Author Brandon Sanderson made $55 million last year

[Anonymous]

My first encounters with his books were very engrossing. He has a talent for what they call "world-building" and in the setup. If you read one thing, "Mistborn" original series (trilogy culminating in The Hero of Ages) was good, especially the first book.

However, his characterizations, battles, style get repetitive and annoying across books. I read the way he finished Wheel of Time (the author died and left notes how it was supposed to end), and he just changed the characterizations and behaviors in a bunch of annoying and juvenile ways, and made up a couple of characters to resolve things and to fit his style.

One particular issue of his is he loses a sense of scale across books in the power of his characters' magic. In book one, say, there was only one or very few with very unusual and powerful powers....and then somehow in the next sequel there are tons of people as powerful or more without much explanation why and suddenly the people from the first book are just mediocre. Husband has compared it to Dragon Ball Z in this respect but I never saw that myself.

[Anonymous]

I appreciate Brandon Sanderson more and more as the years go on and he continues to be a prolific and professional author. Compare that to GRRM and Patrick Rothfuss.

Good guy. Good author. Class act.

[Anonymous]

I've enjoyed his books. I agree - good guy.

[Anonymous]

The descriptions of his writing compulsively on the couch reminded me of a video game addict.

He’s addicted to writing. It just so happens that it’s an acceptable and lucrative addiction.

I could see a journalist thinking they’d get some deep or insightful material would be frustrated. I don’t think the article is mean. It’s just that the super fans are mad that the article isn’t effusive. It’s the same way a super fan of a musical artist reacts when people don’t share their enthusiasm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The descriptions of his writing compulsively on the couch reminded me of a video game addict.

He’s addicted to writing. It just so happens that it’s an acceptable and lucrative addiction.

I could see a journalist thinking they’d get some deep or insightful material would be frustrated. I don’t think the article is mean. It’s just that the super fans are mad that the article isn’t effusive. It’s the same way a super fan of a musical artist reacts when people don’t share their enthusiasm.

Read it again. It's mean.

[Anonymous]

I have never heard of this author and clicked the thread because $55 million! That's insane. I probably won't read any of his work because based on what I read here, it doesn't sound like something I would enjoy, but good for him to become such a financial success and be doing something he enjoys and be a good guy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The descriptions of his writing compulsively on the couch reminded me of a video game addict.

He’s addicted to writing. It just so happens that it’s an acceptable and lucrative addiction.

I could see a journalist thinking they’d get some deep or insightful material would be frustrated. I don’t think the article is mean. It’s just that the super fans are mad that the article isn’t effusive. It’s the same way a super fan of a musical artist reacts when people don’t share their enthusiasm.

Read it again. It's mean.

DP here. I think the article is overall flattering and Sanderson comes off well. The article author was maybe going for funny and missed? Edgy? Whatever he was going for didn't work. Parts were rude at best and I can't imagine writing that about someone who let you into their home. But it definitely reflected poorly on the Wired author and not on the subject. I initially thought Sanderson's response was graceful but after reading the article I actually think he took it too seriously. (No surprise his fanboys did, fantasy genre is like that.)

My favorite part of the article is that Sanderson has a parrot named Jello. Love it.

[Anonymous]

I like many of his books. No, it's not fantastic writing, and some of it is predictable. But I read fantasy for fun and escapism. His books are no more religious than most fantasy books with an evil bad guy who does evil things and a savior. They're also free of sexual content so good for younger kids to read (there is violence though).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The descriptions of his writing compulsively on the couch reminded me of a video game addict.

He’s addicted to writing. It just so happens that it’s an acceptable and lucrative addiction.

I could see a journalist thinking they’d get some deep or insightful material would be frustrated. I don’t think the article is mean. It’s just that the super fans are mad that the article isn’t effusive. It’s the same way a super fan of a musical artist reacts when people don’t share their enthusiasm.

Read it again. It's mean.

DP here. I think the article is overall flattering and Sanderson comes off well. The article author was maybe going for funny and missed? Edgy? Whatever he was going for didn't work. Parts were rude at best and I can't imagine writing that about someone who let you into their home. But it definitely reflected poorly on the Wired author and not on the subject. I initially thought Sanderson's response was graceful but after reading the article I actually think he took it too seriously. (No surprise his fanboys did, fantasy genre is like that.)

My favorite part of the article is that Sanderson has a parrot named Jello. Love it.

The author was going for what all witless are now doing: eat the rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like many of his books. No, it's not fantastic writing, and some of it is predictable. But I read fantasy for fun and escapism. His books are no more religious than most fantasy books with an evil bad guy who does evil things and a savior. They're also free of sexual content so good for younger kids to read (there is violence though).

+1 These days, I'm just looking for a good story I can escape into. Sanderson does a good job most of the time - although I've only read a fraction of his work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like many of his books. No, it's not fantastic writing, and some of it is predictable. But I read fantasy for fun and escapism. His books are no more religious than most fantasy books with an evil bad guy who does evil things and a savior. They're also free of sexual content so good for younger kids to read (there is violence though).

As I recall, the first Mistborn book has an execution scene with fountains (like city square fountains) of blood. I think if you're too young for sex you're too young for that.

[Anonymous]

A lot of this was from a kickstarter. Money from his fans in return for books and special swag. Cutting out the agents and feeling out his audience, if you will. Smart.

[Anonymous]

Here's a link: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/31/authors-record-breaking-kickstarter-campaign-closes-at-41point7-million.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of this was from a kickstarter. Money from his fans in return for books and special swag. Cutting out the agents and feeling out his audience, if you will. Smart.

No, he cut out the NY publishers, thus taking revenue away and ultimately hurting new and midlist authors.

How noble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of this was from a kickstarter. Money from his fans in return for books and special swag. Cutting out the agents and feeling out his audience, if you will. Smart.

No, he cut out the NY publishers, thus taking revenue away and ultimately hurting new and midlist authors.

How noble.

I think he's smart