows the rate of decay in infected corpses and keeps the infected's central nervous system and skeletal muscular system functional, just enough to allow the corpse to attack and thereby infect others. The warlord uses it to create an army of the undead who maraud across Africa with his army cleaning up in their wake. The book also features the return of the sinister businessman/ conman, Bill Vlad, who discovers the mold and uses it to turn washed-up MMA stars into zombies for his underground fight league. Not a bad idea. Crazy. Original. Possibly even enough to build a series around. As I wrote it, I started getting into it. There's a lot of gore to be had in a book about zombies, warlords, and MMA fighters. Here's the problem though. The publisher wanted them to be Romeroesque zombies of the slow-moving variety. That made it harder for my idea to work.
As I got further into the book, I realized I was writing myself into a corner. At some point I was going to have to explain how one of these shambling dead things in a cage would be much of a fight for anyone, let alone a trained fighter. A hundred of them could overwhelm an opponent through sheer numbers, but one slow-moving assailant? A real fighter would tear it to shreds. Glossing over that huge plot hole and not coming up with an explanation would just be dishonest. The other issue I had was that I quickly realized this book would be one awesome novella or one meh novel. I pride myself on taking risks with subject matter, this was one crazy idea to begin with, but dragging this story out into a full length novel, make that three full-length novels, would mean taking a risk with quality and that was something I just couldn't do. It brought up all my fears of becoming a hack, churning out mediocre books just to pay the bills.
So, I contacted the publisher yesterday and told them I just couldn't do it and that I would be returning their generous advance. They could not have been nicer or more understanding, which was great because I'd never done anything like that before and was feeling pretty bad about it. I'd always delivered on every contract I'd ever signed, but these things happen sometimes in the creative world. Sometimes projects just don't turn out as planned. It was just the first time it had ever happened to me. Yes, I could have really used the money, but no, it was just not worth turning out something I wouldn't have been proud of. Now, I will probably finish the book (working title "To The Death") as a novella with fast zombies that are absolute hell to contend with.That would solve that little plot dilemma and make for some truly terrifying action. In the meantime, I am also finally finishing a book I've been wanting to finish for a couple years now, 400 Days of Oppression, a twisted, BDSM, erotic, mindfuck of a novel. I should have a contract on that one any day now and it will hopefully hit the shelves this Spring. My apologies to those who were hoping for a full-length zombie novel from me. Sorry, I just couldn't hack it.
I came up with the idea of a mold spore discovered in Uganda by a notorious warlord that slows the rate of decay in infected corpses and keeps the infected's central nervous system and skeletal muscular system functional, just enough to allow the corpse to attack and thereby infect others. The warlord uses it to create an army of the undead who maraud across Africa with his army cleaning up in their wake. The book also features the return of the sinister businessman/ conman, Bill Vlad, who discovers the mold and uses it to turn washed-up MMA stars into zombies for his underground fight league. Not a bad idea. Crazy. Original. Possibly even enough to build a series around. As I wrote it, I started getting into it. There's a lot of gore to be had in a book about zombies, warlords, and MMA fighters. Here's the problem though. The publisher wanted them to be Romeroesque zombies of the slow-moving variety. That made it harder for my idea to work.
As I got further into the book, I realized I was writing myself into a corner. At some point I was going to have to explain how one of these shambling dead things in a cage would be much of a fight for anyone, let alone a trained fighter. A hundred of them could overwhelm an opponent through sheer numbers, but one slow-moving assailant? A real fighter would tear it to shreds. Glossing over that huge plot hole and not coming up with an explanation would just be dishonest. The other issue I had was that I quickly realized this book would be one awesome novella or one meh novel. I pride myself on taking risks with subject matter, this was one crazy idea to begin with, but dragging this story out into a full length novel, make that three full-length novels, would mean taking a risk with quality and that was something I just couldn't do. It brought up all my fears of becoming a hack, churning out mediocre books just to pay the bills.
So, I contacted the publisher yesterday and told them I just couldn't do it and that I would be returning their generous advance. They could not have been nicer or more understanding, which was great because I'd never done anything like that before and was feeling pretty bad about it. I'd always delivered on every contract I'd ever signed, but these things happen sometimes in the creative world. Sometimes projects just don't turn out as planned. It was just the first time it had ever happened to me. Yes, I could have really used the money, but no, it was just not worth turning out something I wouldn't have been proud of. Now, I will probably finish the book (working title "To The Death") as a novella with fast zombies that are absolute hell to contend with.That would solve that little plot dilemma and make for some truly terrifying action. In the meantime, I am also finally finishing a book I've been wanting to finish for a couple years now, 400 Days of Oppression, a twisted, BDSM, erotic, mindfuck of a novel. I should have a contract on that one any day now and it will hopefully hit the shelves this Spring. My apologies to those who were hoping for a full-length zombie novel from me. Sorry, I just couldn't hack it.
3 comments:
nothing wrong with that. i have gotten started on stuff and had to walk away. it just happens. better to walk away than law down crap just for the sake of writing.
Good for you. As a Marketing Hack (tm), I'm very used to writing what is needed, and not always liking it.
But at home, with the words free to roam, I write what I like, and only that.
And on a personal level, as someone working on several spore-based ideas, I can't wait to see what you come up with!
I've been searching for a wondrous writer with whose work I could become enamoured, and I'm so thrilled to have found you. I find that when your ideology leaks through your novels, it's refreshing and exciting. I'm even more enthused that you hold yourself to an artistic standard rather than considering your publication a gift on which to trample.
Modern horror fails to even interest me, but your subject matter is fascinating, enticing and, on several occasions, a concept I would have not thought of and simultaneously crave the knowledge of.
Sick in every sense of the word. :)
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