Author Topic: 2011  (Read 5057 times)

libraloco

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2011
« on: February 20, 2010, 03:00:32 AM »
So...I saw a video on YouTube that was a Q&A with Brandon. In it he said that there would more than likely be NO Brandon Sanderson solo book in 2011 because of A Memory of Light. I've heard nothing to the contrary so far.

Granted, I'm a new Brandon Sanderson reader, but I'm already in love with his work. I'm very excited to read The Way of Kings when it comes out, as well as anything else he will publish in the future.

However, I'm curious: If Brandon wrote (or rewrote, I should say) The Way of Kings in 4 months, couldn't he theoretically do that with another one of his previous works, like White Sand, and publish that in 2011?

I understand that writing a novel takes a tremendous effort on the part of the author, and I am amazed at Brandon's skill and speed. I also respect his decision to focus on A Memory of Light. However, I'm just curious to know whether or not he plans to do that or publish something else in 2011.

Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: 2011
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2010, 09:06:58 AM »
Working on two huge books for this year has taken a huge toll. Brandon needs to have a few months where he's working only 8-hour days instead of 12. Remember, Towers of Midnight was more than half done before he stopped it and worked on finishing polishing the Gathering Storm. This year, when he finishes ToM for press, he will have nothing done on AMoL, and will also be much closer to the publication date of ToM than was the case with TGS. Anyway, the upshot is, if he gets any book done in time for publication in 2011, AMoL is that book. There is just not time for anything else.
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guessingo

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Re: 2011
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2010, 05:14:42 PM »
It takes some authors years to write books. Sometimes stepping away from writing leads to new ideas. i think fellowship of the ring came out 15 years after The Hobbit. I get the impression that brandon lived in front of his keyboard for years. Now he has an income stream going so he doesn't have to, plus he has 2 kids.

This isn't surprising. Brandon wants to be a writer for a long time, so he gets the chance. He quits his job and has no money. So he lives in front of a keyboard for 6-7 years. Now he needs a break.

punching a book out in 4 months generally means the book won't be as good as it would be if it took longer.

what I have noticed (except for Steven King ) most really successful writers take longer to write new books. This often leads to higher quality. However, they can afford to take longer because they make enough money to live on. Less successful writers have to write more books, short stories, and do other stuff so they can pay their rent and eat.
« Last Edit: February 20, 2010, 05:20:50 PM by guessingo »

libraloco

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Re: 2011
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2010, 06:00:45 PM »
I mean, I understand all of that. He's an amazingly fast and dedicated author. I couldn't imagine popping a novel as good as Mistborn or Warbreaker out in just a couple of months. I was just curious to know if he had any plans to do that (and I am in no way criticizing him for whatever he does). Either way, no matter what he does, I wish him good luck!

Sigyn

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Re: 2011
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2010, 07:12:26 PM »
Also, just so you know, he's been working on some of the worldbuilding for WoK for years. It didn't just get written in four months from nothing.
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libraloco

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Re: 2011
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2010, 12:55:20 AM »
I know, I know. Ten years, according to his blog. I've read a lot about all of his things (so just because I joined the forum yesterday doesn't mean I don't know anything...). I was just asking a question is all. No harm in that, right? It's not like I'm criticizing him for anything. I honor him. I just didn't know if he planned on doing something like that (rewriting an older novel) again. Sorry if it came across the wrong way.

Fireborn

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Re: 2011
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2010, 02:23:22 AM »
As much as we'd love Brandon to put out a book as often as possible, that's really not how it goes.  He can only take so much onto his plate at a time, and with WoT dropping on him so suddenly, throwing off everything else he's doing, he's going to need some time.  It really comes down to time.  But the good thing is is that he always has something else to go onto, he's got a lot of future projects that are in the works.  Which is great for us as fans, cuz he won't have just one book and be done like some great authors do.
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libraloco

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Re: 2011
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2010, 03:02:20 AM »
Um...I think I was greatly misunderstood in my initial post. Is there any way to delete this whole thread? Or can someone do it for me?

Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: 2011
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2010, 06:53:19 AM »
Sorry. To answer your actual question from the first post: This rewrite of Way of Kings, from beginning to end, has taken much longer than 4 months. Brandon just finished the 7th draft (of the new version) and will have one more major draft (to cut 35,000 words and fix the remaining issues) before it goes to copyediting.

So the answer is that Brandon could not rewrite White Sand in time for a 2011 release.
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Miyabi

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Re: 2011
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2010, 06:56:43 AM »

And in reality one book a year is more than a LOT of other authors do.

It's absolutely WONDERFUL to have more than that, but one a year is still a great feat.
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guessingo

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Re: 2011
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2010, 01:36:13 PM »
how many drafts is common for an author before a work is publishable?

Shivertongue

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Re: 2011
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2010, 09:58:28 PM »
how many drafts is common for an author before a work is publishable?

I don't know if there is an average. It depends entirely upon the book, the author, the publisher, the editor, and a host of other factors. I would have to say "however many it takes until everyone who needs to be happy with it is happy with it". This could be three, it could be forty.
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Miyabi

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Re: 2011
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2010, 11:03:23 PM »
how many drafts is common for an author before a work is publishable?

I don't know if there is an average. It depends entirely upon the book, the author, the publisher, the editor, and a host of other factors. I would have to say "however many it takes until everyone who needs to be happy with it is happy with it". This could be three, it could be forty.

I'm determined to believe some authors throw a bunch of cut up words at a page, glue them down and publish it without any revision what so ever.  (i.e. Paolini.) xD
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Wolfstar

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Re: 2011
« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2010, 12:46:47 AM »
I seem to recall Brandon saying somewhere that Elantris was a 4 draft book.  I think he was saying it as a comparison to the 16/17 drafts of tGS he did, and how big the project, which looked huge from the onset, was beginning to get.

And...


I'm determined to believe some authors throw a bunch of cut up words at a page, glue them down and publish it without any revision what so ever.  (i.e. Paolini.) xD


/agree.
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libraloco

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Re: 2011
« Reply #14 on: February 22, 2010, 01:04:15 AM »
I seem to recall Brandon saying somewhere that Elantris was a 4 draft book. I think he was saying it as a comparison to the 16/17 drafts of tGS he did, and how big the project, which looked huge from the onset, was beginning to get.

Actually, he said that Elantris had a total of ten drafts (with the tenth being the copyedit). You can check that here.


I'm determined to believe some authors throw a bunch of cut up words at a page, glue them down and publish it without any revision what so ever. (i.e. Paolini.) xD

Eragon was a hard book to read, in my opinion. Not comprehension-wise, but because of its wordiness. It read about how my first novel did--poorly.