the happiest days of our lives

Posted on By Wil

The last two weeks have been incredible trip back across the last three years (and in some places, the last fifteen years) as I’ve worked on my Just A Geek rewrite . . . and I’m down to the final scene in the book, which I will finish today.
I sent the 99% completed manuscript to my editor two days ago, and after reading it, he sent back a note, that he asked I share with WWdN readers.

Hello there, friends, fans, and freaks. This is Wil’s O’Reilly editor,
piping in to let you know where Wil has been lately. As he mentioned a few days ago, I’ve been cracking the proverbial whip (well, let’s just say it’s proverbial, to protect the innocent), and figured I’d write something about “Just a Geek” while I’ve got him slaving over a keyboard. First, let me say a “Thank you” to all of you guys, who made “Dancing Barefoot” nothing short of a phenomenon–I can honestly say that signing Wil as an author was made easier by every one of you who plunked down your cash to pick up a copy. It got my attention, and eventually got Tim O’Reilly’s attention, which is why you’re going to be able to buy “Just a Geek” at every store in the nation, rather than having to order it direct. Wil’s quite happy, I hear, as he and his wife were prone to squabbling over exactly how many stamps 100 pages of nostalgia cost to ship in today’s economy.
In any case, all prelude aside, I wanted to say just a word about “Just A Geek”, as I just finished reading the 99% complete manuscript.
It’s incredible.
You want this book.
You need this book.
All brevity aside, you’re all going to be very, very pleased. Without denigrating (yes, I paid a lot of college tuition to use big words like that, thank you very much) “Dancing Barefoot” at all, “Just a Geek” is a highly polished, well-written, wonderfully crafted novel that goes so much further than any of you can imagine. It’s a lot of fun, and that’s after way too many readings. I’m not trying to get you drooling too much (well, maybe a bit), but suffice it to say that the few days you’ve lost Wil on WWdN have paid off in spades. In fact, it’s as if Wil picked up a Queen of Spades on the river to make a gutshot royal straight flush, which is a pretty big deal where I come from.
I’m confident that you’ll start to see bits and pieces of JAG show up here, on oreilly.com, and of course at Wil’s appearances, but I just thought you all deserved to know that this is going to be a killer book. I’m not a flatterer, so take that as high praise. Wil has literally busted his tail to get this done, respond to hundreds of comments, add lots of new material, and generally become a terrific author. I can honestly and happily say that while JAG is great, I expect it to be only the first full-length book; only the initial offering in a long line. We’re excited here at O’Reilly to help you guys get as much of Wil as we can… to squeeze the very life out of him while his family laments what life used to be like before writing contracts… to ensure his mother knows his voice only by memory…
Oh… sorry… I got a little caught up in being an editor again. In any case, we all love Wil here, and expect to see a lot more from him in the months to come. We’ve also got some great surprises coming along, like a potentially mind-blowing foreword to “Just a Geek”, some opportunities for collectible copies, and much more… so stay tuned, right here.
I’ll go let Wil out of his cage … er … office … in a day or two, and you’ll get to read it all here.

Wow.
Thanks, Brett. I . . . don’t know what to say. I’m really happy with the way this book has turned out . . . but I don’t think I can take credit for the entire thing. A lot of people have given me valuable feedback along the way, including you.
I’m really not supposed to do this, but I’m going to share a tiny glimpse of what I’m finishing up today. Don’t tell anyone, okay?

I had my final costume fitting the next day, and the day after that, I found myself at the Melrose Avenue guard shack, half-an-hour early for my 8:30 am call time.
“ID, please.” The guard said.
I pulled my driver’s license out of my wallet, and gave it to him.
“And where are you going today . . . ” he looked at my license. “Wil?”
“I’m working on Star Trek.” I said.
“Enterprise or Nemesis?”
The Next Generation.
“Nemesis,” I said. “I play Wesley Crusher.”
He looked up at me. “Oh my god. You are Wesley Crusher. You look so . . . ”
Washed up?
“. . . grown up.”
“Yeah,” I said. “It’s been a long time.”
“Do you know where to park?”
“Yeah. But I don’t know where our dressing rooms are.”
But I do! I do know where our dressing rooms are! They’re trailers on the street in front of stages 8 and 9. Mine is filled with Warhammer 40K figures and GURPS books. It’s right next to Brent’s trailer. It’s 1989, and I’m back. I’m back home.
“Okay,” he said, and gave me directions to an area on the lot where I’d never been before.
I parked my car, and picked up my backpack. Inside was my script, a notepad, and a few tapes: Only A Lad, Music For The Masses, and Squeeze: Singles 45 and Under . . . all of them music I listened to when I was working on the series. I remember, when I put them in my backpack, that I thought to myself, “Maybe I can sit in my trailer, listen to ‘Never Let Me Down,’ and imagine that I never left.”
I locked up my car, and walked toward the dressing rooms. Other than the addition of a back lot, Paramount hadn’t changed in any substantial way since I was on the show, and my thoughts drifted as I walked down those familiar streets on auto-pilot.
That’s where I met Eddie Murphy when I was sixteen . . . Hey! I crashed a golf cart there when I was fifteen . . . There’s the mail room . . . There’s stage six, where the bridge set started out . . . I almost got up the courage to kiss that girl at the Christmas party on that stage in . . . there’s the stage where Shatner told me, “I’d never let a kid come onto my bridge” . . . this street feels exactly the way it did when I worked here . . . here’s where my trailer used to be . . .
I stopped, and tears filled my eyes — tears of joy: It’s so good to be here, mingled with tears of sadness and regret: Why didn’t this happen years ago?
Because I wasn’t ready for it to happen. I walked a few more steps, and looked into the foyer that led into stages 8 and 9. Enterprise lives there now. At least they kept the stage in the family.

Okay. Back to work.

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Comments (155)

  1. Nice bit of writing there, Wil. Congratulations on what looks like is going to be a very successful book! Nice to have your editor on your side, huh?

  2. Wil, I’m impressed. I really am. I imagine this explains why I haven’t heard from you in so long, so I’ll forgive it.
    But nice going. Really.

  3. Wil! Yay! You’re back…sort of. I am absolutely salivating for JAG. It’s gonna be so awesome! I know it. And apparently your rockin’ editor does too. Congratulations on such a glowing review. There will be many more to come.

  4. Wil:
    With all this success and adulation, what’s going to be come of the wry, wistful (sometimes downtrodden) Wil we’ve always wanted to buoy up? The “everygeek” Wil we all identified with? The Wil trooping out dutifully, sometimes ecstatically on auditions who slouched home, treading painfully the glittering Hollywood sidewalks? Wil…just…don’t …become…William F’in Shatner…..
    Congrats, dude. You’re the best.
    Peter

  5. Oooo… now if I can only figure out a way to score one of the first dozen copies the way I scored one of the first dozen or so of Dancing Barefoot that go shipped! Right up there on my bookshelf next to my Twian first editions. Well done, Wil!

  7. I cannot wait for JAG to come out. I’ve read ‘Dancing Barefoot’ 3 times already. I laughed, I cried, I revelled in my geekitude along with you.
    And now you tease us with one of your little soul-baring slice o’life stories that we know and love so well… just enough to drive me crazy until I can get a copy of JAG to find out the rest of the story!!!

  9. Wow. Simply, wow.
    Your writing style has truly grown and flourished since “the beginning”. This book is going to be a must-read for anyone who considers themselves a fan, whether it be a fan of Star Trek, a fan of B-movies, a fan of this blog, or simply a fan of you, Wil Wheaton.
    I am impressed. 🙂

  10. Great going Wil!! I can’t wait till JAG comes out..Dancing Barefoot was a great book and I am sure JAG will be to..Keep it up!!

  12. Peter: you raise an interesting point.
    I’m not going to lie and say that I miss the days of busting my ass for an audition, only to fail yet again.
    I’m incredibly lucky, and I’m enjoying some positive balance to all the negative unhappiness and frustration that you refer to.
    I’m under no illusion that things will always be as good as they are right now, so I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts . . . without turning into WILLIAM FUCKING SHATNER, I hope.

  14. Oh Wil, it sounds great. You drew me right in. I can’t wait for JAG to come out. I know it will be worth the wait. Keep going.

  15. A-yup. Count me in as just one more person in what will most likely turn out to be a very long line of accolade-spewing fans.
    Just point me to the pay-pal button, and I’ll be clicking. Heck, tack on an extree 20$ for the signed copy, and you’ll still get at least 3 sales from me. Christmas is coming soon!

  17. It’s been a while since the last update, but worth the wait. Now don’t get distracted by the flood of comments and emails sure to follow — just finish the book. :]

  18. I’ve gotta add, mate: your book will be available in more than just american bookstores. Hopefully soon, I will be able to amuse my uni bookshop clerks by hopping about wildly, squealing, clutching a copy of JAG – at the other end of the world!!!!
    Go on now… finish that book!
    Really happy for you in B’mouth, love to the fam!
    Patty 🙂

  19. Aww! Wil, that had me in tears! Tears!! Oh my gosh. Aww. Way to go Wil! In an odd way- especially since I in no way know you- I’m kinda proud o’ ya. Yup. I said it. Don’t expect a repeat either. It’s a one time deal. Unless of course by some freak mis-hap I happened to have typed that about you earlier. In which case, well, in which case I still mean it.
    Geez, I’m a dork. Gotta go back to the real world now. Pointe shoes and tap grooves. Tap sucks, btw. Rocks.

  20. Quoth the Editor:
    “First, let me say a “Thank you” to all of you guys, who made “Dancing Barefoot” nothing short of a phenomenon…”
    Hmmm…Wil, I suspect you may need a back-up editor. If so, give me a ring.

  21. wow! Now I really can’t wait for Just a Geek to hit the shelves!
    Good job Wil! You should be proud of yourself 🙂

  22. wil,
    I can’t wait to get the whole book. Just reading through those few paragraphs, I felt like I was right there with you. Felling the same things you were feeling, tears and all. That’s a great sign of a great writer. getting me the reader to feel what you want me to feel. Good job.
    Paul

  23. “Wil has literally busted his tail to get this done”
    Wow, so sorry to hear that you busted your tail. I hope you recover soon. (I really hate it when people misuse the word literally – just one of my pet peeves, the fact that he is an editor hurts).
    Other than that (I’m sure you’ll recover soon) – CONGRATS! I love Dancing Barefoot and I’m sure I’ll love Just a Geek.

  24. Wow, I’m blown away, both by your editor’s comments, and the short preview of Just A Geek (I hate the letters “JAG” because of that horrible TV show JAG, which my roommate was on as an extra, and somehow got to keep his the naval academy replica ring he got to wear for the role).
    I can’t wait to get my signed collector’s copy, which I’ll hide away to keep in pristine condition, while I read and abuse my 2nd copy.
    \m/ Wheaton ROCKS!

  25. Wil,
    Once again you brought a tear to my eye. I was standing right there beside you as you walked onto the lot. You’re sharing these memories… these moments of your life with us. You made us part of your life. For that we will be forever grateful.
    I salute you, Wil Wheaton, writer, actor and all-round good guy.
    *raises his pint of Guinness as he sits at the Hooters bar in Pasadena*
    – Guillermo
    PS- I’m not a stalker… just another Guinness and Hooters lover. 😉

  27. Wow…O’Reilley reall IS all that and a bag of chips. It’s really cool to know there are companies that make it big that really do care about the people that do the work (the authors, in the case of a publishing house).
    I keep saying this I know, but again, congrats Wil! I will certainly grab JAG the week it comes out–I can’t wait.
    Wil, hearing about you having all of your hard work pay off really is terrific. Your loyal readers do like to be able to send off the mojo when you’re down, but we’re also totally jazzed* about it when you succeed. It’s a little well-needed reminder that hard work does pay off.
    Hmmm…I wonder who’s writing the forward…Patrick Stewart? Gene Roddenberry (MHRiP) would have been perfect, but he’s not available unless O’Reily has a _really_ good booking manager. Obviously not WFS, and I don’t know that Wil’s has been personally fond of Lenard Nimoy. Hmmm…Carrie Fischer (another actor-turned-writer)? Neil Gaiman? Whoever it is, can’t wait!
    *As far as I know, I picked up this expression from _Stand By Me_. How cool is that?

  29. I have been a fan of yours for some time, but I don’t quite understand why you hate William Shatner. Is it personal or just on principle?
    Emily

  30. Wil,
    1st time, long time.
    I enjoy everything about your site, blog, career, and everything else. Hope all is well and maybe be lucky enough to have you respond back.
    I’m awaiting with much anticipation for the release of your latest endevour JAG!!!!11
    Good luck with everything!

  31. Wil,
    No matter what happens in our lives, we each have our own life experiences. Sometimes we are fortunate enough to relive those formative times, if only for a brief moment in time. It’s like walking down the street and smelling that particular combination of hot pavement, smoke, and street-vendor snacks that bring back a flood of memories of a trip taken many years ago (Qu

  32. i have to say that this excerpt brought tears to my eyes…thanks.
    btw, we will miss you at penguincon, but i hope you get the job…it’d be nice to see you on the big screen again…
    *HUG*

  33. YOU’RE BACK! Sorta. Oh hell with it: YOU’RE BACK!! Welcome back and see you soon all at the same time, as it looks like you will be diving back into book mode for another little bit. It was awesome to have you surface if even for a minute 🙂
    The note from your editor rocks my socks. It must just fill you with warm fizzies. Heck, _I_ want to jump all over my apartment in happiness for you and just might when I finish typing this 🙂
    Naughty boy teasing us with a little bit of the book! Excellent as it is, now it makes it HARDER to wait! (Do not let this in any way stop you from giving us more, we won’t tell!)
    Hand Smackin’ High Fives all around!
    (I’m really not a spaz, I just play one on the internet)

  35. \m/ Wil! \m/
    Congrats on all the success! Good luck with the last 1%.
    For those of us SciFi Channel geeks your absence hasn’t been as painful with this week’s ads: On Saturday the SciFi Premier of …. Wil Wheaton…. blahblah some chick …. in DEEP CORE…..
    Finally some quality programming!
    Cheers Wil!
    *pint raised in adoration*

  39. I don’t like to keep harping on your editor’s use of words, but this one struck me as particularly odd:
    Ed.: “…wonderfully crafted novel…”
    I was under the impression that Just A Geek was to be filed under non-fiction. If that’s the case, you may want to confirm with O’Reilly that they understand where in a bookstore the “novel” should be located.
    If Just A Geek is fiction, it might be worth making that clear to fans of your writing (us).

  40. I’m glad you mentioned that, Matt.
    I think Brett is referring to the length of the book as more like a novel than Dancing Barefoot is. Just A Geek is going to be close to 300 pages, while Barefoot is 117.
    It’s most certainly non-fiction. I had to dramatize some dialogue and composite some characters to move the narrative along, but everything in the book is true.

  41. Wil,
    Really glad to have you back. Been checking every day to see if there was a new post.
    Thanks for the preview of JAG. Can’t wait to see what a “grown up” writer has produced. Looking forward to buying the book. Hope it’ll also be available on-line.
    Your longtime fan,
    Joe Fekete
    [the ONE guy who didn’t want to kill off Wesley…From the last LosCon. I gave you a copy of GateWay.]

  44. JAG is on my “must-buy” list as soon as I spot a copy in the stores. (I hope to see it at Tattered Cover, but if it shows up at Softpro, I won’t shun them. Not that I would anyway.)
    Your writing really brings it home, making the reader feel what it must have felt like for you. The only thing I could compare it to would be if I were to get a job working for the new company run by the guy who was my boss for five glorious years in the latter half of the Nineties. I can imagine it now, the same feelings of “I’m back. I’m home.”
    And your editor, Brett, is a gentleman and a scholar.
    I think I’m going to hunt up my MP3 of “Never Let Me Down Again” now. Keep on rockin’!

  45. Yes! Wil will be back soon! Did I just say “Wil Will?” Maybe I should break into the poetry business… On second thought, nah, I’ll stick with being a movie projectionist.
    You’re an amazing writer, Wil. Even with that tiny little bit of JAG you posted, I was transported to the Paramount lot and walking down the street with you. You’re really gifted, dude. Keep it up! I can’t wait to get my hands on JAG.
    Now, a message to Brett at O’Reilly: Can we get our beloved Uncle Willie a few East Coast signings, maybe in the Pittsburgh area? Please? Pretty please? I promise I’ll buy more O’Reilly books, really…
    And one last thing: Fans of Wil being Photoshopped, Behold Wil as the star of his very on 80’s TV Phenominon! Fark didn’t like my “Tweak old TV shows for modern celebs” idea enough to post the photoshop contest, so I thought you’ld all enjoy it…

  46. Oh yeah. Forgot one thing. Pop Culture ref. revealed:
    When we grew up and went to school, there were certain teachers who’ld hurt the children anyway they could… By pouring thier derision upon anything we did, exposing every weakness, no matter how carefully hidden by the kid…
    But in the town it was well known, when they got home at night, thier fat and psychopathic wives would thrash them within inches of their lives…
    Gotta Love Pink Floyd \m/ At least I hope that’s where your entry title comes from… Just another Brick in the Wall, I suppose…

  49. Duuuuuude! I am soooo excited, thrilled, over the flipping moon! I can’t wait! I absolutely loved dancing barefoot, i was glued from beginning to end and i can’t wait to see further into the life of ‘Wil Wheaton’, which fascinates me. I was moved to tears, laughed out loud and felt down right peeved (ahem William Shatner(i can’t believe he was such a DICK! Grrr!)) feeling all those emotions and more- i couldn’t ask any more from a book.
    Well done!
    We love you!

  50. wow. that entry brought tears to my eyes. there is something about music, yeah? i’m happy to hear i was not the only 15 year old listening to squeeze. they are still one of my favorites.

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