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General => Everything Else => Topic started by: EUOL on May 24, 2004, 09:30:41 AM

Title: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: EUOL on May 24, 2004, 09:30:41 AM
So, with a nice 12:00am - 6:30am writing session, I finally finished off the new book.  The full title:

Mistborn: Book One
The Final Empire

Pages (Manuscript): 1065
Pages (Times New roman): 803
Word Count (MS Word): 205,739
Size:  1,375 KB
Chapters: 39+epilogue

Planning Begun: November 2003
First Chapter Begun:  Jan 28, 2004
Last Chapter Finished: May 24, 2004

Other interesting facts:
* This is the first book I've written completely as a 'professional' author.
* The most number of pages I wrote in one day while working on this book was 64.  (Last Friday.  When I get near the end, It's tough to stop....)
* Number of pages the book was PLANNED to be: 1,000.  (I'm getting pretty good at this, eh people?  No more accidentally going over by 300 pages.)
* I am very tired.

(Yawn.)  Okay, now I can stop goofing off and get back to editing the book I'm SUPPOSED to be working on.

Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Spriggan on May 24, 2004, 09:32:15 AM
Congrats.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on May 24, 2004, 09:40:27 AM
woot!
you like, write faster than Piers Anthony.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: EUOL on May 24, 2004, 09:43:44 AM
Heh.  But not as fast as Scott Card.  I've heard that he rips through books in about a month or so.  (Though he does A LOT of planning.)

I will point out that this is a first draft.  It needs some serious editing.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: House of Mustard on May 24, 2004, 10:48:00 AM
So, if this is Book One, how does it relate to the other Mistborn book?  That was the first book of yours I'd read.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock on May 24, 2004, 11:28:49 AM
Maybe he's going for a new type of trilogy. Where you have the three main books, but with each book there is a trilogy to that. So Book One has 3 books to it, Book Two has 3, etc. So in an essence for a trilogy you'll have nine books. Really quite ingenious if I must say so.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Maxwell on May 24, 2004, 09:30:51 PM
that's awesome
where can I get a copy of one of your books, I wann know what your writing is like...
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Entsuropi on May 24, 2004, 09:39:09 PM
You can't. Only those of us with psychic abilities can read them, for they are written in the night sky in letters of fire. Their majesty and glory are too much for your pathetic little mind to grasp.

Speak no more of this matter.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: 42 on May 24, 2004, 09:43:47 PM
Actually, some of them may appear on brandonsanderson.com eventually. Just the ones that are unpublishible. Or you can wait for Tor to publish them, which the first comes out in May 2005.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on May 24, 2004, 11:31:52 PM
Quote
You can't. Only those of us with psychic abilities can read them, for they are written in the night sky in letters of fire. Their majesty and glory are too much for your pathetic little mind to grasp.

Speak no more of this matter.


Actually there are copies of each of his books, buried in a lead-lined shelter under the great Nebraska Mountains.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Entsuropi on May 24, 2004, 11:36:41 PM
FOOL! You betray the great work to the heathen masses!
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: EUOL on May 25, 2004, 12:14:53 AM
HoM:  This book is kind of a 're-envisioning' of Mistborn.  The first Mistborn version I wrote had this absolutely amazing world and magic system, but the characters were very weak and the plot was so-so.  Even as I finished it, I knew it would need a revision.

Then, later, I wrote Final Empire--the book I finished when our writing group finally dissolved.  This book had much better characters, but the world/magic was very weak.  

As I finished WAY OF KINGS (back in November of 2003) I began to fiddle with new potential projects.  I began outlining WAY OF KINGS 2, but I knew that KINGS itself was likely to undergo some major revisions, and I wasn't quite sure where the characters would be for the beginning of the second book.  So, I decided to delay writing that.  I also fiddled with an ELANTRIS sequel, but I wasn't certain Tor wanted one of those or not.  

As I worked, the idea of a MISTBORN rewrite tempted me more and more.  I had another idea for a cool plot, and was intending to develop it into its own book, but it didn't have characters or a setting yet.  It occurred to me that the MISTBORN setting would work very well, especially if I borrowed some characters and concepts from FINAL EMPIRE.

In the end, after a few months of planning, the three pieces--MISTBORN magic and Setting, FINAL EMPIRE characters and politics, and the new plot--clicked together very nicely.  I was extremely pleased with the results, since MISTBORN and FINAL EMPIRE are the two books I've written that I was the most disappointed in.  This project would give me the opportunity to redeem the original ideas from both stories, and improve on them.

I called the resulting book MISTBORN: FINAL EMPIRE out of Homage, though "Mistborn" is the title I expect to stick (instead of the subtitle, kind of ala Star Wars: A New Hope.)  Time, and reads from my writing groups and friends, will tell me if my experiment was a success or not.

----
Quote
that's awesome
where can I get a copy of one of your books, I wann know what your writing is like...


Well, you have several options, TFO.  The first is to wait until 2005, when ELANTRIS will be released nationally.  You'll be able to get it at any bookstore in the nation, theoretically.

The second, and an interesting possibility, is to go to your local college library and see if you can get them to order DRAGONSTEEL for you through inter-library-loan from BYU.  It was my honors thesis, and is the book a lot of the people on the forum know me for.  (I'll be doing a rewrite of it one of these years.  My intention is to release the DRAGONSTEEL series once I've established myself, and use it to--hopefully--get out of the midlists and into the bestsellers.)

I think that it would be fairly easy to get it through ILL, though you would probably have to find someone going to the university to order it for you.  

The third option is to hang around long enough on the forums, and know me long enough, that I agree to send you an electronic copy for review purposes.  I will warn you, however, I'm very slow to offer this to people I don't know.  These books are my livelihood, and while I'm not worried about someone 'stealing' them and trying to publish them under their own name (something that just doesn't happen, despite what people think) I AM worried about someone throwing it up on their web-pages or releasing it onto the internet.  This would get me into serious contractual trouble with Tor, and might weaken my sales.

It's not that I'm not a trusting person.  It's just that the more electronic copies of these books there are laying around, the more likely it is that an accident will happen.  People tend to read my books and then tell their friends and family 'Hey read this!  I'll email it to you.'  And, well, you can probably guess why I'm a bit wary.  So far, I've only sent a book I'm currently working on to ONE person I haven't met face-to-face first.  

(Which reminds me.  Charlie, you ever going to give me a write-up on KINGS?  I'm looking at revising that one sometime in July.  If you have time to type up some comments, I'd appreciate it.)

I could probably be convinced to send one of my older books more easily (as 42 said, I might publish these on-line anyway), though most of these I consider my 'intellectual properties', and am intending to do rewrites/revisions in the worlds.  


Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Maxwell on May 25, 2004, 12:17:55 AM
I think I'll wait for a hard copy from the stores I cant stand reading anything that's more than two pages on a computer.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on May 25, 2004, 12:25:16 AM
Dragonsteel rocks.

And once you feel you're famous enough, I'll bug you to get Pandora out even though it's sci-fi.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: 42 on May 25, 2004, 12:38:17 AM
Whitesands is still my favorite. Dragonsteel was cool, but I hated the ending.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Spriggan on May 25, 2004, 03:08:01 AM
I've only read the short story version of Whitesand.  He wrote it before his mission.  That was my favorite short story of his.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: 42 on May 25, 2004, 03:37:56 AM
Short story? That is one of those things I just don't comprehend in association with EUOL.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Spriggan on May 25, 2004, 05:53:28 AM
He wrote a lot of Short stories in highschool, actualy won an award for one his Junior year.  It was a sci-fi story about a sun going super nova.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: stacer on May 25, 2004, 09:13:01 AM
I still have an electronic copy of Whitesands that I got back when we were in TLE and never got around to reading. I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but I've never read your writing, EUOL.  :-[ One of these days I'll read Whitesands at least! I just know you're good, empathically.

And, of course, if I ever get in a house that would publish what you write, you have to send a few things my way. :D
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: EUOL on May 25, 2004, 09:17:32 AM
Don't feel bad, Stacer--people get busy.  (All will be forgiven if you buy a copy of ELANTRIS when it comes out.  ;) )

And, just for the record, the book is actually named WHITE SAND.  Two words, no 's'.  
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: stacer on May 25, 2004, 10:30:37 AM
Ah, that's what I get for taking my lead from 42's spelling.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: House of Mustard on May 25, 2004, 11:48:40 AM
I think Aether of Night was my favorite, although I have only read three of your books (none of them being Dragonsteel or White Sand).
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: EUOL on May 25, 2004, 06:03:23 PM
AETHER was the best of the patch of three you read.  During that period, I was trying to force myself to write shorter books (ala 500 pages) because I thought the beastly lengths of some of my novels (DRAGONSTEEEL 1100, ELANTRIS 1200, WHITE SAND 1000) was keeping me from getting published.

What I learned was I just wasn't good at the shorter format.  What happened was that instead of just writing a shorter book, I ended up short-changing something vital (Characters for MISTBORN, world elements and plotting for FINAL EMPIRE) in my attempt to slim-down.   AETHER came in the middle of the patch there, and it actually turned out longer than the other two, and worked all right.  (The female character was weak, ending needs a lot of work, but it's not a lost cause like the other two.)

New writers be aware (my agent tried to warn me of this): don't try and write in a way that you're just not good at.  You can try to adapt to the market a bit, choosing one idea instead of another because you know the first is more marketable.  However, if you force your writing too much, it will suffer.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: GorgonlaVacaTremendo on May 25, 2004, 07:18:03 PM
I need good things to read.  Do you have anything published?  Or I could wait until MISTBORN: FINAL EMPIRE gets published, but a year is a long time.  It better be good... ;D
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: stacer on May 25, 2004, 11:52:35 PM
Mistborn isn't the one that's coming out in a year. Isn't it Elantris that's coming out?
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock on May 25, 2004, 11:56:36 PM
Yes it is stacer. And for finally filling Gorgon in you win those hours of your life back that you would of spent wondering who was right. Now Jammy, tell her what she's won!
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: JP Dogberry on May 26, 2004, 12:01:45 AM
You win...

Two Cookies! Now go and hassle someone to give them to you. Gemm would be a particularly good bet.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: stacer on May 26, 2004, 12:03:11 AM
Mmm, cookies. My roommate made cookies last night but they never last long.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: GorgonlaVacaTremendo on May 26, 2004, 07:42:28 AM
I'm easily confused, not unlike a sleep deprived rabbit.  You'll have to forgive me for such mistakes, or don't, but preferably you will, I think... ???
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Spriggan on May 26, 2004, 07:52:53 AM
Quote
I need good things to read.  Do you have anything published?  Or I could wait until MISTBORN: FINAL EMPIRE gets published, but a year is a long time.  It better be good... ;D


Maybe if your lucky EUOL will have something posting on his website in the next few months.  With him attending worldcon in September he wants something on his site, weither it will be sample chapters or short stories is probaly unlikely.  But you never know.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on May 27, 2004, 03:54:24 AM
Congrats!

64 pages in a day...is that manuscript pages? That would be 16,000 words. Or Times New Roman pages? 21,200 words. That's pretty impressive.

I liked Mistborn. And Final Empire is the one modern Brandon novel I didn't read all of (never got the second half). It sounds like you're happy with the way this turned out, so that has to be good news.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: EUOL on May 27, 2004, 05:56:56 AM
Yeah, MS pages....

I did the same thing back in November, when I was finishing off the last few chapters of KINGS.  We were doing NaNoWriMo, and so I didn't post my full wordcount on that day.  Didn't want to look TOO arrogant.

(I did 1,500 words!  I did 2,800!   Uh, I did 16,000....)

Like I said, when I get near the end of a book, I just go.  Everything's generally in place plot-wise and image-wise.  I usually plan the endings of my books from the start, and they're among the most well-conceived visually.  When I get there, it's just a matter of putting the words on the page.

And yes, I'm very happy with this book.  Of course, I've been happy with books before that people haven't liked as much as some of my others.  However, I think MBFE is a very strong, 'classic' Brandon novel, in the style of ELANTRIS and WHITE SAND.  I think people will enjoy it.  I'm eager to finish the ELANTRIS rewrite (about 10% done right now) so I can move on to cleaning up MBFE so I can print/mail off review copies to people.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on May 27, 2004, 11:13:53 AM
Unless Vin gets her act together, psychologically, I'm afraid it's not going to be one of my favorites.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on May 27, 2004, 02:42:41 PM
Vin's female now?
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on May 27, 2004, 02:57:04 PM
Yes, she's a girl.  When was Vin not a girl?

Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Tage on May 27, 2004, 03:59:58 PM
In the first incarnation of Final Empire.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: EUOL on May 27, 2004, 06:32:35 PM
Vin has a pretty good character arc, Fuzzy.  Hopefully you won't be disappointed.

Just out of curiosity, which books are your favorites?  I know you didn't care for the original MISTBORN very much, and I assume that DRAGONSTEEL is your favorite.  (It's pretty much everyone's favorite, except for TAGE, who prefers ELANTRIS.)  What would be number two?
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on May 27, 2004, 06:44:47 PM
I do realize I'm only 7 chapters into a 30 chapter book, but her personality doesn't have any real anger.  I find I like female characters who get angry.

She should be angry at the world that's repeatedly screwed her over and she just seems depressed about it.  
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: EUOL on May 27, 2004, 07:32:23 PM
Yeah, I know.  I hit her personality too hard in the first few chapters--I usually do that with characters, you'll find.  When I'm still working them out in my head, and on the page, I tent to over-emphasize their attributes.  It takes a little while to normalize them.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Brenna on May 27, 2004, 08:42:26 PM
I think "Way of Kings" is my favorite at the moment, actually. It'll be great once it's been revised, I think.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: EUOL on May 28, 2004, 02:53:49 AM
Yeah, I'm sorry you got that one when it was so rough, but that's when you can do me some real good.  
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Brenna on May 28, 2004, 03:50:05 AM
I like reading them when they're really rough precisely because my comments *are* helpful at that point.

Of course, it's nice to see them when they're polished too...:)
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on May 28, 2004, 09:44:25 AM
And once they're polished I start getting all impatient and wanting them on my shelf to keep my other books company.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: Prometheus on May 28, 2004, 03:08:16 PM
MtG Prerelease articles are done, so next is my DM session on Monday, but after that I'll start getting to that copy of Way of Kings you sent me in earnest, EUOL.
Title: Re: It is Finished! (Mark XIV)
Post by: EUOL on May 28, 2004, 04:14:43 PM
Yeah, I was looking through my emails just the other day, realizing that you hadn't ever gotten back to me.  I'd worried that you hadn't gotten it.

Anway, good deal.  Look forward to hearing from you.