Author Topic: Warbreaker: Free Ebook  (Read 234715 times)

EUOL

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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #30 on: June 21, 2006, 07:50:09 AM »
Chapter Eight is up!

A note for those who read Ookla's post above, and might be curious.  The characters of Vivenna and Siri are ones that have been bouncing around in my head for quite a while.  I made one attempt at a book using them, back about five years ago or so.  

Unfortunately for the two of them, the rest of the elements of that book (particularly the person I chose as a hero, the magic system, and...well, a lot of things) just kind of fell apart.  It's my only true failure of a book, made more tragic by the fact that Siri's story was working so well.  

So, I decided that I'd give it another shot, reworking the two characters into a plot where they could be more of the focus, and where the setting and story were better thought out.  (I've learned a few things in the intervening years.)  

I never did finish the original book, which was titled MYTHWALKER.  So, the people who knew me at the time were left hanging as to what happened to the characters.  

I intend to finish it this time!  Ookla, you've got the right of it still. Susebron will be virtually the same character I imagined in MYTHWALKER>  I don't want to give spoilers to the others, but if you watch closely, you'll see how I'm going to work things out.  
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EUOL

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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #31 on: June 21, 2006, 09:55:17 AM »
Okay, because I'm just not the type who goes to sleep, I finished off a rewrite of chapter eight.  The 1.0 version is still downloadable--as it is for all of the other chapters.  You'll just have to change the url yourself if you want it for comparison reasons.

This edit was primarily just a language clean-up.  

Let me know what you think of Lightsong and Blushweaver.  I'm hoping to keep this story moving at a fairly good clip--at least, for me.  This puts us at 8 chapters of approximately 60.  (That's the average size for a book of mine.)
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"Technically, I don't even have a brain."--Fellfrosch

thelsdj

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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #32 on: June 21, 2006, 09:29:57 PM »
I like Lightsong. As for Blushweaver I don't think I like her much, but thats mostly because Lightsong doesn't seem to think much of her and I trust his judgement.

And seriously, stop torturing us with the drawn out Siri / God King interaction  ;)

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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #33 on: June 21, 2006, 10:02:54 PM »
I have been a lurker on this board for a little while , but turning off the de-lurk, I just wanted to say thanks for posting this WIP. Its wonderful to see how you develop this story, and amazing to see how polished your first drafts are. (Insert desperate wish here for half the cleanliness). Anyways, I think the story is great; you have already completely pulled me in with the character of Siri and making me flip pages as fast as I can, albeit electronically. I have always been a sucker for the rebel girl and I can't wait to see where the story takes her.
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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #34 on: June 22, 2006, 01:36:01 AM »
 :o
Wow. I'm amazed to see how together your first drafts are. When I'm writing a book, my novel resembles slightly organized chaos until the 2nd draft of the book, or so....

Although which each book, polishing as I write my initial draft becomes easier.

I can't wait to see where you go with this novel, so I'll be keeping up. And, I'll be reading Mistborn when it comes out next month.
JMD

EUOL

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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #35 on: June 23, 2006, 09:02:25 AM »
Whew.  Chapter Nine done.  

Wasn't ready for how much trouble THIS one gave me.  It should have gone more smoothly than it did.  I ran into troubles deciding exactly how I wanted to deal with Mab and Bluefingers as characters.

In the end, I think I'm going to cut Mab from all but that first chapter in the kitchens.  (i.e. she won't come join Siri on the ride to Hallandren.)  I'm not completely sure yet, but she really wasn't working in this chapter.  

Another change I'm going to make is using the title "Vessel" for Siri.  This is something I did in MYTHWALKER that I've decided that I still like.  Gives me a nice thing for them to call her that indicates not only her purpose in the Court, but that she's not really a part of their social structure.

If you want to read the failed attempts at this chapter, look in this file right here:

www.brandonsanderson.com/graphics/WarbreakerCh9failed.doc

However, if you want the real chapter, look on the list in the first post.  It's up there.  

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"Technically, I don't even have a brain."--Fellfrosch

EUOL

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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #36 on: June 23, 2006, 11:05:05 AM »
And look at that.  ANOTHER chapter.  Man.  I work too hard for you people.  I should, like, get paid for doing this or something.

Oh, wait...

Anyway, this is another Lightsong chapter.  Rough, rough draft, as always.  

Worried that I re-tread a little too much ground in this one.  However, I'm far more worried about chapter nine.  It's bound to have flow issues, and I still think it might not be dynamic enough.  
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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #37 on: June 23, 2006, 11:12:19 AM »
You sir, are a workhorse. I wonder if we could put a plow to your back and see how the harvest turns out this year.
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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #38 on: June 23, 2006, 12:49:06 PM »
I enjoyed Chapter Ten and the information it gave us about the religion and the petitioners.  The way miracles work (one and it kills you) makes me very interested in Lightsong's role in this story.  It looks like, despite his protests, that he's going to end up doing something heroic by the end -- and I'm very interested to see how he gets to that point, lazy as he is.

I also liked the second half of chapter nine -- especially the last few paragraphs where Siri sumarizes what her life is going to be like: lonely even while surrounded by people.

The first half of it didn't work so well for me.  A lot of momentum had been building up to that point, and then all of the anxiety was just gone.  Siri herself doesn't seem very concerned about the events.  The first thing she does is stand up and yawn.  She faces her irreverence of the night before with resigned calmness, and thinks everything's fine.  She assumes that she isn't being executed, but for all she knows, servants assigned to drag her to the block just aren't allowed inside the God King's room, and are waiting for her outside.  I'd be more concerned about her and the odd happenings of the previous night if Siri was a little more concerned for her own wellbeing at the start -- and then perhaps relaxes a little when she realizes she isn't going to die today.

Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #39 on: June 25, 2006, 12:12:44 AM »
8- I like that the Returned go to Idris too. So, it's a widespread phenomenon? Interesting. But they can say farewell to their families? But the Hallendren Returned have no memory... Why? (You explain this a bit in 10, but it still seems like there is a difference--like the Idris ones know what they're there for. Or perhaps they're recognized by their family, which triggers their memory, while the Hallendren Returned are kept from their families on purpose?)

9- What is Mab doing?

Siri's life is rather unappealing at the moment.

Okay, I see in the failed version what's going on here. I don't disagree with  your decision. If Mab isn't an important enough character to accommodate, then it's best to get rid of her earlier as well.

I also echo Miriel's comments though. She doesn't seem very traumatized.

10- So was the goddess person one of the people who 20 years ago planned the treaty to return a Royal?

The miracles are quite interesting.
« Last Edit: June 25, 2006, 12:13:33 AM by OoklaTheMok »
All Saiyuki fans should check out Dazzle! Emotionally wrenching action-adventure and quirky humor! (At least read chapter 6 and tell me if you're not hooked.) Volume 10 out now!

EUOL

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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #40 on: June 27, 2006, 09:41:04 AM »
Eleven is done, but not up yet.  I need to spellcheck it, and there is still something about it I want to tweak.

I talked this project over with my editor, and he thought it was a very good idea.  My agent, however, raised a very interesting objection--and probably not the one you're thinking about.

Joshua is VERY worried about people seeing unfinished, unpolished work.  He's concerned about first impressions--that people will see WARBREAKER in draft form, and then be biased and unconsciously consider all of my work sloppy by association.

I don't think his point is a strong as he makes it, but he is a very knowledgeable man when it comes to publishing.  I can see his point.  The truth is, even my drafts--which come out a little more clean than some people's because of the outlining I do--are very rough.  I'll need to change things, add foreshadowing, and cut a good 15% of the excess language (like always) before I publish this.  

Yet, a lot of visual artist publish 'in progress' works on their websites.  Sketches, working designs, mock ups.  Nobody judges their final work sloppy because of the early versions.  

What do you all think?  
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42

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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #41 on: June 27, 2006, 10:19:30 AM »
I can see there being a concern in that many people erroneously believe that writers always perform at the same level of writing, no matter what the situation. It's absolutley not true. No one writes perfectly or even consistantly all the time.

In fact, the best example I can think of are the English Professors at BYU who would turn in just horrible writing  for publication and then get all defensive when the editors made suggestions. If people did write perfectly all the time, then editors would be out of a job.

As for visual artists, well they usually only post the sketches and unfinish work they like. There are often hundreds of sketched that no one sees that are awful. Not to mention, since drawing is such an under-valued skill in our society, it doesn't take much to impress people.

Anyways, I would think the people who really get all out-of-sorts over a grammar error or style issue are probably not the type to be reading a self-published web-version of a book.  I could be wrong, but those types usually are fairly sheltered away from the rest of us.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2006, 10:19:52 AM by 42 »
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Skar

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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #42 on: June 27, 2006, 11:53:17 AM »
I can see Joshua's objection being valid if the following happened:
Reader hears about you for the first time from a friend who read Elantris and is breathless for Mistborn.  Reader looks you up on the web and finds Warbreaker.  Doesn't realize what Warbreaker is, (roughdraft) and is disappointed and so never reads your stuff again and mercilessly mocks his friend for liking you.

The problem would be solved if the "reader" knew Warbreaker was a rough draft up front.  So, if there's no way he could read Warbreaker draft chapters without being informed as to their nature, there shouldn't be a problem.  All you'd have to do is put an explanation of the chapters nature at the beginning of each and every file you post.  Maybe you already do that?
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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #43 on: June 27, 2006, 01:15:01 PM »
He does already do that from the files I've downloaded.
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Re: Warbreaker Sample Chapters
« Reply #44 on: June 27, 2006, 04:52:07 PM »
As long as he's got that he should be fine, if anyone reads "This is an unfinished work in draft form" at the start of every chapter and judges the quality of the overall writing of EUOL from said chapters, then that person probably hate everything anyway and we don't care if he reads any of the other books.
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