NJW&C 07: The Peaks and Valleys of Writing
Hey, Kids! It’s Nice Jewish Words & Comics!, the latest installment from Neil Kleid's bi-monthly newsletter with updates and info about his latest projects!
Howdy, friends!
Apologies for the delay on this latest installment, but I’ve been away on a small and much-needed vacation with the family in order to recharge ye olde creative batteries. The last few months have been a whirlwind, and sometimes you need to be able to step away from the work and promotion, and real life, to just let yourself rebalance. And I was happy to spend the last week or so putting aside the writing at the beginning of this year in order to clear the cobwebs, come back and start again.
Which, you know, is a perfect segue way to what’s been on my mind lately: the emotional highs and lows you can experience as a writer…especially as a writer of comics and graphic novels.
Over the last few newsletters, I’ve talked about my writing plan and the fact that 2024 is a year during I’ll be creating more work than I’ll be releasing. In fact, once Nice Jewish Boys and the Kings and Canvas collected edition have completely shipped I don’t have any new work currently scheduled or contracted to be released via a publisher or crowdfunding platform. Usually, I like to have a few projects lined up in advance—and I do have many pitches and conversations in flight right now—because you place your next book while finishing or releasing your current book, you know? So you can ensure that you are releasing work while creating it. But in some cases…some years…
…you find yourself with a gap between releases. Or more specifically, as a creative, you can enter a period during which you simply have no paid or deadlined work.
And as a writer, I’ll tell you, that can be a scary thing.
You wonder if you’ll be able to sell or place another project. You wonder if your best years are behind you. And you wonder if your emails or calls will get answered again. If writing is your sole source of income, that’s even scarier—but either way, the constant rejections…the constant pitching…trying to generate new work or stay on folks’ radar….it’s draining as hell.
But it happens. Some years you’re at peak productivity—on top of that mountain, having climbed to the summit with projects in arm, and you’re planting your flags, one by one. You’ve scheduled books, you’ve got contracts and deadlines, and you may have even gotten paid what you and they are worth. It’s a great feeling, being at the peak.
But then some years…you’re down in the valley, slowly pushing those projects up the hill. And in many cases, the folks in the valley were up at the peak the year before, or a few years before that…but once all their flags were planted and the projects and cash run dry, they had to come back down to the valley and start all over again. It’s a cycle for some of us—not every writer or artist or creative can stay up on that peak forever. I mean, that’s the dream, sure. But it isn’t always a reality. And like 2024, I’ve found myself back down in the valley more times than I can count. It’s a natural part of the process, and sometimes it’s unavoidable. It sucks, and I wish it didn’t, but it’s often a lonely, exhausting, daunting feeling.
The trick is, pals o’ mine…
…the trick is, learning over the years how to make the best use of your time in the valley.
Sure, you can moan and complain. You can feel sorry for yourself and curse the industry. You can mourn the projects which failed and wallow in misery. If you depend on your writing or art for money, you can maybe even get desperate and take whatever comes, even if it isn’t right or hurts you in the long run. (That last bit I get, by the way—I’d take money for rent, food and the basic human necessities over film rights that may never get exercised any day). But if you don’t, and you have some other means of support and are writing or drawing because you need to do it, because it’s part of who you are and you have big dreams and stories you need to tell without starving or becoming homeless…
…then spend your time in the valley wisely.
Develop a strategy for your time down there. Will you build or redesign a portfolio? Will you generate pitches and spec work? Will you finally write that manuscript you’ve needed to get out of your head? How about figuring out new ways to network—new editors or retailers or publishers to whom you can introduce yourself? Or heck, maybe just let yourself rest and recover, look back with pride on what you’ve accomplished and look ahead at what you can reasonably accomplish to ensure a successful climb back up to the peak?
I will admit that it has taken me quite some time to be so zen about this. There was a time during my career when I’d look around and see friends or colleagues with tons of work being announced or released, with book and movie deals, and wonder why the universe hated my ideas so very, very much. Desperation took hold in some cases, where I’d consider selling my ideas for peanuts as long as someone—anyone—would publish my work with my name attached. I’ve been lucky enough to always have a day job and a supportive spouse, and so I’ve never had to make choices like some of you—who depend on writing or drawing to survive—and to you I wish nothing but packed schedules and fair deals.
But for me and those who can do so, I will say that there’s something freeing and satisfying about finally marrying that hunger and ambition—to get ahead, to get back to the peak—with some kind of personal and emotional balance, finding an agreement within yourself to say, hey self, it’s okay to be down here in the valley and here is what we can reasonably accomplish while we are. Here are some plans and strategies or personal projects we might complete that we can carry back up to the peak, and perhaps one day plant as flags again.
I gotta say, it isn’t easy getting to this place mentally. In fact, after two decades in comics I’m only finally reaching it now. But I wrote Brownsville in the valley. I did the same for Savor and Kings and Canvas. I wrote a novel no one’s ever heard about while in the valley, and that novel got me the job on the ‘Kraven’s Last Hunt’ adaptation which then got me the Powers novel for MacMillan Books. I’m in the valley right damn now—even as the last issues of Nice Jewish Boys are being released—and I’m using my time down here to get through a spec novel and write a handful of comics pitches I can take back up with me on the ascent. I’m patiently and persistently reaching out to editors and publishers I know to see if there’s any work, any opportunities to pitch them ideas. And I’m already thinking about new formats in which I can write, new projects I might crowdfund, new ways to get back up the valley and plant several more flags next to ones I’ve already left.
Mostly? I’m down here in the valley, writing the books and stories I want—no, that I need to write. Hopefully some folks will like them enough to publish them. If they do, that’s great. If not, maybe I’ll crowdfund them. If readers like them, also great. If not, that’s cool—I wrote them for myself, and I hope those readers find something which better suits them (in fact, I’d be happy to recommend a few—and have in previous installments of this very newsletter).
Some years you’re at the peak. Some years you’re in the valley.
Hell, look at my Detroit Lions—at the peak all year, and one bad game takes them back down to the valley until September. You think that Dan Campbell and his team are spending the year mourning that loss? Maybe for a few days, sure. Maybe even a month. But at some point in the near future, they’re going to get some rest, get up the next day and get back on the grind for the next season of football. Because there’s a Super Bowl to play, and you can be damned if those guys are going to miss every opportunity to position themselves to reach it next year.
Some years you’re at the peak. Most years you’re in the valley.
What will you do with your time while you’re there?
WHAT NEIL’S WORKING ON
We’re a week away from the release of Nice Jewish Boys #4. We’ve been getting some great feedback and reviews on the first three issues, I have to say, and while I know some of the narrative content might be controversial these days—especially this fourth issue—I’m really proud of this story I got to tell with John, Ellie and Sarah. This was definitely a case of “write for yourself and hope the reader likes it.” A very personal story that is absolutely resonating with others, and I hope that those of you checking out my newsletter have had a chance to read the series. Anyway, issue #4 is out on February 6th.
Here’s how you can support the book:
Download the Amazon Kindle app on your mobile device
Read the issue—or the previous issues— in the Kindle app
Tell your friends, journalists, other readers about the series…and if you liked it, maybe leave us a review on Amazon? Every good review helps, you know.
Here are the cover and solicitation copy:
“Fists and flags are waved when the Teaneck Jewish community faces off with protestors at the local Israel parade. Jake—now on the outs with the Avodah—must decide if he’s willing to pay the personal and legal costs involved in betraying Chaim, as well as the cost it will have on his own family as he tries to become a nice Jewish boy once again.”
The fifth issue should be out in early March, and we’re still waiting to hear on a print collection (or any sort of date for if and when it might release) from our friends at both Comixology and Dark Horse. We have definitely had some folks ask about it, and we’re hoping to deliver that news as soon as know!
Meanwhile, here’s a fun little podcast I did about the book with Jimmy Gaspero at the Cryptic Creator Corner from Comic Book Yeti, a great review of issue #3, and also a cool interview I did with Geek Network about Nice Jewish Boys and my work.
Kings and Canvas! Yes, we were hoping for the books to arrive at the start of January, but due to some printing and shipping delays, we are now looking at the start of February before the books arrive from Outland Entertainment’s printer in China and be in the warehouse by mid-February…meaning fulfillment will likely start happening in mid to late February. For those of you who backed the campaign, we do appreciate your patience. We're sorry about this delay and we'll do our best to keep you up to date with the fulfillment.
Other than that, I’m just toiling in the valley. Since the start of the year, I’ve managed to write over 17 thousand words on Project Vigilant, distilled the pitches for Projects Madness and Valley, and start typing some character descriptions for Project Unwanted. I did a little bit of research for Project Dog Day, but then I had a day job workshop and the aforementioned vacation happen, so I’m just digging back in today.
Oh, and while I was on vacation I had an idea for something new that I’m calling Project Rope Drop. There have been variations of this story done by other writers, sure, but not exactly executed in this manner…so I’m excited to figure out how to get mine done. But yeah, that means I’ve added something new to the 2024 Writing Plan. Let’s see where we land when December rolls around, huh?
WHAT NEIL’S WATCHING AND READING
So, yeah. I finally saw Godzilla Minus One and holy heck was that a fantastic movie. It’s probably one of the best movies I've ever seen. The trauma of war, honor, duty, sacrifice, family, what it takes to rebuild, and a giant radioactive monster. I was not expecting that at all. I think I want to go see it again when the black and white version comes out soon, and maybe even on a much larger screen. There was no IMAX version playing near me so I sat like three rows from the screen to really get close to all the Godzillas.
For now, if you have the chance, I highly recommend this one.
I’ve also begun a Succession rewatch. Now, at first blush I really didn’t want to watch this show—I’m not always a fan of the shows everyone else is watching, and after seventeen thousand versions of “wait, you’re not watching Succession?!” from everyone I know, I didn’t want to watch it on principle.
But then, you know, I did…and yeah, what a bunch of backstabbing assholes. And I loved every single second of it. I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen the series, but I thought this one ended perfectly and the character development and machinations of the Roy family members are just ::chef’s kiss:: perfect.
Also, if Marvel doesn’t snap up Matthew MacFadyen to play Henry Peter Gyrich in the next year, they’re doing both their cinematic universe and that character a disservice. He’s the perfect choice, that Tom Wambsgams is.
Finally, other than the research I’ve been doing for Project Dog Day—which I don’t want to talk about yet, because it might give away the game—I’ve mostly been re-reading old issues of the Marvel Star Wars comics, and man if I don’t still want to write a Star War. Let’s please make that happen, G-d? I promise to be very nice and still Jewish. I have also been re-reading All Of the Marvels by Douglas Wolk, which is a fascinating look at one brilliant man’s insane goal to read nearly every Marvel comic ever made—over 27,000 of them!—since 1961. Douglas is a notable comic book critic and pundit, a scholar and a fantastically engaging writer. I encourage you to check out this book, if you haven’t had the chance.
And that’s about it this time around, kids. Hope we’ll get back to our regular cadence again, and I look forward to your thoughts about the fourth issue of Nice Jewish Boys and anything else contained in this week’s newsletter.
Here’s to the Detroit Lions in 2025. Restore the Roar, One Pride and all that.
Have a magical day,
Neil
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