The Gradual Interview

[wayfriend]

I think dlb said to me once that he usually skips all of The One Tree, too.

[Auleliel]

If he did I wouldn't blame him.

[dlbpharmd]

I think dlb said to me once that he usually skips all of The One Tree, too.

Well, not ALL of TOT, but I have been known to skip some parts of it, yeah.

[matrixman]

First I read in a post in the First Chrons forum that someone thought Gilden-Fire was dull...and NOW I read that dlpsy skips chapters when he reads???? What is the Watch coming too???????????????

Dlbpharmds Day?

Aulelielmageddon?

TOT is so unloved around here... (shakes head sadly)

[wayfriend]

I love the One Tree. What's not to love? I will love it for everyone who doesn't want to - send me WGDs. I will also trade my IW love for some OT love.

[dlbpharmd]

This must be what "whithering scorn" feels like.

[Furls Fire]

Is nothing sacred??? Now we are selling affections for mere profit???

Oh, woe the Watch!!!

[wayfriend]

Is nothing sacred??? Now we are selling affections for mere profit???

Oh, woe the Watch!!!

Someone created a Chamber of Purity here at the Watch, at some point. You should visit it.

[Cagliostro]

I have to say that bits of the One Tree bore me a bit, but most of those are sailing bits that I hadn't been able to relate to until recently. Not that I've taken a sea voyage or anything, I just understand it a bit more now. But yeah, I was happy to get out of the devastated Land for a while and be in some lush beauty again. By which I mean where the damn Elohim are.

[wayfriend]

SRD gives some warm praise for his "private readers" (whoever they are )

Vinny: As you are writing (and rewriting) your books, do you at any point get feedback from family/friends? If so, at what point do you show them what you've written, and what do you get from their comments.

I ask because as I develop my own writing, I've learned that "too much, too soon" is a problem. It's what turned me away from workshopping and writer's groups - not necessarily because I'm opposed to them, but long form works don't seem to fit in such forums. I'm curious as to whether or not you give anyone a "sneak peek".

On a side note...thank you for recommending the Malazan books. It's taken me until the third book to really get into it, but I'm totally hooked. And I can't help but suspect that you are kicking yourself for not getting to the name "Anomander Rake" before Erikson did.

• I do have two private readers, from whom I get feedback quasi-regularly (in effect, every three chapters). They're my anchor to the "real world" of actual communication. I can trust them to be respectfully honest in their comments, positive or negative ("respectfully" because the opinions of people who sneer at what I do have no value to me: "honest" because anything less wouldn't do me any good). All three of us know that this places them in an impossible position; but we all accept it.
  
  What I do NOT do is *talk* to my readers about what they're reading for me, either before they read it or after they finish (until they've read the whole book). As stringently as I can, I avoid the problem of "expectations". So I don't tell them anything about what they're about to read. And when they've read it, I don't explain anything that confuses them. I don't answer any questions about my intentions. Within the contraints of their position, I treat them like people who don't know me and therefore can't learn anything that isn't actually in the text.
  
  In other words, we don't ever *discuss* what they've read--until, as I say, they've read the whole book. I write: they read: they send me their comments: I read their comments: and I go on writing.
  
  "I go on writing" is probably worth emphasizing. When I get feedback, I don't double back to tackle the problems my readers have brought to my attention. I don't exactly *ignore* those problems; but I don't want to trap myself in premature revisions, thereby losing all forward momentum; so I just let the problems "steep" in the back of my mind until I'm ready to begin rewriting the whole book from the beginning.
  
  Do I need to add that I chose these two people very carefully? Or that I explained exactly how I wanted the process to work? Or that they accepted my--for lack of a better term--rules (respect, honesty, authorial silence) without reservation?
  
  And do I need to add that all of this is entirely personal? Every writer is different: therefore every writer has different needs. The only thing I can really say about *my* process is that it meets *my* needs.
  
  (02/18/2009)

[Menolly]

SRD gives some warm praise for his "private readers" (whoever they are )

I do have two private readers, from whom I get feedback quasi-regularly (in effect, every three chapters). They're my anchor to the "real world" of actual communication. I can trust them to be respectfully honest in their comments, positive or negative ("respectfully" because the opinions of people who sneer at what I do have no value to me: "honest" because anything less wouldn't do me any good). All three of us know that this places them in an impossible position; but we all accept it.

Nice!

But, uhm...
Aren't there three readers?

[aliantha]

I wondered about that, too....

[Zenlunatic]

The question asking him to re-write the Bible was classic. I just submitted this as a question to him:
<i>
Whoa! Did someone just submit a question asking if you would do a re-write of the Bible? C'mon, you totally have to do it...that would be one version of it that I might actually read. I can see it now:

Book I - Genesiseosis

The Lord God: "noah-Mhoram, I command thee to make an ark and there to place two of all my creatures so that they may survive whilst I enact The Ritual of Desecration."

The noah-Mhoram: "Ritual of Desecration, hmm...well, thanks for the heads up Lord. Every creature you said?"

The Lord God: "Yes"

The noah-Mhoram:"Hmm...yes, does that include the Sandgorgons, Lord?

The Lord God: "All my creatures!"

The noah-Mhoram: "It's just that, you see...they don't get along so well with the others".

The Lord God: "ALL OF THEM!"

The noah-Mhoram: "Shit."

Oh well...we can only imagine what could have been...congratulations on finishing AATE...can't wait for that one at least!</i>

[Menolly]

*new Watchy category*

Best GI should-have-beens

...just in case that one is not answered for some reason...

How ya doing Michael? Long time, no see man!

[Zenlunatic]

*new Watchy category*

Best GI should-have-beens

...just in case that one is not answered for some reason...

How ya doing Michael? Long time, no see man!

Hi Menolly! I'm doing fine...how have you been? I still have a job, so I'm doing better than others. Glad to be back on the watch!

[Holsety]

WAIT SORRY. I just saw the FR related Q+As. Forget this post. If a mod can delete it please do so.

[Mysteweave]

A good day in the GI today.

First, some insight into the author's perceived failings of the Second Cs.

Second, confirmation of bad math in the GAP series.

Third, some insight into how the first C's were planned.

Sarah: Hello!

You've said previously in the GI that when you came up with the idea for the First Chronicles, you knew how it was going to end, and worked backwards from there. Was it a case of working backwards through main story events until you reached a starting point, or was there greater detail involved in your thinking?
An example: In "The Power That Preserves", Covenant destroys the Staff of Law when he confronts Elena. Was that known to you as you thought out the story (backwards), or was it something that happened as you wrote? If it was the former, did you know that Elena was Covenant's daughter, and therefore that he would rape Lena?

Sorry if this is a difficult question to answer! And thanks for your time.

• Well, I *do* have to reach back three decades....
  
  Where the first "Covenant" trilogy is concerned, the "planning backward" notion applies in most situations. For example, I needed a final war to set up Covenant's confrontation with Lord Foul. I wanted that war to be as destructive (therefore as UNnatural) as possible. That led me to the misuse of Law, which suggested the misuse of the Staff. But of course Covenant couldn't get at Lord Foul without first facing the misuser of the Staff. And the misuser had to be a High Lord. Much better for the High Lord to be someone he knows: someone more than just a good-guy-turned-bad-guy. But not Mhoram, who didn't fit the role. Better for the High Lord to be someone with whom Covenant has a personal relationship. A very personal relationship. Who better than a daughter? But how was she turned into a bad guy? And where did she come from in the first place?
  
  You see what I mean. At any rate, that gives you a rough idea of how my planning process worked in those days.
  
  (02/04/2009)

^ That was me!!! I just saw it today!

[dlbpharmd]

I missed this somehow:

Rob: The art of Darrell K. Sweet was what initially drew me to pick up Lord Foul's Bane. Upon reading the first few pages, I, like millions of others, were hooked. I always enjoyed the continued use of his artwork on subsequent novels but upon the release of the Third Chronicles, his artwork was sadly missing. Was there a reason for choosing to go with another artist?

What can I say? Tastes change. Contemporary music is very different than it was 30 years ago. So are book covers.

In addition, Sweet was remarkably open about his contempt for fantasy in general, and for my work in particular. Long ago, I heard him say that if he could earn living with ANY other kind of art, he would never touch fantasy again.

I have no say at all where the covers of my books are concerned. (*I* certainly would not have put Gandalf on the cover of "Fatal Revenant".) Still, I'm glad to have an artist now who doesn't sneer at my work.

(02/27/2009)

It's no secret that I'm a fan of DKS' artwork for TCoTC, but if he "sneers" at fantasy in general and Covenant in particular, then I say piss on him.

[Kenaustin Ardenol]

Is the official web site down at the moment, I am getting "FORBIDDEN" Site owner, please contact yout support centre for assistance.

[Menolly]

Is the official web site down at the moment, I am getting "FORBIDDEN" Site owner, please contact yout support centre for assistance.

Yes...

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