Timewaster's Guide Archive

1. Why does Brandon use EUOL for his name? Most authors with sites use their own names. What does it stand for?

2. I am most of the way through the first mistborn book. I hope to finish it tonight (as I said, I don't have alot of time for reading right now so it takes me 2 weeks to finish a book). I don't recall seeing anything about the shard world info. I saw a post on the forum about how elantris, warbreaker, and mistborn are related as shardworld.

is that the atium? Does that appear in all the books? don't give away too much. I am at the beginning of the 5th part (I think).

3. when you publish a book. I am guessing that the commission on sales comes after it covers the advance right? So if you get an advance of $10,000 and you have a 10% commission (I have no idea what it is) on a hardcover. I would guess the publisher sells the hardcover to the bookstore for say $12/book?(how much do publishers sell books to bookstores for?) I am not sure. so you get $1.20/book, but you don't get any of the commission money until the first $10,000 is covered. Then 15% of that goes to the Agent.

4. I often see alot of bestsellers on mark down at bookstores. So they bought too many books. Do bookstores only pay full price for books they actually sell at full price? They always seem to buy too m any books so after a few months you can get a $20 book for $6.
I am also willing to bet that most authors don't sell enough to write full time.


5. Who are some of Brandons other favorite authors? I saw a presentation he did at Jordancon(it is on google video) where he mentioned the Thomas Covenant books. I have had those on a shelf for 10 years. He also liked the Dragonbone chair(I think I read part of this and didn't like it a long tiem ago_). For some reason he doesn't like Terry Goodkind personally (I read part of his first book and didn't like it). Who else does he like?

5. Is the Lord Ruler in part based on the Tyrant from Dune? This is the son of Paul Muadib. He is not in the movie and is only a child at the end of the Sci-Fi series. He is the tyrant in the 4th book. They are very similiar. Tyrants who don't raelly want to be tyrants, live along time, and are basically depressed about it all.

when did brandon become a full time writer. from what i have read it takes authors several published books before they can quit their job and write full time.

I put some questions inside other threads about him, so I am making this thread so it is easier for people to find.

There are probably for peter...

how many hours/week does brandon spend writing? It sounds like he lives and breathes writing.

also, was the Timewasters site created by people in Utah?

A few questions.

1. What is "Adonalsiumverse canon" ? I don't know Brandon. I found him since he is writing WoT and I am reading Mistborn. I am still on the first book.

2. So the 10 book way of kings series is partially a canabalization of an unpublished book called Dragonsteel that his friends all liked?

3. How many hours/week does brandon spend writing? It sounds like he writes alot...

I think Brandon wrote in that forum interview peter pointed too that he expects 3 books every 2 years. That is alot. Keeping quality up at that pace is really tough. Stuff may get generic. Anyone here ever read Harry Turtledove? He writes alternative history. I have probably read about 10 books by him (many are VERY good such as Guns of the South), but got tired of him since his books got formulaic and generic.

4. Peter: did you know Brandon in real life and that is how you got hired?

5. Will Brandon post on these forums anymore ? I understand he is busy.

6. Brandon plans to release Way of Kings and the next WoT book this year right? How often does he plan to release Way of King books? Is this going to be a 20+ year series like WoT? (that is ok. I am not kid and I am patient).

Peter: Are you brandons assistant or are you a writer also? There is someone named Dan I think. Is he a writer also?

I don't know if it is odd that Palloppa pictures does not have a website. Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio have production companies and I don't think they have websites.

I think Pallopa is a startup formed by a couple of friends from the press release. I am willing to bet what they do is develop a script and try to sell it to a production company or a studio. I have read that it can 2-3 years of re-writes on a script before a studio buys it or the option can pass and it goes no where.

Most options are not made into movies. I think an option is the write to develop your copywright into a movie for a certain number of years. Then it can lapse. They either pay you more money or you can option it to someone else.

Then if it gets made into a movie/TV, etc... the author gets a new contract worth more money. Most authors appear to not be involved at all in the script writing. Terry Goodkind has stated publicly he is not being consulted. This is probably in large part because novel writing is very different than script writing. Scripts are much shorter and faster paced and alot of mechanisms you use in novels don't exist. Plus studios/directors probably want experienced script writers since script writing appears to be far more collaboritive than novel writing.
That being said. I think George RR Martin wrote the script for HBO. However, he has a long background in TV writing. so that is different.

The best audiobook I ever listend to was the one for the Time Travellers wife. Best performance I have seen. Partially because the book was so good. The movie sucked.