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Questioner

Can you explain the difference between Herald and a Sage?

Will Wight

Yes

Questioner

Can one person inherit multiple distinct bloodline powers (eg akura armor + aurelius senses)?

Will Wight

No.  So, the idea is you have one... (Will gets distracted by a scarecrow.)  All right.  So you really have slot, so to speak, for a bloodline power.  So if you did inherit two bloodline powers, they would blend.  They would blend, or one would overwrite the other.  It depends on how powerful the ancestor leaving you the bloodline power was and ow much of it you inherited.  So if you inherited a really strong measure of a bloodline power, that one would be dominant.  The example of course is Akura armor and Arelius web detection, because those are the two major bloodline powers in the series.  With those two, it would really depend.  If you were a direct descendent of Malice almost certainly your bloodline would be stronger than the Arelius one, so it would probably just be overwritten.  But there's a possibility you would get a hybrid.  So if Malice left a stronger, it would kind of be like a, lets say a suit of armor that had some detection capabilities while it was active.  And was a different color, or was more sensitive to being controlled, or armor that now as part of its defensive mechanism web of madra.  Akura, your right.  Akura.  That's definitely how you say it and always was.

skybreaker82

Was Bloodline's title referencing Lindon's family or something else?

Will Wight

There were a couple of layers in Bloodline's title I did indeed intend for a Lindon to manifest his own bloodline power in Bloodline but having written it I decided I realized, crap that gives him too many powers so that would have been completely overloaded. So, instead of doing that I added references to the bloodline of the dreadgods, the bloodline of Lindon's relationship with his family and, the future vision that Suriel gives him of leaving a legacy behind in the terms of the end terms of bloodline so it's not a strong of the title as some of the others in terms of how it links to the content of the book I definitely I don't know what I would change it but I could certainly have had a stronger connection. It's like Skysworn, I initially intended Skysworn to be largely taken up by them doing a bunch of Skysworn missions and it ends up if I could have made a last minute change for that book I would've called a Redmoon and then I would have had the cover just be a red moon. So I probably wouldn't have that's probably the the 2 changes I would make to Skysworn, I would change the title and I would change the ending.

Questioner

General consensus is that Reaper is one of the best books.  Do you think feel like the sabbatical contributed to that?

Will Wight

I'm certain that it did.  One of the things that I wanted to talk about tonight was my writing process for Reaper.  That's one of the reasons that I wanted to do this stream; I wanted to talk about a couple of things people have been asking me, which is about my writing process for Reaper, my writing process for other books how it's developed changed over the years and, why some books you perhaps liked more than others. Did the sabbatical contribute to that?  I'm sure it did. I know friends and family have told me that I act a lot differently after the sabbatical. I tend to recover more easily after a writing sprint, or after isolating and writing a big chunk rather than wearing myself down. But what I expected from the sabbatical was that I was gonna come back and I was gonna be full of inspiration and really feel like the next book was super easy to write and i did not feel that way. That was a mistake of expectation on my part. Because it turns out writing books is just hard, just straight up hard. I was thinking yeah it'll feel easy.  I was wrong it didn't feel that way. But I'm sure it did contribute to Reaper. So I'm sure that the sabbatical helped.

One of the things people have asked is what was the difference between my Bloodline process and my Reaper process, and one of the funniest things people say sometimes is that Bloodline was rushed and then I took my time with Reaper. So I wanna address that real quick. The funniest thing is Bloodline despite being shorter than Reaper took me 50% longer to write. It's all about the process of writing and Reaper so far has been the one that I think I worked the best process. It was more efficient. I stayed on track, and I didn't get distracted by rewriting, getting stuck, writing things that I had to remove. One of the things I did in Bloodline was I got off on a tangent where I was trying to figure out a story beat. So I kept writing and rewriting it or writing and rewriting notes on it, and I ended up basically wasting a week.  Then I had to get back on track and building momentum takes a lot and then I spend another week doing that and it just takes time; it kills time.  Typically I think the reason why I do that is because I feel like I want to make the 1st draft really good, I wanted it to feel better. But I'm working with some friends of mine who are working on their 1st books and they have really been learning something that I need to constantly remember which is the way to make it good is not to make it good in the 1st draft, it's to make it good in the 2nd draft and beyond.  So the 1st draft should be just getting something on paper and then you should be making a good later.  So that is definitely the process that I have found to work. It's the process I usually recommend but it's hard to remember. So its hard for me to remember.  So Reaper is the 1st one I've done where I actually stayed on track the whole time.  I just wrote it from beginning to end; I thought it was terrible.  Thought it was really bad but I kept writing and I kept going and I finished it and then I made a good later and therefore it was faster and more efficient and resulted in a better project.

Questioner

So could Lindon learn all the dragon paths?(If he split his core some more of course.) And does this mean that technically he could learn other beasts paths? If he absorbed the remnant of the sacred beast that was in the arelius bloodline would he get their bloodline powers?

Will Wight

There is a way for someone born without bloodline powers to acquire them. But in order for him to get the Arelius powers, he'd have to find the same sacred beast they got their powers from. Or another of a similar type.

Xyrd

I've been re-reading Cradle with an eye towards E=O when I noticed this.

From Soulsmith chapter 8, when we are getting fully introduced to the Aurelius bloodline power from Eithan's POV.

A power like the one he'd inherited from his father's line tended to make one careless. Superior awareness made him difficult to hit, but did nothing to protect him otherwise.

From Reaper chapter 2, when we are getting info-dumped about Ozriel's past.

He abandoned his weapons. He focused on another of his talents: his sight. When he advanced to Monarch, he developed the bloodline ability to see. Ozmanthus was so relieved that he wept. This was the ability that he wanted to define his legacy. And he would leave his descendants with the ability to see as he did, to one day catch up to him.

Is there any significance to Eithan's father's line, or is this just an "oops"?

Will Wight

I intended to go into this, but with the limited amount of time left in the series I don’t know if we’ll make it, so I can at least explain my thoughts:

Potential spoilers, sort of. I’m answering the question.

My original thinking was that he had a bloodline power already and took it to new heights. The reason the Eithan flashbacks in Reaper focus on his mother is because I had originally planned to include a series of further flashbacks later focusing on his father’s side of the family, but they felt unnecessary. They probably won’t be in Dreadgod unless I think of some cool way to fold them in.

Questioner

Do objects forged with authority become more powerful if the person who made them gains more authority afterwards?

Will Wight

Yes, they do.  So, the question there is, if someone with authority makes a powerful, monarch level weapon, or a device like the Abidan would use, and they gain more power afterward, does the item also gain in power?  And the answer is yes, it would.  So honestly, the same thing is true of bloodlines.  So if someone inherits a bloodline power from a herald, and that herald then advances to monarch, that bloodline power will then get stronger.  It is more that, conceptually you are a descendent of this person, then it is you inherited it genetically.  Because of course they are not genetic powers, they are spiritual programs.  So yeah, that's the answer.

TheWanderingBeard

Does the Arelius bloodline power become obsolete after monarch?

Or will Eithan be able to see/hear even further than other monarchs if/when he makes it that far?

Will Wight

Spiritual perception and the Arelius bloodline power work differently. Spiritual perception is able to feel spirits, madra, and aura; basically spiritual powers. The Arelius bloodline power extends your physical senses.

Lil' Blue

Does Malice acknowledge all of her children?

Will Wight

She has a system by which she acknowledges them as her kids or not. She has dozens of children (not hundreds only because she chooses not to), but only acknowledges like...six or seven as her true-born kids.

Basically, some of them don’t inherit awesome power.

Sucks to be them, but people still are reluctant to mess with them. You never know when their goddess mom might decide to unmake you.

Your Benevolent Dictator

wait... so she can choose if they get the bloodline ability?

Will Wight

No, she doesn’t choose. If they’re born with the bloodline ability, then they’re acknowledged as her kids.

Questioner

How did the Blood line powers originate and how come the Jae Clan don't have any? Are they not one the "Great Families?"

Will Wight

Not everyone inherits a bloodline legacy. Higher-level sacred beasts can take human form, so some people have sacred beast lineage that gives them certain innate supernatural abilities. That includes the Arelius family, but not the Jai clan.

In most cases, a bloodline legacy means that you're naturally inclined more toward one Path than another, though. Your madra might not be entirely pure, even at birth.

The Arelius are an exception to that.

Will

(I guess this is a spoiler, but not really, because I’m speaking hypothetically about things I haven’t written yet) Tbh it would be super cool to give Lindon the Arelius bloodline ability because of Dross, but if I did, that would rob me of the fun of giving him a new cool bloodline power.

Questioner

What is the goldsteel thing for?

Will Wight

I assume you mean this on the hat. And this is the logo for Bloodline. It's the cover of Bloodline without the Dreadgods on it. So there you go. 

C9_Tom_Hanks

I've been reflecting on the book. It dawned on me that the black flame emperor and his fleet of cloud ships arrive in the desolate wild about a week after the events of bloodline. But it takes months just to get back to serpents grave.

Will Wight

I’d have to go back and check my timeline document to be sure, but off the top of my head, I’m pretty sure they left well earlier than the end of Bloodline AND didn’t have to constantly stop to re-fuel on the way there like Lindon and the gang did the first time.

Willow-o-Wispily

Firstly, I wanted to thank /u/Will_Wight for writing the blogs on the new writing technique he undertook for Wintersteel. I found the process very fascinating and eased the wait anxiety between books. I agree with his conclusion that perhaps he was over-cutting.

I do not think that he came to the complete solution to the problem of Uncrowned.

The problem with Uncrowned was what was missing, not what was cut.

Uncrowned was only missing two scenes, but those two scenes were deeply unsatisfying blank spots.[Read full post for entire question]

Will Wight

First of all, let me say in all sincerity that I appreciate the level of thought and care that you've put both into evaluating these issues and into writing them up. You clearly put consideration into this, and it shows.

Second, I very much appreciate the constructive spirit in which this is posted. I absolutely take this for the constructive criticism that it is, and I respect that.

It is because of that respect, in fact--and because you tagged me directly, implying to me that you want my thoughts--that I will give you an honest response.

More honest a response than I perhaps usually give, though I always try to be as real with you guys as I can.

Here goes:

You're putting together a picture with more than half the puzzle pieces missing.

The lesson learned from Uncrowned should be to add one more step to the editing process.

I really don't mean any offense, I mean this as a very literal observation, but you don't know what steps are currently in my editing process.

I know, from your perspective, that it must seem self-evident. A.) There were scenes you felt were missing, therefore B.) the beta readers weren't looking for gaps, because if they had been, they would have made that note and C.) I would have written the scenes. A-B-C.

That is not at all how it works.

The beta readers are virtually never looking for scenes to cut. Hilariously enough, Wintersteel is the first time where we've had that as a beta reader step. They're only ever looking for what they feel is missing or broken.

The notes I get from beta readers overwhelmingly fall into one of three categories. Here they are, from most common to least:

1.) Things they felt were bad. Out of character, poorly phrased, confusing, whatever.

2.) Things they felt were missing or that they wanted to see that weren't there.

3.) Typos and minor sentence-level corrections.

Since I know you were primarily looking out for #2 on this list, I'll address that one specifically: that's the one where I could always add more. There's no end to it. I always, always, even with Wintersteel, cut that off early.

We have a couple of weeks after the beta reading phase, during which I'll add whatever scenes I can write in that time. But when I run out of time, that's it. That's the number of scenes you get.

"But Will, you sterling stallion, why the arbitrary cutoff?" There has to be an arbitrary cutoff. I could keep going on that step for years, but each addition of a scene means more material to read through, and there's no outside force giving me a firm deadline so it has to be arbitrary to some degree.

I say all this just to illustrate that there's a lot going on under the surface that isn't necessarily evident to the post-mortem analysis of a story.

Most times, when people are unhappy with an ending, it's because the author did not put in an emotional climax.

I don't want to put words in your mouth (or keys under your fingers), but I suspect you're talking about the emotional resolution.

The climax of a story is the point of greatest conflict, and in Uncrowned in particular (this isn't true for all my stories, but it is for this one) the emotional climax and plot climax are the same moment.

The point of greatest emotional conflict with the highest stakes is between Lindon and Yerin as they clash in the tournament. The resolution is when the fallout of that climax is resolved and we get to see how things turned out for those involved, which (in terms of the emotional arc) occurs at the beginning of Wintersteel.

So there very much was a climax in Uncrowned. You might hate it with a burning passion, but structurally it is there.

I do agree, however, with your ultimate point that Wintersteel felt a lot more fleshed-out than Uncrowned, and I'm hoping to learn from that with Bloodline.

It's harder than it seems, though. There's a lot to juggle in Bloodline. But I'm doing my best!

Questioner

You've mentioned in the past the possibility of hardback books at some point, but nothing definitive. With the more recent (presumably good) sales numbers for Wintersteel and Bloodline, have you given any more thought to this idea? Do you think there's enough interest to justify some kind of limited Collector's Edition through Kickstarter or something once you conclude the Cradle series?

Will Wight

The sales numbers are indeed good, no more need to presume, I can confirm that the sales numbers have been very good. We did hit #1 in the Kindle Store for Wintersteel and Bloodline, already, so yes they have been good. 

About the hardcover thing. Yes, I have considered doing hardcovers. We actually recently did a test run- a very limited number of copies, fifteen copies or something like that, of a test hardcover. We did that, and then I have the only existing Traveler's Gate- House of Blades hardcover. So we've considered that, it really has to do with getting printings- doing printings, getting enough people. There's kind of some concern over whether or not anyone would want that, whether we'd sell enough to justify the cost of doing a printing. Since we have to do limited print as opposed to print on demand, which is what we do with the paperbacks, it would probably be paired with a Kickstarter or something. So, you do at a certain tier, then we would have hardback copies of the book, I don't know. 

Yeah, like a Collector's Edition kind of thing. And then we'd probably do new covers and- probably. But that's really all, completely up in the air. So I can't be held to anything about that. But that's most likely what would happen, is we'd probably do some sort of special edition. 

Questioner

Early in Blackflame, Cassius mentions that his father sent him. Later on we learn that only Cassius and Eithan have the Arelius bloodline sensing ability, I assume that means that Cassius' mother was the Arelius blood member and that she is dead? In which case I would love to hear more about Cassius' story and how the Arelius family survived before they had an underlord.

Will Wight

No no, Cassias and Eithan (and technically Cassias' son, but he's very young) are the only bloodline Arelius in the city at that time.

mido_sama

In soulsmith we saw Eithan giving Lindon madraso why not give the ability to Lindon ... like what if Eithan saw Dross and thought Lindon could handle the family ability and poor madra into him and to push his pure core to true god as well. Man that'd make Dross into BIG BROTHER

mido_sama

Will may have give that answer before skysworn ... because both Jai Chen and the underload gained the ability after absorbing Eithan's madra.

Will Wight

Just noticed this, so I'm popping in: Jai Chen and Jai Daishou got the ability temporarily by draining power from Eithan. They didn't gain it permanently. It's not their bloodline power now.

DruidDeadnettle

How temporary are we talking? Would it wear off in hours? Days? Years? I got the impression that it had become a permanent part of her but that she had to actively expend Madra to make it work.

Will Wight

Her madra has permanently changed, but her bloodline hasn’t. And at the point where Jai Chen leaves, she still hasn’t stabilized her madra yet, so it hasn’t settled into its final composition.

This isn’t even its final form, if you will.

JM-SL

What kind of Iron Body had Harmony?

Will Wight

I don't remember. Off the top of my head, the standard Iron body for Akura elites is one that makes it easier to control their bloodline armor, which becomes a more common technique for them at Underlord and above.

DJ Johnson

Did you think of making a harem for lindon in the past? How many books till cradle ends?

Will Wight

I don't necessarily see these two things as linked, but I will try to answer this together. No, that never occurred to me. That was not something that I ever had as an idea. There was a time when there was a lot of pressure on me to have him go through a thorough romantic life, so therefore he would have multiple love interests. Some of the romantic relationships would end badly or end soon. But that would've taken up a lot of the books and I didn't want to write it, so there you go. 

Three more left, and I've got my work cut out for me. There's a lot coming, as the several hundred people who have already finished Bloodline can tell you.

Questioner

Could any of our three musketeers beat Li Markuth in a fight?

Will Wight

Ahh... no. Because he is ascended beyond Cradle and learned some of that magic system, so therefore he is... as he descended back down to Cradle he was definitely... he's kind of beyond that. But the closest... Yerin could do it, Lindon's at the point (in Bloodline) where he could probably give him a run for his money as well, without anything he [Li Markuth] took beyond Cradle. So they're basically on a level with him, or somewhere close.