How do I get you to write one book in the Stormlight Archive every year?
Is this the part where I get in trouble for not having the second book in to you yet? I keep promising it, and I’m usually very good at meeting my promises on deadlines, but I’m touring so much this year. I’ve had to tell the fans, “I have to support the books that are out there, and you all want to see me, and you all invite me to conventions.” I have to learn how to manage that better, because since January, I’ve basically only been home for about two months. I’m out there all the time, all over the place.
It’s tough. I have to write. I had to write 3,000 words on the plane yesterday, and writing on the plane is not easy, but I’m going to have to write a big chunk of this book on this tour. Grit my teeth and go.
I don’t want to wait myself.
I’m trying. I’m trying, Tom. If I finish this one in the next couple of months, it will have been one year since I started writing it. That makes it more reasonable that we’ll get them every year. I really think every 18 months is more likely, but I don’t want the readers to have to wait. You know, as much as I respect the guy, I don’t want to do a George R. R. Martin thing to people, where it’s four years between books. That’s just too long to keep all these characters for a big epic fantasy in mind.
Yeah.
So hopefully, one every year, two every three years, will continue to be my goal for this series.
Beautiful. Do you expect any crossover between worlds ever at any time?
Oh yes, definitely. In fact, if fans go read right now, there’s crossover.
There is?
One of the characters from Elantris is in The Way of Kings , just in one chapter. And one of the characters from Mistborn is in The Way of Kings . There is crossover. It’s never going to be the forefront of the series. I don’t want you to have to have read Mistborn to enjoy the Stormlight Archive, but if you have, and you really want to get into these things, you can find all the clues connecting all the worlds. It’s a story hidden behind the story. Someday I’ll write its own dedicated series for it. But again, it’s important for me that I make sure that fans don’t have to have read my entire breadth of work in order to enjoy a given series. It has to stand on its own.
Well, I think we’ve got something special going. It isn’t often I can’t wait for the next book. I’ve got too much to read.
Well, thanks Tom. That makes me feel pretty awesome.
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