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Brandon Sanderson AMA 2015


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http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crwwydo?context=3

Q: If your progress meter is up to date, you're just about done with the Shadows of Self draft 3. Are you getting excited to dive back into Stormlight?

I can't imagine how draining writing a Stormlight book is. It must be rejuvenating to jump around to smaller projects. As you work through these, does the Thrill within you begin to rise, itching to get back to Roshar?

 

A: Yep, getting very excited! The point of the side projects is to make sure I don't dive into Roshar feeling burned out.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crwx0j2?context=3

Q: Is gifting/power transference to normal people with Epics an all or nothing deal or could there be an Epic that can gift one ability but has another power he can't gift? And while on topic of quirks in Epic powers, how much do emotions play into them? We have some examples like Steelheart were strong emotions can cause the power to run amok, is there more of aguideline to this or just a quirk of some powers?

A: All powers can be gifted if any can. Gifting is a power that modifies other powers. Controlling the powers during times of great emotion is generally more difficult, but this has more to do with human nature than the powers.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crwx1s6?context=3

Q: are you still willing to email people certain works?

A: Yes, I'll email certain unpublished works to those who ask. So long as they're aware the books aren't up to my current standard.

Q: Do you ever have plans to polish and publish these certain works, or are they mostly being written into other pieces?

A: One of them, White Sand, is being turned into a graphic novel right now.

Q: "Cosmere" question: Cosmere Adventure Game?

A: Some day, we will probably do a cosmere adventure game.

 

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crwx4m9?context=3

Q: Why is Hoid’s color aura from his Breaths not noticed by anyone on Roshar? Are the characters just not used to noticing that sort of thing, or does he not have one?

A: There are a mixture of reasons. Not the least is Hoid's control over investiture.

 

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crwxe4n?context=3

Q: I find Kaladin such a relatable character. Particularly I find his struggles with(what I perceive at any rate) mental illnesses such as seasonal depression, post traumatic stress, and Post traumatic depression very accurate and interesting. My question is what kind of research did you do to so perfectly capture what goes on in the head of someone struggling with these things, but not seeming realise exactly what is wrong?

A: For Kaladin, I relied on the experiences of some dear friends and family who have depression. It was a multi-year process to get right.

Q: Secondly is one you probably get quite a lot. What types of methods do you use to keep all the different events happening among the cosmere straight? I imagine you have some kind of endgame planned where your series' come together. Is there some master cork board with strips of yarn connecting different storylines? Or is it all just floating about in your head to be determined later?

A: I do indeed have a (hopefully) very cool endgame in mind. Right now, I'm using a personal wiki and several continuity editors to help me keep it straight. But there's still a lot (probably too much) in my head that I need to get into the wiki.

 

Edited by alylime
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Q: So gifters can gift gifting?

A: No, I'm afraid. That's a separate power.

Unsurprisingly, Gifters can't cheat the system and turn the entire world into pseudo-Epics.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crxbbb3?context=10000

 

Q: Would someone with breath be able to notice [Hoid's] aura on Roshar? E.g. Vasher?

On a related note, has Vasher met Hoid, and are they BFFs?
A: Not BFFs by a long shot.
Various methods of detecting investiture would still work, depending on how good a job Hoid is doing of suppressing his.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crxbbsg?context=10000

 

Q: Were the Plains originally shattered by a Dawnsinger? Are Dawnshard magical musical instruments? Are the Parshendi of Odium? Are the gods that the Parshendi abandoned Odium? Are the people above in Sixth of the Dusk Scadrians?

A: That's a whole pile of RAFOs. But I can answer one; the gods that the Parshendi abandoned are of Odium.

Somebody doesn't believe in RAFOs here :D

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crxbdm3?context=10000

 

Q: Is it is even possible for a full Feruchemist Mistborn to be naturally born, or will the genes for the two interfere with one another too much?

A: Is possible, but highly unlikely.
Q: We've seen five "sub-types" (for lack of a better term) of the overarching Selish magic system. Are you planning on adding any more/are there other sub-types we have yet to see?
A: Yes.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crxbgkf?context=10000

 

Q: How Hoid has ended up being a Feruchemist? Is it by a method we familiar with (like Hemalurgy) or he has another way to manipulate his sDNA?

A: RAFO.
Q: Who will win in a battle of wit Shallan, Hoid or Lightsong the Bold? I know it's not an original question but I have never saw Lightsong in it.
A: Not Shallan.
Q: How much Sazed is aware to Hoid and Hoid's action and what does he think about him?
A: He is aware. More is RAFO. :)

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crxez5z?context=10000

 

Q: Brandon, assuming that the events of the first Mistborn books took place on Nalthis instead, and especially assuming the circumstances of Kelsier's passing and the events afterwards, would he have Returned?

A: That's a very interesting question. Endowment can be somewhat...erratic. I don't know, honestly. I'd have to think about it.

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Okay, I posted it. Now, is there any way to view my reply without scrolling through the entire list?  :blink:

 

You can sort by 'new' at the top of the AMA, by the comment box, or you can hit your username at the top right (by the mail icon) to see all your comments.

 

The mail icon at the top right will turn orange if you get a reply.

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http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cry9xml?context=10000

 

Q: Will Shallan undergo more apprenticeships in future SA books?

A: I think you'd find that she considers herself beyond that. Not because she's full of herself (though she is a little) but because she has started to resist boundaries placed on her by others.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cry9zxe?context=10000

 

Q: To what extent are Cognitive shadows the same as the individuals they are shadows of? Do you count them as the same person or are they just a "copy" so to speak? Or is this a discussion for philosophers (which you've said is the case with the cosmere's "far afterlife")?

A: I've considered answering this a few times, and have decided I just have to RAFO it. This is a discussion for philosophers, as you've said. It may become a plot point in future books.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crya03x?context=10000

 

Q: Do shards need to be based on the same planet to create the interactions that made Feruchemy possible?

If the Parshendi are not originally from odium and are referred to as the ancient ones by spren then would that make the original Parshendi bonded to the Splinters that existed before Honor and Cultivation arrived the Dawnsingers?
A: RAFO
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THE MAN CANNOT BE STOPPED!

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crz9qxr?context=10000

 

Q: How old would you say somebody has to be in order to attract a spren (with bonding intentions)? I can't imagine infants performing anything remarkable enough, but what about, say, 5-6 year olds? I could easily imagine them being selfless and protecting in their own little way - does this mean we can have children who can barely speak well Lashing their breakfast to the ceiling?

A: Someone like Lift is near the lower threshold, though it does depend on the spren in question.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crz9rgy?context=10000

 

Q: will there be romance in storm archive book 3?

A: There has been romance, to one extent or another, in every book I've written. So I'd lay odds on yes.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crz9rlo?context=10000

 

Q: Except for in the prelude, does Kalak appear somewhere in the books? (A bit RAFO, but is he the shorter Alethi-looking man who accompanied Nale in WoK/WoR prologue?)

A: RAFO.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crz9s4q?context=10000

 

Q: So, it's mentioned throughout the Mistborn books that Allomancers can 'see' their metal reserves to determine how much they have left. What allows them to do this? I really have no theories, except the boring one: 'It's an innate property of Allomancy and its interaction with Preservation.'

A: It's just an innate part of the magic. Not really because of Preservation. A Surgebinder will know when their stormlight is running out. It's more similar to how you might know your strength is running out when you're holding something heavy, though obviously more delineated.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crz9s9q?context=10000

 

Q: Could Honor have made an Honorblade granting all the Surges at once, rather than just two? If so, why didn't he do that?

A: RAFO.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crz9sb6?context=10000

 

Q: Are the Parshendi gods that they abandoned the Unmade?

A: RAFO.

 

Man, the RAFO train rides hard and it rides fast. 

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crz9srh?context=10000

 

Q: I think that in the Spiritual realm a person's spiritweb sort of manifests as a collection of "nodes" which are the Forms of their body/mind/subconscious, and these nodes are connected by "lines" which are interactions between the pure Forms. These lines are what actually make up the person's character, how the body is "supposed" to be (barring accidents/disease, basically what magical healing attempts to restore the body to), as well as what interactions with investiture the person can use (what magic systems they have access to)

Am I completely off base here or should I keep thinking about this?
A: This is a good line to be thinking along.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crz9sub?context=10000

 

Q: What's the population of the Shardworlds we've seen so far (even in very general terms, like one's much bigger than the others or something)?

A: Scadrial is certainly the least populated of the major shard worlds. Then Nalthis, I'd guess, followed by Roshar, and finally Sel--which likely has the largest population. I would have to look closely to see which is bigger between those last two.
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Well, the answer was a bit disappointing, but clarifying:

 

Q: So, it's mentioned throughout the Mistborn books that Allomancers can 'see' their metal reserves to determine how much they have left. What allows them to do this? I really have no theories, except the boring one: 'It's an innate property of Allomancy and its interaction with Preservation.'
A: It's just an innate part of the magic. Not really because of Preservation. A Surgebinder will know when their stormlight is running out. It's more similar to how you might know your strength is running out when you're holding something heavy, though obviously more delineated.
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So, I'm guessing Mr. Sanderson is unwinding from writing before starting SA3, by answering more and more questions. Here are some more.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crzxi0y?context=3

 

Q:1) Is there any chance you will come to italy? (maybe in the tour for Stormlight 3 or for a convention?)

2) Is there any chance we will see radiant knights using shardplate as diving suit to explore the deep of the Panthalassic ocean floor in Stormligh series?

3) could someone with enaugh Breaths use part of them to heal himself without the help of a returned??** SPOILER WARBREAKER** could the God King have healed himself without Lightsong with enaugh knowledge?

4) Will we see in Nightblood why the returned base breath cannot be given away in the same way the other breath are given?? I'm referring to the fact that when a returned gives his breath the person who receive it don't reach any heightening but use it to heal instead of reaching the fifth heightening and healing anyway.

5) Will we ever see radiant or mistborn space pirates? And could an artificial intelligence see a spren or attract one?

 

A:1) I have been invited to italy for 2016, and we are trying to make it work out. It looks likely, but we aren't set quiet yet.

2) This is possible. Whether you'll see it or not is a RAFO.

3) The nature of the Warbreaker magic is tied to the shard of Endowment, which is about giving. There are, therefore, things you cannot do for yourself.

4) RAFO.

5) RAFO. (But good questions.)

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crzxitg?context=3

 

Q:1. Are the glyphs on The Way of Kings front sheet the Alethi glyphs for the Radiant orders and the Surges?
2. If so, can you tell us the name (i.e. the pronunciation) of the Windrunners glyph? Or, if you don't have this one, maybe another one?

 

A:

  1. Yes.
  2. I'll see if we can get all of the pronunciations into the appendix of the third book.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crzxjn0?context=3

 

Q: Does a population of about 100 million during The Final Empire (with 1-2 million in Luthadel), and around 15 million during Alloy of Law (with about 5 million in Elendel) seem right?

 

A:Have to RAFO this for now, for reasons I can't explain without giving spoilers.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crzxkjp?context=3

 

Continues from question about planet populations posted by Argent previously

Q:Interesting that Sel has such a large population, given that the actual numbers of soldiers shown seem to be quite small.

A:Let's just say that Opelon has an inflated opinion of its own size in relation to the rest of the world.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crzxlpl?context=3

 

Q:Has Hoid seriously offended someone on EVERY planet he's been to? Kelsier, Shai, the Alethi nobility, who knows how many shards from Yolen, AND Vasher are all out for his blood..?

A:That's only a small fraction of the total list.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crzxmdl?context=3

 

Q:1-Scadrial will get to space age sometime in future, what about other worlds. Will we see space tech based on other magic systems, shiny space battles etc.?

2-Did we see space age tech of a world in another main (roshar, sel, scadrial) world(conveniently excluding Sixth of Dusk world)?

3-Is yolen still out there somewhere(for example during the events of Final empire) ? If yes, does it have still intelligent life living on it?

 

A:

1/2. The cosmere is heading this way eventually.

3: Yes and yes.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crzxpfx?context=3

 

Q:

  1. Do all the shards have a 'secondary' imperative of some degree, to create?
  2. Is Odium's method of smothering shards inspired at all by the way Adonalsium was originally shattered? Or of his own devising?
  3. Are there any Cosmere-unique natural hair colours we haven't seen appear in books yet?
  4. Doesn't all 'extra' investiture require a cracked soul? How are Nalthians born with extra breath, if so?
  5. Does a Spinner Ferring have to be actively doing something to 'lose' fortune, while storing? Slightly worried that they'd end up giving themselves cancer or something if they were sat storing fortune, without doing something like playing cards to 'drain' the luck away from..

A:

  1. You could say this.
  2. It is not obvious to other Shards. But there are relationships.
  3. Yes.
  4. No. The Scadrians have extra investiture too, on a lesser scale.
  5. RAFO.
Edited by Kelek's Breath
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I asked this question:
 

Are the Essences strictly just a Roshar thing, or are they also connected to the manifestations of Investiture on other Shardworlds? For example, is the Essence of Foil in any way connected to the Metallic Arts of Scadrial?


I got this answer:
 

The idea that things exist on three realms is not unique to Roshar.
That those things are self-aware is a Rosharan thing, though other places in the cosmere have similar beliefs.


That didn't quite answer my question. Maybe he's trying to say something about the relationship between the Essences and the Realms. It's also possible that he misread my question and thought I was asking about the Realms.

Edited by skaa
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It's my first time asking Brandon and I got an answer!! it's an emotion!!!

Now I can't wait for the Mistborn future saga!!!

here are the Q&A:

 

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/crzxi0y?context=3/

 

[–]vandar10 2 punti

Hello, Mr. Sanderson! I am big fan from Rome in Italy! I am sorry if in the following text there are errors but i am not that good. First I have to thank you for the GREAT works you produce, the dedication you put in your work is inspiring , and the care you show for us fans is something really uncommon. Thanks to you I also started reading in english and now I am better at it and this because I could not wait another year for the traduction! I also have a few question, I can imagine how busy you, are and that every moment you spend to answer is a very precious thing, so feel free to answer at your pleasure. Here wo go:

1) Is there any chance you will come to italy? (maybe in the tour for Stormlight 3 or for a convention?)

2) Is there any chance we will see radiant knights using shardplate as diving suit to explore the deep of the Panthalassic ocean floor in Stormligh series?

3) could someone with enaugh Breaths use part of them to heal himself without the help of a returned??** SPOILER WARBREAKER** could the God King have healed himself without Lightsong with enaugh knowledge?

4) Will we see in Nightblood why the returned base breath cannot be given away in the same way the other breath are given?? I'm referring to the fact that when a returned gives his breath the person who receive it don't reach any heightening but use it to heal instead of reaching the fifth heightening and healing anyway.

5) Will we ever see radiant or mistborn space pirates? And could an artificial intelligence see a spren or attract one?

Well I have another TON of questions but I'll ask another day! Thanks in advance!!

 

 

[–]mistborn[F,S] 3 punti

1) I have been invited to italy for 2016, and we are trying to make it work out. It looks likely, but we aren't set quiet yet.

2) This is possible. Whether you'll see it or not is a RAFO.

3) The nature of the Warbreaker magic is tied to the shard of Endowment, which is about giving. There are, therefore, things you cannot do for yourself.

4) RAFO.

5) RAFO. (But good questions.)

 

 

 

Edited by vandar
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...
Continues from question about planet populations posted by Argent previously
...

 

Not my question. Credit where it's due, please :) And on the same topic...:

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs07liy?context=10000

 

[Context] Does a population of about 100 million during The Final Empire (with 1-2 million in Luthadel), and around 15 million during Alloy of Law (with about 5 million in Elendel) seem right?

Q: How about as far as Elend/Wax knows, at the beginning of their respective series?

A: Then those numbers, if they're off, are at least close.

 

And now, tune in for (what I believe to be) another installment of Brandon misinterpreting Weiry's question!

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs07oz0?context=10000

 

Q: Let's say Siri's hair is two feet long. A shardblade passes through the hair exactly in the middle ("dividing" the hair into two one-foot sections). In your previous answer you said that while usually the shardblade would just sever the hair (leaving only a foot attached to the head) with the Royal locks the entire two feet would remain attached but only the foot on the "head" side of the cut would be able to change color.

A: I did misinterpret your original question. As a shardblade cut is likely to be wider than a piece of hair, I doubt you could cut the royal locks lengthwise.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs07qyi?context=10000

 

Q: If Taln held on to Jezrien’s Honorblade, would he get the sapphire eyes effect that Szeth does? Or are Returned/Heralds/those like them resistant to that sort of thing?

A: RAFO.
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And now, tune in for (what I believe to be) another installment of Brandon misinterpreting Weiry's question!

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs07oz0?context=10000

 

I've been chatting with weiry and the other wiki staff and we believe this is probably Brandon intentionally trolling. Poor weiry

 

Also poor Scadrians, 100M -> 15M is a heck of a destruction

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Also poor Scadrians, 100M -> 15M is a heck of a destruction

 

I was going to say how those numbers don't tell the entire picture, but then my reply got a little too long, and so I went to create a separate thread about it, and after messing it up twice, it's finally accurate. Bottom line, The Final Empire lost about 99% of its population at the end of The Hero of Ages.

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I must have missed where the 100 million in the Final Empire and 15 million in Alloy times came from. It's been a while since I've read, so I might have missed that.

 

I don't know where they came from either, but since they were pseudo-confirmed, I am willing to live with it.

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I'm over there thinking about an AI with a Nahel bond and the Realmatic implications of such are tremendous...

I would be very interested in finding out just how much environmental protection Shardplate can provide; if it can in fact act like a space suit or a diving suit, that has a lot of implications too.

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I'm over there thinking about an AI with a Nahel bond and the Realmatic implications of such are tremendous...

I would be very interested in finding out just how much environmental protection Shardplate can provide; if it can in fact act like a space suit or a diving suit, that has a lot of implications too.

 

Well it does have an eye slit, so...

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Q: I am going to shamelessly take advantage of the fact that you are still answering questions here (and wow ! thanks for that). It's about the sprens. Isn't it inconvenient in some social situations if sprens can give away people's emotions? For example, if someone is working hard to hide their anger and angersprens appear... Can people have any kind of control over them appearing ? And, by the way, thank you for your work. I've just finished rereading the two Stormlight Archive books, and it was so good.

A: Yes, it can be inconvenient. And you'll see more about this in future books.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs10ws9?context=10000

 

Q: Is the Earth-like biome in Shinnovar a product solely of environmental factors (e.g. shelter from the highstorms), or is there a magical component as well?

A: On Roshar, the environment and magic are so intertwined, environmental factors ARE magical components.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs1ee6s?context=10000

 

Q: Stormlight Archive question: are Lirin and Hesina Kaladin's biological parents?

A: Yes.
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