How to write a story | John Dufresne | TEDxFIU
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- Опубликовано: 9 дек 2014
- This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Take a journey inside a writer's mind and learn his approach to creating a story.
John Dufresne is the author of five novels, two of which were New York Times Notable Books of the Year, two short story collections and two books on writing and creativity: The Lie That Tells a Truth: a Guide to Writing Fiction and Is Life Like This?: a Guide to Writing Your First Novel in Six Months. The New York Times Book Review wrote of his latest novel, No Regrets, Coyote, “Dufresne is an original talent. His humor is frightfully dark, but also quite dazzling - even by the exacting standards of South Florida crime fiction.” Dufresne was a 2012-13 Guggenheim Fellow and teaches in FIU’s Creative Writing MFA program.
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"Life is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense" - love this quote.
I read this just when he said it 😂💀
i think its by mark twain
Sounds like bullisht to me, what is sense? Logic/rational? Like joyce/magic realism?
@@gk411 you have to have an explanation for things in fiction otherwise it will be considered sloppy writing, but there are a lot of thing we dont understand about our own world.
When u sparknotes a book
Pixars creative process helped me tremendously:
Once there was a .....(Character)
Everyday........(Recurring Event)
Until one day.....(Sudden Event)
Because of that....(Reaction to event)
Because of that....
Because of that....
Crisis...........(Tragedy to Character)
Until finally.....(Climax)
Ever since then......(Moral)
Not Available
Agreed.
Once there was peace.
Everyday we lived in harmony
Until the fire nation attacked.
Because of that, only the avatar, master of all 4 elements could stop them.
But when the world needed him most, he vanished.
A 100 years passed my brother and I found a new avatar.
Ever since then, i have believed in him that he can save the world.
Hero's Journey
@@bagofdragonite149 Agreed, however I do think what Spongiest Bob suggested is great advice for beginner writers. It's a well-known process we all learn and go through, but that doesn't necessarily mean we have to stick with it in the end. The suggestion is a great guide for new writers to discover their own style of variety, as it has been said we all find the answers along the way. I too believe that following the rules are overrated but it's safe, and not many people like to take risks in writing.
I like this character/plot dvelopment blueprint. Especially the recurring event point. Thanks for sharing!
Easily one of the finest Ted Talks on creative writing that I've ever watched. Many of these speakers labor over the writer's habits, surroundings and mechanics, while this man outlined a compelling story in less than 20 minutes.
Jason Mott totally. probably the best writing instruction i've ever encountered.
This man speaks so majestically on the topic for sure. I have watched numerous videos to garner some perspective along this journey and this video is pure magic to me. Easily, one of my favorite Ted Talks ever done. A lot of wisdom and perspective in such a short amount of time.
Brave and refreshingly original. Imagine his confidence in storytelling ... Inspiring.
Game of Thrones is...It's a clean mess. Love clean messes and stuff.
I was bored. To formulated.
The voice is so calming. He can say "Peanut Butter With Chicken" and leave you thinking he said something very meaningful and intellectual.
@JTR Hockey Productions Very meaningful and intellectual.
peanut butter with
get this
c h i c c e n
He's vocabulary is amazing
I love how he refers to 'discovering' scenes as you go. A lot of people who give advise on writing talk about plotting out characters and storylines beforehand. That admission that some of the most interesting details will only come to you along the way feels so good, because it's far more true to the actual process of writing, at least for me.
Storytelling is a journey. Plotting is just a map on how to get to the destination. Some people need detailed maps giving every street, every turn to be able to get to the end. Its not the most exciting journey, but it arrived at the destination. This is something beginners should do so they get a sense of navigation and that conclusion is important. Journeymen only need to know some major highways, a set of landmarks and can find their way to the destination and improvise when unexpected detours occur. This is the bulk of stories. The experts, the true elites just need to know the destination and can navigate by sun and moon, by back street and minimal maintenance road. They can take the scenic route and not get lost. When they've reached the destination, they've shown more beauty than storytelling highways, they've shown the world in its fullest glory.
I admit that I always trying to do something else but writing. I mean I clean my place first, clean all the dishes, do some laundry, find the best software to write, make some coffee, browsing youtube about how to write a story, download all the ebook about how to write a story, browsing the web on how to write a story, and then it's already late and I'm tired, and I go to bed.
oh another thing is I keep reminiscing on how I used to love to write, and it's gone, and I keep wondering why it's gone. and start to browse the youtube about it.
maybe you're scared that what you write won't be as good as you want it to be? Even just now I have started to actually write stuff. not outlining or thinking or whatever but actually writing and it's hard and it's not as good as I know it can be. And I even have one passage that I really love but I don't know what to do or where to put it. Even if I have an idea of a character's general arc, where do I end it? I cannot settle on a narrative. but I do know one thing, just put the pen to the goddamn paper and WRITE. You will develop your own style over time, but only over time that is used to write. It is what happened for me and photography, it took about 3 years before I became relatively consistent and I was very satisfied with more than 1/70 photos. But that took many many photos to get to that point and it will take much writing to get to, for lack of a better word, an accomplished level. Your comment reminds me of people who say "if only I had a Leica, then i'd have beautiful photos." You know it has nothing to do with equipment more so with writing than ANYTHING else. I'm not trying to be an asshole but it sounds like you're crying out for a kick in the butt. So get writing and accept that it will likely suck for a while. Write it, edit it, move to the next piece.
Thanks. I really appreciate it. I keep blaming my dyslexia. Lol.
Sound exactly like me... today however, I at least printed out the last draft...
Lol u just wrote my plot for a writer I had been thinking about for a long time
@@joe-lshmoe4803 totally agree
how many photos does that photographer has to take of this guy?
Based on some really rough estimates, around 1,750! lol
What photographer?
sounds about right lol!
Can't stand it...
lmao i purposely looked for this like damn can u not
this talk is heavily underrated
agreed. from times to times I come back to watch it again.
Just unknown, like ratio is awesome
"Fiction has to make sense"
If only D&D watched this.
True,kind of disagree with him there. You can have kafkaesque nonsensical-seeming narratives that are still compelling.
Lol
D&D brought to the screen the greatest story ever told. I'm not the one who's saying it, the numbers are there, you can check it yourself. It is the highest-rated series on the globe as of today. No other series even comes close. You can say that you didn't like the ending, yeah l would have liked a happier ending too, but keep in mind that GoT was NEVER about happy endings. That's what kept us glued to the series, fearing that our favorite character could die at any minute. With all due respect, who do you think is right, you or thirty-some million viewers that watch every episode of the final season?
@@signdesigners4146 The numbers are a perfect manifestation of sunk cost fallacy. I watched the whole of season 8 even though by episode 3 my love for the show was very much dead. Just because something is popular, doesn't make it good. It's not about who is right, it's about good writing and if you say that s8 was well written, I have nothing to say to you.
I was literally going to clap at the end of the video sitting on my chair this is awesome
Very awesome. This helped me so much.
"Stories aren't written, they are rewritten". That hit home! This video gave me the encouragement to write as it comes to me and not avoid writing because of the fear of not having a plot beforehand.
The secret formula for story writing: one part inspiration, 99 parts perspiration.
Yep ! " how do you write a story ?
...... " you write a story by sitting down and writing it !! "
There is no other way...
I haven't been writing for a year. It's been my biggest passion ever since I was little. This video and this guys talk made writing seem so exciting again! I've already started on an idea to work on :)
I feel like when I step away from writing it's so nerve-racking to try and come back to writing. I don't know why but I get so overwhelmed.
@Ms Alchemist's Stories I watched one of your videos and i really liked it! good luck!
Me too. I have this idea but I feel like what I write is repetitive or not thrilling enough. But when I don’t I feel useless.
@Ms Alchemist's Stories This is amazing! Thank you for letting me know and I will definitely have to go and check out your channel :) I hope you are well and keep writing!
@@adalianantz9793 I totally feel this even now. Just know that when you were totally made to do this and that the feeling you get when you don't write is that passion driving you back into what you love doing. Don't let any self-doubt or fear get to you. I know that's easier said than done but just take it one day at a time. I hope you are well and best of luck with your writing :)
@@xocoolchickxo thank you. I’ve got this idea, too. When I think could really be something great. And it already is, I just have to make sense of it in my head, compress it into the pages and eradicate some of the things that are excess, and learn to work them in when I need to
"If at first you succeed, try, try again." I love it!😁
If you’re a short story reader, an author named Paul Bovino has a collection of a half dozen or so very powerfully themed short stories on Amazon in an anthology entitled “Something for the subway.” I remember being greatly moved by the stories when I first read them many years ago, but I understand that there’s an updated edition which I’m a couple of mouse clicks away from ordering.
" If at first you don't succeed ; give up " ?
"scene is vivid and intimate, summary is distant and efficient" - love the quote
This is one of the best writing-related Ted Talks I have ever seen. It is packed to the brim with distilled insights writers at every level and in every genre should apply to their fiction. TODAY. This is the type of seminar people pay a great deal of money to attend. Outstanding..
His book, IS LIFE LIKE THIS?, is a must for new novelists. My mother is an author, and I have read DOZENS of books on writing; this one is my absolute favorite.
I’ve wanted to write down the stories in my mind for at least 15yrs now. I will finally start it
How's it goin w em stories yo
how they going man
did you?
Share one with me
Utterly brilliant and inspiring. Now please, how do I turn that into 70 - 100 thousand words???
+James Sykes Filler. xD
+James Sykes Keep sitting in the chair
+James Sykes That's like asking how can I live to be a hundred years old. Just keep breathing.
By sitting your arse down :P
My arse is busy lol
incredible mind of a writer
This was my dream writing talk.
Giving these examples, addressing situations I've struggled with was truly the most helpful writing advice I've come across.
Thank you for your generosity.
"So, whose story are you going to tell? Remember, only one central character."
So basically what you're saying is, you can't write Game of Thrones.
That's not what he's saying.
Cunta Canoe I must have missed his point then?
+Tol Beepies Game of Thrones is a compilation of various central characters, who sometimes interact with one another, but nonetheless the reader has a completely different outlook on a scenario depending on which character's head their in. So you could say Game of Thrones is a mashup of different stories, all in one universe
Nishanth Moolam I kind of understand what you're saying. The thing is, the book is not made up of individual stories told from various perspectives throughout the universe, it's comprised of a large main cast segregated into several groups that interact with each other and all work towards one central story arc. There is also no 'main character', thus, my comment.
+Tol Beepies I believe that the central character for Game of Thrones is in fact the Iron Throne, itself. In a sense, it's taken on a human like quality... the central question being, who will "it" choose, or allow to rule... all the while, the struggle between the noble classes to posses it being the obstacles that create the subplots that move the story forward. The beauty about this series is that it can branch off with so many subplots to keep the readers engaged. However, the central (metaphorical) character, the Iron Throne, takes center stage, watching and waiting for a rightful heir or ruler, while the rest of the characters fight it out. I hope that makes sense. :-)
this dude is Socrates. just whipping out pure philosophy. its almost art how he speaks. amazing ted talk.
Anyone else tempted to play with that opening scene and actually use it as an exercise?
'all first person narrators are unreliable they have a stake in the outcome'...hmm fascinating!
They may be unreliable because of their limited perspective and they may be unreliable also because they have a stake in the outcome. A four-year-old caught with her hand in the cookie jar will tell a story based on what she prefers as an outcome.
Now you are getting into voice, and you are assuming all stories are written to a detached audience with no stake. I would argue that such a story removes itself from the human condition and renders itself moot because it addresses an audience that by your definition remains disinterested.
+star999nine I think you're splitting at hairs here, and you've gone off on a tangent that has no bearing on what John Dufresne was talking about. Dufresne was talking about narrating in first person from the POV of the hero. That POV is colored by the hero's stake in the outcome, which you are saying doesn't influence the outcome. Of course not, but it does influence the narration and makes it less reliable. Whatever your reasoning is, it's wrong in relation to what Dufresne said.
never heard of John Dufresne but he really knows his stuff!! :)
perhaps the flaming heart tattoo is a constant reminder of her own delinquent days of past. when she seemed hellbent on living fast and dying young. maybe it was for an ex lover, the one that got away. but he never cared about Alice. Alice was just another naive girl ripe for the taking. all it took was a sporty car and some beers to make her feel invincible. then he was manipulating her to run away with him and elope. but on the faithful night they were planning on eloping, he had a few to drink before travelling to get her. and on the way he didn't see a left turning semi truck until it's trailer was severing his head from his neck. and when Alice learned what happened she grieved at first. at a love she thought was real being snatched away. but also overcome by a solemn realization that that could be her fate too. if she left with him. so with a hardened heart she vowed to save herself for a decent man. and her new tattoo would serve as a reminder for the reality of living dangerously and without a care.
Best crash course on story writing I have ever heard.
Even complete beginners like me can comprehend.
Dufresne did a daily 7:30am fiction workshop at the Sanibel Island Writers Conference back in November, and I walked away after 4 days with the bones of a story in my notebook. He's a great teacher.
What a beautifully taught example of flushing out a story in first draft. Good for a few listens and a few notes. Thanks for posting.
Excellent talk. Was skeptical to leave when he started making the story but he illustrated the art of storytelling so simply.
Truly remarkable. I took very good notes. Thank you for sharing this. He is a blessing, knows what he's doing and is very confident about it.
+dearserena But can he durka durka?
Idk what that means, lol
dearserena So he can't durka durka? :'(
This guy made me realize that I have never had a learning problem. I have had a bad teacher problem. He knows how to keep you engaged.
The first presentation about writing that isn't focused on the focused on the mechanics and instructions, and with a fine example to boot!
I like how he told us how to write a story with a story. You are the protagonist and the plot is the magnificent struggle between man vs self: the author and his own mind cock-blocking him from turning is creations into reality.
That's basically where I'm at. Even if I want to give up my mind won't let me. I am always thinking about my book. I've come too far now to stop. I must know where my characters end up.
Good luck with writing your book😄
It's been a year since you left that comment, so I'm really interested to know what happened...
How’s it going?
This is legit the most informative ted talk on writing I have ever watched. Thank you so very much for this and he didn't even have a slide. It all flowed effortlessly.
Awesome demonstration of how a story is written. I very much appreciate the side notes smoothly inserted to highlight the key factors of the story. Very well done!
The most excellent speech and advice and guidance on writing that I've ever encountered. Thanks to him and thanks to this TEDx Talks. Releasing my first novel this year and I'm yet to rewrite it.
I'm so grateful to you John Duftrsne for giving such an in-depth explanation of how to write a book.
This is the best explanation on writing a story I've ever read or heard in my life.
John Dufresne is absolutely brilliant. I show this video to my creative writing students. It's so enlightening.
A fantastic presentation of what a story is, how it evolves and how to write it. Superb.
That is a storytelling at its best. I had to hold my tears. This is how you tell a story.
So, now that I've managed to finish it I can say - it's the most inspiring and motivating talk about writing I've seen so far! I love every word ^^
I've watched this 20 plus times! You're awesome John Dufresne
The best short talk about the writing process I've come across. Extremely helpful. Got to the end, spellbound, and went straight back and replayed it. Stopped it a few times to think about what he said. Inspirational stuff
This is the most informative TEDTalk I've ever watched, and the only one I got to the end, actually. Great job!
And the best thing about it is that most of the time, he told a story as an example instead of just reciting a plain list of tips. He made his advice come alive.
I am writing a novel and i am so impressed by this Man , i like what he says and the way he says it 🌹
What a beautiful talk! Thank you, John Dufresne
I'm writing seven stories (I'm on Chapter 17 out of 20 on my last story) and four backstories. I write anime. It's my life goal to complete all the writing I planned
(Princess Tutu for Super Smash Bros.!)
Probably the most concise description of the writing process I’ve heard.
Excellent verbal description of the writing process with key ideas and concepts explained in an interesting way; valuable to a writer but entertaining to those who don't write. I have no intention of writing but appreciated the talk, to help me understand the magic a good writer must master in order to gain my readership.
I wasnt even a minute in and was entranced by Mr. Dufresne’s every word. I love this!
I really enjoyed this guy's perspective on the writing process. Very insightful.
Incredible descriptions of the process. I'll need to watch this many more times to absorb it all. Well done, sir.
Incredible. Wow. What a great speech by a born writer, who spent his entire life working on his craft.
"Writing a story is archeology." 🖤
I was blessed to have Dufresne as my Creative Writing teacher years ago at FIU. He is a man that has spent his life helping others discover the beauty of writing.
Thank you, Professor, for leaving such a powerful impact on me. I'll carry it with me forever.
Simple excellent. Probably the best talk I have heard yet on writing. Very well done!
This was the best instruction, in creative writing, that I’ve ever experienced.
I'm clapping in my seat. This is inspiration at its finest!
Thanks for the best bullet points for writers. Especially knowing the first draft is what writers work with.
But him pointing out that every story has a goal helped me a lot, cus I realised mine didn't really have one yet. And now it does and it feels great!
I was literally taking notes. This is amazing! Thank you!!!
Wonderfully informative...thank you John Dufresne.
So simple, yet so hard to do--Dufresne gives it straight--and some might complain that it is more complicated that this, and it is, but few beginning/intermediate/even advanced writers get half of this. Bravo!
I love the way how he tells the story and how he explanes stuff.
Bravo 👏🏽 thank you for this wonderful advice.
John was my creative writing professor at FIU and I absolutely loved his class!!!! Listening to him now, decades later, inspires me to write again.
What do u do now.. I mean in job or work?
@@50shadesofdisappointment I taught school for almost 30 years. I do love to write as a hobby. Did you have Prof. DuFresne?
i love watching these videos they make me understands things so wel
Wow. This is brilliant! First time I've ever seen writing demonstrated as a performance art! Not just the best inspiration for writing I've ever seen, but also a masterclass in how to deliver a TEDtalk. Truly inspirational.
So much experience in a human, I've learned a lot with this talks. JUST AMAZING!!
Really compelling Ted Talk, Monsieur Dufresne! Bravo!
This is the best video on the art of story-telling
I can't get over how genius this is. I was hooked
this is some of the best advice I have ever heard
This is absolute gold!!! Thanks
Brilliant presentation. He had them from the beginning. A great teacher and story-teller.
This was perfect. Wonderful advice!!
this was supremely helpful in already two minutes
I always start to shape out a story in my head and whenever I get to the plotting part I immediately scrap everything.
This was extremely helpful!
Finally someone who shows how to write a book that isn’t 90% or more of “JUST DO IT STOP PROCRASTINATING” like boy if ur procrastinating then u obviously don’t want to write and it isn’t your calling
Not necessarily
No but you really should stop procrastinating boy
@@marcinb4647 Cheers mate, I'll write a bit tonight
this was the most awesome ted talk out of the ones that I've ever watched so far!
Great explanation. This motivated me to continue to write 🙌🏾😊✒
Interesting story . Life is indeed stranger than fiction. Thank you, bless you. All your dreams come true.
Outstanding presentation, oh my...
That was amazing.
I write and write and write. My blog, articles, books, ad scripts, tv scripts, tweets, threads, and eldrich scrolls summoning dark forces from the vast deep, written in the blood of virgins, deep in my underground lair. (Well, the last bit may be a slight exaggeration, but if the water table wasn’t so high around these parts, you can bet your last golden guilder I’d have an underground lair.)
I was able to do that because of videos like this.
Wow, probably one of the best Ted Talks I ever listened to. He is such an inspiring person.
Hey, if you have fiverr, you can hire me and i can write a 1k, 2k, or 3k word e-book / story for you completely done by me for a cheap price, get back to me if interested! or at the very least check it out, thank you...
I LOVED this! So so great.
This is brilliant. Thank you.
This was amazing. I want to write my first story this was very helpful
Thank you. Loved this.
striking insight! making the reader a part of the world of the story being told
This is the best TED Talk ever.... why isnt it seen by 3 million people????
One of the best Ted Talks!
Woah. This is chock-full of SERIOUSLY useful data.
wow i´m so inspired now thank you
I’m still in the chair. This is great advice I love it!