Guest Posted February 10, 2017 Posted February 10, 2017 Guys, Brandon is doing an AMA on Reddit, now. https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/5t9nyy/iamonce_againa_novelist_named_brandon_sanderson/ It just got online, so few questions so far. I see he is currently answering and will do so all through the week-end, so shoot out your questions
Jofwu he/him Posted February 10, 2017 Posted February 10, 2017 Is this.... The thing that was supposed to happen in March 10th? Maybe he or /r/fantasy had their date wrong. Make note of his warning though... Quote Warning to the cosmerenauts out there with very detailed worldbuilding questions: I won't outright forbid such questions, but this AMA is intended more for the general public of /r/fantasy, and I'd prefer more general interest questions.
Guest Posted February 10, 2017 Posted February 10, 2017 1 minute ago, jofwu said: Is this.... The thing that was supposed to happen in March 10th? Maybe he or /r/fantasy had their date wrong. Make note of his warning though... Yeah I know, so guess my surprise when I stumbled on it! It is all new and so far filled with the usual questions, so I thought some more researched questions would be interesting. If I had any, I'd post them, but stuff I personally want to know isn't stuff Brandon will answer.
Pagerunner he/him Posted February 10, 2017 Posted February 10, 2017 Oh no! I was supposed to have a whole month to get caught up cataloguing his old AMAs before this new one started. Part of me can't help but wonder if he kept this on the DL just so we wouldn't have a lot of time to develop a plan of attack... Here's one question that I've been turning over in my head for a while, but it isn't too detail-oriented, and I think he might bite on it: So far, the Shards we've seen in your works have been operating much more individuals than a true 'pantheon.' But Odium has been referred to as "God's own divine hatred, separated from the virtues that gave it context." Can all the Shards similarly be understood as singular attributes of God, which, together as a collective, embody all divine attributes? In Mistborn, especially, there seem to be elements of theodicy in Harmony's actions, how he must balance these two seemingly conflicting attributes without betraying his nature. Same with the literal war between Shards on Roshar. While this question is tailored towards larger themes of religion in his books, it's designed to give some clarification on Shardic Intents, especially Autonomy (which people have been all over the place in interpreting). I don't have a Reddit account, so anyone can feel free to take this question if you're having a hard time thinking of one that isn't detail-focused. Just let me know if you do; I might give in and create an account just to ask this question, if nobody else wants to take it.
WeiryWriter he/him Posted February 10, 2017 Posted February 10, 2017 2 minutes ago, Pagerunner said: Oh no! I was supposed to have a whole month to get caught up cataloguing his old AMAs before this new one started. Part of me can't help but wonder if he kept this on the DL just so we wouldn't have a lot of time to develop a plan of attack... Here's one question that I've been turning over in my head for a while, but it isn't too detail-oriented, and I think he might bite on it: So far, the Shards we've seen in your works have been operating much more individuals than a true 'pantheon.' But Odium has been referred to as "God's own divine hatred, separated from the virtues that gave it context." Can all the Shards similarly be understood as singular attributes of God, which, together as a collective, embody all divine attributes? In Mistborn, especially, there seem to be elements of theodicy in Harmony's actions, how he must balance these two seemingly conflicting attributes without betraying his nature. Same with the literal war between Shards on Roshar. While this question is tailored towards larger themes of religion in his books, it's designed to give some clarification on Shardic Intents, especially Autonomy (which people have been all over the place in interpreting). I don't have a Reddit account, so anyone can feel free to take this question if you're having a hard time thinking of one that isn't detail-focused. Just let me know if you do; I might give in and create an account just to ask this question, if nobody else wants to take it. If I remember correctly Brandon has already answered part of this. That all of the Intents are actually aspects of divinity. I don't know exactly where though, but I'm pretty sure it was latter half of 2016.
Argent he/him Posted February 10, 2017 Posted February 10, 2017 I was not prepared, team! I can't do surprise AMAs, it's not fair! 1
Pagerunner he/him Posted February 10, 2017 Posted February 10, 2017 40 minutes ago, WeiryWriter said: If I remember correctly Brandon has already answered part of this. That all of the Intents are actually aspects of divinity. I don't know exactly where though, but I'm pretty sure it was latter half of 2016. Yeah, I know we've talked about it in the past, but I've looked through all his Reddit comments in 2016 (yes, I've been busy) and I haven't seen anything to that topic. Which is why I figured I'd slip it in with a softball question that can let Brandon expound on a real-world concept like theodicy.
teknopathetic he/him Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 This AMA isn't really for us though. It seems like he's trying to engage new fans.
Argent he/him Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 26 minutes ago, teknopathetic said: This AMA isn't really for us though. It seems like he's trying to engage new fans. No AMAs are truly for us. But he does know that we are out there, and so he throws us a bone every now and then.
Guest Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 2 hours ago, teknopathetic said: This AMA isn't really for us though. It seems like he's trying to engage new fans. Last time, if I recall properly, he ended up answering a lot of various questions. This time however most comments/questions seem to be about his writing process. It is always tricky to put in questions in those AMA as you never how they will be received.
ParadoxicalZen he/him Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 I'm not really buzzing with questions (surprisingly) but even if I was I would still avoid posting, it just doesn't seem the right thing for an ama such as this
Darkness Ascendant he/him Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS. Finally a use to my reddit acc
Yata he/him Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 Doh...I notice it just now, Am I too late ?
Jofwu he/him Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 14 minutes ago, Yata said: Doh...I notice it just now, Am I too late ? Can't hurt to try!
Guest Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 33 minutes ago, Yata said: Doh...I notice it just now, Am I too late ? No, Brandon said he would answer all through the week-end, so if you want to post something, I think you can still do it. 6 hours ago, AnanasSpren said: I'm not really buzzing with questions (surprisingly) but even if I was I would still avoid posting, it just doesn't seem the right thing for an ama such as this Yeah... Depending on what kind of questions you wish to ask, it might not be the right medium. I personally wouldn't ask the questions I would love to ask: wrong time, wrong place.
Yata he/him Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 (edited) @jofwu @maxal I tried, some are probably RAFO. Other are simply doubts of mine born with my third re-reading of Mistborn Edited February 11, 2017 by Yata
Guest Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 5 minutes ago, Yata said: @jofwu @maxal I tried, some are probably RAFO. Other are simply doubt of mine born with my third re-reading of Mistborn I've seen them. Good luck. Last time, when he went back to answer again, he went from the top instead of taking it back where he previously was, so maybe he'll get to yours.
Bromo_Sapien Posted February 13, 2017 Posted February 13, 2017 I tried a simple one: Is there a naming connection between tonks the beasts and Tonk Fah? He replied late last night with "Nope. (Sorry)" so it looks like he's still answering and willing to engage on simple cosmere Qs. But ya, most of this AMA seems to be going into his writing process. 1
swieczq he/him Posted February 13, 2017 Posted February 13, 2017 (edited) It seems that i need to finally get a reddit account :/ Edited February 13, 2017 by swieczq
Argent he/him Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 Alright, let's get a few answers in: Quote Q: Hi! I just finished Warbreaker, and I caught my mind that they have animals that exists on Earth (at least by the name, like monkeys, panther, and so). Is this a common thing in the all the planets of the cosmere? A: It is common on many of the planets, though it is more likely to happen on a planet (or an ecosystem on a planet) created by Shards, as they're often basing the animal life on creatures they've seen before. That said, some planets with life predating the splintering had Earth-like ecosystems too. The writing answer is that this was a way for me to control learning curve in my series, so that I could have some (like Roshar) that take a lot of effort to get into, and others that are a little more easy to get into. This lets me save the really crazy worldbuilding for a few specific series. Source Quote Q: Hi, Brandon. Do you ever turn to philosophical writings for inspiration? Say reading Hume, Kant, or some social contract theorists for ethics; maybe some Plato or Aristotle to help you with the metaphysics of a world; etc. A: Quite a bit, actually. You might find some oblique references to those very philosophers in some of my books... Source Quote Our plan is to do tenth anniversary books of all of the cosmere novels, though right now I plan to put the four Wax and Wayne books into two volumes. (So, sell them as two-in-one.) Likewise, it's possible that the Stormlight books will be better as two volumes each, sold in a slip case together, so that you don't risk ruining bindings by reading them. Source Quote Q: I've always wondered, how do you determine where the line between "Word of Brandon" and "Read and Find Out" is? Has it ever caused issues where you've said something, but later that thing changed when it went into a book making your first statement now false? A: Boy, this one is an art, not a science. I've several times said something that I later decided to change in a book. I've always got this idea in the back of my head that the books are canon, and things I say at signing aren't 100% canon. This is part because of a habit I have of falling back on things I decided years ago, then revised in notes after I realized they didn't work. My off-the-cuff instinct is still to go with what I had in my head for years, even when it's no longer canon. An example of this are Shardblades. In the first draft of TWoK in 2002, I had the mechanics of the weapons work in a specific way. (If you wanted to steal one from someone, you knock off the bonding gemstone, and it breaks the bond.) I later decided it was more dramatic if you couldn't steal a Shardblade that way--you had to kill the person or force them to relinquish the bond. It worked far better. But in Oathbringer, Peter had to remind me of that change, as I just kind of nonchalantly wrote into a scene a comment about knocking off a gemstone to steal a Shardblade. These things leak back in, as you might expect for a series I've been working on for some twenty years now--with lore being revised all along. So...short answer...yes, I've contradicted myself a number of times. I try very, very hard to let the books be the canon however. So you can default to them. As for what I answer and what I RAFO...it depends on how much I want to reveal at the moment, if I'm trying to preserve specific surprises, or if I just want people to focus on other things at the moment. Like I said, art and not science. Source Quote Q: Does Marsh know about Kelsier's current state, and has he helped him in Southern Scadrial? A: Marsh is aware. The rest is a RAFO. Source Quote Q: Have you considered having a unified logo designed for the Cosmere on the whole? Like something to put on book covers that clearly separates your Cosmere works from your non-Cosmere stuff. A: I haven't, but it's an interesting idea. We do have a symbol for the cosmere now (on the cover of Arcanum Unbounded.) I will consider this. Source Quote Q: Why is the stormlight archive so good? A: Spren. Source Quote Q: 3- Why did Rashek feel the need to create skaa and nobility, why not alter all humanity to be nobles if you have the power? A: Rashek, particularly back then, was a petty man. This caused him to do many things that, strictly speaking, were not best for his empire. Source Quote Q: My big question right now, mostly because of wiki reasons, is whether the Team Sanderson has a system for naming Core Possibilities in the Reckonerverse. The reason I ask is because we on the Coppermind would just refer to different versions of Earth as "Earth (series name)" but that kind of broke down in Calamity where two Earths are relevant, and I'm guessing Apocalypse Guard will also have that issue. Can you help us out? A: I will once I write Apocalypse Guard, which will have these notations. I don't want to canonize it right now, though, because I'm still working on the right terms. Source Quote Q: Would you ever consider writing "The Spotters Guide to Spren"? Whenever Stormlight archive is finished, a comprehensive guide to the little guys would be awesome. A: This is a good idea. We'd probably mix it with a general Roshar worldboook, though I can imagine doing it on its own. Source Quote Q: Something I've always noticed is missing from your State of the Sanderson updates is any mention of a sequel to The Emperor's Soul. Is that something you might eventually get around to (after the Elantris sequel for example), or do you feel that story has been told? TES is easily my favourite of your stories, with a depth of character and theme which really surprised me. Would love to read more - especially if it were more novella-length works! A: I've been hesitant to do a sequel, as I don't want to "George Lucas" the story. Emperor's Soul is one of those stories that turned out very well on its own, and I worry that doing another story could take away from how well it works on its own now. I might have Shai do cameos in other stories, though. Source Quote Q: Hey Brandon! Have you ever considered using a pen name like Robert Jordan? What would it be? Hint: Chad is a really cool name. Great job finishing the Wheel of Time. I just started Mistborn. Really enjoying it. Have a great weekend. A: Ha. Well, Chad IS a cool name. I considered using Winn, my middle name (and my father's name) but the existence of Diana Wynne Jones made my editor suggest I not go with the name. (I was going to be just Winn Sanderson.) Source Quote Q: Hi Brandon, first of all. Big fan! love all your work. Just one question, how come they're still called EARTHquakes in Mistborn? Just kidding, mainly, do you have any plans to work on other graphic novels, and how has it been working on White Sand? A: I know it's a joke, but I actually have an answer! One I stole from Tolkien, who mentioned all his books are "in translation" to English from an original language--so the translator takes liberties. They're called earthquakes for the same reason that Shallan's puns work in English--the one taking them from the original language to English came up with something that works for us, even if it isn't a one-to-one translation. Working on White Sand has been very draining for my team, though I haven't had to do much other than approve things. (Peter and Isaac have been very busy, though.) I'd like to do more, but once White Sand is done, we'll have to sit down and really talk about how much work it was, weighed against how much fans enjoyed it. Source 6
Argent he/him Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 As usual, I've curated the list a little bit, but I haven't left much world relevant information out. There was one reply about Kelsier's harshness and how he could be considered a villain in other books; one about Mare's flower picture as a device to show both the Scadrial's strangeness and Kelsier's character (i.e. his love for Mare). For what it's worth, Brandon was active as recently as yesterday, so you can still get your questions in. Do keep in mind, this AMA is very much not about Brandon's worlds - it's not that it's not for Sharders, most of his answers don't even go into specifics about each story.
Guest Posted February 19, 2017 Posted February 19, 2017 Among all of the answers we have gotten, I thought the Shardblades one was very interesting. I enjoyed knowing how Brandon initially planned for Shardblades' bonds to be broken by smashing the gemstone. I also enjoyed knowing he nearly wrote it in Oathbringer as it got me wondering what he exactly had in mind here.
Ammanas Posted February 21, 2017 Posted February 21, 2017 Everyone knows that oathbringer is going to be BIG, but this article puts it into perspective. http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2017/02/brandon-sanderson-may-have-written.html?m=1 2
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