Recent entries

    Legion Release Party ()
    #6652 Copy

    Steeldancer

    Taln, did he give in to the torture around the events of Way of Kings?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm going to have to look at the...So he should have given in to events in the current version of the book right before...Let's just say around Way of Kings. I'm not going to canonize that, though. In the version of Way of Kings that I wrote in 2002, he'd been around for a few years before he showed up in the narrative. And in the current outline, I don't have that be the case, but I haven't written his book yet. So for canon, but it's a Word of Brandon canon, I'm going to say, he's only been around for a couple of months before he shows up at the city.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6653 Copy

    Questioner

    It's very subtle, but at the end of Oathbringer, when Jasnah goes to find Shallan on the battlefield, she goes to grab Shallan, Shallan's over here as Radiant. She has Shards *inaudible*?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's a Read and Find Out. I'm being very coy on Shardplate, even though you have seen characters with it in the books before. Because I want to wait until I can do some reveals in viewpoint character.

    I will tell you this: You have indeed seen people with Shardplate multiple times in the books. Or at least, the soon aftermath of someone.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6656 Copy

    Stormlightning

    Is there a set number of them[Dawnshards]?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Stormlightning

    Are you willing to say?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.

    Stormlightning

    Are you willing to say if they originated in the Rosharan system?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I am not willing to say.

    WorldCon 76 ()
    #6657 Copy

    Brandon Sanderson

    Say I'm excited about this, but I'm going to stake a claim on the panel's official cabbagehead position. Every time I'm on a panel or doing a podcast it is good to have a cabbagehead. Which is, I'm the writer, right? My job is, I've found, to know enough about these things to be dangerous, so if there are writers out there and you're feeling a little overwhelmed by this, here's how I approach it. I, when I was first writing epic fantasy I found out a few of these things, and I'm like, "Oh no, this kind of destroy the types of stories I want to tell."

    But the more I learned the more I realized, no, it can shape the types of stories I want to tell it doesn't have to destroy them at all. What I did was I used this kind of rule, that is it takes actually a fairly brief amount of time to become dangerously knowledgeable in a subject. Like say, if you can get yourself 20 or 30 percent of the way there, you know enough to know what you don't know. My goal is to always get myself there with research, usually on pop-history books or pop-medicine books or things like this. Write my stories, and then to find an expert, which I've used extensively, particularly in the Stormlight books, where one of my characters is a field surgeon, that's his training, and go and say "What am I doing wrong?"

    Usually, the response I get from the medical professionals is "Wow, this isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be, you're still wrong about a ton of things. But you don't have to rip apart your story, the fundamentals are there, you know that a gut wounds is really dangerous and often takes a long time to kill. You know about these things and you are trying to deal with them and approach them. I can give you some tips to make it more authentic." That balance has just worked wonderfully well for me. 

    WorldCon 76 ()
    #6658 Copy

    Brandon Sanderson

    I actually have a really good resource for you writers out there, if you want. There's a YouTube series done by historical fighting recreationists in the U.K. And a lot of times, if I'm like-- I was writing Oathbringer, my latest book, I'm like, "I need spear versus dagger." Which is, you don't want to be in that fight, but someone got in that fight, and I'm like "Alright, what are his chances, what would he do to actually win?" And I Googled on this YouTube series, which I really love, and lo and behold, they had 20 matches of dagger versus spear with some discussion about what the strategy for the dagger fighter was, and what the strategy for the spear fighter was. They played it out and showed you. The dagger fighter won a couple times, it's totally possible. Grab the front of the spear, yank them forward, get in close range. But it was really helpful. So this is called Schola Gladiatoria, on YouTube. I've been following it for years, and it's really great. You'll be able to find sets of, you, "here's 2 swords versus sword and shield." He also does reviews of historical weapons saying, "Here is what it was used for." He just really likes swords so he buys them frequently and talks about them. Really great resource.

    WorldCon 76 ()
    #6659 Copy

    Questioner

    *Inaudible about placebo effect and wound severity*

    Panelist

    The placebo effect is a very strong thing. I'm not sure it's ever actually stopped bleeding or stopped an infection. But it can affect a patient's attitude, and willingness to participate in care. So I think it's a real thing, I'm just not sure it applies as much to trauma as to a lot of other illnesses.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, I've read a lot about it recently because I was really interested. But yeah, it ends when you have this sort of thing, it doesn't do anything here. But the really fascinating thing, if you want to take a little tidbit is: the placebo effect, for what it works on, works on people who know it's a placebo, too.

    Leipzig Book Fair ()
    #6662 Copy

    Questioner (paraphrased)

    Hoid was once offered a Shard, but he refused it, right?

    Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

    Yes.

    Questioner (paraphrased)

    Was it right after the Shattering?

    Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

    Yes. It was during the events. I wouldn't necessarily say "right after", it was during this process. I would say this is a RAFO before I finish writing at that time. (Not sure if I understood the last sentence right, but I think that's what he said)

    Questioner (paraphrased)

    And who took this Shard instead?

    Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

    RAFO.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6663 Copy

    Questioner

    In Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell, they use silver to fight Shades. I'm wondering if that's actual silver or they just call it silver and it's a mysterious metal that's known to fall from the sky.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's a good question. I have it as actual silver.

    Questioner

    Would it be effective, at fighting...if you wanted to harm a spren or seon or other types of Cognitive Shadow?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6664 Copy

    Questioner

    When you were writing Elantris, did you think of the artwork for all the symbols and stuff as you were writing?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I did, I drew them myself. Those are the only ones that I did the symbols for. After that book, I went and got somebody who knew what they were doing, so they look a little pedestrian compared to the other ones, but I did them all myself.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6669 Copy

    Questioner 1

    When you write the books, do you set up the setting and stuff first, because it's an amazing setting.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, I do a lot of planning ahead of time. I'm naturally an outliner. It's not the only way to write a book, some people do it the opposite way, but I do a lot of outlining.

    Questioner 2

    I have a lot of trouble outlining myself.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Sometimes it doesn't work. There are some writers, that if they outline the book, it actually ruins the book cause they feel like they've already kind of gone through and written it.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6670 Copy

    Questioner

    Well I'm an English teacher major for little kids and I was wondering what you think, or any advice, on how to make my students life long writers and readers.

    Brandon Sanderson

    When I was a teenager and I didn't like books and a teacher, the first teacher who really took the time to find a book that would match me rather than assigning me a book that they liked, was the one that got me hooked, so I kind of focus on that idea. I tell kids sometimes, books are like shoes, not everyone wears the same kind of shoes and when you wear the wrong size you might think shoes are painful but if you get the right size they make your life way better. Books are kinda the same way so try lots of different things, introduce them to a lot of different things and encourage them to read what they love.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6671 Copy

    Questioner

    So, my question for you is writing related. I just finished a new first draft in my novel.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I know you! Yeah, ok sorry. It took me a minute.

    Questioner

    So yeah, I finished my draft; what was it that helped you when you... cause I recalled hearing on Writing Excuses, you talked about this, how editing was the bane of your existence earlier, you just didn't wanna do that, and I'm finding that too. I dont wanna jump in and fix all the terrible things. What was it that helped you kinda like...

    Brandon Sanderson

    It honestly is the thing that held me back the most. I think it was kinda partially just, getting rejected enough that I realized I just had to learn to do it. That was part of it. Giving myself space after finishing a book, writing something else and then coming back to it when I was feeling kind of fresh about it and exited about tackling it again, that helped a lot. It was also kinda like growing up as a writer, if that makes sense, and realizing I'm not ever gonna sell a book until I could learn to take a good one and make it great and then I just started buckling down and learning to revise.

    WorldCon 76 ()
    #6672 Copy

    Brandon Sanderson

    One of the things I read when I was researching for Stormlight that was really interesting, I kind of dug into, was this idea that practical medicine, particularly through the Middle Ages up approaching the Renaissance, was actually the one that was regarded with fear, superstition, and dislike. Which is why it fell to the barbers. And what we would call the "superstitious physician" was a well-respected position, depending on where you were looking. And it was this weird area where people who were approaching things practically and actually doing what you needed to do, were being ostracized and vilified. It wasn't as bad as being an executioner; that was the worst deal. But there was this sort of thing, that those people stayed-- You did not want your son or daughter marrying into that family, and these sorts of things. It was really interesting.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6673 Copy

    Questioner

    With the Stormlight Archive, when you created this, do you know everything? Do you know the end of the book at the beginning?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I do, but... You have to be willing to change as you go, as the characters mature and you mature. For instance, Adolin wasn't gonna be a main character in the original outline. And as I developed the first book, I realized I needed another perspective of somebody who could offer perspective on the things that were happening. That was Adolin's perspective. So I brought him in as a main character. So that wasn't in the original outline.

    And for instance, the ending of Book 2, with Kaladin, was actually originally the ending of Book 3. So I ended up switching those around. So things like this happen.

    Books 4 and 5, my dividing line, where those two divide, is not really strict right now, and so one of the things I'm doing in outlining is saying, "Let's make sure Book 4 feels like a book, rather than half of a book that Book 5 ends."

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6675 Copy

    Questioner

    I have a question, because I really like Magic: the Gathering. What set are you collecting right now?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm always kind of collecting some of everything. Right now I'm building a Theros cube, so kinda working on that. It's just, I have all my old ones so I'm just like, "Eh, I'll build a cube out of these", so I've just been putting that together, and then I've been building this really weird one that's a commander cube. So I'm grabbing specific cards from here and there and putting them together.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6676 Copy

    Questioner

    In the last [Alcatraz book], why did you make everyone die?

    Brandon Sanderson

    So Alcatraz is making things out to be a little worse than they really are. Because he wanted to end the book on a sad note, because he always promised everyone he would. That's why Bastille feels she needs to write the real ending. The next book should not be nearly as grim as Alcatraz wants you to believe everything is. That's why she wrote that little secret ending. So keep your hope up: it's not nearly as bad as Alcatraz wants you to think it is.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6677 Copy

    Questioner

    So, I created a magic system that's pretty easy to grasp at first. But I realized I have aspects of it that are very complex I'm having trouble tying to my novel. I was just wondering if you've ever run into these kind of problems with your magic systems.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, though I kind of like it. A magic system that looks simple, but you can dig into deeply, is a good magic system to me. If you can write it so that some characters just use it surface-level, and other characters start to ask these deep questions, you'll be able to do something for everyone. People who just want to read it and enjoy the adventure and the mystique of a fantasy story can. Those who really want to dig in can dig in. I would say don't worry, don't stress it, that's actually a really good thing.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6678 Copy

    Questioner

    Have you ever played Dungeons and Dragons?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have. I played a whole lot of 3.0 and 3.5. A little bit of Second Edition when I was younger. And a little bit of Fourth. But mostly 3.5 was my game.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6680 Copy

    Questioner

    I'm just curious, there are 16 Allomantic metals, 16 Feruchemical metals, there are 16 Shards of Adonalsium. Are there 16 surges?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.

    Questioner

    So there's no correlation?

    Brandon Sanderson

    10 is an important number on Roshar.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6681 Copy

    Questioner

    How do you keep everybody straight? Do you use a program like Scrivener?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I use something called Wikidpad, a personal wiki. Just like Wikipedia, but only on my computer. And then I have a continuity editor, and her job is to go, after I've written a book, and put everything from the new book into it, into the wiki. And then to also warn me of continuity errors that I've made.

    I wish I could say I did it all perfectly, but I don't. I still make a ton of mistakes. We catch most of them. But you can see, like, the Mistborn books have way more continuity errors than Stormlight, because I didn't have her back then. And so, we're doing the leatherbounds, they have to come to me and say, "Uhhh... this person walks, like, five times as far as a human being can travel in this amount of time. Maybe we need to move this building across the city," and stuff like that.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6683 Copy

    Questioner

    What kind of books do you like to recommend to people who ask? What's your favorite book to read?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have a Goodreads account that I tend to post books I've liked up there. Basically, the ones that I like, do I write about. So that's a good place to go.

    Growing up, my favorite authors were Anne McCaffrey, Barbara Hambly, and Robert Jordan. And David Eddings. Nowadays, I tend to like stuff that's a little more... fantasy that's a little more avant-garde, doing different things. Because I've read a lot of great stories that have the more traditional hero's journey stuff. So the stuff you'll see me liking now tend to be things like N.K. Jemisin, doing weird things. But I like a wide variety of things.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6684 Copy

    Questioner

    I'm curious, how much interaction do you get with the people who narrate the books out loud?

    Brandon Sanderson

    So usually I record pronunciation guides and send them to them on a tape recorder. And usually I pick them beforehand. My tape recording doesn't always get there in time. So if their pronunciation's wrong, it's usually my fault, and not theirs. Because it just means that we haven't gotten that recording done by the time they need it to record. But I like to pick my own audiobook narrators. And when I can, I like to meet them.

    Questioner

    So if you were ever to make one of these into a film, would you ever meet the people who would actually be in the film?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, but I would not be in charge of the film. I have clauses that require them to let me come to the set and meet people and be involved that way, but I don't have final say.

    Questioner

    So you don't have in a say in who's cast?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I don't. I can always offer my opinion, and hopefully they would listen to it. But usually, as a writer, you just don't get say in that. When someone's spending $200 million making your book into a movie, they're writing the check, so they get the final say.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6685 Copy

    Questioner

    I just found out today that you have a charity called the Lightweaver Foundation.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I do.

    Questioner

    What are you trying to accomplish with it?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm trying to find ways to give away my money.

    Questioner

    Excellent! 

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's less that I'm trying to funnel money into it from other sources. Sometimes, we sell things or do things that I want to do for charity, but mostly it's, so far we've put a library in the homeless shelter in Salt Lake and we've donated a bunch of books to schools and prisons and libraries. When someone comes and says, "Hey, can you donate to this thing," I just funnel it through the charity. It basically exists to give away my money.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6686 Copy

    Questioner

    So...all the 3 Way of Kings books begin from a different person's perspective in the past. Who're you doing next time?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Let me see...so Gavilar is last, so he's not fourth. I think it's Navani, but I'm not 100% sure. Yes, I think it's Navani, but I will have to look at what I've got in my notes. The 4th one's been the wild card. I always went with Szeth first and Gavilar last.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6687 Copy

    Questioner

    Have you ever met Michael Kramer and Kate Reading?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have met Michael Kramer. I haven't met Kate. I've met Michael, he came to one of my signings. They live in the D.C. area, so he came and did the reading for one of my signings.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6688 Copy

    Questioner

    How would you handle dragons?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Dragons, I feel, are inherently cool. And they're one of those things that, personally, I think you can just get away with without having to, like, make your own. I'm tired of orcs, but I'm not tired of dragons. So if I were gonna handle dragons, they'd feel like pretty classic dragons.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6689 Copy

    Questioner

    I'm a bit of an aspiring author myself. How would you deal with ADHD writer's block?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Some things I know that work for some writers... Do you like hiking? Do you like walking? Because I have known professional writers who have trained themselves to write by talking into a microphone, in order so that they can be walking somewhere, and kind of being visually stimulated while they're writing. I wish I knew better how to write, like, ADHD.... How do you motivate yourself to do other things? Is it a reward mechanism? Is it a short burst sort of thing?

    Questioner

    The issue that I have is that whenever I sit down to write, I sit down, and I'm either just sitting down and writing for five minutes, and then I get bored and move on, switch over to playing video games or surfing the web. I do a lot of thinking about what I want my world to do, stuff like that, but I don't actually have an outline.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Have you tried writing longhand, when you're away from the internet, getting a notebook, going out somewhere, writing in a notebook. That helps a lot of people who are getting distracted by the internet frequently, if there's just no internet to get on. And sometimes it works really good because you also are writing it, and can be, like, "You know, it doesn't have to be perfect while I'm writing in the notebook. I'll make it perfect when I transfer it to the computer." That gives you permission to be free. I don't know that you need to have an outline. Like, Stephen King never uses one. It's a tool that works for some authors and doesn't for others.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6691 Copy

    Stormlightning

    Do the Natan people live longer than normal humans, because they have Aimian blood?

    Brandon Sanderson

    *Hesitant* Yes...Let's say, you are theorizing in a good direction.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6692 Copy

    Stormlightning

    You told someone that Nan Balat likes to hurt things. Like, a supernatural tendency to hurt things.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's more along the lines of, "He has suffered some...enhancement of a psychological issue through supernatural effects."

    Stormlightning

    It's not an Unmade thing?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO! Good question! That's basically a confirmation, isn't it? *teasing laugh*

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6693 Copy

    Brandon Sanderson

    Book six is halfway done, Bastille is writing it. She's doing a very good job; I'm quite excited by her version. It involves lots of stabbing things and Bastille making fun of Alcatraz. It's turning out really well and I think you're going to like it.

    Idaho Falls signing ()
    #6694 Copy

    Questioner

    How do you do go about worldbuilding for religion?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's a little bit of a mix between the way I see religions work in our world, and trying to find a fantastical version. Something that couldn't really actually exist in our world, 'cause that's part of why I write fantasy. So what could people worship, what methods of worship could they have, that kind of echo things in our world, but aren't actually anything that could ever exist here. We did a Writing Excuses podcast on worldbuilding religion that you might find handy. If you Google "Writing Excuses Religion," we've got a podcast for you.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6696 Copy

    Questioner

    Is there a lady in the future for Kaladin?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That is a Read and Find Out. Let's just say Kaladin is historically not that great on relationships but he has not given up on trying.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6697 Copy

    Questioner

    Now that Wax is a major part of society, are people trying to copy his coat?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That, you will see in the next book! You'll have to wait and see!

    Questioner

    I thought with that one, I wouldn't get that!

    Brandon Sanderson

    Wax has had an effect on the fashion industry.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6698 Copy

    Questioner

    Is Wit a remnant of Adonalsium?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No. Good question.

    Questioner

    I thought I had it figured out! I figured he was going around collecting himself. Getting all the different *inaudible*.

    Brandon Sanderson

    No, he is not a remnant of Adonalsium. Good question, though.

    FanX 2018 ()
    #6699 Copy

    Questioner

    Are we going to find out more about Hoid in the next book?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, but only little bits and pieces until a little later. The further we get along, the more comfortable I will be giving you Hoid stuff. Particularly in Stormlight. So yes, but it's a tentative yes.