Brooks Steps Back From Writing

Bestselling fantasy writer Terry Brooks announced his semi-retire­ment from writing in a post on his website and social media March 8, 2025. He also announced that author Delilah Dawson will become his co-author on the Shannara series going forward.

Brooks wrote,

Let’s start with a few life facts that I have come to accept and just recently decided to address. I am now eighty-one years old. I have been writing in the Shannara series since 1968 – which is more than fifty years. I have written steadily with no breaks save for vacations and illnesses. I have a total count of just under fifty books to my name as of today. In all that time, I have been writing at least one book or often two at the same time.

I am still writing regularly, but I noticed recently that my physical and mental abilities have diminished. Not that I am derailed in any measurable way from what I was, but my endurance, concentration, attention span and memory are not what they once were. All this is a function of what aging involves and living requires of us at one point or another. I knew this was coming, but I did not expect it when it arrived and have spent my eightieth year com­ing to terms with its presence.

He will ‘‘step back from my intense writing lifestyle and settle down into a form or semi-retirement.’’ Starting with his next Shannara title Galaphile he is ‘‘engaging help from another writer in steering the series in the proper direction with the necessary amount of care. I will no longer be doing the primary writing. My new co-author will take on that task.’’ Brooks will continue to offer ideas, suggestions, and the vision for the series.

He says he and Dawson have been friends for years, and that ‘‘both my editor and I have agreed that she is the right choice to take on the task of continuing Shannara…. She is every bit as profes­sionally capable and committed as I am.’’

Brooks concludes by thanking ‘‘all of you who have followed my work throughout my career and contributed so much happiness to my life. I started out with little knowledge and no experi­ence to become a writer, and I had no reason to think I would ever achieve the success I have…. I am grateful to you for so much.’’ For his full state­ment, see his website.

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