Indie Fantasy Addicts Facebook Q&A

Event details
Name
Name Indie Fantasy Addicts Facebook Q&A
Date
Date May 28, 2020
Location
Location https://www.facebook.com/groups/indiefantasyaddicts
Entries
Entries 15
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#1 Copy

Questioner

Question from your #1 fan, my 12-yr-old karate student, Teketel: "Who is Eithan's second cousin?"

Will Wight

That's far too much of a spoiler!

The identity of Eithan's second cousin is the sort of knowledge that would warp the mind and tear the cosmos. For you student's own protection, I cannot tell you.

#5 Copy

Questioner

The reason for Lindon being labeled Unsouled was amazing. I don't want to spoil anything but it's so true about the limits we put on ourselves, other people's expectations of us and how we live our lives. Is this mindset, this possibility blindness, inspired by something or someone close to you?

Will Wight

Not anything specific that I can think of, just the knowledge that usually the thing that most shapes my opinion of myself is the story I tell myself about who I am. In order to change my thoughts, I have to change that story first.

#6 Copy

Questioner

Any advice on developing magic systems for a fledgling writer? The Cradle series is one of my favorites hands down b/c of how well the magic system is thought out. Looking forward to future works!

Will Wight

Hey! I like to start with a general concept (e.g. “magical martial arts”) and then include all the things I know I want the practitioners to be able to do. Throw fireballs, leap really high, whatever.   Then I try to make sure it’s restricted in enough ways. Does it take years of training to form a fireball? Can you throw as many fireballs as you want? Usually it takes some kind of resource to use magic, even if that resource is just your physical stamina.   After that, I start trying to push the magic system by thinking of crazy new ideas or coming up with weird implementations. Like, if you use a spell by writing it on a scroll, what happens if you use a material other than paper?   Thinking it through more thoroughly in that way helps me to flesh it out some more, make it more real, and identify areas where I might need another rule.

#7 Copy

Questioner

How did a bunch of Sages kill the Sword Jade? (Real question) Where can you find the best cookies on Cradle?

Will Wight

Deep in the Diamondvale Mountains lies the home of the Honeyfinger sect, confectioners and craftsmen without equal who raise ancient chocolate plants over generations and summon incomprehensible sugars from other worlds. They’re currently working to perfect a disc, a sandwich of two chocolate cookies with creme between them, the birth of which could change Cradle forever.

#8 Copy

Questioner

Have you thought about writing short stories about the Emperor and the Regents (from EE)? Could you give us a hint what these might be like?

Will Wight

I have! Especially while working on OKAK, I thought that might be something I would have liked to explore.   I would like to show the Elder War at its peak, when the Emperor and his companions had to go into territories warped and shaped by a Great Elder and convince slaves who had grown up with decades of indoctrination to follow fellow humans instead of the alien gods who own them.   I think that could be cool.

#9 Copy

Questioner

Hey Will ! I am a big fan of your works (i probably already said this through my other user accounts but hey). I have a few questions if you don't mind entertaining.   Did Valin somehow have access to the Way when he created Valinhall ? Or the creation of Valinhall is kinda a Travelers Gate magic and nothing to do with the Way?   Did Eithan expect Yerin to eventually learn using the sword icon through his training ? Or that was just a pleasant surprise/coincidence that he did not know would bear fruit from his training?   Thanks for bringing Cradle/TG to life ! It has been a pleasure.

Will Wight

1.) It DOES have something to do with the Way, in fact. 2.) Who can know the mind of Eithan? (In all seriousness, #2 is a Read And Find Out.)

#13 Copy

Questioner

What is the magic system of Traveler's Gate like in its native state, if the Way wasn't so thin and there were no fragmented Iterations attached to it? Would it serve no function?

Will Wight

I have some notes to this effect, but I’m afraid to lock myself into something by answering this question. Suffice it to say that I would like to explore this in the future.

#15 Copy

Questioner

First, just want to say your books are amazing. I started with House of Blades, another favorite of mine. I wanted to ask; if you had to give one piece of advice to aspiring writers, what would it be based on your experience as a professional writer?

Will Wight

Finish the book. Here’s some advice I gave someone on Reddit not long ago when they said that the advice to “keep writing” wasn’t working for them: That is very common, and I think most of us have been there. I think I’ve identified the cause, though: “just write” isn’t a strategy, it’s a mantra. “I realized it was bad and stopped writing,” wrong, keep writing. “I had no idea where to go next,” then you’re going to be very surprised at what comes out of your fingers when you keep writing. “You don’t understand; I sat down to just write and the result was an exact clone of Harry Potter as crapped out by Satan. I’m going to get both sued for copyright and exorcised by the Pope.” There is no good writing, only good rewriting.
Event details
Name
Name Indie Fantasy Addicts Facebook Q&A
Date
Date May 28, 2020
Location
Location https://www.facebook.com/groups/indiefantasyaddicts
Entries
Entries 15
Upload sources