Do you plan to write the Stormlight Archive books with the same POV characters throughout the series (like WoT) or do you think that you give other characters POV (aSoIaF) as the series continues?
Most of the main POV characters have been introduced. Each book will take one major character (Kaladin, Dalinar, Adolin, Jasnah, Shallan, Navani, Szeth, Taln) and give them ‘flashback’ sequences in the same way Kaladin got flashbacks in the first book. There are some open spots for which I’m toying with other characters being used.
Other characters will get viewpoints now and then, but I feel that one of the ways that big series get off track is by changing the focus to side characters. (Note that I will continue doing the Interludes to give some other voices and perspectives screen time. Few of these will be main characters.)
This problem, more than any other thing, ‘broke’ 3 of the biggest fantasy series for me (you can probably guess which ones)—I gave up on each of them partway through.
I liked Mistborn, but honestly I hadn’t planned on even giving Stormlight Archive a chance because I assumed it would do the same type of thing as those other series. Knowing what you said above, I’m going to have to pick up that first book, now.
I’m hoping it will work. If I can do it right, and each main character gets a book of their own, it should keep me on track.
The sprawl gets reduced, in theory, as each book has its own specific focus. You get a little of each main character in each book, but one takes center stage and you get a full story with them. (Flashbacks to their past, getting them to the first book, and a depth of story for their narrative in the novel.)
If you do read the book, one of the things I do to try to keep this all from going out of control is I write what are called “Interludes.” Most of these (all but the ones about a character named Szeth) are essentially short stories in the world, about characters you don’t have to remember or learn. They add depth, expand the plot, but are set off as their own thing with a specific sort of “This won’t be on the final” sort of feel.
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