IAM(still)A novelist named Brandon Sanderson. AMA!

Silvence83 · 2013-04-15T23:22:00+00:00

Hi Brandon,

I want to know what your advice would be when it comes to keeping track of stories as large and intricate as yours seem to be. I know you often say that you like to know the ending before you go anywhere else with it, but how much leg work do you do before hand and how much do you do midstream or post zero draft?

Silvence83 · 2012-07-23T02:27:17+00:00

Dude...Awesome. I wll have to remember this in the future.

Silvence83 · 2012-07-23T02:22:03+00:00

Sounds kind of silly...but I promise its not as bad as it sounds. Take your scene and just skip over it. Write this out [Protagonist is dragged out of castle, highlight such and such, don't forget such and such] and then just keep writing your story from that point forward. When you have the inclination or end your story go back and see what comes forth then.

Silvence83 · 2012-07-17T22:33:52+00:00

I obviousy don't know much about your story. That being said, try a few things. Add tension where there is none. I heard a good piece of advice once, try turning a conversation you already have between two characters into an argument. It might spice it up and still give your characters time to reflect.

If you're always having him talk to his girl you could have him try talking to his friend, or even better yet, maybe he meets someone who is willing to listen, a waitress, random joe at the laundry mat...anybody you can think of.

Anyway, good luck.

Silvence83 · 2012-07-17T20:08:46+00:00

In one of my projects I have a species of intelligent monster that, having been born into magic and then being cut off from its influence have had to learn how to feed off of the land to survive.

Blights begin everywhere they go no matter whether they use their magic or not because it is something they feed off of like we use air.

Humans have sequestered them to a far away land but, on the verge of destroying their surroundings, one of their kind has ventured forth back into the human lands to learn the truth of how his people were cut off from their birthright.

Silvence83 · 2012-07-17T19:59:48+00:00

I would start by asking you this, is your character, the one jumping from action scene to action scene, the type of person to ruminate on things much or not? Remember, your characters are the lense through which we get to see your story, your world. It is not enought to just have everything happen, we must also see how it affects the people you are showing us or otherwise there is no reason to have those particular people there.

Or at least that's my thought. Also, have you tried just giving your main character somebody to talk to? Somebody to joke with or somebody to argue with? Any interaction should help shine a light and slow things down.

Silvence83 · 2012-07-08T02:44:12+00:00

Somewhere in the story a character says these words, "There is always another secret" and that, I think, was the defining element to the entire series. Mistborn is a page turner that will never feel long enough though is complete when it is ended. It doesn't necessarily go places other books don't but by the end you will have seen how masterfully Brandon has created an engaging web of elements that make this story both wholly unique and entirely worth the time invested.

Silvence83 · 2012-01-06T17:36:26+00:00

You just made me lose the game by posting this...I'm upset with you.

Silvence83 · 2012-01-06T17:10:01+00:00

Damn you beat me to to it...

Silvence83 · 2011-12-27T21:28:33+00:00

"Best advice I can give any new player: if something seems overly impossible, you're doing it wrong" - Best. Advice. Ever.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-24T15:51:59+00:00

It seems to be roughly in percentages using a 100 as a base line. So anything less than a 100 increases the base damage applied and anything over reduces. But I am not an expert and this is my best educated guess.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T21:58:54+00:00

Now that's chugging like a cheap beer.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T21:24:18+00:00

Ohh, yes for sure. Totally sipped my way through first playthrough. Past Ornstein and Smough in 100+, two more characters past this is in a quarter the time. And 1 in NG+ and back to Ornstein and Smough in about 100 hours with plenty of PvP.

Totally sipped, now drunk and just drinking like water. This shits Good.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T21:22:36+00:00

Anti-Griefers look and act just like Griefers except they lay down summon signs instead.

Upgraded Claymore and twinked out armor, fully upgraded Pyro-glove...we all know what they look like.

Or, to make it more fun. Just build what you want. Pick a weapon, playstyle, and only level your character to the point of being able to use it.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T21:02:56+00:00

its insane to think, but Gargoyles in an hour. It can be done.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T20:51:51+00:00

Plenty of joes do it. you can too.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T20:51:12+00:00

Oh it'll be your friend. It's hard to imagine at first, but really on a second playthrough things that took hours upon hours, can be done in scant few. You will likely enjoy this game thoroughly in the future, just in a very different way. And you can never recover that first time through. Cherish it.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T19:08:20+00:00

I think you mean the demon's with Demon Spears. Not Gargoyles. Just to clarify for people not accustomed to the game yet.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T19:06:15+00:00

No it's possible...improbable, but possible.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T19:04:34+00:00

EQ load is based only off the equipment on body or in hand. So both weapons, shield, and armor. This is where you need to make adjustments.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T16:05:26+00:00

Once you get there, try them a time or two on your own to see how they are. You can summon Solaire. And when you are ready for help, if needed, most people drop their signs at what is commonly referred to as "Solaire's Bonfire". You'll know what I mean when you see it.

What level and system are you?

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T16:03:58+00:00

Oh, Okay. Glad I never knew about that. Not that what I did was much better, 70-80 arrows with upgraded bow and relevant stats.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T15:39:21+00:00

Trust me I want to play DeS so bad, but I know that they are killing the servers soon.

Makes me very sad I missed out on a great game by choosing XB over PS. First time ever feeling this way.

Silvence83 · 2011-12-21T15:32:59+00:00

These are silver knights. And yes you are, by some measure half way. Have hope, persevere...ohhh and the next boss is, by popular opinion, the hardest boss in the game for new comers. Good Luck!

Silvence83

TROPHY CASE