How did Regalia established contact with Calamity?
I think I'll save that for the next series I'm doing. If I don't answer that *inaudible* things like that in the next series, you can ask me again and I'll answer.
Why does Nightblood need to eat Investiture?
So, Nightblood is... leaky, is how I would say it.
Does his sheath help with that somehow?
Yes.
If Feruchemists can store warmth, and you can Compound if you have the dual... Could they harm themselves by drawing too much warmth?
Could they draw it out of their body and therefore kill themselves by freezing themselves?
Either way. Either that, or burn and Compound too much...
This is harder to do that you think it [is], because built into Feruchemy is the natural body's resistance to the things you're doing, but it is possible.
Can Hoid change how he looks?
He has various methods of changing how he looks.
If you were a Leecher, could you destroy a Shardblade?
I'm going to RAFO that for now, let's just say that it would be incredibly difficult if it were possible, and I'm not going to even say if it is. But that kind of power...
Let's just say they were burning duralumin as well.
Let's just say that the Investiture in a Shardblade is much greater than your average Allomancer, but... This type of thing is not unheard of in the Cosmere. The larkin, the Leechers, and Nightblood all have a similar sort of thing going on. Destroying a Shardblade would be really hard. And Investiture resists other forms of Investiture, so.
The guards that are used on the Shardblades, that people are able to work with them safely, are those made of aluminum?
[...] This is an excellent question that is well asked, and people are thinking along the right lines. I haven't answered 100%, but people are thinking the right way.
So, in Elantris, the earthquake that created the chasm, was that caused by Shards, by some powers...?
I haven't really dug into that, but the number one thing people assume is that it was the shattering of Dominion and Devotion, which is not the case. They were broken much earlier. The Splintering of them happened much earlier.
The ten Surges on Roshar, I think you've said are basically a different set of laws of physics.
Yeah.
Are those laws of physics consistent throughout the Cosmere?
Yes, to an extent. You would consider, like - it's kind of weird because I based them on the idea of the fundamental forces, but this is kind of like a human construction. You could say that physics is pure and natural, but we're still putting things in boxes. And the scientists on Roshar would, for instance, consider being able to travel between the Cognitive and Physical Realms as a force, the thing that pulls people back and forth between that, as a fundamental force. I don't know if it would fit our definition of a fundamental force.
The Rithmatist 2 kind of took a...stage to the background with everything. Do you have any idea when that's gonna be...?
We're getting close. We're getting close. I will do it most likely between Stormlight 3 and 4, somewhere. I can't promise where, but it's getting really close. I'm going to start reading the first book to my son very soon; he's nine now. And once I read it out loud with him I will be ready to write the second. I'll be back in the world.
Who would win in a fight? Vin or Kaladin?
It depends on if you convince Vin the need to *inaudible*. Kaladin's a soldier. He wins on the battlefield. He does not win if you sneak up on him at night.
Do you have a favorite character?
I don't. That said, Dalinar's *inaudible* been with me the longest, so...
Dalinar?
Yeah, so I've got a special fondness for Dalinar.
When did Lift meet Hoid? *inaudible*
Lift met Hoid in between the visit to the Nightwatcher and her first <interlude>.
What's the penalty for killing a highprince, like Adolin did to Sadeas?
Official law is kind of confusing, because before the unification of Alethkar back into a kingdom, killing a highprince was like killing the monarch of another country. So if you did it on the field of battle it's fine. If you assassinate them it's considered a bad-- a mark of dishonor. But, what's gonna happen? I mean, your own people are gonna probably be like, "Okay, you killed the other highprince. You shouldn't have done that." But, you know... the enemy... *laughing* But now that there's a kingdom, those sort of laws are different. So it's going to cause a legal conundrum. Does that make sense?
Did you get the idea for the Parshendi from *inaudible* in Heart of Darkness?
I did not.
Have you read it?
But I have.
*inaudible*
Yeah, it totally is. So maybe-- maybe it's in the back of my head.
When Wax's uncle gets blown up and [the Faceless Immortal] says "you will serve us in another realm", is that a [truth] ?
Wait wait, who says that?
With Suit, the end of Bands of Mourning? He gets blown up...?
Oh right, right...So, yeah, that is not specifically answered on purpose. That is meant to be more ambiguous, it may not even be a true statement.
So their deity doesn't pick which souls...
I'm not saying yes or no, I'm just saying, don't take what they say as law, as the actual state of things. It may just be a belief on their part.
The world of Sixth of the Dusk [First of the Sun], is it going to make another appearance?
It will likely make another appearance, I am unlikely to do another story there just because I have too many things to do sequels too, but if you keep your eyes open, you can see...
Is Hoid related?
You will see some more.
In the new novella for the Stormlight Archive. <Edgedancer.>
Mhm?
When she gets the cart over the edge of the ledge, it mentions that there was black sand on the ground? Was that Hoid, or...?
That was not Hoid.
Was that due to what she did, or...?
That was Wyndle.
Okay, he left black sand?
Well, his, uh-- he decayed into dust.
Okay.
And so...
Okay. Wondering if it was related to White Sand.
There's something going on there. But no, it is not the white-- it is not sand. I should be careful about use the word sand, particularly black sand. But I was just thinking of Wyndle with that one.
Okay, okay.
That is a false positive on the cosmere connection.
What is the raw power of the most powerful magic system?
I would say that there isn't one.
Is Khriss a reliable narrator?
Yes, Khriss is reliable. She doesn't know everything, so there are some things that she doesn't quite get right. But she usually will acknowledge, "I'm not sure about this." Okay?
Okay, cool.
You can trust Khriss as much as you can trust most experts in their field.
The Cognitive and the Physical Realms...do they stay connected to the Shardworld for the character they're related to, or can you go back and forth - like in Secret History, when he passes off of Scadrial and to the outskirts, within I guess the Cognitive Realm, is that something they could do with other Shardworlds?
Yes.
Did something happen to Demoux between Mistborn and Stormlight to turn him into a jerk, or am I misinterpreting his actions?
He is not a jerk, but he is not...
As pure as he is in Mistborn?
Yeah. He's a little more idealistic than pure, how about that?
Are we going to hear that story?
Yes. [...] I'm toying with some stuff in Secret History 2, it'll get into some of this.
Is there going to be more Secret History?
They have to go into the cracks between other books, but not...I am planning to do more right now, I'm not opposed to having more like that happen.
There are different kinds of spren that bond with people and it appears they’re based on a concept. Is it possible to have a concept which would make a Nahel bond that gives two Surges that don’t align to one of the Radiant orders?
Um, uh...this is a theoretical possibility that has not happened yet.
Did the original Shardholders know what Shards they were grabbing?
Another RAFO. Sorry. You're asking really good questions. Really good questions.
There is a metal used to charge in the last Mistborn book, is that lithium?
[Sounds like he's going to say "no" but then changes his mind] I'll dig into that, that's another RAFO. But I'm glad you're thinking along those lines. Let's just say that.
If someone goes to every planet and get Invested from every Shard, if he was Invested enough would he become a new Shard?
That’s an excellent question that I’m not going to answer.
And I am assuming you will not answer if anyone is trying to do that.
Yup, I am not going to answer. Sorry. That's too deeply related to things that are happening in the Cosmere and I don’t want to dig into for a little while yet.
Why is Dalinar very strict of Adolin but not with Renarin and Elhokar?
It is a little bit - I would say a slight flaw on Dalinar's part, he's too hard on Adolin. But that's because Adolin is in line for the throne, and he's the eldest son, and the heir, and all of that stuff. I would say that Dalinar's a little too lax in some ways, a little too strict in others.
Do the Radiants have only one gender per [Order], or you can have...?
You can have different genders.
Are we going to find out more about the cesium, the exploding metal?
The super cesium? Well, the last Wax and Wayne book is called The Lost Metal so....you kinda got it...yeah.
Are we ever going to find out about all of Adolin’s failed relationships?
Probably a little bit more. Not a ton. But a little bit more.
Is there an abolitionist movement in Roshar? In any culture there?
In ANY culture? Yes.
Do they have a concept of alcoholism in Roshar?
Yes.
Does Dalinar’s family have it?
That will be answered in the next book, but you should definitely be asking that question.
We've seen Cognitive Shadows in the Cognitive Realm (e.g. Kelsier), and in the Physical (Returned, Shades, Heralds (kind of, sort of)). Is it alright to refer to shadows both with and without a body as "Cognitive Shadows"?
Yes. The Shadow is the spirit, though, so there is some distinction.
When you say that the Returned are Cognitive Shadows, are they shadows of the people they were pre-death? In other words, is Lightsong Llarimar's Cognitive Shadow stapled to his body with a Divine Breath?
Yes, they are. (The evidence in the books is Lightsong obtaining some of the memories his pre-death soul had.)
Is there some reason why the characters in the cover don't seem to reflect the Hawaiian esque description you seem to have in your head. For Kaladin for example
Yeah. Basically, I was too intimidated by being able to work with Michael Whelan to be picky.
It goes a little further than that. The original cover was closer in skin tone and features to what I'd imagined. (Remember, I view the Alethi as kind of Asian Hawaiian hybrids.) However, the pose and overall look of the figure wasn't great.
I chose not to say anything, because I love Mr. Whelan's work, and was simply thrilled to be working with him. Plus, I liked the cover quite a bit, even if something was slightly off with the figure. Well, Mr. Whelan obviously saw what I had, and over the next few months we got a string of revisions from him.
By the time he'd settled on the current one (which was the best of the ones he'd sent) I didn't want to bother him with redesigning Kaladin yet again.
We're still trying to get this right. In working with Dan Dos Santos to do the clothing portraits in the second book, I kept having trouble describing to him what to use. I think he got much closer to the look of the Alethi, but I don't feel we're there yet.
Third cover is shaping up nicely, and we're being careful to nudge Mr. Whelan toward a more Alethi look.
I've been listening to this year's Writing Excuses, and in one of the more recent episodes you had a romance author (whose name I can't recall right now), and the topic of how popular the romance genre is, and how good some of its authors are came up. I don't think I've ever read a romance novel, but I wondered whether you can recommend one that might appeal to your readers? I am curious to see what makes those books so popular, but I don't want to just pick something from the bookstore's shelf...
I might start with something in-between, like Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince. It's shelved in fantasy, but has some strong romance roots. (The author has even written a romance novel or two.)
Mary's own Shades of Milk and Honey is a romance novel that is shelved in fantasy as well.
As for straight up romance, let me think about it. Most of what I enjoy is hybrid.
How does one become a beta reader?
It's not easy. It involves being very involved in fandom, usually, and proving yourself trustworthy and having people who are already betas vouch for you.
Would you or [Peter] consider joining the reddit Cosmere Discord for a kind of AMA or even just a visit to chat? I can certainly understand if you wanted to maintain control over dialogue than what live text (or audio) chat could provide, but I can't help thinking it would make for a great form of interaction with an audience of dedicated fans. There's non-cosmere sections available to just discuss books in general, for what it's worth.
I'm not opposed to this sort of thing.
Maybe not the best place to ask, but one of your remarks reminded me:
will input beta reader comments and writing group comments
So, do you have one master document where you input their comments? How do you organize and consolidate all of their input? I'm a part of a writer's group and I now have like 5-6 copies of each chapter I've submitted and I have no idea how to get started in organizing it.
My best idea so far is to have one master doc (which is a clone of the original) and mark it up with each user's feedback.
Thanks for any advice.
I don't actually have people mark up the text any more, but I used to do it as you say. These days, I instead put up a google sheet with a tab for each chapter, and then I have beta readers put feedback on the appropriate tab. Peter then collates these comments and inserts them into a draft of the book for me to read in context and made decisions about.
Time to find me a Peter.
Thanks for the advice!
It's possible to use Word's Merge Documents feature even on 5–6 copies of a chapter (just do two at a time). But this can create a lot of artifacts. I did that during the Towers of Midnight editing and it's a real pain dealing with all of the repeat punctuation that appears, like ,”,”,”,”,”
How would a Desolation look like on another Shardworld? Would it look different or just more or less similar?
The term "Desolation" isn't really a cosmere-wide term. It's a Rosharan word for a specific type of event that happens there--and so I have no context for what it would mean no other worlds.
To answer the inevitable question, the beta readers are chosen by Peter--my assistant and editorial director--from among those who have been very active on the fan websites, or who know us personally.
Don't you think this invite survivor bias? If the only ones who beta you books are people who love your books (granted there are a lot of them ;-) doesn't that result in a particularly district set of people who are reading for specific things?
Just curious.
Betas are supposed to be a test audience, not a critical audience. Meaning, I just want to judge how my fanbase will respond to the book.
For alphas (my editorial team) I look for the strong criticism. For Betas, I want people who are partial to the work, as they represent the average fan. I do try to fill them with some people who are more casual fans, as opposed to only the hardcore.
For alphas (my editorial team) I look for the strong criticism. For Betas, I want people who are partial to the work, as they represent the average fan. I do try to fill them with some people who are more casual fans, as opposed to only the hardcore.
Do you get a lot of information that you use from these Beta readers? Or - do you take a lot of that and actual use it in edits and revisions down the road?
We do get a lot of information, but it's more...how to describe it. It's more general AND more specific.
On one hand, what we get from the betas is a general feel for the book, and how it will be received. We also get specific little continuity goofs that we've missed.
Editorial tends to be able to talk about story structure, characterization, that sort of thing on the macro scale. Betas tend to give more of a view of the book emotionally--is this book matching expectations, are parts of it boring, that sort of thing.
On a related note, does Endowment personally know the purpose of each Returned, or does he/she just know that they have a purpose without knowing the specifics of what the purpose is?
RAFO, I'm afraid.
Well, on Friday Brandon was explaining what's in book 4 and 5, and after he got well into it I said, "So we're in book 5 now, right?" and he said, "No..."
Since each book is getting longer than the others and having heard what he wants in book 4, do you think he will have to split book 4? I don't want to look past the mark, but it seems like he's on track to have to publish Stones Unhallowed parts 1 and 2.
In this case, he could probably move some plot elements from book 4 to book 5. The issues that make Oathbringer unsplittable probably won't apply then.
You don't have to worry about him becoming unproductive, but I do worry a little about Stormlight taking more out of him and needing more and more "hamburger and fries" to recharge. I also am suddenly worried about the series growing beyond 10 books, especially with Peter Ahlstrom suggesting that story could be moved from 4 to 5, but story can't be moved from 5 to 6 without delaying the planned time jump.
GRRM started with ASOIAF planned as a trilogy, and even if he were fully healthy and productive, it's hard to see how he would wrap this up in the currently planned seven. Wheel of Time was pitched as a trilogy, and the publisher knew better, and Jordan was signed to six books, we wound up with 14. Stormlight Archive originated as a 10 book series, and now I'm slightly worried as to whether this is going to grow like many fantasy series do.
I don't think it would be by much, Sanderson appears to have a much more detailed plan than some of these other authors, but even growth from 10 books to 12 books would make a huge difference considering the interesting concepts I'd like to read that are bottlenecked behind the end of Stormlight.
I think that if he ends up with too much content, more novellas like Edgedancer are much more likely than expanding the number of books.
Also, Brandon has already moved plot elements forward in the name of awesome. Moash's plot for book 2 was originally planned to be in book 3.
I started reading Elantris. The question is... Okay, I remember they were saying, the Elantrians, "Oh my gosh, we're hurt!" You know the hurt doesn't go away. But when they said <the Hoed who wander>, like when people get burned, like an Elantrian, does their soul sort of hang around the air as a spirit of sheer pain, I remember that. Was that just a theory, or...?
That's just a theory. Good question. Yeah, no.
Okay, thank God. That was really horrible.
Nope, nope, no. They will use... In Secret History you see what happens. That happens on all of the worlds. Even <with an Elantrian>.
I was in the hospital and someone read White Sand [Volume 1] while I was there, and I didn't know-- Is the comic series going to continue on after the end of the book, that kind of seems like a very unfinished story, or if that's just a story that will probably remain unfinished?
If people really like the comic we will continue.
Oh cool!
If they don't, I am probably going to do a book in the world eventually. It will be after the last-- like-- a different group of characters, but it will reference what happened, so you can kind of figure it out.
I personally love Wayne, the character. <Explain to me> what that inspiration was.
I wanted-- I started with a character who changed personalities when *inaudible*. And I kind of built out from that.
*interruption*
Was there a personal... Was there a person who like-- that might have reminded you.
No. *inaudible* It was just that I wanted to write somebody who was a little more goofy. A little more interesting. A colorful character who would be a *inaudible*. Who could just be a representation that this is a little of a lighter world than we were in before.
What is axial interconnection?
You'll find out <a little bit> eventually. So here's a RAFO. Axi is the Cosmere term for *inaudible* <atoms>. They didn't have a guy named <atom>. They have a different word for it. But that doesn't necessarily mean that they're referencing a real-world science when they talk about them.
*inaudible question relating to Hemalurgy*
So Hemalurgy... Yes, to an extent. The koloss are an example of this. Koloss are made, but then they can be passed on a little bit. You get koloss *inaudible* koloss. So it doesn't quite work exactly, but some things can be passed on.
Do the *inaudible* get passed on?
Uh... Not necessarily. They're not still pierced by metal.
Apparently they use Hemalurgic *inaudible* bloodline to the point where there's Mistborn again?
This is something that people in-world are wondering.
Merrin was a terrible name... It makes me think of member of Robin Hood, men in tights. I am super glad Brandon decided to change his name: Kaladin works much better, IMHO.
It was Merin, but it did rhyme with Perrin and Verin. He was actually still using Merin when he was halfway through the first draft of the published WoK. I was totally used to it and thought it was a fine name, but Kaladin is better.
Thanks for the added precision. Merin still make me think of Robin's Hood Merry Men... It somehow does not reconcile quite well with the mental imagery I currently have of Kaladin. I guess it feels rather different when you've known him as Merin for a long time, but knowing him as Kaladin to then find out he initially was a Merin is somehow weird.
This being said, it is super interesting to find out so many names were changed from the early version of WoK to the published book. It wasn't just Kaladin.
Yeah, Sadeas used to be a guy called Meridas. One of Meridas's things was wanting to marry Jasnah (and Jasnah did not return the interest). But Sadeas didn't have that interest. So Meridas became Amaram's first name instead.
Oh sweet. I didn't know about this one. I also heard Dalinar originally had no sons, then he had three and now he has two: none the original names were retained (except Renarin, I think). Quite a lot of changes. It is very fascinating how characters can move from one identity to another and through this morphing, earn another name.
Dalinar's second wife in Prime was one of the craziest things.
Oh I would have loved to read that. Has she become the inspiration for another character?
No. At least not yet, and the way the series is going I doubt someone like her will fit.
Ah then may I ask what she was like?
I would leave that up to Brandon to reveal.
Any plans to do another Altered Perceptions sometime?
Brandon is in no hurry to be involved in something like that anytime soon, but we wouldn't rule it out. More of Way of Kings Prime will be revealed eventually, but at this time some elements of it are still spoilers for future books in the Stormlight Archive.
Mistborn: The Final Empire contains cannibalized aspects of: Mistborn Prime, The Final Empire Prime, Mythwalker, and Aether of Night.
The Way of Kings contains cannibalized aspects of: The Way of Kings Prime, Dragonsteel, Mythwalker, and Aether of Night.
Warbreaker also contains cannibalized aspects of Mythwalker.
Can you talk about what aspects of Aether got cannibalized? I don't recognize anything from it in either Mistborn or Stormlight.
The two obvious ones are Ruin and Midnight Essence.
