It's Finally Here | #SaytheWords

Brandon Sanderson

5 Mar 202408:01

Summary

TLDRIn this insightful video, Brandon Sanderson shares his thoughts on 'Words of Radiance,' the second book in his acclaimed Stormlight Archive series. He delves into why readers resonate with this installment, which explores the profound question of choice and whether characters decide to stay on their predetermined paths or forge new ones. Sanderson draws parallels with his own life, recounting his decision to abandon a career in science and pursue writing. He discusses the book's original title, 'The Book of Endless Pages,' symbolizing humanity's endless quest for knowledge. Ultimately, Sanderson invites fans to take a personality quiz and choose their order, promising personalized merchandise as they embark on this epic journey.

Takeaways

🔑 Words of Radiance, the second book in The Stormlight Archive series, is considered a fan favorite because it explores the characters' choices and decisions about their paths in life.
📖 The book was initially titled 'The Book of Endless Pages,' representing the idea that human knowledge and exploration are never-ending pursuits.
👣 The characters in the book face pivotal moments where they must decide whether to continue on their current path or choose a different direction.
🤔 The author draws parallels between the characters' journeys and his own life experiences, such as changing his career path from studying biochemistry to becoming a novelist.
📚 The book asks important questions that resonate with readers, contributing to its popularity.
🎯 The author initially wanted readers to self-select their order of Knights Radiant through a quiz, allowing them to receive personalized merchandise.
💯 The campaign for Words of Radiance includes many stretch goals and additional content that were previously unlocked in the Way of Kings campaign.
🌐 The author involves readers in the creative process by releasing videos exploring the different orders of Knights Radiant.
👥 The book's success and the author's company's income depend heavily on the support of backers through crowdfunding campaigns.
🌟 The author expresses gratitude to both new and returning backers for their support, which enables the creation of these books.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the book 'Words of Radiance' according to Brandon Sanderson?
-According to Brandon Sanderson, the main theme of 'Words of Radiance' is about characters having the opportunity to make decisions about whether they want to stay on their current path or choose a different path for themselves. It explores the important moments in life where people get to decide for themselves and change their momentum.
Why does Brandon Sanderson believe 'Words of Radiance' resonates with readers?
-Brandon Sanderson believes that 'Words of Radiance' resonates with readers because it asks important questions that readers can relate to. Books that explore meaningful themes and concepts often resonate deeply with readers.
What personal experience does Brandon Sanderson share to illustrate the theme of choosing one's path?
-Brandon Sanderson shares his personal experience of initially being on the path to becoming a scientist as a biochemistry major in college, but after his freshman year, he asked himself if that was the path he wanted to be on. He then made the decision to change paths and pursue a career as a novelist instead.
What was the original working title of 'Words of Radiance' and why was it changed?
-The original working title for 'Words of Radiance' was 'The Book of Endless Pages'. However, Brandon Sanderson's editor pointed out that naming a book that would be over a thousand pages long 'The Book of Endless Pages' would invite criticism and laughter from reviewers, so the title was changed to 'Words of Radiance'.
What is the significance of the 'Book of Endless Pages' concept in Brandon Sanderson's mind?
-The 'Book of Endless Pages' concept represented the idea that for a scientist or someone exploring the world, one can never fill a book that describes the entire human experience, as there is always more to learn and discover. The book must have endless pages because as long as we seek answers, ask questions, and explore, we continue to fill those pages with new knowledge and insights.
How did Brandon Sanderson's idea for the campaign involving different orders of Knights Radiant come about?
-Brandon Sanderson had the idea to have a quiz for readers to self-select which order of Knights Radiant they would belong to, and then have the option to receive personalized swag representing their chosen order when signing up for the campaign.
What is the purpose of the campaign for 'Words of Radiance'?
-The campaign for 'Words of Radiance' is a way for Brandon Sanderson's company, Dragonsteel, to generate income and support the work of their team of 50 people who help create these books for readers.
What is the significance of the different orders of Knights Radiant in the Stormlight Archive?
-The different orders of Knights Radiant represent different ideals and philosophies that characters in the Stormlight Archive can align themselves with. Brandon Sanderson's team has released videos providing more depth and background on each of the orders.
How does the 'Words of Radiance' campaign differ from the previous 'Way of Kings' campaign?
-According to Brandon Sanderson, they found that they didn't need as many stretch goals for the 'Words of Radiance' campaign as they did for the 'Way of Kings' campaign. They incorporated many of the previous stretch goal items directly into the 'Words of Radiance' campaign, assuming readers would want those items again.
What is the significance of the 'Words of Radiance' swearing ceremony mentioned in the script?
-The script mentions a swearing ceremony where readers will be asked to choose which order of Knights Radiant they wish to swear to, signifying their alignment with the ideals and philosophies of that order. This ties into the theme of characters in the book choosing their path and aligning themselves with certain beliefs and principles.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Inspiration and Choices Behind 'Words of Radiance'

This paragraph discusses Brandon Sanderson's thought process behind the title 'Words of Radiance' for the second book in The Stormlight Archive series. He shares how he initially had a different working title 'The Book of Endless Pages', reflecting the idea of constantly seeking knowledge and truth, but his editor advised against it due to the book's length. He explains the significance of the moments in life where we get to decide our paths, and how this book explores characters facing such choices, which resonates with readers. Sanderson also mentions his own experience of changing his career path from biochemistry to becoming a novelist.

05:00

🎥 Kickstarter Campaign Details and Appreciation

This paragraph focuses on the Kickstarter campaign for 'Words of Radiance'. Sanderson thanks previous backers and new supporters, emphasizing that these campaigns are crucial for his company, Dragonsteel, and its team of 50 employees. He highlights the personalized swag and quizzes to determine which Order of the Knights Radiant supporters belong to. Sanderson also mentions that some stretch goals from the previous campaign have been incorporated into this one, based on feedback. Additionally, he shares the origin of the book's title and expresses gratitude to supporters for their contributions.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Choices

The theme of choices and their significance in life is central to the video. The narrator discusses how characters in the book 'Words of Radiance' face moments of choice, where they must decide whether to stay on their current path or change course. This mirrors the narrator's own experience of choosing to become a novelist instead of a scientist. The video emphasizes the importance of these pivotal moments in shaping one's life trajectory.

💡Path

The concept of a 'path' is used metaphorically to represent the direction or course of one's life. Characters in the book, like Kaladin, find themselves on paths not entirely of their own choosing initially. However, the book explores the idea of whether they want to continue on that path or diverge onto a new one. The narrator exemplifies this by describing his decision to leave the path of becoming a scientist and instead pursue writing.

💡Momentum

Momentum refers to the force or impetus that keeps people moving along a particular path or direction in life. The video suggests that the book 'Words of Radiance' explores characters' decisions to either maintain their existing momentum or change course, altering their trajectories. This mirrors the idea of individuals having the power to redirect the momentum of their lives through conscious choices.

💡Resonance

The narrator suggests that the reason 'Words of Radiance' resonates with readers is because it asks important questions that people can relate to from their own lives. The book's exploration of choices, paths, and momentum taps into universal human experiences and dilemmas, allowing readers to find personal significance and meaning in the narrative.

💡Knights Radiant

The Knights Radiant are an order of knights in the fictional world of the Stormlight Archive series. The video mentions a quiz for fans to determine which order they would belong to, allowing them to self-select and receive personalized merchandise. This interactive element engages readers more deeply with the world and themes of the series.

💡Book of Endless Pages

The 'Book of Endless Pages' was the original intended title for 'Words of Radiance.' It represents the idea that knowledge, exploration, and the human experience can never be fully contained within a single book, as there will always be more questions to ask and more answers to seek. This concept ties into the themes of seeking truth, both scientifically and philosophically, that the video explores.

💡Support

The narrator emphasizes the importance of fan support through Kickstarter campaigns, as it directly enables the creation and production of the books. By backing the campaign, fans are not only obtaining merchandise but also sustaining the work of the author's company, Dragonsteel, and its employees. This highlights the symbiotic relationship between creators and their audiences.

💡Questions

The video suggests that 'Words of Radiance,' and likely the Stormlight Archive series as a whole, is centered around asking important questions – questions about choices, paths, and the human experience. The narrator posits that books that pose such thought-provoking questions tend to resonate deeply with readers, as they tap into universal human experiences and dilemmas.

💡Volition

Volition refers to the power or ability to make choices and decisions for oneself. The video suggests that 'Words of Radiance' explores characters gaining volition after a crisis has passed, forcing them to decide whether to continue on their current paths or change course. This mirrors the human experience of gaining agency and the ability to direct one's own life trajectory.

💡Personalization

The video discusses the idea of personalization, where fans can take a quiz to determine which order of the Knights Radiant they would belong to, and then receive personalized merchandise representing that order. This element of personalization allows readers to more deeply immerse themselves in the world of the Stormlight Archive series and feel a stronger connection to its themes and characters.

Highlights

The book Words of Radiance asks important questions about choices and paths in life, which resonates with readers.

Sanderson shares his personal experience of changing paths from biochemistry to becoming a novelist, emphasizing the importance of such moments of decision.

Words of Radiance explores characters' momentum and decisions about whether to stay on their current path or find a new one.

Readers are invited to take a quiz to determine which Order of the Knights Radiant they belong to, and get personalized swag based on their order.

The original working title for Words of Radiance was "The Book of Endless Pages," representing the idea of continuously seeking truth and answers.

Sanderson's editor advised against using "The Book of Endless Pages" as the title, as it might be mocked for a book over a thousand pages long.

The title "Words of Radiance" was a better fit, referring to the in-world book.

Kickstarter campaigns are crucial for Sanderson's company, Dragonsteel, to generate income and support their team of 50 people working on the books.

The ancient Oaths of the Knights Radiant are once again being spoken, and readers must choose which Order they wish to swear to.

Sanderson believes people love Words of Radiance because it asks the question of why characters are on their paths and whether they want to continue or change.

Videos by Dan in World delve deeper into the different Orders of the Knights Radiant, providing more context for readers before they take the quiz.

The Words of Radiance Kickstarter campaign is set up similarly to the Way of Kings campaign, but with fewer stretch goals as some items were included from the start.

Sanderson originally wanted readers to self-select their Order through the quiz, as he wanted to determine his own Order genuinely.

Upon taking the oath, readers' words are accepted, marking their induction into the chosen Order.

The transcript suggests a sense of anticipation and ceremony around swearing to an Order of the Knights Radiant.