Theoryland of the Wheel of Time

The Importance of Continuity

The panelists were: Lois McMaster Bujold, Eric Flint, Sharon Lee, Steve Miller, and Dean Wesley Smith.

First up were some comments about plotting: Lois said it is a good thing readers can't tell the difference between carefully planned plot and seized opportunities. She doesn't disabuse them. Dean doesn't outline beforehand because it bores him. He does summarize each chapter as he goes along to keep track. Leaving questions or the fates of characters unanswered (voids) can be useful, but the writer can also trip over them when readers ask insistently for more information.

Eric says he tends to be obsessive about plotting. Writing the novelization of a movie is very hard. Movies can rely on visuals to carry over deficiencies. He thinks the plot of Gladiator is drivel. Dean thinks the worst continuity is writing novelization of movie. Films can skip a scene but the book must have some reference to the skipped action, even if it is invented for the novelisation.

It is hard to get to know a character in a shared universe when the writer is just handed a few traits. All agreed it must be tough to complete someone else's series. The new author inevitably gets flamed on Amazon. Dean has finished many books when authors got sick and deadlines had to be met. He insists on being a ghost writer (his name not mentioned), and therefore didn't get hassled by readers and neither did the author.

I like this quote from Lois: "If Ideas come fast enough, (the writer) won't notice how stupid they are."

Wheel of Time

Brandon Sanderson, Matt Hatch (moderating) and myself discussed the influence the Wheel of Time has had on the fantasy genre over the twenty years it has been running. Our panel was quite well attended, considering it was so late in the Con program. Thanks to all who came along.

Brandon began by recounting how he came to be Chosen to finish the series. Then we discussed the various ways that The Wheel of Time series was groundbreaking: not only size, but complexity and also subtlety.

Linda Taglieri

brandon on writing wot

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rj's notes

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cadsuane

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semirhage

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the gathering storm

A Memory of Light will most likely out between June and Nov 2012.

amol:wip

Brandon Sanderson reiterated that the prequel books do not have detailed outlines and are thus not likely to be written.

prequels

Someone asked Matt Hatch and myself what we'd do after the series is finished. Matt said that not all answers would be given in the books and so discussion can, and no doubt would, continue. There are also always newcomers to the series. So Theoryland will be around. I have articles I want to write on various characters and aspects of the series. I haven't finished the read-through, either. Which reminds me: there are a few theories I want to write before A Memory of Light is out...

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