Of Kings and Killers - Progress Update #1 - Will Wight, New York Times Best-Selling Author of 'Cradle'

Of Kings and Killers - Progress Update #1

1/31/2016

In an attempt to keep myself more accountable to you, I'm going to try and keep you all as informed as I can about my progress toward Of Killers and Kings / Of Kings and Killers.

Today it's just a quick update: for the past few weeks, I've been in the planning/outline stage of development. In some ways, this is the most fun stage of the entire process, because it's when I get to come up with all the ideas that make it into the book. In other ways, it's difficult, because I'm not producing any measurable output. When I'm working on the draft of a story, I can say, "I wrote X,000 words today," and point to that number as a measure of my progress.

I don't have any such metric for planning. I just kind of try ideas, see if they fit, and evolve my outline around them.

So while there's still more planning work to be done (there's virtually always more planning and re-planning to be done), I am going to begin writing the first draft of Of Kings and Killers this week.

How will we proceed from there? Let's ask the Oracle!

"Oracle, will I finish these books early? On time? Or unforgivably late, in which case my blog readers will tear me apart in a furious frenzy?"

"Reply hazy; try again later."

Useless prognostication aside, I have actually made good progress so far. Just need to keep it up!

Also, over the past couple of weeks, I have alluded to something new in the pipeline that I've been working on. Here's the idea in a nutshell: I want to put up a new, original story on the site. This very site you're visiting right now.

Do I have further details? I do! And at some point I'll share them.

In the meantime...how would you feel about me releasing story content on the site? As always, I'm curious to hear your opinions.

Thanks for reading!

-Will

20 Comments

Zemero

1/31/2016 11:14:49 pm

I am glad to hear progress is being made and would love story content on this site!
Keep up the good work sir!

Will link

2/7/2016 06:46:54 pm

Thanks, Zemero! I was trying to think about what I'd want to see on the site, and you know...I mostly just want more to read.

Risz

2/1/2016 08:35:18 am

Putting partial content on the site is like letting a crack addict smell the crack without actually giving it to him. You don't want to antagonize a crack addict, do you?

Otherwise, keep up the good work...or don't. It's really up to you. You probably shouldn't take advice from crack addicts.

2/7/2016 06:47:34 pm

I feel like anything I say here is going to be taken out of context later as though I were referring to real crack addicts, so...

No?

Jeremiah

2/1/2016 01:26:44 pm

As long as you publish the completed product to Amazon so I can grab it and read it all at once, I'd be thrilled.

2/7/2016 06:48:22 pm

One way or another, it's very likely to end up on Amazon at the end of the volume/arc/storyline/whatever.

Nikk

2/3/2016 12:28:02 pm

I am glad to hear about the progress being made with Of Killers and Kings / Of Kings and Killers. I can't wait to read them! I will wait for Will to finish..

I assume you perhaps have an evil twin? Or.. a Good Twin? Or a clone? I like the idea of an original story on this website, but only if it doesn't take away from you writing books.

Evil Will link

2/7/2016 06:49:22 pm

The more stories I work on at once, the more power I can harvest from Good Will. Most of my spells drain joy straight from the Heart of the Universe, but it's convenient to have another power source closer to home.

Connor

2/6/2016 08:16:53 pm

I like you're books. Getting them out faster is fun! I have more things to read!! But just because they take longer doesn't mean I won't still enjoy them. Have fun writing!! I'll have fun reading!!

2/7/2016 06:49:49 pm

Thanks, Connor! Whatever I do, I'll make sure to have as much fun with it as I can!

dave

2/8/2016 03:46:27 am

Very exited to hear about the progress on the books really cant wait tk read them

As to writing a story on the blog i think it would be fun and keep people busy while you write your books

Madeline

2/12/2016 10:50:24 am

I don't mind extra content on the site as long as two things happen with it:
1. It is eventually purchaseable on Amazon so I can read it on my kindle.
2. Any plot holes and random things that change partway through the story are fixed before the kindle version is released. I've encountered a few authors who write books in short chapters which they post chapter by chapter, but because it's written chapter by chapter the continuity can be kind of.... eh....

Derek Rogers

2/12/2016 08:58:18 pm

Well, you've been mentioning doing something like that for the last couple of updates. So here we are, a month after you first proposed it, and nothing. Where is my story?!? You said it would be posted a couple times a week! It's been almost twice that since just this post!!

-If you really want post like that on your blog every time you miss your self-proposed story, then I wish you best of luck. I, for one, would love to read something new and original of yours. Especially something updated so frequently.

Zach

2/13/2016 07:50:11 pm

I work in sales and run complex campaigns that require multiple meetings that can drag a year or more. Whenever my team is inclined to deliver content in any format I always ask a few things.
What is the purpose
What would dictate success
What feelings are we trying to elicite
There are a few more but we don't move forward until these things are understood and agreed upon...
What it's worth ...2 cents

Jordan

2/14/2016 10:08:30 pm

Technically, you can do whatever your heart desires (unless the opposing good/evil Will disagrees), but since you entertain the masses, and thus bow to them, I say MOAR, MOAR STUFF EVERYWHERE.

Kaden

2/15/2016 07:24:51 pm

Can't wait for the book hope evil will doesn't take over and ruin your progress loved the first two ones

Loren

4/25/2016 01:41:46 am

So when are the books coming out? Love the stories but I would rather have progress on of Kings and Killers.

Malachi

9/18/2017 07:39:21 pm

Thank you for writing these wonderful books, I love your series and I also loved the Travelers Gate series

Randy

3/2/2018 05:41:26 am

It's 2018 and I'm very curious how the emperor has managed, and how the new guild head has coped. Any updates on a release date?

Fleur Gray

7/21/2018 07:51:58 am

Please.
Just a hint.
Some fictional date like the 31st of octember, anything

In which we ramble on.
And by we, I mean me.