Questioner
And all the different powers kind of run off the same type of power? Like Breath is the same as Stormlight.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeees, they have their own different sort of layers to them. It depends on the Shard that is there and things like that but yes there are little differences but it is more like the differences between alternating current and direct current, they're both electricity. So if you know how to use them.
Questioner
'Cause Szeth's not going to be getting any new Breaths on Roshar so I was thinking about that.
Questioner
Hemalurgy, does the person having the metal shoved through them have to die?
Brandon Sanderson
It has to rip off a piece of their soul. That normally results in death.
Questioner
Because I'm thinking you're going a bit into the future, surgery, precise things like that...
Brandon Sanderson
It's plausible but-- I mean it would leave the person like-- it's ripping off a piece of their soul. But the same thing happens when you give up your Breath. So you're giving up a piece of your soul. There are-- It's plausible you could take off pieces of a soul without killing the person.
Questioner
I love that book [The Rithmatist], the world, I'm looking forward to those...
Brandon Sanderson
The sequel is going to be very fun, it's called "The Aztlanian", it's taking place in South America.
Questioner
Where in South America?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, I've rebuilt South America so it's kind of weird. The Aztek empire, which is the main name the Northerners have for it, they call it something else. The problem is I shrunk the planet, so I had to smash South America and Central America a little bit into each other so the islands that they are is it South America? Central America? What is it?
Questioner
So is it Spanish-speaking? Or...
Brandon Sanderson
No, the Spaniards got fought off, they actually speak Nahautl.
Questioner
No Portuguese or Spanish? It's all...
Brandon Sanderson
There are a couple Portuguese/Spanish islands but-- They grabbed a few of them but the main empire speaks Nahuatl.
Questioner
I just started Part 3 [of The Final Empire?] and I actually went over to your booth to ask them because I was confused. There are different symbols for the Allomantic metals but I only recognize one of them here. Why are there different symbols you don't know about at the beginning of different parts?
Brandon Sanderson
Part of it is they don't know all the metals yet, in the books, and so that's a hint. Part of it is because that their writing system is more than 16 letters and so there are symbols that do not represent a metal, necessarily, or an Allomantic metal so they can-- They write with them as well. It is both a writing system and each symbol is a metal.
Questioner
In Warbreaker how did you come up with the idea of using colors for magic?
Brandon Sanderson
You know it's the goofiest story. A lot of them have really awesome stories and this one is just goofy. In this one I had written Elantris and written Mistborn and they are both kind of dark and my editor said to me, I kid you not, "Your next book needs some color to it" and I said "Oh I'll do a color-based magic system then". And that's where it came from.
Questioner
What were the Allomantic metals based on?
Brandon Sanderson
The Allomantic metals were based on two main concepts, magic that feels one step science one step superstition so I was reading things like alchemy and I wanted something that was one half chemistry, one half alchemy. The idea of eating the metals and metabolizing them was really interesting to me because it's kind of almost scientific but not really. That mixed with me wanting to have a thieving crew have different powers that would help different members of a crew and I built the powers to match people like Ham and Breeze.
Questioner
I had a question about White Sand, we both read the draft of it, it's going to graphic novel. What's your involvement with that? Are you kind of passing over the draft?
Brandon Sanderson
We passed the book to the writer, the writer is sending us scripts, and we are commenting on them and things like that. There are a few big changes I've made to the story, that it needed, and things like that. But we are letting the script writer write the scripts and then we are reading them over.
Questioner 1
Is Dalinar clean-shaven or does he wear a beard?
Brandon Sanderson
It depends on the day, and the time. Dalinar is clean-shaven through most of the books you have seen.
Questioner 1
That's what I thought but he thought not.
Questioner 2
The audiobook reader just gives me an impression of a wizened person with a well-kept beard.
Brandon Sanderson
Let's see if I've got... if I've got enough internet...
Questioner 2
I get the impression that Sadeas has a creepy mustache from the audiobook as well.
Brandon Sanderson
Beards are not in fashion in Alethkar right now.
Questioner 1
Which is why Kaladin shaves it off.
Brandon Sanderson
Let's see, Way of Kings, I've got the artwork I used as-- *shows secret canon drawing* So there is the concept art we used for Dalinar.
Questioner
How many of the Mistborn do you plan on writing still?
Brandon Sanderson
Mistborn, when I pitched it to my editor, I pitched it as a spectrum running from an epic fantasy series eventually arriving at a space opera, with Allomancers on spaceships. So we have several hundred more years of history. So right now I'm doing a few more Wax and Wayne books, the Alloy of Law era. Then we will jump forward, I've got a modern trilogy that's going to be like 1980's level technology. And then maybe near-future and then full-blown science fiction space opera.
Questioner
The magic in The Emperor's Soul, is that the only magic you've written that there is a Spiritual part to it in your magic trio?
Brandon Sanderson
Umm... All of them have some little dabbling in it, it is the most related to the Spiritual Realm-- Of the ones I have shown, certainly it is the most related.
Questioner
So was The Emperor's Soul before Elantris?
Brandon Sanderson
It's after.
Questioner
So are you going to write a book that explains what happened to the [Rose Empire] then?
Brandon Sanderson
You will find out more about it eventually, yes. But it's not my main project right now. We'll see how it happens eventually.
Questioner
I actually have a weird question. From the Mistborn series it says there are 16 Allomantic metals but then you go into Alloy of Law and the 16 are listed there, minus the atium and another one, so are there really 18 metals?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, you see those two were not really metals. Those were pieces, fragments, of a god.
Questioner
I thought that might be it but the symbols are the same above them from-- the atium symbol is the same as--
Brandon Sanderson
No, it's a different symbol, it might be reversed though.
Questioner
My one question is how do you make it so writing isn't work, because if I'm writing for work I don't write as well. How do you get in the mind set?
Brandon Sanderson
You know for me, taking a walk before hand, listening to some awesome music, and just imagining why this scene is going to be awesome and the emotional impact of it really helps. But at the same time writing is always going to be a little bit work and there is no getting around that. I mean, it's hard sometimes and so-- I don't know. For me I've enjoyed it more as it has become work and I can devote more time to it and things like that. But... Try that.
Questioner
Just get in the mood...
Brandon Sanderson
Listen to music and put myself in that scene, what it feels like, what it sounds like, smells like. Just put myself here and think about what is going to make it incredible and I'll get really excited about writing it. Excitement translates I think at least for me onto the page.
Jason Wright
If a kandra eats a bead of lerasium, can he burn it? Alternatively can he gain Allomancy via Hemalurgy?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes on both counts.
Catherine
Does the metal on [Scadrial] contain within it any sort of spren-like being, or anything similar to that, and also, does the Splintered nature of the Shards on [Sel] have anything to do with how the magic manifests itself without a physical representation?
Brandon Sanderson
Scadrial did not have an analogous, self-aware Invested set of entities. The power has to be "let go of" in a way.
Jaz
When you're writing/planning a new series, how much time would you say you spend on world building? Do you like to have a good sense of the world before you starting writing or do you adapt and evolve the world as you write?
Brandon Sanderson
I do a moderate amount ahead of time, but it depends on the series--most importantly, the length of the book. If I'm writing a shorter work, I can develop more on-the-fly, knowing I can make it all consistent after the fact. If I'm writing in a series, I need much more ahead of time. Developing the world for The Way of Kings took years.
Trevor Allen
There is certain type of chicken that makes two appearances in Words of Radiance, is that chicken an Aviar?
Brandon Sanderson
No, but good question.
Kurkistan
Could Miles heal back his Allomancy if it was spiked out of him?
Brandon Sanderson
No, he could not. He would no longer be an Allomancer. Also, he'd probably be dead. :)
Kurkistan
Thanks!
I'd thought maybe he could just do some super-tapping from his existing Health in his goldminds (since he'd still have his Feruchemy)...
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, I see what you're asking. Using Feruchemy to heal the removed portion of soul. That's actually plausible, not so different from healing other kinds of soul-wounds. If he survived, then yes, this actually might work. (That's why I get for reading the questions so quickly.)
Catherine
Does a Shard's power being manifested either physically or not (through metals vs through light) have anything to do with its individual abilities/powers?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO. :)
Anthony
Sixth of the Dusk doesn't have much that directly ties it to the cosmere. Is this a world we'll see later?
Brandon Sanderson
It is not hugely important to the cosmere. We will see signs and hints of it, but don't expect a book set there.
Crimzonwarlock
In your opinion who is stronger in the the world of dreams? Perrin or Egwene?
Brandon Sanderson
I'd say that at this point, it's less a matter of who is stronger, and more a matter of what they're doing. Perrin could probably win a fight, but his raw knowledge and understanding is less--he works on instinct.
Heather
Do you get inspiration for the settings in your books from anywhere?
Brandon Sanderson
Settings are often inspired by something I've seen in our world, then taken to the extreme. The storm on Roshar, the mists on Scadrial...even Elantris was based on my readings about leper colonies.
Kirsty Cabot
Were there any characters you found difficult to connect with when writing the remaining books of The Wheel of Time series?
Brandon Sanderson
I've never really been able to get into Cadsuane as a character, and so she was the most difficult for me to do. I love Aviendha and Tuon, but both of them think so differently from the rest of the characters that they gave me a challenge.
Moogle
If you used Stormlight to Awaken, would you drain color or create frost?
Brandon Sanderson
You'll have to see if this happens in the future! (Note that mixing the investitures is usually not easy to do.)
Moogle
Would a Returned who bonded an Honorblade have their eye color change when they summon it?
Brandon Sanderson
That's a RAFO! (More because I don't have my notes handy than anything else, though.)
WeiryWriter
In Elantris the Aon used for healing is Aon Ien, but the definition given in the back of the book says it means "Wisdom". The other Aons have effects and definitions that go together, but "Healing" and "Wisdom" don't seem to match. Is there something there or is it an error?
Brandon Sanderson
It's more a cultural thing. When I was naming the Aons I had some of them cross-align like this because I feel that languages, and cultures, are often messy. (Drive on a parkway, park in a driveway kind of issues.) This is the only one that ended up in the glossary that was like this, though, so I probably should have spotted that and changed it.
William Anderson
Can "modern" (as in Adolin's) Shardplate be summoned similar to how "dead" Shardblades (as in Oathbringer) can be?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
William Anderson
What is the term for a full Feruchemist who is also a Mistborn?
Brandon Sanderson
They use Full Feruchemist right now. We'll see if it develops into something else.
Peter Ahlstrom
I asked Brandon about that "Full Feruchemist" question and he said he misread the question.
William Anderson
Do all Epics' weaknesses come from things in their past?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
William Anderson
Can a Seeker inside a Coppercloud Seek someone out of one?
Brandon Sanderson
It is possible.
William Anderson
What about a Soother instead of a Seeker?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, again possible.
William Anderson
Does Khriss write the Ars Arcanum?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Adrienne
In Well of Ascension, it mentions that the language of Terris had a gender neutral pronoun. If you actually constructed the language, what was that pronoun? Or did you just leave it as its English translation of "it"?
Brandon Sanderson
I didn't spend a long time on the languages in Scadrial, since most people were speaking the same tongue. I just used "it" in my own writings. Roshar has a lot more detail on the languages, because culture-clash is a bigger part of the theme of the series.
Jerry Dol
What has been your favorite book to write so far?
Brandon Sanderson
I've liked them all for different reasons. Some are fun and fast, others are deep and challenging. My favorite would change day by day based on my mood.
Marina
We know that Pattern was with Shallan before the murder of Shallan's mother. Will we see in the next books how they met?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, you will probably see this some day.
Marina
Zahel/Vasher is in Roshar for Nightblood? Will we know in Stormlight Archive why these two were separated? Or in the sequel of Warbreaker?
Brandon Sanderson
The Warbreaker sequel will give clues about this, but the actual event happened between that and [The Way of Kings]. So I'm not sure where I'll slip it in.
Marina
You said that Shallan will have different apprenticeships, we know 2 , Will be Hoid another?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO. :)
Brian Seavey
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers who are educated in a field other than literature and in a profession already that is not centered around writing?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes! I'll tell you that you're in luck. Take what you've learned in your field of education, and in your profession, and apply it to your writing. RJ used his experience as a solider; Grisham made a career out of writing books related to his work. You have special experience and knowledge that will make your books distinctive. Make use of it!
Moogle
If a non-Windrunner Surgebinder (who had spoken all the Ideals of their Radiant Order) summoned Jezrien's Honorblade, what color eyes would they get? A blend? Different colors for each eye?
Brandon Sanderson
:) I'm going to RAFO eye color questions for the moment. We'll actually be dealing with some of these in the books. Maybe not the specific ones you ask, but the concepts in general.
Judy
Brandon, your books are always seamless and so well put together. Do you use any specific software when compiling a story?
Brandon Sanderson
I'm afraid I don't. I use Microsoft Word. Compiling is all done the old-fashioned way with lots of editing.
Justin Carmony
One of my favorite things about being a Brandon Sanderson fan is how consistently you publish books, I always know you'll have a new book coming out without having to wait years. What do you do to help keep up the consistency and overcome the times when you sit down and the "creative juices" aren't there, or at least not easily accessible?
Brandon Sanderson
I throw away a fair amount of fiction. If it isn't flowing, I write anyway, then file that chapter away under junk. I also hop projects a lot. I've found this makes me much more creative and eager to write.
Brady Dill
What kind of college classes (not English courses) would best prepare someone for writing fantasy?
Brandon Sanderson
Whatever you're fascinated by! You can incorporate basically anything into a story. If you love numbers, study economics. If you like history, pick an area and type and become an expert. Whether it be law or botany, you will find a way to use it in your books.
Christien Skousen
Were the aliens in Sixth of the Dusk from [Scadrial]?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO. :)
All I've said is that they're from a planet you've seen/heard of before.
Annie Lown
In the Wheel of Time books, did the Creator have a power, similar to the True Power that the Dark One had?
Brandon Sanderson
I'm afraid I don't have the answer for this, not for certain. I think that readers of the text could argue both ways. For example, a certain event in the epilogue of [A Memory of Light] could be interpreted this way--though everyone in Team Jordan seems to have a different opinion on what is going on, and [Robert Jordan] didn't leave an explanation.
Hanna
Do Zahel and Hoid know each other?
Brandon Sanderson
They've met.
Otherwise, RAFO.
Adrienne
Can the various forms of Investiture on other worlds in the cosmere be classified as "end positive" or "end negative" like they are on Scadrial?
Brandon Sanderson
Some can. Not all.
Alex Clarke
Did the Lord Ruler know how to worldhop?
Brandon Sanderson
He was familiar with the idea that people lived on other planets, but had no interest--or experience--in visiting other places. During his Ascension, he could have left Scadrial, if he'd wished.
Krystal Hammond
How much do you use science to influence/guide your world building in what most people would identify as a fantasy setting?
Brandon Sanderson
I use it quite a bit, but as I'm writing fantasy, I go by the rule "do what is awesome first, then explain it." Meaning, I am looking to tell a certain kind of story, and while science is often a springboard into a magic, I will sometimes chose to do what I think makes the story better as opposed to what is scientifically rational. The way the Metallic Arts work with mass is one example.
William Anderson
Why are do the Windrunners, Elsecallers, Stonewards, and Dustbringers have an extra connection on the Surgebinding diagram? Why do the Edgedancer, Skybreaker, Lightweaver, Willshaper's have a broken connection on the diagram? What are the dragon type things in the back of the diagram?
Brandon Sanderson
The dragon type things are a certain animal you've seen several places in the story so far.
These connections will be explained eventually, but remember it's not the orders being connected, but instead their elemental representations. This diagram is very metaphysical, and some of the elements of it are cultural.
EHyde
On Roshar, do they have an equivalent for cats, like how they have axehounds instead of dogs?
Brandon Sanderson
No, they do not. Though there are various domesticated animals fulfilling a similar role across the planet. (Domesticated minks and pigs come to mind.)
Mariya Kiryakova
What was your inspiration for Kaladin?
Brandon Sanderson
Kaladin was inspired originally by reading about surgeons in the middle ages.
