So I sold a Reddit reply to Warner Brothers a few years back: My first novel Acadia comes out today. AMA!

Did you freak out when you discovered that you'd have to tie your reddit account to your real name? Did you delete a lot?

I - luckily- have been pretty good about what I posted on reddit.

I stand behind what I have posted, before and after ROME SWEET ROME. There's nothing in the history that is shocking or terrifying (I hope).

cue at least one redditor gleaning through your comment history like a whale does seawater for krill

He posted in /r/incest a few times.

I believe I went in there to make a joke once. YOU SEE HOW THE PAST WILL HAUNT YOU

So, of course, any updates regarding the production of ”Rome Sweet Rome”?

Also, is there anyway I can order Acadia in digital form? I am from Romania, and it would take a while until a copy would get here...

We're still processing stuff through Amazon and expect that we'll be able to get ebooks available through them later today. There's an amazing amount of headache involved in going through a small publisher, but I've had great partners at Breadpig who have helped me from Day One of kickstartering and creating this novel.

Check out the Subscribe link at prufrock451.com: I'll announce when it's available!

So that was an adept deflection. Any updates on Rome Sweet Rome?

:)

Ha! I was just getting to that.

(I'm writing in the basement of 30 Rock and they just asked my wife and I to briefly go on the Today Show. Lots going on today!)

So here's what I know: the studio bought my draft, and then they commissioned a second draft, and it's very likely they will commission a third draft from another writer who's not me. So the project is not dead: they very much want to make a movie once all the people involved in this project agree fundamentally on a story and a script that does it justice. This is a hard goal, and it's one that a lot of movies never reach. I want it to happen for obvious reasons, but the biggest is this: I've thought from the beginning this would make a great movie and I want to see it.

In 2006 I sold a screenplay to a major studio after years of work. They paid me a big option, gave me a William Morris agent, I moved to LA and told everyone I'd made it. Three genuine A-list actors were "attached," and I had star-struck meetings with all of them--all super enthusiastic--as well as a cool young director. Then one of the actors had a scheduling problem, and production was delayed. Then by the time they found a replacement, a B+-lister, the director dropped out. Then the financing and the insurance had a dispute. Then another actor who was SO SORRY blah blah blah had to pull out.

That was 2006. It's still "in development" and I have to have a call at least once a week updating me on the latest cool person that's read the script and loved it, I've had at least 30 lunches about this stupid movie, and I'm tired and want to go home. The studio clearly doesn't really want to make the film, but with the infrastructure they have there's no reason for them not to string me along indefinitely just in case something in it becomes Zeitgeisty and it makes bottom-line sense actually to shoot it. They are all of them, the producers, execs, actors, inveterate liars and frauds.

Good luck.

It's nightmarishly hard, so much more so when you have a bit of hope for such an unlikely thing. I've just had a small taste of what they're serving you. I'm grateful for your wishes and I hope the same tenfold for you.

Shit, dude, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but it's "asked my wife and me."

takes off crown

My kingdom is now yours.

Three writers? Are you going to be the lead writer, final decision maker? Will you have power in the process to demand your creative vision or is Warner Bros going to turn this into what they think an audience wants to see?

Anytime you start a project with a $100 million dollar budget, a few people are going to want a say in how it turns out - especially if they are putting out the $100 million dollars.

So I went in expecting this whole thing to be a very collaborative process. I went in expecting my ideas to be only part of what ended up on screen. And I made my peace with that, before I wrote one word of the screenplay, which is what you have to do if you want to stay sane.

As far as what happens next, or who gets credit for the final screenplay, that just depends on which ideas the studio ends up liking and which resonate with the plot that gets devised. And I don't have a lot of control over that process. And all I can really do is what I've done until this point, which is do the best work I can, keep a positive attitude.

I thought for a sec that Rome Sweet Rome was going to be a novel before it was adapted into a screenplay and got super excited.

Honestly, Rome Sweet Rome would make a sick mini-series.

I was discussing that possibility with my manager when Warner Brothers called him and said "Can this be a movie?"

When that happens you say "YES WARNER BROTHERS IT SURE AS SHIT CAN"

It says that you have a book reading somewhere in Manhattan, but I couldn't find any details about that. Is the reading still going to happen, where?

At 6:30 tonight, 155 Rivington!

Check out /r/acadia, there's a post about it.

Is it hard to walk with a horseshoe buried in your backside?

I must have literally drowned in shit in my last life because I'm not sure opening the door for old ladies justifies the luck I've had in this one.

But you seem to appreciate it which makes it OK.

I really do. I've been incredibly lucky.

I am a (somewhat) aspiring author. I write a lot on /r/Writingprompts and people there have gotten to know me a bit.

I am currently working on a book based on a writing prompt (An alternate history where Rome never fell), and hope to finish it by the end of this month. I have my own subreddit where I post all of my stuff that I kind of use as a proxy for having my own blog/website. So when I go to pitch the book to a publisher, I will have to talk about that (because it is important for first-time authors to have an established audience like you do).

My question is: how did your following on Reddit help you get a publisher on board for Acadia? When speaking with a potential agent or publisher, how did you describe Reddit itself and your interactions with the community?

The publicity was a huge help. I've landed interviews on national radio and I've been on TV in Canada and Japan and I've had all kinds of other ridiculous opportunities no first-time author should get. Without RSR, there's no way I'd have launched a successful Kickstarter campaign.

And the publicity also convinced editors at a few publishing houses to reach out to me; Acadia grew out of a book proposal for Amazon's publishing wing, and editors at a couple of the Big Five houses want to see my next manuscript. Super lucky.

Virtually everyone I've talked to in publishing understands Reddit, and the value of that instant feedback and community, and they also understand some of the limitations involved in working on Reddit. I'll tell you what, though, when it comes to the Terms of Service: if someone really wants to buy your work they will find a way.

So the secret is to have publishers banging down your door. Got it.

Ha! Exactly. If I knew the formula to make that happen, I would not have a day job.

Hi, your wife here. Any plans for your next adventure?

So to confirm, yes you are actually my wife.

My next novel or my next story (not necessarily my next adventure) - I think that so much of what's happened to me has just been accepting the opportunities, and making the most of the opportunities I have had in my life, and I think that a big part of that is your presence in it.

I'm making Victoria type this! Hahaha!

Baah, i hoped that the it was a proof of NOT finding a four-leaf clover... - Instead it was just a random bloke on twitter :(

I can, given a day or two, come back with a notarized statement that I've never found one, but that's all I've got!

What weird thing do your knees do?

Oh!

Someone posted proof of that. Hold on.

I'm in too deep now. I gotta do it.

completely rotates knees outwards into bowlegged stance and begins to walk around office with arms outstretched, then pops them back in

That's what they do.

Photo: http://i.imgur.com/8mq6oYC.jpg

How much did they pay you for the screen play?

My stock reply is "more than reasonable and less than desirable."

Do writers have to be full of emotions to write a novel? Sometimes when I got frustrated I tend to write them down, but my writing grades aren't good,is that means I am not a born writer?

Look, every human is born to tell stories. Our feelings are unique and they are important. Our ability to share what we are feeling and thinking is one of the most incredible things in the universe. Never be ashamed of writing. Never be afraid to speak out.

You don't have to be full of emotions to write: Look at the popularity of novels by, say, Asimov or Heinlein, which are pretty Olympian and detached and seem to do fairly well.

Your grades are a snapshot of what one person thinks of one part of your writing at one point in your life. That doesn't define you as a writer. You should always welcome feedback and use it to improve. Experiment with different styles and in different genres. It will take you some time to find your voice, and probably more time to find an audience for it.

But never, never believe it's impossible. Never think that you are not a born writer. Writers are made. They make themselves.

Fantastic reply. Fifty pages into my novel and I really needed to read this.

KEEP GOING.

YES

/u/bengigameur is secretly George R.R. Martin, at a depressingly short distance into The Winds of Winter. KEEP GOING.

Haha! No, I'm the stereotypical redditor down to a t. Sorry to disappoint!

That's JUST what GRRM would peck out with two fingers over the course of seven minutes

How does one actually write an encyclopedia? Do you use other encyclopedias as reference and then just re-word it in your own style?

I read hundreds of sources, everything from books to old letters and memoirs and naval logs. Wherever I could, I relied on primary sources. It's exhausting work and as satisfying as it was I don't think I'll be doing another.

Were you hired to write the encyclopedia or did you just do it? It's gotta be so hard to not miss something. You must have done this before the internet came out, right? I just don't understand why we would need new encyclopedias with the internet.

I worried quite a bit about that, but my job was to provide a comprehensive overview, not every possible fact. And the Internet, as vital as it is for research, hasn't yet removed the necessity for encyclopedias. Wikipedia is, stone-cold, the last resource humanity needs for something like atomic numbers, but it's far from perfect when it comes to something like history that relies on interpretation.

WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH YOUR KNEES?

I weirded them up playing soccer in high school! I'll get a picture up later.

What is your book Acadia about? And what gave you inspiration to write such a novel?

Acadia takes place a hundred years from now, when humanity is on the verge of reaching for the stars. A secret force which has manipulated the course of the 21st century threatens all of humanity, and a small group of humans and AIs must fight to change the course of history.

The book came out of an idea I had a few years ago of a woman alone in space, which, a year before Gravity, was an exciting new thing. Books take a long time.

Alright let's get to it. How much did you make from the sale? And did reddit take a cut?

There are some numbers, which are out there, if you do a little bit of research. But I don't think I'm really allowed to talk about it. Suffice to say that I was treated very fairly, and I think that the sum was part of a good decision. And reddit did not take a cut.

Hey! If you are looking for an overweight guy who sits on the computer all day for your movie can i audition for it? Many thanks for this AMA!

If there wasn't already an overweight guy in front of a computer this story wouldn't exist. :)

Do you have any advice for those of us just out of college with eng and creative writing degrees? And what's up with your knees?

Write every day, read every day. Before any talent or big idea, you need to have the fundamentals down cold, and the most important fundamental is producing words.

And if you're going to write, write what you want to write. The odds against any creator are insane. If you're going to devote months of your time, don't let it be for an idea you think will sell. Odds are it won't. Write something you want to write, or need to write. Write for yourself before anyone else. I'd rather read someone who is excited and passionate about what they want to say than someone who's obviously trying to say what they think I want to hear.

Congrats, so here are my questions.

• How did you get the inspiration of Rome sweet Rome?

• Did want to be a writer?

• How do you cope with fame?

• Have you ever tried to eat your fries with Mayonnaise?

• What is your favourite colour?

Thank you and good luck with the sale of your book and good day.

Thank you!

-Rome Sweet Rome (as you can see in the link I posted) was a response to a question on Reddit. Everything sort of clicked and I punched that whole thing out in an hour. I'm not entirely sure how, or I'd do that over every lunch hour.

-Always. And it's what I've done as a day job for years (writing software manuals and other documentation), so I had some preparation when all this happened.

-I have a very comfortable level of fame where virtually no one ever anywhere realizes I'm famous* but I still get to tell fun stories at cocktail parties.

*This may actually be the definition of "not famous."

-I love fries with mayo. Well, like three or four fries with mayo. I'm 40, I can't eat piles of junk like I used to.

-Green? What does that say about me? Am I a madman?

You're an Iowan? Sweet. Do us proud!

GO HAWKS!

Did you find some kind of method for converting reddit karma into real-world karma?

The only trick I know is putting yourself in situations where something exciting might happen. Cultivate an attitude of excitement and curiosity, and things tend to fall in place. Easier said than done, and Lord knows individual results may vary.

How did they contact you for the rights to your reply?

Through Reddit's messaging system! That was a crazy-ass day.

What did you do before your writing career took off? Did you always plan to work commercially as a writer and did you have some sort of fall back plan in case that didn't work out?

I work for a massive corporation. For me, writing screenplays is my fallback plan. :)

If this had happened back when I was a single barista, I'd be sweating it out in LA right now. But I'm a plump suburban dad with a wife and kids and dogs and a mortgage and a big deck and that whole deal.

I don't regret that choice. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunities I've had.

Have you ever talked to Andy Weir? He didn't start on reddit but he does reddit ( /u/sephalon) and his online story The Martian is being made into a movie. Just wondering if he would be able to give you any tips of pointers to move the movie along.

Edit: I also grew up in Iowa so thanks for representing us well!

I loved The Martian and I'm really excited to see the movie. Never talked to Andy, though.

(And go Hawks!)

• What was the final jeopardy question you were asked?
• How firm was Alex Trebek's handshake?
• Are your knees the source of your special powers?
• What would taste better? MREs or Moretum.

I was asked three questions and biffed them all. I bet $15,000 on the last one. "No one's gotten a Final Jeopardy all week. It has to be easy. I'll bet a lot." NOPE. It was something along the lines of "this phrase started out meaning 'a substitute for correction'" and I got it super-wrong and went home. Still: I got to gamble $15,000 in front of millions of people and that was fun.

Trebek's handshake is exactly right. The man oozes professionalism.

My knees are the source of my most special power, which is complaining about moving.

I think MREs would be great with a healthy splash of garum.

How was your experience with "upvoted"? Do you think it will be a successful podcast?

I certainly hope so! I loved talking with /u/kn0thing and I'm excited to meet Alexis in the flesh today. That rich buttery voice!

What is your favorite dinosaur?

If my sons were in the room, I would have to say Spinosaurus because they both dearly love that big bastard.

But truthfully, my favorite is Therizinosaurus. Big lazy happy sloth-thing with claws that will destroy anything that comes too close.

Why are you so lucky? Do you do weird rituals?

puts on Boba Fett Helmet

I generally don't put on a Boba Fett helmet. This is a new and wonderful thing for me...

It's so beautiful inside here! I can hear the badassery! I want to say something badass like I throw a steak at a wall, and eat it before it descends to the ground

As far as rituals go, the one ritual I have is... one thing that I try to do is I try to just leave myself open to new things. And I try to put myself in situations where fun things could happen. I got my first book deal because I (on a whim) sent a paragraph to a publisher, asking "Hey, can I publish this book?"

I got on JEOPARDY! because I decided Hey, let's take a test.

I got ROME SWEET ROME because I went on reddit and said I could write a story, and it might be crazy, but I'll go ahead and write it anyway.

And I mean- I've been rewarded, pretty well, for just deciding to take a chance on things.

And that's not always easy to do, you know? It's not always easy to throw yourself into the sea of Fate. But as far as a ritual goes, that's probably as close as I get when this sort of thing happens.

Photo: http://imgur.com/Tf3hFwI

Will you be writing more following this story? What could we expect for the future of your series?

I have a few ideas in progress, but mostly I'm dealing with the aftershocks of this novel. I've written a couple of anthologized stories as well.

I would love to do a sequel to Acadia in the future, depending on the response to the book, and I have some ideas laid out for that as well which are TOP SECRET.

Who requested you to go on KL&H? assuming you now have an agent, is that something that they say: "This should be good for you" ?

I came here for the wifi (and it's on the way to the Reddit office from my hotel, where I'll be answering more questions with Victoria later!) and a staffer approached my wife and I, so we'll have a funny story about a white lie she told me on the air tomorrow. Completely unrelated. Fun stuff happens to us, it seems...

So, I'm working on a novel that tweaks history to fit it into my narrative. Do you find it easier or more difficult to work with an established timeline/history? Thanks!

As a trained historian I can tell you that, for better or worse, there are a thousand people interested in a great story for every one who wants hyper-accuracy...

Would you rather fight 100 duck sized Marines or 1 Elephant sized Legionnaire?

sits back

So a duck-sized marine would still have firepower. And if they have duck-scaled heavy weaponry, then I'm absolutely dead. So I'd have to say an elephant-sized Legionnaire because an elephant-sized Legionnaire would have such excruciating back pain that he wouldn't be able to move, so I could pick him off from there.

What would you be doing if Reddit never existed?

My job, probably.

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind wanting to start again?

More like a pair of scuttling claws. :)

Encyclopaedia ?? Spelling .

I refuse to include the "a" since those bastards at Britannica broke my heart by going under.

How does one pronounce Prufrock451?

My favorite pronunciation is "PROOF-rock four fifty one" but it's a free country.