2016 Plans, Appearances, Resolutions, Etc
Posted on January 1, 2016 Posted by John Scalzi 25 Comments
A quick update on the things I’ve got planned for the next year:
Work: I have a young adult novel I need to write, and an adult novel I need to write. So, uh, that’s two novels (as I have mentioned previously). That’s one more novel than I usually write in any given year, so that’s officially My Writing Challenge for 2016. You will get to watch me as I descend into writing madness! Bwa ha ha ha ha hah ha!
Seriously, though, I think it will be fine. One, these novels are pretty well baked, pre-writing, which is to say in both cases I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do and where the big story beats are. Which means at this point getting the books written will be the quotidian task of punching out a sufficient number of words on a daily basis. Which means, to use less fancy words than “quotidian,” putting my ass in a chair and typing.
Two novels in one year is enough work for me to undertake, in my opinion (if you can or want to write more novels in a year, that’s nice for you, but this isn’t a competition, friend), so I feel that if that was all I did in my year, work-wise, I could be excused for the rest of the year. As it happens, however, I do have some other things I want to try to stuff into the year as well. These include a few short stories; these are a near certainty to get done.
There are a few other possible things on my plate as well, but those fall under “secret projects” at the moment, so you’ll find out about them if they happen, and if they don’t, well. They’ll go to that sad place that all the other secret projects that didn’t pan out go to, and this brief mention here is all you’ll ever know of them.
It’ll be a busy year no matter what, is what I’m saying. The good news for you is that it means 2017 and after will have lots of ScalziProduct™ for you to consume.
Appearances: This year I currently have no book tour scheduled, on account that I don’t have a new novel coming out in 2016, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have a chance to see me: as of this moment, I’m scheduled for appearances in Boston, Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, Columbus, Portland, Kansas City and Hawaii. I’ll also be on the JoCo Cruise once again. Here are the details on each of those.
I have a few other possible public events in the works as well and if they pan out I will make note of them and update the Scheduled Appearances page as well. I may also have announcements on how I manage my upcoming appearances and invitations soon. Stay tuned for details on that.
Resolutions: The two public resolutions I have for the year are: Focus more on important things and less on unimportant things, and try to see more of friends and loved ones in 2016. Not especially blockbuster resolutions, to be sure, but ones that if I manage to keep will improve my quality of life. Which, I think, is what new year’s resolutions are meant to do in any event.
And thus: Plans for 2016. Let’s see what happens to them when they meet reality.
love it.
One of my goals is to consume more ScalziProduct™, so thank you for helping me meet my resolutions.
Aaand you taught me a new word: quotidian. Thank you!
Nothing going on 2016 with the TV show or Movie?
Arisia has a rather famous costume ball, do you have your outfit designed? Will there be tentacles?
I too am looking forward to the Scalzi Empire’s continued expansion :-) I am curious as to your writing of the two novels though. Do you work on both simultaneously, or do you do one to completion and then start on the other?
Finally, I hope to see you when you visit Portland. The first week of July is typically a great time to visit weather-wise :-)
Well, lack of a book tour notwithstanding, you’re going to be a busy fellow this year from the look of it. Looking forward to reading the results in another year or so, too.
Are you planning on being at NerdCon Stories again?
I made a New Year’s resolution last night. But I can’t remember what it was. Oh well. FYI I was not drunk.
Excited about future Scalzi books, but in that YA book try not to use big words like “perspicacious” or “pseudo psychoanalysis.” You know, KISS. Good luck!
Hii. I really like your work. I would like to know the steps you take to write and then publish your book. I am too in the process of writing a book, so to hear from you, I would be grateful. Thank you. Do ping me at https://impeccablehopes.wordpress.com/
Yeah, just wanted to say sorry for my behavior the other day. Both my parent’s passed during the holiday season, and so it’s kind of a rough time for me. Consequently I maybe drink more than I probably should, and then type things I don’t actually mean. I think it’s an OCD thing, maybe. So, apologies to all and any I may have offended.
Anyway, good luck with 2016 and all that writing stuff. I was wondering: will the Redshirts TV show be appearing this year? Cos I’m really looking forward to watching it. Also, wasn’t there going to be an OMW movie, too? Or was I just confused about that?
Sir Scalzi, Say, the OMW gets a movie deal. Who would you cast in key roles? Particularly young green John Perry? Cuz I suspect as I said somewhere else, Tom Hanks would be great as the old Perry :). Maybe you can do script with more flashbacks so he could get more presence in the movie. Anyway, would be fun to hear from you on that. Thanks.
Talitha Kum:
OMW did in fact have a movie deal; now it currently has a TV deal. I’ve consciously avoided casting it in my mind. I’ll imaginecast it perhaps once, and if, it is actually ever greenlit.
Dave:
Thanks for the apology. Also, it’s unlikely Redshirts will be on TV this year. I’ll likely do an update on options, etc sometime in the reasonably near future.
Jensownzoo:
Nerdcon 2 is not on my schedule yet although if I am invited again I’d be happy to participate, schedule allowing.
As I understand it, TV shows and movies exist in a probability stew, with things popping in and out of existence at random intervals. I’m not banking on seeing Scalzithings emerging, but will be very happy if/when they do, and even happier if they don’t get distorted beyond recognition during the process.
In the meantime, I’m going to read books to a soundtrack of John giggling over repeated TV/movie option checks coming in. Most of the time, the movies in my head are better than the ones that make it to the screen.
Wow! You made my day and probably the whole year! Will be waiting for the TV show. Almost even better its a TV series. I’m such a huuuuge fan of Stargate and star trek (mostly ds9 though). Where can we get updates in that? Who is filming? What channel? Is any of that public info by now? Etc.
Sounds like wonderful New Year resolutions to me. Good luck! Hope it all goes the way you want it to.
If I ever write anything and it makes it to a TV show I’d be freaking out probably, because in my head, nobody can do good enough work :). Today with all of this Scalzi inspiration floating around I watched the very first episode (or pilot #1) of the star trek. Yo. I’m glad we make better Sci Fi now. I smiled remembering parts if Redshirts too. My guess is that Gene Roddenberry also saw wonderful things in his head, but the result was so mixed. Probably the lesson learned from it is persistence and optimism. Eventually they got something right. All I’m saying, like others here, I feel a bit tingly about the OMW on screen. I want the very best for that story.
Any chance you’ll ever finish or continue the Stargate Universe? Or is SyFy going to let that one fizzle out?
Pretty good resolutions. I might be at Arisia. We booked rooms and made plans months ago. Depends on gallbladder surgery scheduling.
I’ve signed petitions for SG universe, just saying. They are over there in space, on Destiny, in stasis… Not good man. Gotta do something about it.
I think you are the guest of honor at HawaiiCon.I think that will be birthday gift to myself this year. It’s a nice mix of writers and scientists, and I think there’s a trip to the observatory available.
I think a lot, apparently. Just not very well.
So glad to see you making the Ohioana festival this year. Went last time and had a fabulous time, you in attendance is the icing on an already delicious cake.
I am resigned to the fact that Antipodean appearances are probably not going to be a regular feature on your schedule but very willing to be consoled with new ScalziProductTM. On the the other hand my con schedule this year is looking… interesting, so there’s that.