Official Website of David Farland
About David Farland
Known as the “Wizard of Storytelling,” writing sensation and author of over 60 novels and short stories, David wrote short stories as a child and dreamed of growing up to become a fantasy writer. He gained experience in a number of career paths but never lost sight of his goals. Finally, after saving money for years, he decided to risk it all and go to Brigham Young University to study.
While there, he became ill and feverish and started having some fantastic dreams. In one such dream, two futuristic mercenaries were taking shelter in the skull of some giant beast while waiting out a rainstorm. His dreams became so vivid and lifelike that he had to put them in a story called “On My Way to Paradise.”
He entered it into the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest and won the grand prize for the year, the Gold Award. He was immediately contracted by Bantam Books to turn the short story into a novel of the same name, along with a contract to write two more books. The novel, On My Way to Paradise spent several months on the Locus Science Fiction Best-seller list, and won a Phillip K. Dick Memorial Special Award for being one of the best science fiction novels of the year.
He wrote science fiction for ten years under his given name David Wolverton, during which he wrote several best sellers. After having mastered science fiction, David decided it was time to take another risk and try writing fantasy, hoping to realize his childhood dream. So as not to confuse his readers, he wrote his fantasies under the name David Farland.
He had to work hard to achieve notoriety in two genres, but eventually his fantasy books started hitting the New York Times Best Seller’s list, beginning with the third book of the Runelords series entitled Wizardborn.
He has not only achieved his childhood dream, but in doing so, became popular in two genres and has amassed many awards for his short fiction in particular, and set a Guinness Record for the world’s largest book signing–a record that he still holds. In 1991, David became a judge for one of the world’s largest writing contests, the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, and reads thousands of stories each year, editing an annual anthology, and teaches writing classes to new and experienced writers.
David wrote sixty-plus published books. These include novels for adults, young adults, anthologies, middle-grade readers, and picture books.
David Farland was an award-winning, international best-selling author with over 60 novels in print. He won the Philip K. Dick Memorial Special Award for his science fiction novel On My Way to Paradise, the Whitney Award for “Best Novel of the Year” for his historical novel In the Company of Angels, and he won over seven awards—including the International Book Award and the Hollywood Book Festival, Grand Prize—for his fantasy thriller Nightingale. He is best known, however, for his International and New York Times best-selling fantasy series The Runelords. Farland also wrote over 20 books for the Star Wars franchise.
As a writing instructor, Farland mentored and got publishing deals for dozens who have gone on to staggering literary success, including such #1 Bestsellers as Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time), James Dashner (The Maze Runner) and Stephenie Meyer (Twilight).
He has been hailed as “the wizard of storytelling” and his work has been called “compelling,” “engrossing,” “powerful,” “profound,” and “ultimately life-changing.”
David Farland also helps those who want to become successful authors with his books specifically for authors: Million Dollar Outlines, Drawing on the Power of Resonance in Writing, Blockbuster Book Signings, and NaNoWriMo Inspirations. Farland has a website which is an invaluable tool for aspiring and published writers worldwide, MyStoryDoctor.com.
David Farland passed away in January 2022, but his wisdom remains with us today through his books, pre-recorded courses and his impact on the writing community.
Helpful links:
Brandon Sanderson – Dave Wolverton a Friend and Mentor
https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/s3r0rl/david_wolverton_has_passed_away/
What People Have To Say About Dave:
“When I reached the end of this first volume, The Runelords, and saw grace arise from a devastating battlefield where too many great hearts lay dead, Farland had earned the tears that came to my eyes. It was not sentiment but epiphany.”
Orson Scott Card
“David Farland is the single greatest discovery of my professional career.”
Algis Budrys
“The Runelords is a first-rate tale, an epic fantasy that more than delivers on its promise. Read it soon and treat yourself to an adventure you won’t forget.”