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Interviews: Firefight Tour - El Cerrito, CA

Summary:

Entries

71

Date

Jan 17th, 2015

Type

Paraphrased

Location

El Cerrito, CA

TourCon

WOR

Bookstore

Barnes & Noble

Reporter

EnaMai

Links

17th Shard Forums

  • 1

    KiManiak

    This may be RAFO bait, but let’s see. Did the Knights Radiant in Dalinar’s Feverstone Keep vision divest their discard their Shards to a specific person/being/entity? (Brandon interrupted here before I could finish, but I’ll include the rest anyway). If so, have we seen them onscreen as of the end of WoR?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s a definite RAFO. (And that’s how I earned my first official RAFO card).

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  • 2

    KiManiak

    Do some Surges have a stronger cognitive aspect (or cognitive influence, if aspect is too general) than others? Like Illumination, maybe?

    Brandon Sanderson

    (Really paraphrased; I tried to keep the wording in my head but got distracted right after I talked to him). There are those who would argue that it is indeed the case. It would be a matter of some debate.

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  • 3

    KiManiak

    This one’s kind of out there, but..: Any significant connection between Herdazians having stone fingernails and the essence associated with Kalak (Foil, #8) having a body focus of the Nails?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No, no there is not. Good question, though. (Appreciated Brandon softening the “no” with that)

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  • 4

    KiManiak

    When Kaladin killed the Shardbearer (Helaran) in WoK, Amaram remarked that Amaram knew the Shardbearer was dead because the Shardblade didn’t disapper and because the Shardplate began to fall off of him. Is there some type of “lesser” bond between Shardplate and its wearer?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, yes there is.

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  • 5

    Teccam

    Prior to the shattering of Adonalsium, were any of the central cosmere worlds inhabited by humans?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

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  • 6

    Teccam

    Were *all* of them inhabited by humans? [central cosmere worlds]

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.

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  • 7

    Teccam

    On Scadriel, the city Elendel is named for Elend. Is Luthadel also named for a notable historical figure?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

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  • 8

    Teccam

    Will we ever meet them, or hear about them or anything? [whoever Luthadel was named for]

    Brandon Sanderson

    You might hear them mentioned at some point (he was pretty noncommital here) and you probably won't ever actually meet them.

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  • 9

    Question

    In Words of Radiance you have a great line which said “careful planning is the water which nourishes creativity”. I was wondering if, when you wrote that line, were you specifically thinking about novel outlines?

    Brandon Sanderson

    So there’s a line in Words of Radiance that’s says “careful planning is the water which nourishes creativity”. Was I specifically thinking of outlines? So when I speak most lines like this, I’m trying to speak through someone’s eyes. That’s Navani I believe who says that am I right? The idea being that that’s the way they’d perceive it. There are other people who would disagree. Now I am a planner, so I understand that mindset a lot. I use a lot of outlines. There are other people who don’t plan at all and their books still turn out awesome. So I think there are a lot of different ways to be creative. But I don’t think that Navani thinks that there are a lot of different ways. If that makes any sense. She has a different perspective on it perhaps.

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  • 10

    Question

    Revisiting the Wheel of Time?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Robert uncomfortable with people writing in his universe. Changed his mind in the end. Harriet and Brandon presented a united front to publisher. It shouldn’t happen b/c of Robert’s wishes. Harriet and the estate may change their mind but he probably wouldn’t write them himself.

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  • 11

    Question

    What about a WoT movie?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Could happen but TV show more likely.

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  • 12

    Question

    So this may be RAFO bait, but in Dalinar’s Feverstone Keep vision, when the Radiant’s discard their Shards are they doing that to any entity in particular in specific?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Definitely a RAFO.

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  • 13

    Question

    Last month you posted a picture of your Dropbox right and there is that one folder that we read about. Is there anything you can tell us about that yet?

    Brandon Sanderson

    So I posted a picture of my Dropbox and I just happened to have crossed out one of the folders. Ahm, what can I say about that...you’ll know eventually. There’s not a whole lot i can say about it because it’s mere existence is a spoiler to people who haven’t read certain other books. And so that’s the reason why I crossed it out.

    Question

    We can assume it’s Cosmere?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I can’t say either way. It’s mere existence is a spoiler. You will find out eventually, but it is definitely a little side project that I may or may not actually ever finish.

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  • 14

    Question

    What are you reading right now?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The Martian by Andy Weir (fantastic), Naomi Novik’s new book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Raising Steam, Peter Orullian’s second book

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  • 15

    Question

    If your character Hoid were a Planeswalker what color would he be?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You know I might do him like the Reaper King. Like two slash on all five. That’s what I would do him as.

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  • 16

    Question

    Inspiration for Cody?

    Brandon Sanderson

    At a convention in the South a guy used y’all for “me”; for one person. Built a character around this person. A Kentucky dialect is y’all for one person and all y’all for many. Gets many emails from Southerners letting him know that’s not right.

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  • 17

    Question

    Who would I cast to play Wayne in Alloy of Law?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He doesn’t cast characters; pays attention to directors. Impressed by Matthew McConaughey these last few years. Best actors are versatile. He cast the Legion hallucinations as famous actors except for Kalyani.

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  • 18

    Question

    Plans to make tabletop RPGs for other books?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Eventually we will do them, but not anytime soon.

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  • 19

    Question

    How do you pitch a book?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Practice.

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  • 20

    Question

    Inspiration for Szeth?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Discovery writes his characters. Writes characters into a plot like casting them into roles. For Szeth it came from the idea of a religion worshipping stone.

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  • 21

    Question

    Most unforgettable frustrations of becoming a writer?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Meeting deadlines; trained himself to be creative and excited about necessary book. Touring also exhausting.

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  • 22

    Question

    Which power would you have in the real world?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Allomancer. Steel/Iron. Others would keep you alive or give immortality but he wants to fly.

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  • 23

    Question

    So I’m asking a question for my little sister. So since Disneyland is taking over the world, Disneyland is obviously Librarians. So is Alcatraz ever going to visit Disneyland?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh that’s a good question. He should because Disneyland is totally Librarians. They totally run that. I will consider that. I will consider that. Good question. Alcatraz 5 is written. We’re re-releasing the Alcatraz books with new covers and new artwork and all sorts of cool things like that starting January next year and they’ll run straight through to the fifth book which will come out in the summer sometime.

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  • 24

    Question

    How do you keep everything straight?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He has an internal wiki with [WikiDPad?]. He’s scatterbrained; forgets wallets, keys, but never forgets stories. They stick in his head.

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  • 25

    Question

    Will you tell us the Intent of Bavadin’s Shard?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The Intent of Bavadin’s Shard? No. But good question. Have a RAFO card.

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  • 26

    Question

    If you could talk [?] optioning Stormlight Archive.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Have I thought of optioning Stormlight as a miniseries? Yes I have, but I think it’s premature if you do anything until a few more books come out.

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  • 27

    Question

    Should the things you thought of in Firefight apply in Steelheart?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, the things I thought of in Firefight should apply in Steelheart. Uh, about weaknesses.

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  • 28

    Question

    Who’s your favorite Epic?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ask in line, since it’s a spoiler for the books. It’s someone that you don’t know is an Epic.

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  • 29

    Question

    Syl changes forms a lot more than the other bonded spren. Is human her default?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Is Syl’s default form the little human woman or does she not really have one? You will find out more about that eventually.

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  • 30

    Question

    How do they work with spheres being the money, magic system, and lighting on Roshar?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They would say, “How could you have three different things to fulfill those functions?” Mostly rich people use spheres for lighting. Poor people use candles and such since you don’t want to leave your spheres out in the open. There are low-light spheres worth the same amount as a candle, so someone could swipe that and there wouldn’t be a difference.

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  • 31

    Question

    What does the Upside Down [??? sorting system] exactly mean?

    Brandon Sanderson

    [laughing] I don’t know, it’s something I made up for the Librarians in Alcatraz.

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  • 32

    Question

    What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a writer?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Your duty is to practice writing in such a way so you can write great books. Your job is not to write a great book. It takes practice, like being a doctor or pianist. Resolve to practice. Don’t worry if you’re not playing Rachmaninoff immediately. Practice trumps perfectionism on a small level.

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  • 33

    Question

    The Shardblade that Dalinar had at the end of Words of Radiance, was that the Honorblade?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The Shardblade that Dalinar had at the end of Words of Radiance that he gave up?

    Question

    Yeah, that he gave up.

    Brandon Sanderson

    No it was not.

    Question

    It was not? So what happened to the Honorblade that the Herald had?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Nobody kno- Well, somebody knows, but it is not known to the main characters.

    Question

    Can I ask if uh, Hoid-

    Brandon Sanderson

    If Hoid knows?

    Question

    Yeah.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Hoid did not take it, but I’m not answering whether he knows.

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  • 34

    Question

    When spren die, they kind of become part of everything, so why did, when the Knights broke their oaths, why did they stay as Shardblades?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They had been bound into that form by those oaths. The oaths are broken, but it’s like they’re cracked. Does that make sense? Like, there’s still something holding those spren and that’s what made them [?] It would have been better if they had actually died, does that make sense? But they couldn’t, they’re bound in that form.

    Question

    But their consciousness is gone-?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They still have a consciousness some- to an extent.

    Question

    That’s why the screaming happens.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

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  • 35

    Question

    So Words of Radiance… [paper crumpling; Adolin?] ...killed by… [crumpling; Sadeas?] … knife through the eye [crumpling] … worked so hard, I mean like does that change him in any way [?]

    Brandon Sanderson

    You will have to read on and see where it goes, and it’s certainly not something his father would have done, but at the same time, ah, I think there is a legitimate moral argument that what he did was right. I think there’s a legitimate one. I’m not saying it won’t change him or stuff, but there is a legitimate argument.

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  • 36

    Question

    What has been your most favorite character arc to write?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Um… Normally it’s very hard to answer questions like this because it’s like all my characters are my favorites, but in this case I can say writing Perrin’s arc in the Wheel of Time was very satisfying and fulfilling since I’ve been a fan for so many years and being able to do the things there, yeah. That was very satisfying, how about that?

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  • 37

    Question

    So I thought through a lot of your recommendations, and a lot of other recommendations from other people on reddit, but where do you find books that you read?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Reads the first few pages to his wife, who’s a avid reader. Guy Gavriel Kay, Brian McClellan, Elerix [?] David Gemmell.

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  • 38

    Question

    For the past year I’ve been the administrator for the Stormlight Archive Wiki and any feedback you or Peter could give me is most welcome, no feedback would be fine,-

    Brandon Sanderson

    I go there when I’m looking for, like that, like, I know I wrote something about this, what did I put in the book. Then I’ll go to your wiki and look at it.

    Question

    That’s cool.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I got that habit with the Wheel of Time, because I could find it in the notes, but it always takes longer to go to the notes than to Google and Google doesn’t index my wiki, so I go to yours. I think it’s well done. More stuff about the SA wiki and maybe they’ll link it on Brandon’s website.

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  • 39

    Question

    I’m at a magazine and we were wondering if you could do an interview or a short story.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I can do the interview, but I don’t do short short stories, short means 17,000 words for me.

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  • 40

    Question

    When it comes to like, touring and stuff like that, how do you pick these locations?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Sometimes, it’s my publisher, sometimes it’s me saying let’s go somewhere different. And sometimes it’s places where I’ve come a lot where they do a good job, like when I come to a store like this, I think they do a good job, so I put a good report into the publisher and say, feel free to send me back to that store.

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  • 41

    Question

    I’m a student at San Francisco University, and I have a lot of people who are fans of you there and they would love it if [?]

    Brandon Sanderson

    The best way to get me to places like that is if you have a local science fiction convention. If you have them invite me as the guest of honor, I do that sort of a lot, like I do [VegCon?]

    Question

    I’m planning on going to [VegCon? WorldCon?], so-

    Brandon Sanderson

    Cool! Something about the Hugo’s? It’s a civic responsibility if you’re going to WorldCon.

    Question

    Well, I feel like-

    Brandon Sanderson

    I’m not saying you have to vote for me, just saying that you have to vote.

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  • 42

    Question

    I’m concerned that that bloodthirsty sword is off on his own again

    Brandon Sanderson

    He, ah, he is, he is in dangerous hands right now, let’s just say that

    Question

    Yeah, untrustworthy hands.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, yes he is.

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  • 43

    Question

    Does Sazed talk to Wax when he has that thing in his ear, when he’s praying?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

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  • 44

    Question

    Aha! Yes! Uh, ok, second thing. My brother and I have been debating about Hoid and how he got his abilities. We have a couple theories. One of them is Hemalurgy.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ok…

    Question

    The other has to do with the portals into the worlds themselves, because the birds in Sixth of Dusk-

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ok, he does not have Hemalurgy. He has powers that predate the Shattering of Adonalsium. Not all of his powers predate, but he does have powers that predate.

    Question

    Ok, so I was wrong on both counts then… Am I wrong on both counts?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I’m not saying that. I’m saying that he has powers that predate, and has gained powers since.

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  • 45

    Question

    I actually have a few questions. I figure most of them will be RAFO, but I might as well try. In [Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell], that one? The Evil that destroyed the Homeland, was that Odium [killing?] a Shard? Or was that someone else-

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO

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  • 46

    Question

    Are we going to see more of that world?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Question

    Sweet!

    Brandon Sanderson

    Thredony is the name of that world. [Threnody is correct spelling]

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  • 47

    Question

    I’ll make sure to write that down somewhere. I really liked Silence, by the way. She was awesome. Are we going to find out who brought Nightblood to Roshar?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

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  • 48

    Question

    Cool. I’m not going to bother asking who did right now. With Syl being able to be revived, is Adolin ever going to be able to revive his own blade, or-

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ah, that would be very difficult, as the orig-, in most cases, the original person who broke the oaths has to be the one.

    Question

    Ok. Do you have to have done the third oath before you can convert your spren into a Blade?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Uh, in most orders, yes.

    Question

    What about Shallan then? Did she do it, cause she was a kid when she first-

    Brandon Sanderson

    Um… You will find out more.

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  • 49

    Question

    Cool. The other big one that I had was, um, how far ahead in the timeline is Sixth of Dusk?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Pretty far.

    Question

    … kind of a general-

    Brandon Sanderson

    Most people that I’m writing about now are all dead.

    Question

    Is it up into the third trilogy of Mistborn?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is that era, yes.

    Question

    Sweet! That’s what I thought.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It might be a little bit before that trilogy, but it’s that era.

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  • 50

    Question

    I have a final question then, is there a Hoid cameo in Shadows for Silence?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I intentionally didn’t put one in, because I didn’t- couldn't come- there was no reason for him to be there, and I didn’t want to be doing it just to do it, if that makes sense, like, the Cosmere isn’t just a bunch of cameos, it is a story within itself.

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  • 51

    Question

    One thing I wanted to ask about is the [test?] on Emperor’s Soul, are you going to write a bigger one about that?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It’s unlikely because I think it works so well as it is. But you will probably see Shai again at some point.

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  • 52

    Question

    Do you ever feel that when you are writing becomes forced and what do you do…[?]

    Brandon Sanderson

    I write it even when it’s feeling forced when read it over the next day and see if it reads forced.

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  • 53

    Question

    My son wants to know...Why is Alcatraz a bad guy but he doesn’t do bad things?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He ahm...You can just say to him that Alcatraz is not a bad guy but he has a poor opinion of himself. He has bad self esteem.

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  • 54

    Question

    Who is your favorite Epic?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I would say that Megan is my favorite Epic.

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  • 55

    Question

    What’s Mitosis? Is it available in print?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Novelette. They will reprint it. It’s too expensive now.

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  • 56

    Question

    Were you ah, [?] dictionary type thing with Jordan and Harriet? (maybe about getting it signed)

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have not done very much of that. It was supposed to be Harriet’s thing. But she won’t tour again.

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  • 57

    Question

    Are you going to complete any series or just continue?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I will be completing stuff. The Reckoners will be finished fairly soon. I writing the last one right now.

    Question

    And new Mistborn?

    Brandon Sanderson

    And the new Mistborns. We are getting close to the end of that.

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  • 58

    Question

    Why can you never find the fourth book in the Alcatraz series?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Because the fourth book had the lowest distribution and was not printed in paperback. And so.. but the reprints of those -- the new ones that Tor is doing -- I’ve seen the covers and they’re awesome. They’re the first time I’ve gotten good covers on an Alcatraz book. So I’m very excited about those.

    Question

    You did like [name]’s covers?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No I thought they were terrible. The first one wasn’t bad. I was ok with the first one. But they got progressively worse I felt.

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  • 59

    Question

    What book has inspired you the most?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Les Miserables. I love Victor Hugo’s writing style. His use of character and his use of language.

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  • 60

    Question

    What influenced your characters in Steelheart? Comic books? Specific ones?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I’ve read a lot of comics. Watchman influences everyone. Kingdom Come - one of first that really made me think about comics. The original Turtles. Graphic novels (self contained) like the Killing Joke.

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  • 61

    Question

    From the very beginning did you already know like the Cosmere? Like was that your goal setting out?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It was my goal very early on. In fact, before I wrote any books I wrote a short story about Hoid. So he goes back to before the very first book that I wrote. So yeah it goes back pretty far. I can trace inspirations back to Asimov tying Foundation and Robots together and feeling like that was really cool and wanting to do something like that, if it makes sense. And so I would say that’s probably like the first seed was when I read the later Foundation books and they tied them together.

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  • 62

    Question

    What books you use to improve your own writing?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Orson Scott Card’s books. Stephen King’s book is very good. Improves more when I read writing I admire and ask myself what they did well. Anne McCaffery for example.

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  • 63

    Question

    I was reading stuff online about like a Mistborn videogame…

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, we’ll still working on it. It’s taking much longer than we thought. The developer the producer of the game and I had chosen -- they, ah, had a falling out and split and so we had to start over from scratch and that’s what really threw us for a loop. We then took it to a really prestigious one game company that I love and they considered it for a long time, but it turned out that they just didn’t have the time and couldn’t do it. So now we are kind of back to square one finding a third group to do it.

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  • 64

    Question

    My question was about Shards actually. So at the end of Words of Radiance Syl is turning into a Shardblade as well as other different weapons. And Kaladin has a whole bunch of Windspren around him. And I am wondering if that is a precursor to Shardplate?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I think you are a very smart man and you are asking wise questions.

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  • 65

    Question

    I’ve been trying to figure out how to make an Alethi dress without making the safehand pouch look lumpy.

    Brandon Sanderson

    People online have done it. Make it tighter. Also it looks natural in-world.

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  • 66

    Question

    I had a question about how the Alethi women exhibit their wealth through their dresses. So I know there’s embroidery in the fabric [that you’re kinda disabling one arm?]

    Brandon Sanderson

    So the gemstones -- like well cut gemstones and then fill them with Stormlight. The glowing is how they’d shown off their wealth.

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    What kind of embroidery is it? Flowers? Patterns?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is a lot of things but the Alethi’s don’t do the flower thing....It’s not really an Alethi thing. So you are seeing a lot of designs and hatchings. They may look a little Arabic to you. Or the glyphs and things like that you will see worked in but very stylized.

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  • 67

    Question

    Worldbringers and Worldsingers -- similar mission?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The similarity of the names is intentional.

    Question

    Similar origin?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Question

    Did Hoid start them?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s a RAFO. That’s a RAFO, but definitely they have a similar origin.

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  • 68

    Question

    Do you always stick to your outline?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I do not. I will rebuild my outline. If I think I’m gonna break it, I’ll try a chapter that direction and if it works rewrite the outline.

    Question

    Do you ever refer back to your previous book …?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Definitely. Usually I make an outline for the first book, write it, then outline the series.

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  • 69

    Question

    What’s the secret to getting books out as fast as you do?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The secret is my work ethic. Pioneer work ethic. Pat is a perfectionist. I get it pretty good and hand it to my editor to polish. His biggest strength over me is his lyrical prose. That extra 1% takes him two years. I love what I do and I write every day.

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  • 70

    Question

    If you electrified metal would that have any impact on being able to Steelpush or Ironpull it?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I do not currently have that as an effect. That interfering with it requires Investiture. And electrifying is not Investiture. So no it would not. In fact, I’m absolutely sure it will not because the plans call for that to be a possibility they are doing in the future.

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  • 71

    Question

    Can a kandra burn things...could they burn lerasium...and if they did would they be able to burn other things?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes that is possible. It is even plausible that an kandra could gain other powers, they just don’t know how to do it.

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