TIM WEAVER | Bestselling author
TIM WEAVER | Bestselling author

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Definitely Coming Back.

8/29/2013

12 Comments

 
So here we are. 

Thirteen months on from the publication of Vanished, Never Coming Back is finally on shelves. It's with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I see it there: I'm not sure the buzz you get from finishing a book, and especially from seeing it out there in the wild, will ever pass (and, in fact, I hope it doesn't). Likewise, I suspect that feeling of trepidation won't be easily shifted either. I worry about all sorts of things with a new book. Will it sell? Will people like it? Was it the best book I could possibly have written? What could I have done differently – and better?

Those first two – Will it sell? Will people like it? – I basically have no control over, so in a way there's little point in worrying about it. (Ha! This is me talking. Of course I'll worry about it.) But was Never Coming Back the best book I could possibly have written at this point in time? I think so, yes. Could I have done something differently – or better? Maybe differently, but probably not better. That's not to say the book is perfect – I'm sure it isn't – but it's as good as it can be right now, given everything I've learnt as a writer over the last 4-5 years. Perhaps the biggest compliment I can pay it – if, indeed, it's alright to pay a compliment to something you've created yourself – is that I seriously doubt it's a book I could have written two or three years ago. I've talked quite a lot on this page about writing's vertical learning curve - and, in a way, this is the result of that. I'm still scaling the curve, of course, but if Never Coming Back says anything, my hope is that it speaks of ambition and scale, and my ability now to paint something bigger.

As one launches, so another continues. Book 5 has been, and continues to be, hard. In a lot of ways, it's the total opposite of Never Coming Back. That was also a testing write, but the hardest part was meshing all the elements together. The actual structure of the book – the nuts and bolts: characters, locations, narrative – were very clear to me all the way through. Book 5 is a more intimate story in some ways, and yet a harder one to pin down. My original plan hit the buffers at 20,000 words: it felt too small and too under-developed. Then, at 85,000 words I realised it had become too big, so had to scale it back, and hack a whole sub-plot out. Now I think it's about right - but, of course, it's only 70-75% done, so plans could yet change again. In fact, given past experience, I think it's probably safe to assume they will!

What's a priority - for me, at least - is that Book 5 is different to the previous books. It would be hard to recreate the events of Never Coming Back, for reasons that will become clear once you've read it, but I think it would be easy to go back to the first three books, and to seek some comfort in the fundamental building blocks of those novels. In short, it would be easy to reskin some of those places and characters, some of the twists and narrative kinks, and at the end of it, I'd probably have a half-decent novel. But readers are smart. They'd see through the facade. And, what I would also do by making that decision, is settle for something less than I hoped. For me, part of scaling that learning curve is being brave enough to make the next leap – and every book should be a leap. How much of a leap Never Coming Back is, and whether people respond to its change of direction, I guess I'll see over the coming weeks. I'm not nervous. Oh no. Not at all.

Happy reading!

Tim

12 Comments
Jimmy
10/4/2013 09:12:02 am

I have to admit that this is the first of your books i have read, Tim.... it will NOT be the last !! I could not put it down, totally compelling through out and wow what a finale !! My only regret is that i never read the first 3 efforts beforehand but for sure i will be now. Keep up the outstanding work, you are clearly on top form and long may it continue.

Reply
Tim Weaver
10/9/2013 06:47:10 am

Hey Jimmy,

Thanks a lot for your lovely comments - so pleased you enjoyed Never Coming Back. If you do hunt down the other Raker books, double thanks - and enjoy!

Best wishes,

Tim

Reply
Karen
10/6/2013 09:26:09 pm

Ditto. Read Never Coming Back in a day; not bad since I haven't picked up a book in months. Found it utterly compelling and the location choices held fond personal connections for me to boot! A page turner like this makes for a hundred times better experience than a good movie, for me, and invariably leaves me wishing I could spin a good yarn myself. I will be seeking out your previous books chronologically, now, as I'm interested to see how your character and your writing has evolved. Thanks for the inspo!

Reply
Tim Weaver
10/9/2013 06:46:34 am

Hey Karen,

Thank you for being so kind about NCB - and thank you for giving the other books a go (if you do). I do think they've shown steady improvement (or, at least, I hope so, anyway!) and certainly you learn all sorts of things as you go - about yourself, about your audience - and, of course, you feel brave enough to try new things.

Really appreciate you getting in touch. Oh, and why not give your own yarn a go? You never know what you might come up with :)

Best wishes,

Tim

Reply
Gail
10/7/2013 08:52:46 pm

Being an avid fan of Billingham & MacBride, I was upto date on all their books and needed a fresh new crime writer to get obsessed with. Whilst drearily perusing bookshelves in WH Smiths at Euston, waiting for a train North, I happened to notice Never Coming Back. Wow - what a find! I am now ordering all Raker back stories so I can start from the beginning (bit of an OCD and kind of wishing I hadnt read Never Coming Back 1st so I could start from the beginning!!) However, absolutely loved it.
I have found my new writer to get obsessed with. I am determined to actually get my own book on paper one day and like you, hope that I wake up with an epiphany (without baby though)
Please keep them coming, I only have 3 books to read now and that wont take long to get through. Loving your work Mr Weaver and looking forward to following your career...not in a stalkerish fashion obviously :)

Reply
Tim Weaver
10/9/2013 06:40:22 am

Hey Gail!

Ha! Lovely message - thanks so much. Really happy that you enjoyed NCB. Massively appreciate you giving it a go! I'll try to write faster if I can (Likely outcome: I can't) and I *completely* understand the need to read books in a certain order. I'm exactly the same. The bonus now, though, is that CTD and The Dead Tracks have both just been reissued with new covers to match the Vanished and NCB vibe, so that's one less thing for you to worry about ;-) Can't be doing with series covers that don't follow the same design!

Best wishes,

Tim

Reply
James
10/9/2013 04:55:40 am

I brought your book at Gatwick, ironically on the way to Vegas and it stayed in my case until my delayed return journey - so was immediately delighted to read about so many places I had just visited.

I read the book in 24 hours. Absolutely fantastic. Was gripped until the end and deliberately sat on a terminated train until I had finished the final pages. The final page, without spoiling anything - brought out emotions I didn't think possible from a book.

I now need to go back and re-read your previous books!

Thanks for the enjoyment.

Reply
Tim Weaver
10/9/2013 06:44:08 am

Hey James,

Brilliant coincidence about Vegas! How did you enjoy it? Weird place - but incredibly interesting. Thank you for being so kind about NCB - so happy to hear it kept you entertained. Also really happy you found the last few pages emotional - that was definitely the intention. If you *do* decide to give the others in the series a go, a big double thank you!

Best wishes,

Tim

Reply
lorraine mansfield
11/8/2013 08:21:09 pm

Never Coming Back, WOW! this is the best book I have ever read, I loved it from beginning to end, It felt like I was there! fabulous, and the twists and turns, brilliant, especially at the very end. This was the first book of yours I have read but it wont be the last,

Reply
Tim Weaver
11/10/2013 10:16:04 pm

Wow! Thank you so much, Lorraine. Really very kind of you. So pleased to hear you enjoyed Never Coming Back - and if you *do* decide to check out the others, a huge, Weaver-shaped double thanks.

Reply
Chris P
1/21/2014 10:06:34 pm

As I have sight problems I enjoy your books in audio format I really have to try and pace myself because I don't want to reach the end.
I am a great fan of crime and thrillers and you are up here with the best.
Looking forward to "hearing" Never coming back
Please keep them coming................

Regards
Chris P

Reply
Tim Weaver
1/22/2014 05:48:51 pm

Hey Chris,

That's lovely to hear! Really happy that the audiobooks have been keeping you entertained. I think all the actors did an amazing job, but my personal favourite has been Joe Coen on The Dead Tracks who, for me, really nailed the essence of Raker.

Best wishes,

Tim

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    Tim Weaver

    Author of the David Raker novels

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