TLDR
Known primarily for writing the novel-turned-movie, "Ready Player One," Ernest Cline is also a slam poet, screenwriter, short story writer and gaming platform creator.
“For me, growing up as a reader, my definition of freedom – both personal and artistic – was the ability to do whatever I wanted to do, without interference from anyone else. I still believe that’s what it means to be a writer.” – Ernest Cline
Ernest Cline (born 1972) is an American science fiction novelist, screenwriter and slam poet. Best known for his bestselling sci-fi novel, “Ready Player One,” he has published four novels, as well as a popular poetry collection.
His books have been published in over 50 countries to great critical acclaim, and he has spent more than 150 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. “Ready Player One” alone has sold over 1.7 million copies worldwide.
Before he was a published novelist, Cline was a successful screenwriter and slam poet. He performed regularly at the Austin Poetry Slam, which led to the publication of his poetry collection, “The Importance of Being Ernest,” in 2001.
However, Cline’s “big break” came in the early 2000s, when the Weinstein Company purchased his script for “Fanboys.” Released in 2009, the film was inspired by Cline’s obsession with the “Star Wars” franchise.
In 2011 he published his first novel, “Ready Player One.” This title was followed by three other novels, including a book for kids. “Ready Player One” was also adapted into a film by Steven Spielberg in 2018.
Cline is primarily a sci-fi writer. He uses his writing to discuss themes such as virtual reality, dystopia and gaming or “nerd” culture. As a self-proclaimed “full-time geek,” Cline has used his own hobbies and interests to carve out a space for himself in the science fiction world.
He’s currently working on The Readyverse, an ambitious immersive gaming platform. Gamers will be able to play their favorite games and connect with other fans in a digital community.
Ernest Cline Biography: From Sci-Fi Geek to Bestselling Author
Born in small-town Ohio on 29 March 1972, Ernest Cline grew up in a family of four. From a young age, he had a keen interest in science fiction and video games. His obsession with games like Dungeons & Dragons and films like “Star Wars” would later influence his own work in the sci-fi world.
During his 20s, Cline worked in tech support and other jobs while pursuing screenwriting and poetry. From 1997 to 2001 he regularly performed at Austin Poetry Slam, winning the competition in 1998 and 2001.
According to Cline, winning Austin Poetry Slam greatly improved his self-esteem as a writer and performer. In 2001 he self-published a collection of his most popular poems. He also released an album of his performances titled “The Geek Wants Out,” sharing his unique blend of pop culture and shrewd observations.
However, Cline’s primary ambition was to become a screenwriter. He worked on scripts in his spare time before selling one to the Weinstein Company in the early 2000s. This deal was a huge moment for the author, but the film wasn’t released until 2009.
By then the producers had changed many elements of Cline’s original script. This disappointing modification led to the creation of Cline’s first novel, “Ready Player One.” He wanted to write something over which he could have complete creative control.
In interviews, Cline has discussed never feeling “at home” in the real world, turning to video games for community and escapism. This alienation is reflected in his work, particularly “Ready Player One,” where protagonist Wade Watts uses virtual reality to escape a dystopian world.
Pop culture is also omnipresent in Cline’s work. The clues in “Ready Player One” are based on iconic 1980s and 1990s pop culture references such as Pac-Man, Michael Keaton’s “Batman” and “Black Tiger,” which is Cline’s all-time favorite game. He has a Black Tiger arcade cabinet in his home office, as well as a huge collection of video games.
Cline has been married twice. From 2003 to 2013 he was married to fellow author Susan Somers-Willett, and they had a daughter together. In 2016 he married poet Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, with whom he also has a daughter. He met O’Keefe Aptowicz in 1998 at the National Poetry Slam in Austin, but the two began dating in 2013.
Cline has written four novels, including two books in the “Ready Player One” series, a standalone novel and a book for kids. He contributed to the short story collection “Robot Uprisings” with a nostalgic tale about an 80s Omnibot toy with special powers.
From “Fanboys” to “Ready Player One,” Ernest Cline’s work is heavily influenced by the video game and sci-fi culture he was brought up on. His books, full of 1980s and 1990s references, are beloved by sci-fi fans of all ages.
The Books of Ernest Cline
“Ready Player One” is considered Cline’s greatest novel. It successfully blends genres, cleverly using 1980s and 1990s nostalgia to appeal to fellow gamers. The novel is set in a dystopian 2045, following protagonist Wade Watts through a series of clues and challenges via the OASIS – a virtual reality simulation.
“Ready Player One” has sold over 1.7 million copies (as of December 2020), with a place on the New York Times bestseller list. It has been praised for its fun nostalgia, appealing to young adult readers and gamers.
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Cline’s second book, “Armada,” is a coming-of-age standalone novel about a video game come to life. High schooler Zak Lightman and other avid gamers must protect the world against alien invaders in the real world, using the skills they’ve gained from the virtual one.
The book debuted at number four on the New York Times bestseller list. However, it was criticized by some as self-indulgent. This view is a frequent criticism of Cline’s novels, particularly their use of gaming and pop culture references.
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This book is the much-anticipated follow-up to his bestselling novel “Ready Player One.”
“Ready Player Two” follows Wade Watts’ life just days after winning the contest in “Ready Player One.” After discovering a new technology, he must go on another quest to protect the world, reuniting with many characters from the first book.
On publication, the book debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list. However, it received a lot of criticism from both critics and fans. Many criticized the novel’s weak prose, arguing that “Ready Player Two” recycled a lot of the same elements from the first novel. This has led to the unfavorable, somewhat unfair title of “one-hit-wonder.”
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“Bridge to Bat City” is Ernest Cline’s first children’s book. The novel tells the story of Opal, a young girl, recently orphaned, who moves in with her uncle on the family farm.
She befriends a group of music-loving bats, moving to Austin with them, where she meets a selection of fun, eccentric characters, and she learns how to belong in a new place.
Goodreads reviewers praise the book’s ability to make outsiders feel seen — something that is particularly important for young people. However, some readers have criticized the book for its somewhat “flimsy” characters.
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In 2001 Cline self-published a collection of his most popular poems as a companion to his CD, “The Geek Wants Out.” Cline’s book includes well-known original poems like “The Geek Wants Out” and “Dance Monkeys Dance.”
Write Bloody Publishing printed a new edition of “The Importance of Being Ernest” in 2013, helping to bring Cline’s witty spoken word offerings to new fans. The poems have been praised for their intelligence, evoking nostalgia for fans raised on pop culture like “Airwolf.”
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“The Omnibot Incident” is a short story in Daniel H. Wilson and John Joseph Adams’ 2014 collection, “Robot Uprisings.” The collection includes contributions from bestselling and up-and-coming authors, considering what the future of technology means for humanity.
Cline’s story uses Tomy’s Omnibot toy from the 1980s as its basis, following a young boy who receives an advanced, personalized robotic Omnibot on Christmas morning. Cline’s story has been praised for its heartwarming explorations of grief, AI technology and robot rebellion.
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Ernest Cline: Misogyny in the Gaming World
There has been some controversy around the representation of women in Ernest Cline’s work, especially the film adaptation of “Ready Player One.”
In a 2018 article for The i Paper, Rhiannon Williams argued that Art3mis, the main female character in “Ready Player One,” comes across as helpless and lacking agency in the film. As Cline worked on the film’s screenplay, he may have contributed to this depiction.
This issue all plays into a common criticism of gaming culture. Many argue that it is a toxic environment for women, something that some critics believe can be seen in Cline’s work. With many trying to keep “nerd culture” exclusive to men, female characters are often sidelined, reduced to overly sexualized tropes or weak characters.
In an interview for Wired.com, Cline insisted Art3mis should be viewed as a hero in her own right. However, the interviewer agreed that her character in the film adaptation comes across as a 2D “animé character,” rather than a realistic woman.
Awards
Ernest Cline has been granted numerous awards, including:
- 2012 Prometheus Award for “Ready Player One”
- 2012 Alex Award for “Ready Player One”
- 2016 Mary Shelley Award for Outstanding Fictional Work for “Ready Player One”
- 2016 Hal Clement Young Adult Award (part of the Golden Duck Awards) for “Armada”
Book to Film
Warner Bros. acquired the movie rights to “Ready Player One” just one day after Random House bought the novel. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 2018.
Cline co-wrote the blockbuster with screenwriter Zak Penn. The film grossed $137.7 million in the U.S. and Canada, with a largely positive critical reception. Cline’s novels “Ready Player Two” and “Armada” are in development for film adaptations, but there’s currently no release date for the projects.
Ernest Cline’s Screenwriting Career
As well as writing the screenplay for the film adaptation of “Ready Player One,” Ernest Cline also created the screenplay for “Fanboys.” Released in 2009, the film follows a group of “Star Wars” fans who steal a rough cut of “The Phantom Menace” from Skywalker Ranch.
The reception for the film was relatively negative. It received 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, with fans praising its warm pop culture moments but criticizing the film’s overall quality.
Cline was a screenwriter first and a novelist second. In an interview with Lightspeed Magazine, he claimed that his experience making “Fanboys” was “disheartening” at times. Nonetheless, he has written multiple screenplays since 2009, including one for the rumored film adaptation of his novel “Armada.”
Ernest Cline Quotes
“Being human totally sucks most of the time. Video games are the only thing that make life bearable.”
“I created the OASIS because I never felt at home in the real world. I didn’t know how to connect with the people there.”
“I notice when I’m at a party where I don’t know anybody – even if I have nothing in common with somebody – we can still talk because we were raised by the same TV and cartoons and movies.”
Ernest Cline on Social Media
During the early years of his career, Ernest Cline used his blog to update fans on his writing. The site is no longer in operation, but readers can access the blog’s archives to view old posts.
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