Opportunity Cost—How Do I Decide What to Write Next? (No Readings)

Brandon Sanderson・2 minutes read

The speaker reflects on decision-making and opportunity cost in their career as an author, discussing the challenges and uncertainties of writing and publishing books while highlighting the transformative nature of finishing a novel. They emphasize the significance of perseverance, strategic decision-making, and evolving writing styles in their journey, sharing insights on selecting projects, recycling ideas, and shaping the Cosmere universe through a series of successful novels.

Insights

  • Decision-making and opportunity cost are highlighted as crucial elements of the author's career journey, with personal anecdotes underscoring the challenges of choosing between different paths and the realization that each decision entails sacrifices and potential consequences.
  • The author's perseverance and strategic decision-making are emphasized as pivotal factors in their success, with the breakthrough moment of selling "Elantris" marking a significant turning point that led to the creation of the expansive Cosmere universe and subsequent bestselling series like "Stormlight," showcasing the transformative power of dedication and careful choices in shaping a writer's trajectory.

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Recent questions

  • How does the author view decision-making in their career?

    The author reflects on decision-making as a challenging aspect of growing up, sharing personal experiences of learning to make choices and accept uncertainty in outcomes. They mention that minor decisions have become easier over time, but deciding what to write next has become increasingly difficult due to the realization that choosing one story means abandoning countless others.

  • What was the turning point in the author's career?

    The turning point in the author's career was receiving a voicemail from an editor expressing interest in purchasing their book "Elantris." This marked a significant moment that led to the birth of the Cosmere universe and paved the way for the author's current projects like "Stormlight."

  • How did the author approach project selection in their career?

    The author experimented with various genres and wrote multiple books before finding success. They outlined the Cosmere universe, envisioning different series like Mistborn and Stormlight with multiple books. Despite setbacks like "The Liar of Partnel," the author aimed for a higher standard in their work and prioritized completing projects like the Stormlight Archive and the Cosmere.

  • What challenges did the author face in their writing career?

    The author faced challenges such as deciding which books to work on, experimenting with different writing styles to prevent burnout, and dealing with setbacks like "The Liar of Partnel." They reflected on the evolving approach to writing, prioritizing completing series like the Stormlight Archive and the Cosmere over immediate creative freedom.

  • How does the author view the process of releasing their work?

    The author views releasing their work as accepting imperfections as snapshots of personal growth. They liken stories to pictures of oneself, where perfection is unattainable yet inherent. Once a story reflects the writer's current abilities, it is time to release it, emphasizing the importance of continuous writing and hinting at future projects.

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Summary

00:00

Navigating Decision-Making in Writing Career

  • The speaker often gets asked about changing one thing in their past as an author, but they humorously mention the risks of altering the timeline, like becoming their own grandparents or causing America to turn communist.
  • They reflect on the concept of opportunity cost, particularly in relation to their children's struggles with decision-making, exemplified by their son's dilemma between going on a ski lift or playing video games.
  • Decision-making and opportunity cost are discussed as challenging aspects of growing up, with the speaker sharing personal experiences of learning to make choices and accept the uncertainty of outcomes.
  • The speaker mentions that while minor decisions have become easier to make over time, the question of what to write next has grown increasingly difficult due to the realization that choosing one story means abandoning countless others.
  • They express the joy of creating something out of nothing as a writer, likening it to a magic trick, but also acknowledge the daunting nature of the blank page, as every story chosen to write eliminates numerous other potential narratives.
  • The speaker decides to take a retrospective look at their career, focusing on the books that never got published and the decision-making process behind selecting projects at different stages of their life.
  • In the early days of their career, the speaker experimented with various genres and wrote multiple books, including two epic fantasies, a comedic fantasy, and two science fiction novels, highlighting the importance of finishing a novel as a transformative experience.
  • They reflect on recycling ideas across different books, mentioning the reuse of certain concepts from earlier works in subsequent novels, and ponder the impact of aggressive book submissions on their career trajectory.
  • The speaker contemplates the potential outcomes if they had pursued a different path as a science fiction writer instead of focusing on epic fantasy, questioning how it might have altered the development of their Cosmere universe.
  • They reveal that they wrote 13 novels before selling one, with "Elantris" being the breakthrough that birthed the Cosmere and led to their current projects like "Stormlight," emphasizing the significance of perseverance and strategic decision-making in their career journey.

15:43

Author's Career: From Struggles to Success

  • Author received a voicemail from an editor expressing interest in purchasing "Elantris," marking a turning point in their career.
  • Following the success of "Way of Kings," author sold "Elantris" and subsequent books like Mistborn novels, Warbreaker, and Alcatraz books.
  • Author contemplated the scope of their career and discussed future plans, including a dinner at Outback Steakhouse where Mistborn was revealed to be a nine-book series.
  • In 2006-2007, author outlined the Cosmere universe, envisioning Mistborn as nine books, Dragon Steel as seven, and Stormlight as ten.
  • Despite initial success, author faced a setback with "The Liar of Partnel," a book that did not meet expectations and was deemed mediocre.
  • Author decided not to release "The Liar of Partnel" due to its mediocrity, aiming for a higher standard in their work.
  • During the "Brandon almost goes insane era" from 2007 to 2015, author wrote and released multiple books, including three Wheel of Time books and two Stormlight books.
  • Tor began releasing author's books faster, reducing lead times from two years to three months, leading to a change in project selection.
  • Author experimented with different writing styles to prevent burnout, including the Alcatraz series and a potential career in middle-grade writing.
  • Author reflected on their evolving approach to writing, prioritizing the completion of the Stormlight Archive and the Cosmere over immediate creative freedom.

31:06

Embracing Imperfections: Evolving Through Writing Journeys

  • Stories are likened to pictures of oneself, where perfection is unattainable yet inherent. Once a story reflects the writer's current abilities, it is time to release it, accepting imperfections as snapshots of personal growth.
  • Selecting which books to work on involves a blend of acknowledging the evolving self through each project and the desire to accomplish tasks. Despite the ongoing challenges faced, the author shares a snippet from a forthcoming sequel, hinting at future projects while emphasizing the importance of continuous writing.
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