On Nov. 6, acclaimed fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson will release “Skyward,” the first book in a brand new Young Adult (YA) series. This is somewhat of a recent departure for Sanderson, who has proven to be one of the leading voices in modern adult fantasy. He is acclaimed for his deep and meticulous world building, his subversion of typical fantasy tropes and the insane pace he cranks out books at. Sanderson has many New York Times Best Sellers under his belt, a handful of Hugo Awards and an almost obsessive cult following. He has worked in the past on other YA novels outside of fantasy such as the “Reckoners” series, but a novel about space travel is uncharted territory.
This November will mark one year since the release of “Oathbringer,” the third book in his epic “Stormlight Archive” series. Despite its length, clocking in at 1,248 pages, it debuted at #1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list. It marked the fifth #1 NYT bestseller for Sanderson, the others being his three “Wheel of Time” books and the second “Stormlight” book “Words of Radiance.” Even though it’s gearing up to be a monstrous journey with a planned total of 10 books and a movie deal in the works, “Stormlight” is just another subseries in his main work called the “Cosmere”. The “Cosmere” is the shared universe that most of his adult fantasy books reside in, which are all published by Tor. This involves works such as the “Mistborn” series, “Warbreaker,” and his debut novel “Elantris.” “Skyward” marks a departure from the Cosmere, and is instead a passion project for Sanderson.
According to a blog post on Sanderson’s website, “Skyward” is a YA novel completely separate from the Cosmere. Its official pitch, according to the website, is “Defeated, crushed, and driven almost to extinction, the remnants of the human race are trapped on a planet that is constantly attacked by mysterious alien starfighters. Spensa, a teenage girl living among them, longs to be a pilot. When she discovers the wreckage of an ancient ship, she realizes this dream might be possible—assuming she can repair the ship, navigate flight school, and (perhaps most importantly) persuade the strange machine to help her. Because this ship, uniquely, appears to have a soul.”
Like his other YA series “The Reckoners,” it is published by Delacorte Press. I, like many others, am eagerly awaiting the new direction he is going in. So, in my anticipation, I decided to try and contact him via Reddit to answer a few questions. To my surprise, he actually answered. Here is the conversation that followed.
The Tiger News (TTN): What should longtime fans and newcomers expect from “Skyward?”
Brandon Sanderson (BS): Hopefully, it contains the things I try to do with every book. A great story, compelling characters and an interesting setting. My greatest aspiration is always just to tell the best story I can, to get these ideas out of my head and onto the page in a way that will be engaging and interesting. This book, in particular, is a character study on a person who has always wanted something–but doesn’t quite understand what it costs to receive that thing. Plus, spaceship battles.
TTN: What is it like to jump from epic, adult fantasy to shorter, YA science fiction?
BS: I like the contrast. Those who follow my work will note that I’m constantly doing something different–jumping from project to project, seeking stories that will push me in different ways. This is the primary way by which I make sure I don’t get burned out.
TTN: What inspired you to start writing fantasy?
BS: I had a teacher in eighth grade who gave me my first fantasy novel, and I found in that story a sense of identity and wonder I’d never felt before. (The book was “Dragonsbane” by Barbara Hambly). I determined soon after that I had to figure out how to do this myself.
TTN: How do you balance all of your projects?
BS: Mostly, I make sure I’m always excited about the thing I’m working on. If I’m starting to feel worn out on a world, I give it a rest for a little while and do something different.
TTN: What advice would you give college-aged students who are looking to write fiction?
BS: Remember, your goal isn’t just to write a great book, it’s to become the type of person who can consistently write great books. You become that person through practice. It isn’t ideas, but a familiarity with your own process born out of consistent effort, that creates a writer. Set aside time and practice.
TTN: What would be the best starting point for your work?
BS: “Skyward” would be an excellent starting point. I also often suggest either “Mistborn” (for those who want something more action oriented) or “The Emperor’s Soul” (for those who want something more literary).
“Skyward” releases on Nov. 6. You can read the first 12 chapters now here , and can pick it up from Barnes & Noble or Amazon. Brandon Sanderson can be found on Twitter at @BrandSanderson, on Reddit as /u/mistborn or on his website www.brandonsanderson.com.