FAQ

 

Welcome to the GNP’s “Frequently Asked Questions” page!  Here, you will find a collection of questions and queries that I am often asked about various aspects of the project, and answers that will hopefully shed more light on the how’s, why’s, and when’s involved in creating the content of this site!  If you have additional questions that I have not answered below, be sure to let me know in the comments, and I’ll do my best to answer them!

 

Q: Are you really planning on writing 30+ novels?

A: I am! It’ll be no easy task, and to say it’ll take time is the understatement to end all understatements, but I’m honestly excited to take on the challenge!

Q: Are you completely nuts?

A: Possibly…

Q: How long will it take to complete all of these novels?

A: That’s a bit tricky to predict, as there are a number of factors that effect the development of these novels. Firstly, a great deal of research is required for every book I’ll be tackling, including historical studies, script analyzation, and even translation. Secondly, since I want these novels to be of the highest quality I can achieve, each chapter of each book must be closely scrutinized for correct grammar, sentence structure, and spelling.  Thirdly, the act of actually writing the stories in a coherent way that accurately captures the essence, visuals, and themes of each film is often a long, detailed process that cannot be rushed, lest the project suffer.

And last but certainly not least, there is the matter of all the time this process will take while still working multiple jobs and earning enough money to keep a modest roof over my head.  Juggling the requirements of work with the challenge of writing novels is often difficult, and sometimes results in long stretches of time with no content being created.  This certainly doesn’t mean that the project has been abandoned or even put on hiatus, but it does mean that creating even a single chapter could take even more time.

With all of the above taken into account, it may very well take six months to a year to complete a single novel.  However, the factors that govern the amount of time spent on writing these stories could change with time, resulting in faster completion of future novels.  In the end, though, each novel will be given as much time and attention as it needs in order to be as good as it can possibly be.  To do any less would be a disservice to the project, to my readers, and to the wonderful films upon which these books are based.

Q: Which versions of the Godzilla films will you be basing your novels off of? Dubs or subs?

A: The main focus of the novelizations will be preserving the spirit and intention of the original Japanese versions of the films, so those are the versions that will be used as the basis for these adaptations.

However, the question of “dubs vs. subs” doesn’t always provide accurate answers on either side. As many Godzilla fans are painfully aware, there are plenty on US DVD/Blu-ray releases of the Godzilla films that do not include accurate subtitles to the Japanese language versions. The dreaded “dubtitle” is a Godzilla enthusiast’s worst nightmare, and home video releases with these inaccurate translations are to be avoided when researching the original scripts.

Needless to say, tracking down accurate translations of the Japanese dialogue is often difficult. However, maintaining as much accuracy as possible will create better novels, and adaptations that honor the original intent of the directors, screenwriters, and other creators who brought these films to life.

Q: What about the American versions? I grew up with those cuts and would love to see them in novel form!

A: As would I! Believe me, I adore the English versions of the Godzilla films. They’re how I discovered the series, and are just as important to my love of Godzilla as the original Japanese versions are. So don’t worry… while the novelizations won’t be based upon the American versions, they will most certainly include references and homages to them!

In addition, I also have a series of novellas planned that WILL adapt elements of the US versions of the films in (hopefully) fun and unique ways! One of these novellas is already complete: Godzilla, King of the Monsters! – The Steve Martin Report adapts the beloved 1956 “Americanized” cut of the original Godzilla, telling the story in the form of a “final word” report by the character of Martin (played by the late, great Raymond Burr). The novella – which incorporates Burr’s memorable narration dialogue from the film – was a joy to write, and has inspired me to take a stab at similar adaptations! If you have a suggestion for one of these novellas, I encourage you to let me know!

Q: How close will you be sticking to the original stories, characters, and scripts of the films? Will you be changing plot points, adding/subtracting dialogue and/or scenes, or addressing continuity issues?

A: There’s a lot to break down here, so here goes:

First up, as I’ve mentioned before, maintaining authenticity to the original Japanese versions of the films is of paramount importance to me. Therefore, tampering with the plots in any significant way is a big no-no in my book. These aren’t my stories, and are certainly not mine to “fix”.  For my money, there’s not a single thing about any of the Godzilla films that I’d want to change to begin with, so the temptation to meddle with the original story simply doesn’t exist for me.

Second, in terms of new dialogue and scenes, I’ve definitely experimented with this in a few published chapters. These instances are often to fill in gaps in the films to better illustrate how a character got from point A to point B, or (as in the case of the trippy anime sequences from Godzilla vs. Hedorah) work elements from the film that I wanted to preserve more cohesively into the narrative.  My general rule of thumb is that such sequences can’t deviate from the overall plot, and must feel authentic to the characters/writing style from the film in question. The same goes for subtle changes to the films’ dialogue, although for the most part I take pains to ensure that the words spoken by the characters in my novelizations are the same spoken in the movies.

As for plot holes and continuity errors, this is where things get at once tricky and exciting. One of my favorite pastimes as a Godzilla fan is addressing such cannon hiccups in each respective “Godzillaverse” and trying to find explanations that plausibly fit into place in a believable way.  However, with a project like this, there’s always the risk of running into “headcannon” territory and deviating from the official source.  That said, one of the goals of this project – as stated in my Introduction – has always been to attempt a smoothing out of each Godzilla timeline, with the goal of creating stories with both a sense of connection and the ability to, like so many of the actual movies, stand on their own as cohesive stories.  It’s a balancing act, for sure, but it’s been a blast to work on!

Q: Why do you have multiple Godzilla novelizations being written at the same time?  Wouldn’t it make more sense to just do one at a time and not spread yourself so thin?

A: An excellent question, and there are really two answers:

Number 1: More novels being created simultaneously means greater variety for readers, and more content to read across multiple eras and genres.  Some fans might enjoy reading a more lighthearted story (such as Mothra vs. Godzilla or Godzilla vs. Megalon) as opposed to a darker tale (such as the original Godzilla), or the exact reverse could be true.  By having a varied selection in progress, the site is more appealing to more fans, and shows off the different types of writing/storytelling that the GNP offers.

Number 2: The variation is a result of my own way of working as a writer.  I often find that if I focus too heavily on one story for too long, the writing begins to suffer.  This has resulted in my discarding of large sections of in-progress chapters on more than one occasion.  In order to maintain quality in my work but still remain productive, I often switch to a different story, instead focusing my attention on writing/studying a different film.  So while it might appear that working on multiple novels at once is spreading myself rather thin, it actually aids me greatly in the creative process!

Q: I don’t see listings for the American Godzilla films on your Novels page.  Are you planning on writing novelizations of these films?

A: The current answer to that question is “no”, simply because that work has already been done for me!  Full novelizations already exist for the 1998, 2014 and 2019 Hollywood Godzilla films, and more will surely be written for however many future films/sequels are produced here in the west. The focus of the GNP is to create English language novelizations for the Godzilla films that have never received such novelizations, so while I’d LOVE to write adaptations of the Sony and MonsterVerse entries in the series, they aren’t a priority at this time.  However, if there is fan demand for such novelizations, I’d be more than happy to one day tackle them!

(For those interested, the official novelization of the 1998 Godzilla can be purchased here, 2014’s Godzilla can be purchased here, and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters can be purchased here.)

Q: How have you not been sued by Toho?  Aren’t you stealing their character?

A: Another excellent question, and an easy one to answer.  Simply put, since I am not (and will never be) earning money from this venture, no copyright laws are being broken, and no rights are being infringed upon.  The same idea has been used to create fan fictions featuring copyrighted characters for many years (see Toho Kingdom’s wonderful KWC stories as an excellent example), and while my novelizations aren’t exactly “fan fictions”, they function, legally speaking, in the same way.

Q: Are there any plans to publish these books in print form one day?

A: How I wish that the answer to this question was “yes”, but, as per my answer above, these books must always remain online, free to read for any fan who wants to check them out… lest Toho fill my mailbox with a mountain of C&D’s.

If, however, Toho ever gets wind of this project and expresses interest in OFFICIALLY publishing these books with their stamp of approval, then the situation would definitely be different!  I can dream…

Q: Fair enough.  How about audiobooks?  I listen to those more often than I read physical/digital books.  Is releasing your adaptations in audio format something you’d consider?

A: It definitely is!  Creating audiobook versions of these novelizations has been a goal I’ve pondered since launching the project, and it’s something I’d really love to see happen!  Of course, they would never be for sale, and would likely be uploaded to a different website (like YouTube or SoundCloud) for fans to listen to.  However, creating audiobooks would require a number of things to happen, including securing high quality recording equipment, finding someone to read the novels for the recording, and, of course, actually finishing the novels themselves!

If GNP audiobooks are something you’d be interested in seeing happen, be sure to let me know.  It wouldn’t be for quite a while, but if the support is there, I’ll do my best to eventually make it happen!

Q: Is there such a thing as GODZILLA NOVELIZATION PROJECT merchandise? If so, where can I score some of that sweet GNP swag?

A:  Currently, the unfortunate answer to this question is “no”.  At this time, the amount of money being spent on research materials for the project (and being saved for more expensive things like hiring translators) prohibits me from producing merch.  However, that certainly doesn’t mean I’m not interested in creating items for fans of the project to purchase in the future!

That said, if you would be up for adding GNP merchandise to your Godzilla collection, be sure to let me know what kinds of items you’d want to see!  T-shirts/apparel, stickers, keychains, mugs… I’m up for anything, as long as the interest is there!

Q: Can I suggest story ideas?

A: ABSOLUTELY!  I welcome ideas and story suggestions from readers, and have already received a number of excellent ones from fans of the project!  I can’t guarantee that your idea or ideas will be used, but I read every comment sent to me, and I always love hearing your ideas!  And if I use one of your suggestions, I’ll be sure to credit you in some way!

Q: Are you sure you won’t bite if I comment, send you a message, or talk to you directly?

A: Of course not!  I absolutely love talking about Godzilla, kaiju, tokusatsu, Japanese film, or movies in general with like-minded fans.  I also welcome criticism and, as I mentioned before, suggestions that might make the novelizations better.  So, if you ever want to chat, cheer me on, or simply tell me your favorite Godzilla movie, I’m always excited to hear what you have to say!

Head over to the Contact page to find your preferred method of communication!

Q: You’ve convinced me… this GNP thing is kinda cool!  What other ways can I help the project?

A: In terms of direct support, I do have a Patreon account that allows fans to help me acquire research material, hire translators, and simply take more time off from my jobs to write. The lowest tier on Patreon is 1 dollar a month, and for your donation your name would be added to this site’s Dedication Page as a thank you for supporting me. The 5 dollar tier gets you early, exclusive access to any chapters I write, and 10 dollars gets your name in a book as a previously unnamed character from a Godzilla film! Any money, no matter the amount, is a generous vote of confidence in my work that will help make these books better/possible to write.

In addition, the GNP is also an affiliate marketing partner with Amazon.com, meaning that following any link on this site to a product on Amazon (all of which are hand-picked by me to appeal to kaiju lovers) and purchasing said item will give me a small percentage of the sale!  Its not a lot of money (perhaps as little as a few cents per purchase), but that money adds up with more clicks and purchases, and the resulting revenue is, like Patreon donations, reinvested right back into the project.

That said, all I can truly ask of any reader is this: if you happen to read any of my GNP work and enjoy it, pass it on and share it with friends and fellow fans whom you think will enjoy it too! Share/retweet links and updates, and let others in the fan community know about the project! The more fans whose day I can help brighten by reminding them of how much they love Godzilla, the better!