This will probably be my last weblog entry this week, because I’m in the final few miles of the Just A Geek rewrite marathon.
I was hoping to have it turned in by April 2, but I lost days while I was at the Grand Slam convention, and when I worked on Teen Titans. My mom, dad, and sister gave me a bouquet of flowers last week that included some lillies (my favorite, for those of you scoring at home, are stargazer lillies), and my plan was to have it all done by the time they opened . . . but now I will finish it before the last petal falls to the table, like in Beauty And The Beast.
My rocking editor at O’Reilly was kind enough to give me a few extra days to work on it, and the last 36 hours have been some of the most productive in my short literary life. I was really stuck on a few sections, like there was a dam across the little river of creativity in my brain, but it exploded sometime on Sunday, and the ensuing flood has been amazing. A few days ago, I was seriously worried about Just A Geek. I was happy with the second and third acts, but I thought the first act was total shite . . . well, all that shite was washed away by the flood, and I’m so happy with what I have, it’s taking all my strength (and respect for my contract) to not share big chunks of it right now.
We’ll all have to wait until June, I guess. I promise that it will be worth it.
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Hey Wil,
Can’t wait to pick up the new book later this year. I just special ordered and bought Dancing Barefoot from the local Barnes & Noble here in San Diego. Best of luck cranking out the last revisions. Cheers!
Keep up the good work. And dont listen to self doubt. And june is just around the corner, but i cant wait. So inclosing, good luck with the final rewrite, and see you in a few days.
Take some extra time off and enjoy your wife for a day or 2, we will wait and understand.
Plug away, matey.
I’ve got some ideas that we can use that other piece for yet…
I can’t fvcking wait
I have little doubt that it will kick ass Wil!
I’m definitely looking forward to being one of the first people I know to get a copy.
Keep on truck’n.
WOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!
*gets excited and does a happy dance*
i do hope some of us get to order first eds with signatures… i’d pay a small fortune for that…
Wil… you my hero man…dont ever forget that!
hugs
Andrea xx
Excellent, Wil! Just keep hammering away at it, and kick some literary ass! We’ll still be here when it’s wrapped up, finished, sent off to the publisher, and you’ve spent some quality downtime with Anne and the boys.
Now get in there and write this one for the Gipper, er…or Gandalf, or someone G-related. or not. damn, I just ran out of steam there…
Fantastic, Wil, can’t wait to pick up a copy of my very own later this year! How good it must feel when all those blocks on your writing and creativity finally pop, that must be such a high.
Congrats!
Lis in Aus 🙂
Looking forward to JAG, Wil. Keep up the good work.
Clay
O.o I can’t wait. I’m sure it’ll be awsome; I’ll buy it as soon as I can. Might be a line….where I live there are a LOT of people who want your book.
hey wil,
keep going!! i can’t wait to read JAG! sounds like it’s going really well at the minute! keep it up dude!!! YEY!!
take care
rach!
you said “dam”
oh man… i’m so lame. hey, it’s 4:40am… time for bed.
you rawk, Wil… can’t wait to put JAG next to D.Barefoot on my shelf.
Nearly there Wil! Keep going.. :o) (like you were planning on stopping..)
What are the chances of some random little country girl from Western Australia being among the first to get JAG? (I’m not even going to think of trying to get it signed.. [*sigh*])
I’m still waiting for shAmazon to get my copy of ‘Dancing Barefoot’ to me :o(
[*insert image of me tapping my foot impatiently*]
In the meanwhile, I’m just rocking out to U2 – I forgot how damned fine this album is! (I love rediscovering music I own)
And that my friend is the power of 5 minutes past the deadline. I find my best work always comes wither after midnight the night before a deadline or right after I just completely blew a deadline.
Good luck, and hurry it up. Some of us are hoping to actually get to read your book soon.
I am so proud of you. Keep up the good work, I can’t wait to get a copy in June! 🙂
Stargazer Lillies?
Picard… is that… is that you?
ha i really need to finish sentences before i react. i read “this will probably be my last weblog entry” and i was all whaaat no way. then i see “this week” and was all ohh and returned to my regular awesome and cool self. i really am looking forward to your new book. good luck 🙂
nothing like productivity, under the gun…it’s when the truth comes roiling out of you like a tornado…i am looking forward to the release of JUST A GEEK…i think it’s going to be a watershed event in your life…after it’s out things will be a whole lot different.
[Re: deadline extension] Hah! Called it!
So, the people at O’Reilly are as cool as they seem to be. Whoo!
Here’s sending you writing mojo [transporter effect]
Good luck! Can’t wait to read it.
Hey wil, this is my first time leaving a comment. I stumbled across your weblog sometime ago and i enjoy stumbling across it time and time again. Good luck with the book, i hope its not going to be too thick to keep the postage costs down when i have it shipped to the UK.
heidi
xx
Well hurry up. *cracks whip* I guess in the meantime I’ll keep occupied reading Dancing Barefoot. Which is currently somewhere in the US postal system. And before that gets here I guess I’ll, umm, tidy up the php on my website or something.
Wil, good luck with Just a Geek, and you’re “Liquid Ice: also known as water” comment was on The Best of the Best Week Ever with Regis last night!
Wil, nothing you write could ever be a pile. You know it will be great. We know it will be great. Good luck in the last few steps…wow, what a journey.
I like stargazer lilies, too, actually. The scent is so powerful and it just fills our fairly small apartment with only one or two flowers.
And now, I think, I’ll be a heterosexual male again. Just teasing. 🙂
Keep up the pace! Got to make 4.40!
Hey Wil,
I saw Alro Guthrie in concert once and he said something I really liked which I think you would love. He said that he thought about writing like this:
There is a stream full of ideas and all you have to do is stick your pen in the “water” and pluck out an idea. The only problem is, you don’t want to be downstream of someone like Bob Dylan or you’re screwed.
So remember, stay upstream of Bob and you’ll do great.
Hey Wil, can we pre-order JAG soon? I loved Dancing Barefoot, so I’m sure I’ll love JAG even more.
You rock! \m/
Stargazer Lilies are SO cool! Great colors! Yeah, I’m a girl.
June seems like a REALLY long way away, but I will hang in there.
Between JAG and Harry Potter, I’m not sure which is more exciting! Oh yeah, its JAG!! Yeah, that’s the ticket!
Hmmm…never pegged you to be a stargazer lily-man…regardless, best of luck in your final marathon JAG session, and I’ll be the first in line at my local bookstore when it comes out!
I can’t wait to read it! Good luck with finishing it!
Just a curiosity though…do you know what your cover is going to look like yet? I just hope that you wouldn’t have a simple picture or a mug shot of yourself on it. I think it’ll be more creative with some special art that represents you or something.
*MUCHO MOJO FOR WIL*
I’m uploading Writer’s Mojo version 3.0 to you. I’m also sending Writer’s Block antivirus, just in case. 🙂
Best of luck in wrapping it up, Wil! I wish my dam would explode sometime soon.
Get to work and meet your deadline for crissakes!
And don’t worry about JAG being worth it to us. We know it’s a masterpiece. We’ve been with you too long to be dissapointed.
Now, get back to work!!
go ahead wil, we’ll be here when you have time to play. 🙂
Man, that is SUCH a good feeling.
I hate to tell you, that block/panic happens to me every time, but it’s (usually) worth it for the Dambusters(*) feeling.
mmm. gold by spandau ballet. delicious.
Good luck knocking out the last of the revisions Wil!
I’m very much looking forward to reading the finished product.
\m/
Rock! JAG is almost done! Awesome news!
See you next week, Wil. Good luck, and may the force be with you… Always…
I’m glad you work well under pressure. Keep it going Wil. You make me proud! We can all relax and dance barefoot when JAG comes out.
Wil,
Don’t eat too many chocolate bunnies.
Have a HOPPY Easter.
Freeman 🙂
Good Luck on finishing your book Wil and a Happy Easter to you and your Family 🙂
*** Reading these comments warms the cockles of my heart! ***
My copy of Dancing Barefoot came in today! I feel so priveleged, now. I’m prolonging the suspense by carrying it around without having yet begun to read it! It is definitely the high point of my day to have purchased your book. Makes me feel good. It’s something nice in this sometimes crazy, stressful world, y’know?
Stargazers are obviously a high end flower! They are beautiful, long-lasting and fragrant while at the same time, classy. Just like you! 😉
Anywayz….
When JAG comes through, I will get my Linux distributor to stock it.
It will be read!
I wonder if Jack Horkheimer likes stargazer lillies also, considering he is a “stargazer”.
Just curious.
“Keep looking up!”
Hey Wil, first time commenter here.. Was just checking the blog (which one of my friends so kindly informed me of just yesterday actually) to see what was going on. I’m excited about your new book and ya know what? You should look at the bright side.. Even if you wouldn’t have had a breakthrough, people still would have bought it! 😉 (Just noticing all of the “Can’t wait, Wil!” comments :)) I’ll join the gang.. Can’t wait, Wil!! 🙂
I understand that feeling, when the creative dam bursts. It gets frantic. Ideas pop up constantly, and your fingers barely keep up with your thoughts, if at all. It’s like a flood pouring through your brain. You dip your hands in the flow, and keep pulling out the bits. There’s this emotional/physical charge. You feel full of energy. It’s rather wonderful.
I have been reading your blog for a while now and have been really impressed with both you and your writing. You are funny, insightful, self-deprecating (in a funny, insightful way), and, well, just a good guy.
I’ve just ordered Dancing Barefoot and will order a copy of JAG. I guess I’m starting a Wil Wheaton book collection, so now you have the rest of your life to continue adding to my already overloaded bookshelves!
Thanks for sharing your life with the world.
YOU ROCK!!!
Spandau Ballet in the subject line. Nice. Now I’m going to have to break into my archives to fetch my copy out for the rest of this week’s commuting music.
Hey Wil,
Loved Dancing Barefoot – can’t wait for JAG 🙂
Keep up the good work,
Jim
“don’t let it bring you down, it’s only castles burning, just find someone who’s turning, and you will come around…”