Hey. Professor Lionheart here. Love your videos and have been watching. I'd like to share some of what I've been working with. I'm pleased with my first novel trilogy (Psyber War Lionheart), but it was my first and I've made a newer edition. It is a comedy with elements of Law & Order and Star Trek, mixed with anime. I ended up taking way too much time Tolkienizing my world and universe (still evident in the prologue). Shutdown Republic was fun too, being a courtroom comedy. It takes place in Texas 🤠 Variable Horizons was a short "choose your own adventure" that could have been longer (went with the Packard shorter ones rather than the D&D length). Lastly, Wake: The Coma VR Experiment was a short part 1 of someone who is given admin access to a coma-based VR game so that he can remake parts of the world. The last two are much shorter as I was wanting to see if there was a market for that (post apocalyptic but thinking it's just an RV park until the end for the former). I also wrote a nonfiction called America's Historic Documents Lionheart (you pretty much need to put my name after for the algorithm). Its mostly a compilation of...well, America's historical documents 😂. Currently, however, I'm limited to who knows me and word of mouth. I work full time and don't have access to anyone who knows anyone in the marketing realm. I'll definitely have to grab your books. I'm glad you were able to market well and can reduce your work hours. Wish you all the best!
hiii, what's your style sir? all your books come from a single huge worldbuilding? Or you make any different for each of your stories? i want to read some of science-magic base on a very very huge and coherent/realistic worldbuilding. Maybe you have suggestion sir. thx keep on making videos you rock.
The BYU Lectures are what sold me on Brandon as a storyteller. But, what I find incredibly encouraging is that he really sells you on the idea that writing is not an in-born talent, but it is a skill that you can learn, practice, and master. The course does focus a little on how to get published, but the main gist of the course is helping the fledgling authors in the audience to learn to love the art of writing itself. At least that's what it did for me and pushed me to check out his work for inspiration.
this!! I’ve always said I’m a crafty person but not artsy. I have the patience and determination to teach myself crafts (crochet, knit, etc) but I always believed the arts required innate talent. the way he reframed the skill of writing craft opened my eyes and changed my entire perspective! 🤯💛
I remember watching these lectures as well. I was working in a career I wasn't passionate about, hardly getting any writing done because of life and my schedule. Now, gosh... five years later (maybe?) I've changed careers to becoming a full-time writer, editor, freelancer, and content creator with half a dozen short stories published, and finally, feel like I am making progress in that "10-year" plan. Thank you for the video! Really enjoyed hearing your thoughts!
Definitely give some of his work a read when you have the chance. Most of his books have phenomenal audio versions available if that's more your style too. If you don't want to start a long series right now Elantris and Warbreaker are both excellent standalone books.
Flaws/limitations/handicaps is an interesting trichotomy. I want to explore the idea of three characters who all share a trait, but for one it’s a flaw, one it’s a limitation, and one it’s a handicap. For example: Consider “can’t fight.” For one character, that might be a flaw they need to fix by training. For another, it’s a handicap they overcome by learning other ways to help out in combat situations. And for a third, it’s a limitation, and they just don’t participate in combat scenes.
As I teen I was mostly into action, but as i got older i realized some of most emmersive story don't even need a single fight scene. As long as you can weave a good tale, it can work
9:02 my favorite part is that Sanderson is clearly caring a water bottle right under a sign that says no food or drink. HAHA! But seriously, thank you for this summary. Very cool to hear from a legend like this.
This is so helpful, especially the advice on using the settings in the dialogue once in a while, and using said and asked dialogue tags. Thanks to the both of you!
i like the magic system from the webtoon "nothing special"- its a hard magic system, it has defined rules, but its such a convoluted and hard to learn system that only a few characters can understand and use it at an advanced level
Thank you for this! I have recommended to so many people to watch Sanderson’s lectures-which can be daunting-but your video summed them up beautifully. I can tell a lot of work went into this. Thank you, again! It’s also nice to rewatch this when I feel discouraged or don’t know where to begin my writing again. I will be recommending your video and channel!
Wow! I'm super jealous :D. What were some of the interesting things you saw in person that maybe didn't come across in the videos/recordings? Would love to hear your insights
My first four published works were done discovery style with only a hint of an outline. This made the editing process take forever. When I had an accident that left me w a permanent injury that made it very hard to sit down and use a keyboard, I switched to dictation and very quickly realized that dictation kinda requires an outline. Since then, I've drafted faster and edited faster. No shade to people who discovery write because I used to be one and I don't think my stories are worse because of it, but having a solid outline just makes the whole process faster. Thanks for sharing your insights and commentary on Sanderson's class!
I've been watching Brandon's lectures for a long time, but it's very interesting to see the content boiled down to what you specifically believed was the most valuable advice. I think you seem like you could be a great writer.
I especially love the insight about magic cost as well as character limitations, handicaps and flaws. Giving characters everything, as well as multiple motivations has been a big help to me.
Thanks Jed, as fan of Brandon's RUclips videos, I thought you did an excellent job and expressed excitement. I was impressed by your last statement because I have just hooked my 86 year old mother on writing and not only does she have her fist book out, she is actively writing her second book. I can feel her excitement!
I find writing courses to be really hit or miss, and tended to only watch the sanderson lectures when I was hitting a specific problem in my writing because looking for more specific information helped me. I appreciate the condensed version of these courses though because it means I can just watch this video.
Thank you 1000 times, this video is a condensed (introductory) lesson on writing in general, I'm trying to start writing something like short stories for now, and I'm trying to focus on what are the key areas I should pay attention to. I know this is most suited for fantasy stories but most of the things you and sanderson say make sense in general
Loved this video, Jed (and not just because of my brief head cameo 👀). I watched the Sanderson lectures a long time ago and it was really great to get a bulletpointed refresher version. I took a lot of notes, and expect some of this to come up in our next coaching session. You've definitely taken and utilized Brandon's advice quite well--not only as a writer, but as a mentor/instructor as well
I just stumbled across your channel and this video is spectacular! I've watched his lectures all the way through once, but I'm picking through them again now as I plot my next novel. Brandon Sanderson is truly an inspiration! I have a lot of respect for him too. Also, you structured this video so well! This was such a great recap and you hit all of his key takeaways perfectly.
Fantastic video! I’ve seen all of the BYU lectures and you did a great job of boiling them down to the key highlights while providing further examples and ideas. Only 5,000 subscribers right now, but mark my words, with this kind of quality content you will break 50k and 100k before too long.
If there's one thing I learned about good writing, is that nobody can teach you it. You need to teach yourself how you can do this. All good writing, while it might _seem_ subjective by its very nature, is actually a fundamental core anybody can unlock in themselves if they have the drive and willpower to do it. Your video and Brandon's lectures are insightful and pave the way for writers out there to find their way into this world covered in pitch-black. What lights along the way, they stumble from what they learn is burned even brighter by the encouragement that's given. So never give up. Keep going and you will be successful.
I will be the one to say that these videos will go on living for decades. Man you are making a hell lot of good work! Keep it up. You’re our guide, a teacher and you know what, I will include you in my book somehow 😂
I also find the use of beats is very helpful in controlling the dialogue's tempo or rhythm and creating suspense. It's really cool to rewrite a suspenseful scene 3 or 4 times, adding and removing beats and lines, and see it slowly turn into what feels like a pressure cooker of tension.
I feel like I improved a lot just by watching I'm only just beginning my structure and this improved it but I'm gonna have to do a rewrite of all 5-6 chapters I planned out (ik it's not much but it is for me) Thanks for this video and showing me who Brandon Sanderson is ill go through his playlist in full again Thank you I appreciate the advice you give
I took this course as well last year (about the same time you did). It gave me the foundation I needed to start and finish my first novel (it took me a whole year). I'm dying to get back into the first draft and start fixing things, but I have other (job related) obligations to focus on first. You finally summary is spot on the money. I'm not writing to be the next big top selling novelist. I write because I have a unique, engaging story to tell, and I loved giving each chapter to my beta-readers to see their reactions and speculation about what would happen next.
I loved this, I’ve watched this lecture series twice now and it’s great to have a quick version. I found the background music highly distracting though
It has been interesting watching your "Writing Tips" videos, thank you for creating them. They have served primarily to reinforce my confidence in my own talents. My High School Novel teacher was the first of many to compare my writing style and tone to J R R Tolkien. This was initially hard for me to accept because of my adoration for "The Professor". I do not agree 100% with Mr Sanderson's views on certain subjects, but he does make many solid points. As of Oct 9th 2023, I sent my (multi-media) agent a signed publishing contract (7 novel by Dec. 31, 2026) with Speaking Volumes.
It's been a couple of years since I watched Sanderson's videos, so I really appreciate this "Cliff Notes" version. You would be a good addition to the Writing Excuses podcast, which Sanderson co-created. It's a great resource for aspiring novelists.
Thank you for this. I wasn’t able to watch him before, all a bit overwhelming. But your video really helped and I will watch more now. I don’t do magic and sci-if, but this is still very helpful.
Another great video, thank you Jed! This was actually how I discovered Brandon Sanderson. I was looking for some online writing courses (not that I needed them coz I still have 3 incomplete ones, oops) and his RUclips lectures came up. I do like to see the advice that different people give as it helps me know that I'm on the right path, especially when they say the same things as each other.
I watched his lecture twice so far, over the past few years - and whenever I get back into writing. (busy animator dad cancer life). I enjoy the lecture a lot. You can pick up things on a re-watch for sure.
Thank you for this video I’m writing my first novel, it was an draft that I used ChatGPT 3 to flush out my ideas, and then I am now writing it in my own words, the original draft was 46 pages I believe and it was around 14,714words I want to bring the final draft up to 100,000 words so a full novel. But thank you for this video. I want to mention that word count I gave earlier is about 100 words less than that, because that includes my epilogue at the end of the book.
Can you use both a hard magic and soft magic? Combining them? Or at least hide a hard magic behind a curtain of soft magic? Like the Wizard of Oz almost, with the Wizard hiding behind the curtain using machinery to produce "Magic". But more like Harry Potter, where the protagonist is new to the world of magic, so everything seems so wonderous and amazing. It's so mystical and mysterious, until you slowly start to learn about how it works and how you can use it, then you can slowly start to use it to solve problems, like in the Sorcerer's Stone, when the wizarding trio learn how to use Windgardian Leviosa (Or however you spell it) using magic to levitate an item, then in a later scene, Ron uses the spell to levitate a club of a Troll and drops it on his head. So, the idea here is to create a hard system of magic with rules, however, write the story through the eyes of someone who is naive or uneducated about it. So for most of the book, it looks mysterious, mystical and this godly power that's beyond the touch of human comprehension, but slowly, as the story progresses, the character slowly learns how to use it and the rules of it. As the character learns specific spells and rules, they then can use what they learn to solve problems. So at first, it's mystical and mysterious. Beyond the understanding of mortal beings. Almost like how Frodo surely views Gandalf. However, the protag experiences some event or whatever (That's foreshadowed beforehand) that gives him the ability to use magic. Or maybe he had it all along like Harry Potter did and you can foreshadow that like in Harry Potter. However, over the course of the story, you slowly pull back the curtain, showing the uses and rules of the magic you've established, transitioning (At least in the eyes of the reader) from a soft magic system, to a hard magic system (Even though in the context of the world, it was a hard magic system all along). That way your reader can experience both an awe and mysticism of magic while slowly coming to understand how it works and kinda being impressed at how your character learns and uses the magic to solve the problems, like in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archives, with Shallen (However you spell her name) using her shardcasting abilities to create illusions to help her investigate and discover the enemies as she learns how her own abilities work.
Yep, I absolutely agree - you can blend and mix and match this stuff as much as you want. As you note, most of the best magic systems start 'soft' but become 'hard' as we discover more of the story
This is actually the way Brandon writes parts of his magic. Essentially the characters start understanding some things about the magic. Other weird stuff they don't understand happens with the magic. The characters then try to discover what this new crazy magic is. On a side note you can also have 2 types of magic in a story. Brandon gives the example of Lord of the Rings, where Gandalf uses soft magic that is kind of hand-wavy and mysterious and wonderful, while the one ring is a very specific magic item that has clearly defined effects: it makes you invisible, it draws sauron's attention, and it makes you more wraith like over time.
An example a lot of people use for using both kinds of systems is Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller series. Sympathy is a hard magic system with rules and limitations, to the point of characters being able to make and follow blueprints to replicate the same effect. Meanwhile, Naming is a bit softer of a system, more nebulous and less rule-bound as far as what you can do once you know the name.
I really enjoyed these lectures, too. I just hit the 10-year mark since I started writing seriously---so maybe this is my year! LOL I've written 9 books in the past 10 years (and rewrote two of those, so 11 book-length pieces of work total), but time's a little more scarce now that I'm a parent in addition to working a full-time job. But I try to find at least 2 hours a week to write. Some weeks it works out, some weeks it doesn't, but I keep plugging away, because there's no other way to get the work done! I've self-published a handful of books but I really want to try and break into the traditional space with one of my more recent ones. Now if only querying didn't take away from writing time.... XD
I dont know what it is about this Sanderson guy but he reminds me of Quentin Tarentino I just bought the first Mistborne book, i havent read a book since the eragon books back like 10 years ago and this book just interests me Would love to start reading again like i used to
I really want to write a book with my mom, I've written my own already and am rewriting it atm, but I want to make a collaboration with her, because she's the only person who I know who writes and just want to collab with someone. But she's so difficult to work with and I have to hold back on the diversity in the story we're working on, because she doesn't like it. So I've decided to just ask on the internet to make a friend to write with, because I know they're not gonna try and gaslight me as much as my mom is doing.
Hey Richard! Here's my guidelines: 1. You will get the absolute most out of the program if you have a completed, full manuscript. 2. However, I do have one client who is in the process of writing his debut novella. I'd say he's written around 5,000-10,000 words, which gives us more than enough to dissect and discuss in our 1-on-1 coaching calls. So in short, it's not impossible to go through the program without a finished book. The default structure of the program does assume a completed manuscript, but because this is a 1-on-1 program, there is room for flexibility if you're not quite there yet. I'd suggest that you go ahead and fill out the application form - this will give me more details to decide whether you'd be a good fit for the program or not :)
Okay, then how do you deal with getting stuck in the outline process? How, when you are writing an outline and doing world building and character development do you get past the point were things could go two different ways, but not both? I've probably started a dozen outlines only to forget about them after months when I can't rectify crucial story elements.
I have seen his lectures several times. That's working if you are an English language writter. But I dont know if it will work to publish on my language.
I've never been much of a book reader and the only handful of books I've read in recent years are the Harry Potter books, but I've always disliked the usual dialogue format of which is then followed by "X said" and in Y manner. I'd rather know who is speaking and how they are speaking before I read what is being spoken so that I have that appropriate internal voice. So when writing I've been typically formatting dialogue more as how I'd expect it to be formatted in a movie or play script with the character's name followed by a colon and then the dialogue in quotations, but this becomes an obstacle when you want a character to talk who hasn't been introduced with a name yet or they are such a minor character, perhaps even just a background character in a passing crowd, who really doesn't need a name in the first place. In those nameless cases, I might revert to the more traditional dialogue format where it's just part of a normal paragraph, but then I wonder if the two differing formats might be distracting to a reader. I find it interesting that Sanderson brought up the bookisms of how "he said" and "he asked" are invisible to the reader, when for me it's basically the opposite. I find myself flowing much faster and more organically through dialogue when I concisely see dialogue in the script-like format, whereas in the other format I sometimes end up re-reading dialogue because someone else is speaking than the one that I initially thought was speaking. Often I wonder if I should be trying to write screenplays instead of books.
[36:13] The idea that dialogue should engage with the setting is something that I learned as a Dungeon Master. If my NPC didn't slam her knife into a table, or guzzle a drink at the bar, I could tell my PCs wouldn't engage with the space naturally. I keep regressing on that lesson, since I am imagining the space for myself-not my audience. I'm grateful that he made it compared to a white room, since that's where imagination goes to DIE.
Hi Jared! After watching this made me a big bullish to write my own story’s for fun. But I have a question - the famous authors of modern times like Brandon, jordan, sci fi like frank herbert, Ursula etc, do you think they would had made it even without writing courses/education?
Hello there! I was interested in the one on one program you talked about, but I’m not at a place in my book where Im ready for that. At my current pace, I’ll be finished with my first draft in a week or two and then I will begin the editing process. I have never written anything before and I know nothing about how to publish a book or even edit one, so I was hoping that you would be able to give me some guidance on that process as I get there. I am writing fantasy (mostly) as well. I’ve just discovered your videos recently, but they are extremely helpful, thank you!
I am a worldbuilder. It's been years since I draw the first version of this romanesc medievalish, fantasy world map. But every single attempt at writing a story so far has failed. Perhaps because I avoid outlining as if it was the plague.
Sanderson is pretty decent, but some of his advice is pretty off tbh. His points about the three basic elements of what a story is completely fall apart when you apply them to post-modern literature. Him talking about the promise of conflict/tension is a nice exercise, but I wouldn't label it anything close to a rule.
I like formulas and all, but I notice alot of times, when people get too wrapped up into tryin to check boxes. you end up with a industry (not just genres of stories) of people telling the same stories trying to emulate what put the most acclaimed at the craft, in their position. I wanna do something different. I know I might sound like a echo of edginess, but I atleast have to give it a shot.
I think it's way more important as a new author to get good at those formulas before you try and twist them, which is what I think the point of the course is. It's like learning how to trace art before you start drawing free hand off of imagination
![Coheed and Cambria - Searching for Tomorrow [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hDsYGLbmadg/mqdefault.jpg)
My next fantasy novel, Kingdom of Dragons, launches on Kickstarter on November 2nd!
Check it out here: bit.ly/kingdom-of-dragons
Hey. Professor Lionheart here. Love your videos and have been watching. I'd like to share some of what I've been working with.
I'm pleased with my first novel trilogy (Psyber War Lionheart), but it was my first and I've made a newer edition. It is a comedy with elements of Law & Order and Star Trek, mixed with anime. I ended up taking way too much time Tolkienizing my world and universe (still evident in the prologue).
Shutdown Republic was fun too, being a courtroom comedy. It takes place in Texas 🤠
Variable Horizons was a short "choose your own adventure" that could have been longer (went with the Packard shorter ones rather than the D&D length).
Lastly, Wake: The Coma VR Experiment was a short part 1 of someone who is given admin access to a coma-based VR game so that he can remake parts of the world.
The last two are much shorter as I was wanting to see if there was a market for that (post apocalyptic but thinking it's just an RV park until the end for the former).
I also wrote a nonfiction called America's Historic Documents Lionheart (you pretty much need to put my name after for the algorithm). Its mostly a compilation of...well, America's historical documents 😂.
Currently, however, I'm limited to who knows me and word of mouth. I work full time and don't have access to anyone who knows anyone in the marketing realm.
I'll definitely have to grab your books. I'm glad you were able to market well and can reduce your work hours.
Wish you all the best!
hiii, what's your style sir? all your books come from a single huge worldbuilding? Or you make any different for each of your stories? i want to read some of science-magic base on a very very huge and coherent/realistic worldbuilding. Maybe you have suggestion sir. thx keep on making videos you rock.
Omg I missed this do you still offer the coaching?
The BYU Lectures are what sold me on Brandon as a storyteller. But, what I find incredibly encouraging is that he really sells you on the idea that writing is not an in-born talent, but it is a skill that you can learn, practice, and master. The course does focus a little on how to get published, but the main gist of the course is helping the fledgling authors in the audience to learn to love the art of writing itself. At least that's what it did for me and pushed me to check out his work for inspiration.
this!! I’ve always said I’m a crafty person but not artsy. I have the patience and determination to teach myself crafts (crochet, knit, etc) but I always believed the arts required innate talent. the way he reframed the skill of writing craft opened my eyes and changed my entire perspective! 🤯💛
He is the epitomy of a good, consistent, well trained author. But he doesn't really do anything brilliant like GRRM does.
The mindset part is really touching, as long as you enjoy writing, creating, satisfied in finishing a novel, you are not a failure.
Absolutely.
Gordon Ramsay mindset
I will forever be thankful to Brandon for finishing Wheel Of Time(my favourite Fantasy series) done the best job possible in a difficult task.
I remember watching these lectures as well. I was working in a career I wasn't passionate about, hardly getting any writing done because of life and my schedule. Now, gosh... five years later (maybe?) I've changed careers to becoming a full-time writer, editor, freelancer, and content creator with half a dozen short stories published, and finally, feel like I am making progress in that "10-year" plan. Thank you for the video! Really enjoyed hearing your thoughts!
Well done that’s amazinng, I hope i can do the same!
@@PhotoBombomb no doubt that you can! A lot can happen in a short period of time. It just take’s discipline and luck!
That's fantastic :)
"My advice is to always err on the side of awesomeness"
I've still never read a single book he's written but these lectures made me fall in love with Sanderson. Soo so inspiring and encouraging and Helpful!
Same! Im not even a writer or a huge reader of novels.
Definitely give some of his work a read when you have the chance. Most of his books have phenomenal audio versions available if that's more your style too. If you don't want to start a long series right now Elantris and Warbreaker are both excellent standalone books.
Personally, I don't like his very much work. However, his fundamental understanding of stories is extremely helpful.
I really recommend you check him out. Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive are easily some of my favorite books in general.
He's one of my favorite authors! His books are all solid and imaginative. A bonus that he teaches a free course!
Flaws/limitations/handicaps is an interesting trichotomy. I want to explore the idea of three characters who all share a trait, but for one it’s a flaw, one it’s a limitation, and one it’s a handicap.
For example: Consider “can’t fight.” For one character, that might be a flaw they need to fix by training. For another, it’s a handicap they overcome by learning other ways to help out in combat situations. And for a third, it’s a limitation, and they just don’t participate in combat scenes.
As I teen I was mostly into action, but as i got older i realized some of most emmersive story don't even need a single fight scene. As long as you can weave a good tale, it can work
9:02 my favorite part is that Sanderson is clearly caring a water bottle right under a sign that says no food or drink. HAHA! But seriously, thank you for this summary. Very cool to hear from a legend like this.
Brandon 'The Rebel' Sanderson
@@Jed_Herne 😂🤣
As a student at BYU, those signs are in all sorts of places, and are often ignored
This is so helpful, especially the advice on using the settings in the dialogue once in a while, and using said and asked dialogue tags. Thanks to the both of you!
Even after having some experience publishing, watching his videos over is a good refresher. Writers never stop learning
Absolutely! I rewatched his lectures for this video, and there were a bunch of new things I picked up. Always be learning!
i like the magic system from the webtoon "nothing special"- its a hard magic system, it has defined rules, but its such a convoluted and hard to learn system that only a few characters can understand and use it at an advanced level
Thank you for this! I have recommended to so many people to watch Sanderson’s lectures-which can be daunting-but your video summed them up beautifully. I can tell a lot of work went into this. Thank you, again! It’s also nice to rewatch this when I feel discouraged or don’t know where to begin my writing again. I will be recommending your video and channel!
Glad it was helpful!
Ur channel is absolutely underrated
Thanks Sickle!
I went to BYU and got to enroll in Sanderson's class! Really is amazing!
Wow! I'm super jealous :D. What were some of the interesting things you saw in person that maybe didn't come across in the videos/recordings? Would love to hear your insights
My first four published works were done discovery style with only a hint of an outline. This made the editing process take forever. When I had an accident that left me w a permanent injury that made it very hard to sit down and use a keyboard, I switched to dictation and very quickly realized that dictation kinda requires an outline. Since then, I've drafted faster and edited faster. No shade to people who discovery write because I used to be one and I don't think my stories are worse because of it, but having a solid outline just makes the whole process faster. Thanks for sharing your insights and commentary on Sanderson's class!
I love the way you edited this. Way better than the actual lectures, except for lecture #12 and #13. Love math and finance
I've been watching Brandon's lectures for a long time, but it's very interesting to see the content boiled down to what you specifically believed was the most valuable advice. I think you seem like you could be a great writer.
I especially love the insight about magic cost as well as character limitations, handicaps and flaws. Giving characters everything, as well as multiple motivations has been a big help to me.
Thanks Jed, as fan of Brandon's RUclips videos, I thought you did an excellent job and expressed excitement.
I was impressed by your last statement because I have just hooked my 86 year old mother on writing and not only does she have her fist book out, she is actively writing her second book. I can feel her excitement!
That's awesome!
I have watched all his sets of lectures and taken notes. This summary still helped to gain a deeper understanding. Thanks.
I got to be in that classroom, Brandon's a good teacher, a great author, and it was really interesting to hear his insight!
I find writing courses to be really hit or miss, and tended to only watch the sanderson lectures when I was hitting a specific problem in my writing because looking for more specific information helped me. I appreciate the condensed version of these courses though because it means I can just watch this video.
Thank you 1000 times, this video is a condensed (introductory) lesson on writing in general, I'm trying to start writing something like short stories for now, and I'm trying to focus on what are the key areas I should pay attention to. I know this is most suited for fantasy stories but most of the things you and sanderson say make sense in general
How does this channel not have 500k subs yet!?
Sanderson is the man.
Keep writing ya'll!
I appreciate your summary of these masterclasses Jed. Thank you very much, mate!
Loved this video, Jed (and not just because of my brief head cameo 👀). I watched the Sanderson lectures a long time ago and it was really great to get a bulletpointed refresher version. I took a lot of notes, and expect some of this to come up in our next coaching session. You've definitely taken and utilized Brandon's advice quite well--not only as a writer, but as a mentor/instructor as well
Cheers Jeff - your cameo was the definite highlight of the video :D
I just stumbled across your channel and this video is spectacular! I've watched his lectures all the way through once, but I'm picking through them again now as I plot my next novel. Brandon Sanderson is truly an inspiration! I have a lot of respect for him too. Also, you structured this video so well! This was such a great recap and you hit all of his key takeaways perfectly.
Thanks! I had a quick look at your channel then - looks like you're doing some cool stuff there as well. All the best with the writing!
Great video. These Sanderson videos are massive and having them distilled is really useful. I greatly appreciate your effort.
My pleasure
Fantastic video! I’ve seen all of the BYU lectures and you did a great job of boiling them down to the key highlights while providing further examples and ideas.
Only 5,000 subscribers right now, but mark my words, with this kind of quality content you will break 50k and 100k before too long.
Thanks Sal! The 100k mark would be awesome :)
You’re going to blow up man, your videos are golden and great advice for a writer starting off!
Thanks Joel!
Jed, your channel is amazing! I love the topics you cover and you are so genuine and honest. So refreshing to see!
Strong video Jed Herne. Thank you for sharing all these tips!
i just finished 'way of kings' and am about to go to get 'words of radiance'. Franky, i love brandon sandersons books
That has got to be the longest whiteboard I‘ve ever seen
I've watched that lecture series at BYU for years. Sanderson is a next level saint for making them public.
Thanks. I watched his first lecture but couldn’t get myself through all of them. So, the summary was great!!
Glad to help
If there's one thing I learned about good writing, is that nobody can teach you it. You need to teach yourself how you can do this. All good writing, while it might _seem_ subjective by its very nature, is actually a fundamental core anybody can unlock in themselves if they have the drive and willpower to do it. Your video and Brandon's lectures are insightful and pave the way for writers out there to find their way into this world covered in pitch-black. What lights along the way, they stumble from what they learn is burned even brighter by the encouragement that's given. So never give up. Keep going and you will be successful.
I will be the one to say that these videos will go on living for decades. Man you are making a hell lot of good work! Keep it up. You’re our guide, a teacher and you know what, I will include you in my book somehow 😂
I also find the use of beats is very helpful in controlling the dialogue's tempo or rhythm and creating suspense. It's really cool to rewrite a suspenseful scene 3 or 4 times, adding and removing beats and lines, and see it slowly turn into what feels like a pressure cooker of tension.
I feel like I improved a lot just by watching I'm only just beginning my structure and this improved it but I'm gonna have to do a rewrite of all 5-6 chapters I planned out (ik it's not much but it is for me) Thanks for this video and showing me who Brandon Sanderson is ill go through his playlist in full again Thank you I appreciate the advice you give
I took this course as well last year (about the same time you did). It gave me the foundation I needed to start and finish my first novel (it took me a whole year). I'm dying to get back into the first draft and start fixing things, but I have other (job related) obligations to focus on first. You finally summary is spot on the money. I'm not writing to be the next big top selling novelist. I write because I have a unique, engaging story to tell, and I loved giving each chapter to my beta-readers to see their reactions and speculation about what would happen next.
I loved this, I’ve watched this lecture series twice now and it’s great to have a quick version. I found the background music highly distracting though
Glad it was helpful!
I'm sorry to hear that I hope you get better
I took that class a few months ago right before I started writing. It's going a bit stale at the moment, so I needed a refresher. Thanks for that!
This was wonderfully concise. Thank you for uploading!
Glad you enjoyed it!
It has been interesting watching your "Writing Tips" videos, thank you for creating them. They have served primarily to reinforce my confidence in my own talents. My High School Novel teacher was the first of many to compare my writing style and tone to J R R Tolkien. This was initially hard for me to accept because of my adoration for "The Professor". I do not agree 100% with Mr Sanderson's views on certain subjects, but he does make many solid points. As of Oct 9th 2023, I sent my (multi-media) agent a signed publishing contract (7 novel by Dec. 31, 2026) with Speaking Volumes.
It's been a couple of years since I watched Sanderson's videos, so I really appreciate this "Cliff Notes" version.
You would be a good addition to the Writing Excuses podcast, which Sanderson co-created. It's a great resource for aspiring novelists.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this video, it's going to transform my writing tremendously! 😊 Thank you! 🤗💙
BRO I DIDNT KNOW YOU WRITTEN THE SIEGE OF TREBOULAIN. ITS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE GAMES ON CHOICE OF GAMES
Epic! Glad to hear that :). What type of character did you create when you played it?
1 minute in and I’m pausing, pulling out a notebook and pen - okay, go on… 📝
Love to hear that
Thank you for this. I wasn’t able to watch him before, all a bit overwhelming. But your video really helped and I will watch more now. I don’t do magic and sci-if, but this is still very helpful.
Excellent video Jed. I'm definitely checking those lectures out. Thanks
Oh well, this is a good summary and reminder about those lecture that also inspired me years ago
Thanks for posting this video! Super helpful and informative!
Another great video, thank you Jed!
This was actually how I discovered Brandon Sanderson. I was looking for some online writing courses (not that I needed them coz I still have 3 incomplete ones, oops) and his RUclips lectures came up. I do like to see the advice that different people give as it helps me know that I'm on the right path, especially when they say the same things as each other.
Thanks!
I watched his lecture twice so far, over the past few years - and whenever I get back into writing. (busy animator dad cancer life). I enjoy the lecture a lot. You can pick up things on a re-watch for sure.
Also enjoyed your elaboration on his talking points. Thanks
‘No food or drink allowed in the auditorium’. Lectures with water bottle. Sanderson is a boss!
Thank you for this video I’m writing my first novel, it was an draft that I used ChatGPT 3 to flush out my ideas, and then I am now writing it in my own words, the original draft was 46 pages I believe and it was around 14,714words I want to bring the final draft up to 100,000 words so a full novel. But thank you for this video. I want to mention that word count I gave earlier is about 100 words less than that, because that includes my epilogue at the end of the book.
This overview video was helpful. Thanks so much.
Can you use both a hard magic and soft magic? Combining them? Or at least hide a hard magic behind a curtain of soft magic? Like the Wizard of Oz almost, with the Wizard hiding behind the curtain using machinery to produce "Magic". But more like Harry Potter, where the protagonist is new to the world of magic, so everything seems so wonderous and amazing. It's so mystical and mysterious, until you slowly start to learn about how it works and how you can use it, then you can slowly start to use it to solve problems, like in the Sorcerer's Stone, when the wizarding trio learn how to use Windgardian Leviosa (Or however you spell it) using magic to levitate an item, then in a later scene, Ron uses the spell to levitate a club of a Troll and drops it on his head.
So, the idea here is to create a hard system of magic with rules, however, write the story through the eyes of someone who is naive or uneducated about it. So for most of the book, it looks mysterious, mystical and this godly power that's beyond the touch of human comprehension, but slowly, as the story progresses, the character slowly learns how to use it and the rules of it. As the character learns specific spells and rules, they then can use what they learn to solve problems. So at first, it's mystical and mysterious. Beyond the understanding of mortal beings. Almost like how Frodo surely views Gandalf. However, the protag experiences some event or whatever (That's foreshadowed beforehand) that gives him the ability to use magic. Or maybe he had it all along like Harry Potter did and you can foreshadow that like in Harry Potter. However, over the course of the story, you slowly pull back the curtain, showing the uses and rules of the magic you've established, transitioning (At least in the eyes of the reader) from a soft magic system, to a hard magic system (Even though in the context of the world, it was a hard magic system all along). That way your reader can experience both an awe and mysticism of magic while slowly coming to understand how it works and kinda being impressed at how your character learns and uses the magic to solve the problems, like in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archives, with Shallen (However you spell her name) using her shardcasting abilities to create illusions to help her investigate and discover the enemies as she learns how her own abilities work.
Yep, I absolutely agree - you can blend and mix and match this stuff as much as you want. As you note, most of the best magic systems start 'soft' but become 'hard' as we discover more of the story
This is actually the way Brandon writes parts of his magic. Essentially the characters start understanding some things about the magic. Other weird stuff they don't understand happens with the magic. The characters then try to discover what this new crazy magic is.
On a side note you can also have 2 types of magic in a story. Brandon gives the example of Lord of the Rings, where Gandalf uses soft magic that is kind of hand-wavy and mysterious and wonderful, while the one ring is a very specific magic item that has clearly defined effects: it makes you invisible, it draws sauron's attention, and it makes you more wraith like over time.
An example a lot of people use for using both kinds of systems is Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller series. Sympathy is a hard magic system with rules and limitations, to the point of characters being able to make and follow blueprints to replicate the same effect. Meanwhile, Naming is a bit softer of a system, more nebulous and less rule-bound as far as what you can do once you know the name.
Can someone at say 13-16 apply for your coaching?
What a useful summation of the lecture series!
Thanks!
My favorite books series ever is Sanders Alcatraz series
I really enjoyed these lectures, too. I just hit the 10-year mark since I started writing seriously---so maybe this is my year! LOL I've written 9 books in the past 10 years (and rewrote two of those, so 11 book-length pieces of work total), but time's a little more scarce now that I'm a parent in addition to working a full-time job. But I try to find at least 2 hours a week to write. Some weeks it works out, some weeks it doesn't, but I keep plugging away, because there's no other way to get the work done! I've self-published a handful of books but I really want to try and break into the traditional space with one of my more recent ones. Now if only querying didn't take away from writing time.... XD
That's awesome Leila, nice work! You should absolutely be proud of writing 11 novels. Good luck with the publishing!
@@Jed_Herne Thanks!
I dont know what it is about this Sanderson guy but he reminds me of Quentin Tarentino
I just bought the first Mistborne book, i havent read a book since the eragon books back like 10 years ago and this book just interests me
Would love to start reading again like i used to
So as a new writer im curious when he talks about plot archetypes, where can we find out more about this?
I really want to write a book with my mom, I've written my own already and am rewriting it atm, but I want to make a collaboration with her, because she's the only person who I know who writes and just want to collab with someone. But she's so difficult to work with and I have to hold back on the diversity in the story we're working on, because she doesn't like it. So I've decided to just ask on the internet to make a friend to write with, because I know they're not gonna try and gaslight me as much as my mom is doing.
Great video and channel! Thank you so much, so much great useful actionable content!
Thanks Maria!
Great video Jed! Thank you for keeping me inspired.
Glad to hear it!
Thanks for this indepth and awesome video, Jed 🙏👏
My pleasure!
Hey Jed, how much writing should we have done before we apply for your coaching program?
Hey Richard! Here's my guidelines:
1. You will get the absolute most out of the program if you have a completed, full manuscript.
2. However, I do have one client who is in the process of writing his debut novella. I'd say he's written around 5,000-10,000 words, which gives us more than enough to dissect and discuss in our 1-on-1 coaching calls.
So in short, it's not impossible to go through the program without a finished book. The default structure of the program does assume a completed manuscript, but because this is a 1-on-1 program, there is room for flexibility if you're not quite there yet. I'd suggest that you go ahead and fill out the application form - this will give me more details to decide whether you'd be a good fit for the program or not :)
@@Jed_Herne Thanks, Jed. I'm a long way from there, but I'll keep this in mind when I get close.
@@RichardRobertson best of luck!
Okay, then how do you deal with getting stuck in the outline process? How, when you are writing an outline and doing world building and character development do you get past the point were things could go two different ways, but not both? I've probably started a dozen outlines only to forget about them after months when I can't rectify crucial story elements.
Love your videos!
I don't want to sound dumb. Love the videos but what lamp is behind you on your bookshelf! I like it and was curious. Thank you!!!
Great vid! so much detail. Thanks once again
My pleasure, Adam!
😂 I can't stop laughing. Bandon is carrying around a water bottle and there is a sign behind him that says no food or drinks allowed in auditorium.
Check out David Farland's lecture series. He taught Sanderson.
I have seen his lectures several times. That's working if you are an English language writter. But I dont know if it will work to publish on my language.
I've never been much of a book reader and the only handful of books I've read in recent years are the Harry Potter books, but I've always disliked the usual dialogue format of which is then followed by "X said" and in Y manner. I'd rather know who is speaking and how they are speaking before I read what is being spoken so that I have that appropriate internal voice. So when writing I've been typically formatting dialogue more as how I'd expect it to be formatted in a movie or play script with the character's name followed by a colon and then the dialogue in quotations, but this becomes an obstacle when you want a character to talk who hasn't been introduced with a name yet or they are such a minor character, perhaps even just a background character in a passing crowd, who really doesn't need a name in the first place. In those nameless cases, I might revert to the more traditional dialogue format where it's just part of a normal paragraph, but then I wonder if the two differing formats might be distracting to a reader. I find it interesting that Sanderson brought up the bookisms of how "he said" and "he asked" are invisible to the reader, when for me it's basically the opposite. I find myself flowing much faster and more organically through dialogue when I concisely see dialogue in the script-like format, whereas in the other format I sometimes end up re-reading dialogue because someone else is speaking than the one that I initially thought was speaking. Often I wonder if I should be trying to write screenplays instead of books.
Great vid Jed. Love this
Glad you enjoyed it, Neil! Was a lot of fun putting it together.
18:29 For some reason I feel like someone or everyone involved in Disney's SW: E9 skipped this part of the class.
At 46, that 10year comment got me to stop trying to write my first novel. I decided to focus those 10 years on other things
I see you take on author clients. Have you had any success stories?
[36:13] The idea that dialogue should engage with the setting is something that I learned as a Dungeon Master. If my NPC didn't slam her knife into a table, or guzzle a drink at the bar, I could tell my PCs wouldn't engage with the space naturally. I keep regressing on that lesson, since I am imagining the space for myself-not my audience. I'm grateful that he made it compared to a white room, since that's where imagination goes to DIE.
Check out David Farland's lecture series
do you have a video on retcon? and how would you avoid or deal with it?
Hi Jared! After watching this made me a big bullish to write my own story’s for fun. But I have a question - the famous authors of modern times like Brandon, jordan, sci fi like frank herbert, Ursula etc, do you think they would had made it even without writing courses/education?
Great video! Your advice and experiences keep me motivated. In the non-distant future, people will be posting, "I took Jed Herne's Writing Class."
Ha, thanks! That would be pretty cool to see :)
Hello there! I was interested in the one on one program you talked about, but I’m not at a place in my book where Im ready for that.
At my current pace, I’ll be finished with my first draft in a week or two and then I will begin the editing process.
I have never written anything before and I know nothing about how to publish a book or even edit one, so I was hoping that you would be able to give me some guidance on that process as I get there.
I am writing fantasy (mostly) as well. I’ve just discovered your videos recently, but they are extremely helpful, thank you!
Glad the videos are useful!
This was very helpful!
Thanks!
I am a worldbuilder. It's been years since I draw the first version of this romanesc medievalish, fantasy world map. But every single attempt at writing a story so far has failed. Perhaps because I avoid outlining as if it was the plague.
22:33 I got called out so hard here. My entire plot changed because of this disease
thank you
Im still not understanding what promise is about...
Sanderson is pretty decent, but some of his advice is pretty off tbh. His points about the three basic elements of what a story is completely fall apart when you apply them to post-modern literature. Him talking about the promise of conflict/tension is a nice exercise, but I wouldn't label it anything close to a rule.
I like formulas and all, but I notice alot of times, when people get too wrapped up into tryin to check boxes. you end up with a industry (not just genres of stories) of people telling the same stories trying to emulate what put the most acclaimed at the craft, in their position. I wanna do something different. I know I might sound like a echo of edginess, but I atleast have to give it a shot.
I think it's way more important as a new author to get good at those formulas before you try and twist them, which is what I think the point of the course is. It's like learning how to trace art before you start drawing free hand off of imagination
I'd like to clarify that my analogy is garbage because in writing you should not just copy another stories plot and characters, lol
Great video
Did you actually take the class at BYU or just watched the RUclips videos?
Only watched the videos - I'd love to take the class in person one day