Welcome to this instalment of Writing for Black Library, a new series of quick author interviews in which I chat to Black Library authors about how they got started with writing for the worlds of Warhammer. Whether you’re actively hoping to be published by Black Library yourself, or just interested in getting a peek behind the scenes, these interviews will offer insights into the backgrounds and working processes of some of the authors who are lucky enough to contribute to the ongoing development of Games Workshop’s various worlds and settings.
In this instalment I spoke to Nicholas Wolf, one of Black Library’s newest authors, who made it through the 2018 open submissions process to have his debut short story – Reborn – published as a standalone e-short for Digital Monday in May 2019.
Track of Words: Tell us a little about you as an author – who you are, where you’re from, what you like to write, etc.
Nicholas Wolf: I got my start in the video game industry as a designer and artist, before transitioning more fully into writing, which had for many years been a side project. I write primarily dark science fiction and fantasy, but have dabbled briefly in contemporary fiction, YA, and horror. As you might expect, I’m a huge fan of 40K, but have also been heavily influenced by the mythos of StarCraft, Star Wars, Halo, Diablo, and Zelda.
I currently reside in the deserts of Arizona, where I try to avoid going outside as much as humanly possible between the months of May and August, with my wonderful wife and two adorable children.
ToW: Were you already writing regularly, or did the BL open submissions window spur you into writing?
NW: I’ve been writing, even if only for my own amusement, since I was a wee kiddo (my first ‘book’, The Adventures of the Red Hornet, is dated from when I was age 5). At the time of this particular open submissions (and for some time beforehand) I’d been primarily working on a grim fantasy series called Reaper Rising, which remains a work in progress.
ToW: Had you submitted to Black Library before?
NW: Many times! I actually submitted my very first pitch back in 2012, and have submitted at least one pitch (although usually two or three) for each open submission window since. Persistence is an underrated quality in the writing profession!
ToW: How did you decide upon a story to pitch? Was it something you chose having read the guidelines, or had you planned (or written) any of it already?
NW: Funnily enough, the pitch (which eventually became the recently-published Reborn) began life as a late night stream-of-consciousness thought experiment from the perspective of a Guardsman who’d just murdered his Commissar, very different from any of the other stories I’d written in the past. I just sat down and wrote until I’d finished the thought, trimmed it down to 500 words, and submitted it all in one go.
ToW: Did you write the whole story, or just the 500 word sample?
NW: Contrary to other pitches I’d done previously, where I’d written the story in its entirety either before or after pitching, I actually didn’t advance Reborn at all until I heard from Black Library (and, truthfully, had to be reminded of what I’d pitched when they contacted me). For a number of reasons I’m glad I waited though, as it gave me the opportunity to revisit the idea with fresh eyes and take it in a direction I probably wouldn’t have considered.
ToW: How did you find writing the pitch? Any advice for someone planning their own pitch?
NW: Pitching is a tricky thing, and different publishing houses and agencies all have their own guidelines. A unifying element though is you want to give enough of your story to make them want more without giving too much away.
If you’re talking about an elevator pitch (usually no more than a paragraph), then the goal is to nail the basic premise with a sufficient cliffhanger to entice the reader to ask for more. If you’re talking about a longer submission it can be both more and less difficult, as you need to pick a scene that conveys enough about the character and setting to convey a broader set of themes and stakes.
If I were to give advice to someone pitching to the Black Library it would be this: have someone with zero understanding of 40K read your pitches and see if they want to know more. If you can entice someone with no vested interest in your settings or characters to read more based on the merits of the premise and conveyance thereof, it means your story has good bones.
ToW: How would you describe the first story you had published through Black Library? Was it what you originally pitched, or something different?
NW: Reborn follows a young, battle-weary Captain named Andrik Petrov, who cracks after learning that this regiment has been abandoned, murders his Commissar, and joins the attacking Chaos forces as a desperate act of survival. The rest of the story details how he and his regiment fall to the Dark Gods through the lens of his unraveling sanity. It’s different than a lot of ‘fall to Chaos’ stories in that it’s not written from the perspective of a dauntless transhuman warrior, but a fragile, mortal man who wants nothing more than to return home to his wife and son.
As mentioned, when I’d first pitched what would eventually become Reborn I didn’t really even have an ending in mind: I just wanted to write something visceral, character-driven, and entirely ‘in the moment’. It wasn’t until I was asked to expand the pitch into a full synopsis and character overview that I actually had to think through Petrov’s descent. Ultimately Reborn takes place over the course of several decades, which was definitely something I hadn’t considered when I’d first pitched it.
I’d actually submitted several other pitches during the most recent submissions window as well, elements of which have worked their way into other pieces I’ve since written, or am planning to write. Waste not!
ToW: How have you found the whole process of submission through to publishing?
NW: I’ve had experience pitching with a number of publishing houses and agencies over the years, and Black Library’s is fairly straightforward and largely typical of what I’ve come to expect. From the time I submitted until I received confirmation that they were interested in my story it was around 8-9 months. This was followed by requests for a synopsis, character overview, and later a full outline before I was even asked to start drafting. Then came (I believe) three or four rounds of editing before a final draft was submitted for publication.
(As a side note, I absolutely have to thank Submissions Editor Richard Garton, who was immensely helpful and patient throughout the entire process, and a delight to work with).
ToW: Can you talk at all about anything else that you’ve got in the pipeline (for Black Library or otherwise)?
NW: I’ve already written (and am writing) a handful of shorts and novellas that will be released throughout the end of the year, with several other projects planned in 2020. Of what I can share, I have a 40K short in the upcoming Vaults of Obsidian anthology, and a most spooky Warhammer Horror entry coming soon (but I can’t say anything else!).
Outside of 40K work I’m still in the drafting process for Reaper Rising, as well as other projects (both writing and art related) that haven’t been announced yet. You can follow me on Twitter at @thenicholaswolf for updates on all the above (as well as memes and general shenanigans)!
ToW: Finally, do you have any overall advice for anyone hoping to submit this year?
NW: At the risk of sounding cliche, you do miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. I think it’s normal (and, I believe healthy) for a writer to have a modicum of self-doubt about their work as long as said doubts don’t prevent you from taking your best shot. I’ve seen far too many talented writers give up on their journey without ever taking the first step.
And, really, what’s the worst that could happen? That’s right, you get a rejection letter. If you ever want to make it as a writer you need to develop thicker skin and learn to check your ego: 90% of making it as a writer is not letting rejection letters stop you from trying again. Be humble, take criticism, learn from your mistakes, and never stop writing!
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Thanks so much to Nicholas for taking the time to answer these questions, and provide such great answers! If you haven’t already read it, you can find my review of Nichols’ debut short story Reborn right here.
For further information about the 2018 Black Library open submissions window, and more advice and ideas from authors regarding how to prepare for the 2019 window, have a read of this article.
If you’ve got any questions, comments or other thoughts please do let me know in the comments below, or come find me on Twitter or Facebook.