I swore it would never happen to me.
Night and day, deadline after deadline, I’ve been filing copy for the last several years. This winter was busy – columns, features, interviews, some press work – but even working day after day after day, I kept up the pace. The pre-Christmas rush to file 55 blurbs for a book project? It was an honor. I mean, that’s what you do when you write, right? You write.
And then sometime after the Game Developer’s Conference – and especially after PAX East, which was deadly and exhausting – I went to ground. I developed an allergic reaction to deadlines, and then to work of any kind. My weekly column went biweekly. Except for Red Dead Redemption, I didn’t even play many video games. I took to watching Venture Bros. and sitting around with my eyes glazed over.
I finally burned out.
So, I’m taking kind of a break. Not quitting or retiring. But I’m cutting back on a lot of the little review and blurb projects I used to take. I put my Edge column on hold: it’s been an honor to publish at Edge, but after forty installments, I’ve said my piece for now.
To keep busy, I’ve been editing Kill Screen Magazine, which means I get to make other people do all the writing and rewriting. Our second issue is at the printer right now and it is astonishingly good. We have an amazing set of writers and artists, and we squeezed all the sweat and blood we could out of them, for your reading pleasure. You will love it.
And I’m working on a bunch of pet projects. My comic story “My L’il Zombie” (illustrated by Robert Squier – see the panel above) will run in issue two of Zombie Bomb, which debuts at San Diego Comic Con. Man, it’s fun to say “debuts at San Diego Comic Con.”
I had so much fun writing that one that I’ve been writing a new comic series. Last month I had a kidney stone – yeah, another one – and one morning after too much vicodin I had a flash of inspiration, and over the course of the day, when I wasn’t squirming in agony or forcing myself to pee, I sketched out a story arc and a whole cast of characters. It’s a cross between The New Mutants and The Mod Squad, and I’ll post updates once I have something to show.
I’m also looking for gigs writing for games, and working on some amateur game projects of my own. “Ben Goes To School,” a simple XNA game that made it to alpha, features art, design and QA help from my kid. It’s inspired by my Australian gameblogger pal Ben Abraham, who tells me he used to ride a kangaroo to school. Who am I to judge?
Anyway, I use this blog to update people on what I’m up to, and what’s what I’m up to. Taking the summer off. Still working on a bunch of stuff. And figuring out what’s next.
Hey, everyone deserved a little rest. No guilty in there at all. Plus, the comics sound awesome, so that’s not exactly taking time off. Just don’t forget to play DeathSpank when you get a chance, okay?
I’ve always thought of you as the hardest working writer in the games space, Chris. I’m finding it perversely helpful to know you’ve got limits just like the rest of us. Suddenly, I feel so much better about myself!!
Seriously, take it easy, man, and go where your spirit moves you. There’s always another game, another project, another gig, and you’re blessed with skills that’ll be there when you need ‘em. Transitions are cool. They get you where you’re going. I hope you enjoy this one.
Nels, I finally have time to Death Spank as much as I want. Can’t wait! Good luck with the launch!
Thanks guys. And Michael, no matter what, I’m still in the biz via Kill Screen, so don’t forget me for the year-end Brainy Gamer Podcasts!
There’s a world of difference between working for someone else and doing the work that you want to do. And it’s not that you’re not working hard. Having autonomy and self-direction is just far less stressful.
So congratulations on the big shift! Looking forward to seeing your projects.
Wise stuff. Recharge and come back, you hear?
Hey Chris,
Will you be involved in any of the print promotion for David Sylvian’s forthcoming compilation, “Sleepwalkers”?
Yep! I had the pleasure of working on releases for samadhi’s spring releases (Nakamura, Bang and Rabelais), and I’m working on a one-sheet for Sleepwalkers right now. It’s a great compilation, and an interesting complement to Blemish and Manfon. You won’t be disappointed.
Fantastic! Samadhi Sound has been on quite a roll this year. All three are really strong releases. Supposedly, this comp includes remixed versions of some songs, so that is appealing since I have all of the original tracks…with the exception of the new one, Five Lines. That is the collaboration with Dai Fujikura. Would it be possible to give me some clue as to what that one sounds like, or at least if Sylvian sings on the track? All I know right now is that the piece was recorded with a string quartet which included members of the International Contemporary Ensemble.
Thanks
Sure – Sylvian does sing lead on “Five Lines,” and Fujikura composed the music, which yeah, is performed by a string quartet. It’s really excellent! I’ve been spending a lot of time with the collection and really enjoying it – there are a couple songs like “Pure Genius” and “Sugarfuel” that I didn’t already own, and the cuts from Nine Horses and the Slope work really well on here.
How I do so envy you once again, as you get to sit back, relax and take in a new Sylvian release long before the rest of us. You’ve got quite a gig there, I must say.
So what do you think of the track Sleepwalkers? I remember how I was especially transfixed by Martin Brandlmayr’s drumming and mallet percussion on that piece from the moment I heard it on ‘The World Is Everything’ Sampler. And hearing Sylvian toss the f-bomb out there with a such derisiveness actually threw me for a loop. I am sort of enthused that it is finally receiving the proper release it deserves… and the top spot as title track, no less.
I don’t wish to bug you with too many questions, but what are the lyrics to Five Lines like? I hope they consist of more than ‘five lines’.