Brandon's musings about writing. As Wit.

[Malevericas]

This is the most earnest heartfelt thing I have read in Brandon's work.

 

"Expectation.  That is the true soul of art.  If you can give a man more than he expects, then he will laud you his entire life.  If you create an air of anticipation and feed it properly, you will succeed.

Conversely, if you gain a reputation for being too good, too skilled. . . beware.  The better art will be in their heads, and if you give them an ounce less than they imagined, suddenly you have failed.  Suddenly you are useless.  A man will find a single coin in the mud and talk about it for days, but when his inheritance comes and is accounted one percent less than he expected, then he will declare him self cheated."

 

No need to hedge

Brandon said let there be stormlight; and it was good.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Malevericas

[Tempus]

So what you're saying is Brandon has learned the perils of creating things and then looking for comments on the internet.

[christophalies]

I had the same thoughts about that passage. It has to be tough living up to the expectations of a fandom like the one that has rallied to him.

[Malevericas]

Tempus, I just quoted the book and mused it might be autobiographical.

[Argent he/him]

And, boy, do we have expectations! And he delivers. Every. Time.

[Malevericas]

agreed

[Awesomeness Summoned he/him]

Conversely, if you gain a reputation for being too good, too skilled. . . beware.  The better art will be in their heads, and if you give them an ounce less than they imagined, suddenly you have failed.  Suddenly you are useless.

Ah yes, shayamalan syndrome. So sad. (Though in his case it's a bit more than an ounce less)