Wintersteel Progress Update

7/16/2020

I've been working on the second draft of Wintersteel, which is currently at 143,452 words. Making it the longest book I've ever written.

Naturally, I don't know what the final word count will be once I'm through with editing. Usually my books get longer during the editing portion, but the first draft is also usually a lot shorter than this, so we might have to cut significantly. Not sure yet.

But at the moment, I can tell you this thing has some meat on its bones.

By contrast, the three longest Cradle books currently are Blackflame at 111k words, Underlord at 103k words, and then Uncrowned at 93k words.

Wintersteel will almost certainly stay the longest of the series so far, even if we cut it all the way back to the 120k range, but I'll be interested to see where it ends up.

I'm as curious as the rest of you!

As for what this means about the release date, I'm not sure yet. It really depends on how long it takes me to make the changes to the first draft and what the readers have to say about the second draft.

So I'm thinking it will probably be released shortly before Florida rejoins Atlantis at the bottom of the sea.

-Will

116 Comments

WeiShiRick

7/16/2020 01:52:03 pm

Cut. Nothing.

Rob

7/16/2020 01:59:48 pm

Seconded

Fireheart

8/14/2020 06:07:44 pm

Thirdededed. Just imagine when you’re cutting that you’re maiming children, ok good talk 👍

Tim

7/16/2020 02:16:08 pm

That is not very Endless Sword of you.

Railalis

7/16/2020 02:37:47 pm

Haha yes!

Nikolai

7/16/2020 02:18:35 pm

Amen

Chris N

7/16/2020 04:26:33 pm

Agree, completely! Cut nothing!!!!!! Tightening up is fine, but no major cutting of any scenes. I don’t care if it slows the pace some or not. I want it. I want it. I want it.

:-) ok, sorry for the childish rant. But. Cut. Nothing.

Zexand

7/16/2020 06:42:21 pm

What else needs to be said? The mob has spoken. Tighten up if needed, but cut nothing.

DaShoe

7/16/2020 07:31:48 pm

Yes just add to it

Walter

7/16/2020 08:04:54 pm

+1. Literary gain train baby! It's about to be bulking season!

Chirnobl

7/16/2020 08:59:24 pm

I think we can all agree that more > less.

Maila

7/16/2020 11:16:58 pm

Ditto.

Kevin

7/17/2020 06:20:46 am

Add Moar!!!

Ashley L

7/16/2020 01:54:35 pm

Very awesome! Don't feel the need to cut if not absolutely necessary. I LOVE long books and content is always appreciated! Looking forward to more news and a release soonish :)

7/16/2020 01:55:52 pm

So is Wintersteel draft 2 finished or not? Sounds like it isn’t but the part about what the readers have to say makes it sound like it is.

Alpha reader

7/16/2020 07:56:49 pm

Soon

Ragefire

10/3/2020 12:20:41 pm

He would have said it is finished if it is.

glaciacor

7/16/2020 01:55:52 pm

is florida sinking to the bottom of the sea the next thing 2020 is going to throw at the world, or 2021s sign that it is going to be an even worse year ?

Tchorrik

7/16/2020 09:45:47 pm

I think volcano otters was the newest thing

Jagang

7/17/2020 03:47:29 pm

Nope 🤔 - 2021 is the year that humanity will unite against the invading aliens...

Nick

7/19/2020 02:25:35 pm

We will defend against the invading ORCs(a real thing we found in the sky the other day)

Sean K

7/16/2020 01:58:04 pm

Hey Will's brother, what's your first impressions of Wintersteel? You always give the best initial reviews!

Brother Wight

7/16/2020 02:10:00 pm

SPOILER ALERT
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Lindon and Yerin go on a date EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE 🔥🔥🔥

Jordan Johnson

7/16/2020 08:36:26 pm

I can only imagine the insanity that happens during that time

Connor Ludovissy link

7/17/2020 08:26:21 am

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Tievel1

7/16/2020 02:01:02 pm

You realize that at the rate things are going in Florida right now, that that could be next week, right?

Andrew

7/16/2020 03:15:18 pm

Definitely my first thought as well 🤣😭

Jeremiah

7/16/2020 02:01:34 pm

As always, we are glad to hear you are making progress and also that you seem to be enjoying said process with jokes and memes. Onward, to consumption by the Great Elders!

Alex

7/16/2020 02:02:17 pm

If whole scenes are cut due to editing for pacin6that still make sense in the book, could they go in an appendix?

Arindam Ghosh

7/16/2020 02:02:33 pm

So basically in a couple of weeks when the Abidan sends a tidal wave to erase all evidence of Covid hitting Florida.

Chris

7/16/2020 02:04:26 pm

Your kicking butt! I’m running out of books to keep me busy while I wait. I’m currently listening to Sufficiently Advanced Magic. In some small ways the main character and one of his mentors remind me of Lennon and Fisher Guesha. (*spelling cuz I don’t actually read the books, I listen). Perhaps distant cousins. I noticed that a character from the Travelers Gate series made a cameo. Did you help with or co-write these books?

Chris

7/17/2020 05:49:54 pm

Never mind, I’m a bit further through this book now. I probably won’t finish it.. doesn’t seem like something you would contribute to.

Zac

7/22/2020 11:47:48 am

You need to read schooled in magic you would love it

From the Internet

7/16/2020 02:08:08 pm

Leave that sucker long! Don’t second-guess your first instincts and definitely don’t over-prune!

Kandra

7/16/2020 02:18:13 pm

I'm pretty sure that Florida will sink by the end of October. So...

Nikolai

7/16/2020 02:21:41 pm

Don't worry about us reading from your current 19328198239k words as there is a big chance we would still read it regardless.

The details make quality

Can't wait for the release !

Malziel

7/16/2020 02:22:47 pm

Hi Will,

From what I've read, I think the general consensus among your fans is that we would prefer if you avoid cutting anything that isn't absolutely unnecessary! I know you are trying to keep the book length relatively even throughout the series but there is just so much that needs to happen in the series for our protagonists. Not to mention the potential for story lines from the perspective of Abidan or even Orthos/Lindon's family. With such a rich world to explore, I believe I speak for many of your fans when I say we would enjoy it even if you think some of the scenes are a bit "fluffy", so to speak.

A lot of the main criticisms from Uncrowned seem to stem from the missing scenes and I for one, would have loved to get a chance to read them.

Regardless, thank you for the update and I look forward to getting back to reading some Cradle!
Thank you!

ANDREW

7/16/2020 03:01:02 pm

such as the scene that shows the Archlord weapon vault selection? That would be nice.

Madeline

7/18/2020 12:35:16 pm

Truly, I would rather have a full length volume about Orthos's quest to hit Underlord, with Lindon's family, in a cursed valley where Gold is the limit, than Wintersteel. Will hitting Jade heal Lindon's father's eyes and/or leg? Will they be able to find a light/dreams Remnant for Kelsa?

Chris

7/18/2020 12:56:39 pm

Yes! That would be an adventure worthy of a dragon!

Nick

7/19/2020 02:28:55 pm

I think elder whisper might die in a fight and kelsa will bond with his remnant.

zac

7/22/2020 11:49:38 am

need this now

Dylan

9/3/2020 10:11:54 am

I think that he said on the first of april that Lindons family and orthos have already died, I think that the opening of the labrinth in blackflame (I think) awoke the dreadnoughts so a different one has already sweapt over the valley and killed everyone there. The only one I could see possibly surviving would be orthos. He is a key character to this story so I don't think Will would just have him die with out even giving us the scene where he dies.

Wallaby Vonwise

7/16/2020 02:23:52 pm

Oh this is an exciting mile stone, congrats! I can't wait to see what you've come up with!

RemoveFlorida

7/16/2020 02:25:15 pm

Anyone else want to help cut Florida off from the mainland?

Quinn

7/16/2020 02:47:52 pm

I will get my shovel ...

Dylan

9/3/2020 10:12:59 am

Same

That one guy

7/17/2020 07:10:34 pm

Just ask bugs bunny https://youtu.be/xiTM2HQ0g98

Josh

7/21/2020 07:06:11 pm

“So I'm thinking it will probably be released shortly before Florida rejoins Atlantis at the bottom of the sea.”

Almost seems an irresponsible promise given the dedication I see here :D

Pix

7/29/2020 02:13:36 am

As the person from Florida, just wait for all the beach goers and such to finish each other off. I have not had in person contact in months, almost half a year now.... but amazon will deliver groceries so all good down here as long as the yard doesn’t flood.
And. CUT. NOTHING. NOT A SINGLE THING I NEED MORE TO READ.

Grumpy

7/16/2020 02:32:27 pm

So is Florida joining Atlantis before or after the Slug people? Are you practicing your underwater breathing and writing skills? I am sure there is a path for that.

Summary

7/16/2020 02:45:27 pm

In short: We want it all. We want it all. And we want it now.

Clint

7/16/2020 02:48:43 pm

If you could push that to 200k words, i think it'd be for the best.

ThatDoesSoundGoodTho

7/17/2020 05:36:01 am

I second that

Nick

7/19/2020 02:29:56 pm

I third that.

zac

7/22/2020 11:50:23 am

I fourth that

Dylan

9/3/2020 10:15:07 am

I fifth that

Paul Guy

7/16/2020 02:54:13 pm

It will be what it will be, but one could always release 2 versions

Scott

7/16/2020 03:07:50 pm

I for one am for longer books , there just too much going on now

Could even write the looooong version but release it as two books which still fits in to your two books a year

Braden

7/16/2020 03:38:27 pm

"So I'm thinking it will probably be released shortly before Florida rejoins Atlantis at the bottom of the sea."

So ... not soon enough?

Cress

7/16/2020 04:01:58 pm

I think it is cruel and unusual punishment to tell us your book is currently hitting 190k words, and you might cut it down to 120k!?!
How could you do this?? What are you cutting?? What will we be missing??
I agree with the first comment... Cut. Nothing.
We simply cannot deal with the disappearance of untold chapters whose contents we may never know!
Have some compassion on you poor readers. It is far from certain we could ever recover from such a blow!

Will link

7/17/2020 10:52:15 am

190k what?

No no, 140! 190 to 120 would be way too much to cut. At that point I'd be looking at an entire extra book.

Akura Harmony

7/16/2020 04:31:22 pm

Akura sounds Japanese. Is Lindon Chinese?

And looking forward to that new book!

Marvin

7/16/2020 09:11:01 pm

You need racial sensitivity training

zac

7/22/2020 11:51:46 am

Shut up you filthy commie bandit

Bewildered

7/16/2020 11:43:13 pm

European I'd've thought. Lindon definitely isn't Chinese. Lin could be, but 'don' is not a Chinese sound or word - it'd need to be dan, den, or dun.

The Real Marvin

7/20/2020 07:16:42 am

None of the above. Lindon is a fantasy cultivation ethnicity, which can be whatever Will wants.

Although, most cultivation stories basically have ancient Chinese culture... and that's it. In the entire universe. Even the monsters are wearing scholarly robes and pursuing the Dao.

Nikhil

7/16/2020 04:35:54 pm

I have to agree with the previous commenters who say "cut nothing" in terms of substantive scenes. This far into the series, I think most readers want as much of this world as they can get.

Adam

7/16/2020 05:07:03 pm

I love long books... otherwise they are over too quickly. Cut to improve the story- not to make it shorter. I'll read every word, I promise.

Zeshaan

7/16/2020 05:55:44 pm

Please make it longer! And maybe start writing the next one as soon as this one is done...

Dungeonologist

7/16/2020 06:02:24 pm

All the books in Cradle are a testament to your process. I hope you can harvest enough Sword Madra to cut 20k words in no time.

Avinash

7/16/2020 06:10:16 pm

So guys I have been away for a while and I had a few questions , so bear with me if it's already answered.

1_ why is Kell`rack blindfolded with the steel blindfold when he talked with the consultants . Cause its was before the time of elder war in which ester six blindfolded him

2_ was it ever confirmed that shera is the SPIDER.

3_ the mad king (or whatever his name was ) who bought the duplicate scythe , he had a GREATER ELDER or Class one fiend inside him but he was in control. So technically Jenni was right and Carter could have taken over Kell`rack .
Also he had a face so he wasn't darius Albright with a hint of creeping shadow ?? Right?
4_ so too lazy to check so if anyone can tell me
what happened to the 4th regent
What did shera promise teach
5_regents were the original guild inspiration
Ester- blackwatch+champion
Jorin- alchemists+royal guards
Loreli- lumerian+witness
The squat guy- magisterial+???? (Greenwarden maybe?)

Avinash

7/16/2020 07:01:48 pm

Guys forget the second
I just remembered that SPIDER was a guy

I just equated spy+lazy to shera!!

Kc L

7/16/2020 06:45:06 pm

Its a masterpiece as is. I'd be happy to read it amd confirm this for you if you'd like 👍 😉

Lindon

7/16/2020 06:54:14 pm

This one would ask that you cut nothing!! The longer the better!!

Keii

7/16/2020 07:17:59 pm

The most disappointing part of your books are when they inevitably end and the wait for the next one begins. Don't restrict yourself to an upper limit on word count. I'm sure every one of your fans would appreciate a nice, thick volume.

Ian

7/16/2020 07:26:54 pm

FFS cut nothing. Also I live in Orlando and would happily beta read for you

Bryce

7/16/2020 09:15:10 pm

This is so exciting. Personally I am hoping you end up adding and we get closer to 200k but tbqh I've loved all your books so you'll make a better choice than me lol. Can't wait to read it!

Bewildered

7/16/2020 11:55:13 pm

143,452 words and thinking of cutting, why?

Blackflame at 111k words - 370 pages
Underlord at 103k words - 350 pages
Uncrowned at 93k words - 336 pages

Correia's next book is 448 pages
Modesitt's next book is 464 pages
Sanderson's next book is 1088 pages!

So long as the writing is gold, adding an extra hundred pages or so is absolutely no problem!!! :-)

On a completely unrelated note, since someone upthread suggested Lindon and Yerin might go on a date, what's wrong with Mercy? Or staying with the celibate monk\knight\warrior model? :-) Can't we stick with Lindon saving the dragon and slaying the princess (yes my order is deliberate), before any of that relational stuff? :-P

Diego

7/27/2020 01:26:30 pm

I mean as long as it doesn't devolve into a silly Xianxia with Lindon getting a harem I'm good. I think the date might just help character development. Its motivation for each of them to keep up with each other.

Ock D. Tohr

7/17/2020 12:18:47 am

So you admit then that Florida was once part of the mighty Atlantean Empire?

Indrek

7/17/2020 12:52:39 am

Cut nothing. And release uncut versions of previous books! I would buy them for double the price TODAY.

Leos

7/17/2020 02:37:07 am

Man oh man. hearing there is going to be so much stuff to read make me want it right now.

Sword Immortal Darknorth

7/17/2020 07:49:41 am

Keep writing at this speed Will! This speed is good. We'll get through all 3 realms of the Way in no time.

DesperateFan

7/17/2020 09:07:14 am

I know you're probably going to cut pieces. How would you feel about releasing the cut scenes here on your blog. It would be cool to have an extended edition.

To keep with your KU contract, you'd probably have to leave the uncut sections as part of the book and write stuff like "...this next five paragraphs is Yerin thinking to herself during chapter 6, paragraph 4. It was later replaced by the single sentence at that location but the older version gives more information. Please turn to chapter 6 paragraph 4 in your Wintersteel books before reading this next section..."

Craig

7/17/2020 09:27:45 am

Regardless of the number of words, they will be devoured faster. The masses will be back in a few days after the release, scratching and twitching, demanding the next hit of the good stuff.

kris

7/17/2020 11:11:46 am

I agree with the first comment. Cut nothing content-wise. I was just rereading Uncrowned again the other day. I think that one of the issues I had with that particular book is that I couldn't understand WHY most of the characters were acting the way they were. Why didn't the Akura team actually spend any time training as a TEAM? WHY didn't Malice notice that 3/4 of the teams representing her were attacked? This is also I think the longest time that Lindon has gone without trying to advance to the next stage. Even if it's a long journey or whatever, I'd expect him to have at least ASKED someone what it took to reach Overlord. Especially as advancement during the tournament is allowed. One of the things I really enjoy about Lindon is how he doesn't let the fact that something has always been done a certain way stop him from looking for new solutions to the challenges he faces.

Either way, stay safe while you work.

Diego

7/27/2020 01:32:34 pm

I mean Lindon has to reach the peak of Underlord before thinking of advancement. Seeing as he wasn't near Ethan whom tolerates his questions, I dont think he felt comfortable asking someone else. He already knows he has to remake his body again at each Lord stage.

Sabrina

7/17/2020 02:44:16 pm

Cut nothing, release!!

Steve

7/17/2020 05:32:08 pm

Looking forward to Eithan,Lindon,Yerin,Mercy & Orthos all reaching Archlord together. What form will Orthos take? When will Lindon get Harmony’s axe back from Charity?HURRY UP!!!!!!

Dave

7/17/2020 07:55:50 pm

Will,

This may the unpopular opinion in this thread but... cut whatever you feel you need or want to. I trust you.

slickone

7/18/2020 02:14:16 am

might i point out the blackflame and underlord are your best and second best cradle books?

Austin

8/24/2020 09:09:01 am

I agree blackflame is the best book but underlord is not the second best book

Devin

7/20/2020 06:08:44 am

Super excited for Wintersteel! It will be interesting to see how different the flow of the book is with this new writing process.

Also with how popular and well received Brandon Sanderson's Kickstarter was, will you be doing a hardcover/special edition by Kickstarter at some point? I remember you mentioned it might be a possibility in the past.

Phil

7/24/2020 08:22:37 am

I second this! Would love to get some cool extra or exclusive swag via Kickstarter for WS.

Invarse

7/20/2020 06:38:19 am

Cut whatever is needed to make it as excellent as possible.

JK, plz dont cut, I can't take it.

Quiero

7/20/2020 08:19:25 pm

Dear Will,

We want the thickness

Love,

The Fanbase

Greg

7/21/2020 05:34:36 am

I'm Glad that this will have generous amounts of content. I feel that ever since midway through "Underlord" you've been cutting or leaving out too much content from your books. Most of what you're lacking is World building, and character arcs.

I can go into detail if you want, but the short version is that you are creating people, places, plot events, etc and are telling the readers that they are at least Moderately important, but then either not giving them the attention/detail that that entails, or are improperly wrapping up their interaction in the story.

7/21/2020 08:07:04 am

“Improperly” LOLZ

indreq

7/21/2020 01:59:56 pm

one of the main reasons i am also in "cut nothing" party. There have been several characters who seem kind of important to just drop off the world without further mention. I am always thinking that maybe they will come back later, but then there is quite a few of them already, when they eventually do surface again, it is getting crowded. And then we would want to know what they have been up to meanwhile etc. And then there is this archlord vault missing scene and some other spots where we dont have much explanation why things are happening in a way they do...So please - dont cut and release uncut versions of previous books... please...?

kris

7/22/2020 12:05:27 pm

I think that it depends in the types of story you're writing as to how much 'fluff' to include. Take a character like Dirk Pitt or Jack Reacher for example. Both of those characters are pretty much 'mature' from the get go. Not a huge amount of character development, so the stories can be tightly written to emphasis the action.

By contrast, most of the characters in the Cradle series are still changing and (if you'll excuse the pun) advancing. So your stories need more of those character building scenes in order for us to make that journey with your characters.

I have absolutely no idea how to do that....lol...so...maybe try and strike a balance somewhere between Jim Butcher's Dresden Files and Jordan's Wheel of Time? We see Harry Dresden mature as a person and a wizard over the course of the series without having to have every braid tug emphasized or dress described in excruciating detail. :)

Steven

7/21/2020 07:21:40 am

I trust you Will. As much as Yerin trusts Eithan.

Aaron

7/21/2020 08:19:39 pm

Dude, I started reading your series while my wife was pregnant, and just after our child was born. You managed to capture the authentic LOVE of tabletop rpgs I had as a teenager - complete with power-ups, character development, twists, turns, and world building. WITH the scope of truly epic Anime/Fantasy novels thrown in. And made it feel lean and fun.

Which was precisely what I needed and still do. Please, keep growing as an author. Be ambitious. Write hard. Write fast. Cut the worst of the fat. But leave us alll that delicious everything else.

So you can work on the one after this one, obviously :P

WAYNE SMITH

7/22/2020 10:30:08 pm

Hey Will Wight huge fan of the cradle series I have probably read every book in series about 10 - 15 times now. I can't wait for Wintersteel even more so since you said it will be the longest book so far. I spend a lot of time reading ( so far for 2020 I have read just a little north of 200 books) but even so I still find few books that can grab my attention and pull me in like the cradle series so for that I want to thank you for taking the time to make these books as good as they are. I was also wondering if you ever thought about setting up a Q and A for after wintersteels release so fans like myself can ask you about your favorite part of the book and most challenging part to write. So far Orthos has to be one of my favorite characters. I also look forward to how you Lindon progress his path of twin stars and finding out more about Ethan strength and past.

Jon

7/23/2020 04:32:08 pm

Commenting on the "zero cuts" mentality...

I've done a lot of checking out random stuff from the library. Netflix taught me that I don't have to finish what I start and my library wanderings have reinforced the message. And I learned...

More content does not mean a better product.

Cutting to an arbitrary target may not be beneficial. But. For every person who says "I don't care if the scene is just Yerin snoring adorably for four pages! Gimme!"... there's another fan who can only stomach a certain percentage of fluff.

Will has to write, I should imagine, for both.

Ben

8/1/2020 11:04:29 pm

Agree with Jon, and disagree with the cut nothing crowd. Your writing is great because you cut out all the weak filler material that other authors leave in, and you tell us a complete story in each book.

"If I'd asked customers what they wanted, they would've told me a faster horse." You've already made the car, don't make us a faster horse!

Love your books, keep it up!

K Lawrence

7/27/2020 08:39:52 pm

Follow the same basic process - add during the editing!!! We want the full story, the way your imagination intended it!

Tampa Mel

7/29/2020 05:18:19 pm

I can’t believe that I’ve spent the last week or more completely consumed with this series, ignoring vital life functions, only to find that I have to WAIT for the conclusion?! That’s just cruel. Write fast, please. And I 100% agree with everything everybody else said - the longer the better!

M Bomb

7/29/2020 11:56:53 pm

Keep all of the story. Make it a 2k page epic, like Herbert or Fiest. That way, by the time we reread the book and the series the next one will be available.
Either way keep up the amazing work and good luck with your new epic adventures with Ariel and King Triton.

Nivi

8/1/2020 10:21:31 pm

Can you write a blogpost on your writing process for Wintersteel vs other books? I'm curious about any tips & tricks that you found working for you

Nevin

8/2/2020 07:41:10 pm

Status= Archlord/ 100% draft 3. Ooooh My, is now when I do the re-read??

Earl of sunset

8/2/2020 11:29:38 pm

Because you have sword madra im wondering if there is sheil madra and if there is how does it work

Earl of sunset

8/2/2020 11:31:18 pm

I meant "sheild "

Tochi

8/14/2020 01:13:06 am

Hey!

Hope you & yours are staying safe in these crazy times.

Just wanted to ask—how does one become a draft reader, if such a thing were within the realm of becoming?

I’m already on the mail list, but that does not seem to be it.

Best!

Bigscott

8/21/2020 07:59:05 pm

OMG! I can't wait for Wintersteel! The Cradle series is my favorite book series, by far. As a life long martial artist AND fantasy fanatic, I can't get enough. LOVE IT!

Matthew Trappett

9/8/2020 09:46:21 am

I am more excited for this book than I was for Christmas as a little kid. When ever the release date is announced, I am quite positive that I won’t be able to sleep the night before because of my excitement for it.

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