7 Lessons Writers Can Learn from Harry Potter

[@QuotidianWriter]

Hi there, viewers! You can read an adapted text version of this video on Medium: medium.com/@quotidianwriter/7-lessons-writers-can-learn-from-harry-potter-8558c31f38ea

[@umarshaikh3398]

Harry Potter is something I can never get tired of re-reading. It has that comfy, cozy feeling, a feeling that we too like Harry belong there, it's always like returning home.

[@dunker-roo9552]

Ah...to be in a world from 2 years ago.

[@abdulaleem9207]

i second this.

[@icecreamhero2375]

I want a snake that lives in the pipes to petrify me. LOL

[@rain.chasee]

it's literally where i go to escape everything and kinda forget i live in a fucked up world

[@cts2922]

I will never get over the fact that this was an amazing video with a picture of Gandalf when she’s going over Dumbledore’s quotes at the end

[@markrickerbyadventurestories]

A movie needs to be made about JK’s odyssey. How she struggled with inspiration, depression, rejection, and to then triumph beyond even her own wildest expectations. Her life has all the elements of great drama too, and gives heart to every writer with a vision, writing out of the sheer love of storytelling, with no guarantee of success. That kind of discipline and commitment requires a special kind of courage.

[@dlaniganohara]

I don't think that would be a good idea right now.

[@markrickerbyadventurestories]

@@dlaniganohara why?

[@dlaniganohara]

@@markrickerbyadventurestories shes in a very controversial light at the moment

[@markrickerbyadventurestories]

That’s a good point. On the other hand, there’s an old line in Hollywood - “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” Nobody is ever liked by everyone all the time anyway. She probably has enough fans left to make it a bestseller, and she definitely doesn’t need the money. Even writers who disagree with her politics would buy it to try to figure out how to write as well as her. (Okay, maybe they’d find a used copy on Amazon later. Lol)

[@dlaniganohara]

@@markrickerbyadventurestories Haha, well she still releases books that seem to sell well, I was more thinking about a film or documentary. Youd have to get a production studio behind that, and I doubt they would touch it. It is sad, because I think shes a fantastic writer, and it sucks that shes working to damage her legacy at the moment.

[@dion789]

12:42 One thing I love about Harry is that you learn most of his personality through his actions rather than his thoughts. For instance, he doesn't have long internal monologues about his feelings (I've come across lots of main characters that unfortunately do) and how much he misses Sirius, we just see a few scenes that show how much he's grieving and that makes them far more powerful to me. I definitly learned from Rowling about writing good characters.

[@QuotidianWriter]

Wow, thank you for this observation. I'm rereading the Harry Potter series right now and editing a lot of YA fantasy, and you've pinpointed exactly what differentiates them: internal monologues about feelings. Harry is more an observer of the story most of the time, which makes the pacing feel faster, even when it's about daily life at Hogwarts. It's constant action and visuals.

[@belleux_]

Okay but I actually feel like I learned more watching this almost 13 minute video than in my current fiction writing class.

[@gretals9782]

Yes, it was the best!

[@paddy8123]

I wish schl taught like this..

[@sapphireblue6241]

That's how it is sometimes.

[@Paul_Wetor]

One of JK Rowling's writing skills is choosing character names and making them vivid. Professor Slughorn, for example, is someone I could easily picture and remember. The very sound of "Snape" does not imply a fun person. The name of Gilderoy Lockhart is the most obvious, suggesting that he is gilding his reputation. Mundungus Fletcher suggests dung and filcher.

[@KD-de7pk]

Snape is actually pretty funny. In a sarcastic kind of way.

[@wordyballoons]

And Remus Lupin might as well be named Wolf Wolferson

[@BookFurnace]

I feel that one needs to be careful with this one as it's dependent on the genre. Of course, choosing fitting and vivid names is always important, but in YA fantasy you do it much more bluntly than, say, in adult literary fiction.

[@LuddyFish_]

One thing that Harry Potter does is that it can change your views on anything. For me, it was death. The Deathly Hallows I thoroughly enjoyed, specifically the tale of the three brothers. The sentence "And then he greeted death as an old friend" completely changed my view upon death. From the moment I read that line, I have never feared death, knowing it is forever a part of the cycle of life. When my time comes, even when I'm not ready, I shall greet death as an old friend.

[@verylostdoommarauder]

Mort by Terry Pratchett.

[@weightlossat5979]

Not only Harry Potter, but the story of HER life is amazing. She was always a writer but had not made it. One day rides a train and the whole series just plops in. No computers back then, so whenever she had something come to her to add in, she had to retype the entire chapter. Then over 20 rejections. Suffering from depression and on welfare. Her one solace must have been gotten from interacting with the characters and their worlds. And then...rocket launch!

[@Onmysheet]

It's crazy that you could write something as great as Harry Potter, but you still get rejected 20 times.

[@robincrowflies]

Thanks for this.

[@meganchapa7615]

As much as I dislike her and her bigoted views now, you can't deny that's really inspring.

[@Shauna_naturesarboryoga]

Haha there were computers back then she didn't write the series 50 years ago but in the late 90's early 2000 and I can attest to the fact there were computers then as I used a clunky laptop at school.

[@khonglong2508]

Even the part when Dudley says something decent to Harry in the beginning pages of the 7th book makes me feel so good. It triggered something really strong. Like to the end, he's your relative. For me, the author of Harry Potter series really is a genius.

[@MrNoFairy]

Nice quotes from Gandalf.

[@QuotidianWriter]

I'm never going to live that down, am I? >_

[@TheInFormer500]

Thank you, i thought i was the only one lol :D

[@ludwigvanbeethoven8793]

kek dont use google to find your images, the fanbase factcheckers are ruthless savages

[@arinaarinza]

I diddn't even notice that was Gandalf until I saw this comment XD

[@Yusuf1187]

Maybe this is telling us that Rowling didn't adapt the familiar as much as we thought lol. (jk, jk)

[@katevenhorst1723]

Touching on a point made in Lesson 4: I almost feel like her writing allows the reader to fill in the “blanks” with their imagination. Descriptions can be so tough, because too much can bog down the story and to little can leave the reader to mentally wander around a shapeless void. But her descriptions left just enough room for a little magic ✨

[@stutigupta233]

The larger than life feeling when you read Harry Potter like looking at the night sky is so real. The mystic feeling in the series of because of the beautiful beautiful writing. I loved your point about detailing rather than using adjectives to describe a scene!

[@TheRockyCrowe]

Also the backstory of Harry’s parents was one of the most shocking to me. I did not expect for his Dad to be a douchebag bully, nor did I expect Snape to be mad crushing on Harry’s mom. That moment added so much to the contention between Harry and the professor. It broke the cliche and added a new layer of insight into the relationship between both characters.

[@abinfp]

Oh how I wish I could've had this shock too. I grew up watching my elder sister read and watch Harry Potter, so by the time I grew up a little and became interested in it myself, I already knew all the major plot twists. Takes away the impact of a dawning realization since there is no realization.

[@MiaNena545]

I started picking up the books in middle school. When my parents would get up at night, they'd see my light on and yell at me to go to bed. I eventually came up with a trick to fool them into believing I was asleep when I was really on my 15th chapter of the night.

[@goldeneddie]

That quotation from Harry Potter shows me something. I'm sweating blood over the smallest details of every sentence in my novel, yet here I see a very successful writer using cliches and repeating words in that paragraph. 'Dotted' she uses twice, notably in the cliche 'dotted here and there' for 'positioned' and then later for the stars. The rest of the paragraph lacks orginality too but I don't say this to be clever or criticise but rather to inspire, because I can see that it's not the 'small stuff' that counts when you have a bloody good story or a great concept. Readers seem ready to forgive us the details of our writing if we come up with something good enough to win their hearts, as J.K. Rowling obviously did. A lesson for all us perfectionists.

[@nj.7325]

Late but I think it's about the range. When she reuses words it's very clear it's intentional and doesn't strike me as a mistake or something to criticise because reading the books it's so clear her vocabulary is vast. She pays attention to the sounds and meanings of words in a humorous way that is also accurate to what she's describing, and we trust her enough to make what are traditionally mistakes, but what is to her more room to just write.

[@fierypickles4450]

An excellent exposè. I learned a lot. Im actually in the process of rereading the books in adulthood, its more jarring to me because as a boy my reading habits were spontaneous, focused on finishing rather than savoring a book. I am experiencing the books in a way, for the first time. Im loving it.

[@anussukeewijegunarathna4355]

One thing i learned from harry potter, is that one way to make readers to feel really close to the characters, is giving them significant features which make them special to the main character and also the more happy times and memories we have with the characters, the more heart touching their partings seem

[@WiWillemijn]

8:55 OH MY GAWD so this has a name?!! I always think about this when I find a seemingly coincidental character in a story. I always think 'he is going to come back' and it always happens. It adds so much because indeed when you are reading about flamel you're like 'yeah Ive heard that name before too!' You and harry both forget it and youre really in the story.

[@Ayaforshort]

Wimsem - Tekenen & Knutselen Foreshadowing is in every story. Plays, books, movies. How did you go through grade school without a teacher ever mentioning foreshadowing? The "Chekhov's Guns" specific philosophy I've never heard of though. But that seems to be about intention. When a writer describes a scene in a book or a character or conversation there needs to be a reason. It has to serve some purpose to the development of the story or advancement of the plot. But foreshadowing would still be the proper name for being given clues in advance.

[@canadiancrafter5100]

its chekhovs wand

[@Waterlogged_Ricefield]

I learned about this from Haruki Murakami's novel "1q84"

[@Briiiii23]

@@AyaforshortI disagree. Just because one knows about foreshadowing that doesn’t automatically equate to understanding the concept of Checkhovs Gun. Foreshadowing is more giving the reader a clue of something that’s to happen in the future. For instance: when Harry smelled the love potion, he smelled something flowery that reminded him of the Weasley’s home. That’s obviously a clue to his feelings about something in the Weasley home that we will likely learn later. But an example of a gun would be when he opened the chocolate frog, and saw Flamel. The reader would never know that that has something important to do with the future, as there is no indicator of that. Chekhov’s guns are a lot less obvious than foreshadowing imo.

[@cpbeauvoir]

"Whatever you do, keep writing." Thank you

[@sarsmiles]

I also think you missed a chance talking about how Rowling uses little details to great effect in world building. Every tiny detail, even if it's not Chekov's gun, is used to expand upon and immerse the reader in the world and it's magical charm. It's not overdone to the point of boredom. It's just enough. And I think that's one of the reasons that people love the series so much.

[@sppotterstark8057]

I've learnt that narrative construct is important and that Jk Rowling is pretty good at planning her storyline. I first read Harry Potter back in 4th grade back in 2005 and I read them out of order due to the local library not having certain installments. Finally I completed all 7 books back in 2008 and re-read them multiple times up to 2012. Without Potter , I wouldn't have discovered my interest in fantasy and Dark Fantasy like Lord of the Rings, A song of ice and fire etc . Harry Potter and Jk Rowling made me a reader and they both have kept me a reader . Great video - makes you think about the writing process. Pray all the chekhov guns in the first two Fantastic Beasts films pays of in the 3rd film .

[@perpetuallysalty2604]

your voice is very soothing and pleasant

[@QuotidianWriter]

Thank you! :) I aspire to Bob Ross levels of tranquility.

[@nuntius4105]

@@QuotidianWriter LOL

[@nicolearetz2703]

I have learned so much from you analyzing the Harry Potter series. I enjoyed every of your seven lessons. The backstory that affected me most was that of Severus Snape. I like him, really. That backstory is a masterpiece.

[@afrosymphony8207]

your voice is sooo soothing, i absolutely love it.do you have a podcast or somethhing?

[@QuotidianWriter]

Dang it, I knew I should've started an ASMR channel instead. ;) No podcast yet, but I'm considering it. Thank you for watching!

[@prezzeruk4054]

afro symphony yeah i agree, definitely a voice for audio books!

[@tedarcher9120]

@@QuotidianWriter You have so much potential, go on please!

[@dianekloza9763]

I havent seen harry potter in 4 years and i finally got to see this vid

[@guicaldo7164]

You mentioned there that even seemingly unimportant scenes can become important through the use of Chekov's Guns. And although I absolutely love this plot device and use it all the time, there's one thing where I have to disagree: If a scene seems unimportant, even if it turns out to be important later, the reader doesn't _know_ it's going to be important and may get bored. The best scenes are where you can set up later developments without the reader noticing, but still have them be important in some way the reader already knows about. For example, the scene with Lucius happens right after Harry's first meeting with Lockhart, a character the readers will have already realized will be important (plus, it's a really funny scene). The scene with Lucius is a rather short exchange the reader might very well think is there only to make us hate the Malfoys more (it succeeds, by the way). And yet we later find out it was important in so many more ways.

[@QuotidianWriter]

I agree with your point. The scene needs to be important in two ways: the surface-level reason for the scene's inclusion (e.g., conflict between characters) and the added foreshadowing that only makes sense in retrospect. In Prisoner of Azkaban, there's scene after scene of Hermione and Ron arguing about Crookshanks and Scabbers. Those scenes are obviously necessary for the end reveal, but in the moment, they seem a bit trivial. If I had been reading the book for the first time, I might have initially questioned why Rowling even bothered to include that subplot. So it's a tough line to walk.

[@guicaldo7164]

Diane Callahan Well, Harry Potter does have many teen drama and splice-of-life elements which exist mainly for the worldbuilding and relationships between characters, and the Crookshanks-Scabbers-arguments definitely fall into the latter, so I think they're fine in the context of the series. Come to think of it, the books have a very slow pacing that would usually bore the hell out of me, but JK Rowling has somehow still managed to make interesting! I wonder how she did that...

[@QuotidianWriter]

Yeah, I think "slice of life" is the perfect descriptor for the slower parts of the books. There's something about her writing style that's just comforting and cozy. It's easy to imagine yourself attending Hogwarts-taking classes about magic, exploring the secret passageways of the castle, eating delicious meals in the Great Hall, playing Quidditch... :)

[@guicaldo7164]

Diane Callahan Wish fulfilment... that might just be it. The world of Harry Potter is so fleshed out, it feels so... real. For years I held on to the hope that it might be real and I might get a letter when I turned 11... I guess that's how even the parts that should by all rights be boring were still so engaging.

[@thatguy5543]

"Use the force Harry" - Gandalf

[@ZaidKhan-pb3ht]

My brain just broke

[@mischief19eilish21]

I read Deathly Hallows in 2010 but these lines from Dumbledore still remain fresh in my head ( 12:13 ). I used to have really vivid dreams that felt real and they made me scared that I would start believing they are real and be stuck in my dreams forever. I wanted to wake up. But when I woke up I would have this feeling of longing and emptiness. I would cry and tell my mom I wanted to go home. Those thoughts made me question reality. At that time this quote from Dumbledore helped me clear my head (I don't know how I randomly remembered that quote from this big piece of work lol). I told myself real or not I was going to enjoy my life even if it is just in my head. I actually even started writing a story inspired by these dreams which I later changed into a fan fic. But I haven't had any inspiring dreams recently so I am stuck. I don't know how to drive the plot of the story forward. I think I did get a little inspired to write again watching this video

[@QuotidianWriter]

Maybe try keeping a dream journal or reading into lucid dreaming techniques. You could listen to music (such as the Harry Potter soundtracks) to put you in that dreamy state of mind. I hope you can use that inspiration to move forward! :)

[@MrSimpleton]

When does the ring come into the story? I’ve read to the fifth book and still no mention of the ring. I'm so excited for Harry Ron and hermiones journey to Mordor

[@QuotidianWriter]

I need this crossover fan fiction.

[@dianekloza9763]

Are u the real bob ross

[@littlestbroccoli]

If you can't see the Tolkien mountain, you're standing on it!

[@Baamthe25th]

It's funny, all of this is basic stuff, but Jk Rowlings has such solid foundations, it evolves to another level

[@kattzz741]

Nobody pointing out that it was Gandalf instead of Dumbledore at 11:50? I'm assuming it was intentional, but hilarious nonetheless. Great video!

[@arklaed]

"A Wizard Is Never Late, Nor Is He Early. He Arrives Precisely When He Means To." - Paulo Coelho

[@Jort007]

🙃

[@June28July]

Harry Potter taught me that books can be an incredible medium to tell a story. Now there is a story I wish to tell.

[@markreeter6227]

Rowling wrote these books for children - now they have evolved into books ABOUT children perhaps more beloved by adults. This phenomenon may be unique, at least with respect to the literature of the last 50 years.

[@restlessnative9305]

Ender's Game

[@otherlen4917]

my favourite example, rather than nicholas flammel is when in the second book they keep forgetting things and going back to the burrow and ginny shrieks she left her diary behind.

[@tommycross9294]

Excellent video. Useful advice with illustrative support from some well-chosen quotations.

[@ff38lg19]

Another great video! Just a question: at 11:50, isn't that Gandalf?

[@QuotidianWriter]

I have a hard time distinguishing between the actors who play Dumbledore and Gandalf, so you're probably right, haha! That was just the first black background to show up on the Google search. I should have noticed the hair differences. ;)

[@ff38lg19]

Don't worry, the content was amazing as always ^^

[@Le_Marquis_de_Faux_Images]

F.G. That's Merlin

[@marwanMSFsabry]

Wait, that's not Obi Wan?

[@guicaldo7164]

It's not Gandalf, it's Magneto!

[@Le_Marquis_de_Faux_Images]

This is fantastic. Also that Gandalf Easter egg

[@QuotidianWriter]

"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only decides what to do with the time that is given to us." - Dumbledalf

[@emilromin9863]

I was mostly anoyed thet the picture was of Gandalf rather than Dumbledore.

[@Midnight.Creepypastas]

@@emilromin9863 It's hard to tell because after part 2 they were played by the same actor wearing a similar outfit for each role.

[@lionkingmatiouz3441]

@@QuotidianWriter Hahaha

[@nemonomen3340]

@@Midnight.Creepypastas They are most definitely _not_ played by the same actor.

[@SysterYster]

I do appreciate that Rowling actually kills off characters. It's way too common with fake deaths and resurrections.

[@blackpantsog]

Here are all the lessons if you're in a hurry - Lesson 1, The Power of Human Relationships - 0:42 Lesson 2, Everyone has a story - 3:14 Lesson 3, The Power of Distinctive Dialogue - 4:15 Lesson 4, Sensory Surprises - 5:43 Lesson 5, Chechov's Guns - 8:35 Lesson 6, Something Borrowed, Something New - 10:15 Lesson 7, Life's Big Questions - 11:25

[@rose1742]

You are a godsend!

[@covu4746]

Thank you very much 🙏

[@CheekyTop1]

Thx

[@DoomguyIsGrinningAtYou.]

Lesson 5: Do the opposite of what Rian Johnson did.

[@naveisawesome4500]

To me at least the minor mentions of both the locket and the diadem before Deathly Hallows were the best chekov guns, as no one remembered the locket, and it took Harry almost until he was out of ideas for the diadem to remember it, and I just love how they're hidden back in the books Also basically all of Trelawney's predictions come true, with the 13 dine together thing happening multiple times as well as explaining the events of Goblet of Fire, another thing I love

[@evolvingseeds]

I found this to be informative and recognizable. I also appreciate your tone and adding the quotes in such vivid detail. Wonderful video all the way.

[@QuotidianWriter]

Thank you for watching! I really appreciate your kind words. :)

[@foreverredreindeer6802]

This really helps. I really hope to be an author when I grow up. It's a lot more realistic than my other dreams, such as being a model, being a dentist, working at target as a cashier. (Working as a cashier when I'm a teenager. But I know it's a lot less stress than working at Dunkin Donuts. Maybe I should consider working at a Barnes and Noble when I'm 16.) This proves that Hary Potter took a lot more than just a thought about fantasy. It takes tragedies in real life to understand how to write about tragedies sometimes.

[@hams2410]

The the biggest Chekhow's guns is the locket of Slytherin. It is mentioned in the 5th book when they are cleaning the Grimmauld Place. But it turns out to be a Horcrux in the last book. I was bewildered by that, so I re-read the chapter in 5th book. I love your videos, especially the calm voice ❤️. I love the HP series 👍 Keep making videos! The series discusses different aspects of life and personality. The list goes on : Friendship, bravery, loyalty, cleverness, wit, revenge, regret, heroism, power, leadership and most importantly LOVE. Dumbledore is my favourite character, though all characters have favorable traits.

[@RawhideProductions1]

"Let the force be with you" ~ Captain James T. Kurt

[@mythsabout]

What I learned from HP and JKR? Well, I am writing a book and it's fascinating, no matter how hard I try I can't describe anything as well as her in so few words. It's just amazing.

[@runlikejosh1364]

You reading the passages & the point summaries really make this video!

[@esrabulbul9579]

There are many things that come to mind about what Harry Potter has taught/given me, but the one that stands out the most from a writer's point of view is relatability. Rowling ensures that even with the dark characters, we always find something relatable. To a certain degree, we can empathize with their feelings and motives. For example, after learning about Voldemort's past we all understood his incapability of love. After having a glimpse into Dumbledore's family tragedy, we could all understand his reticent nature. I suppose it was only Bellatrix I could never understand but she was such a well-shaped antagonist that it left an enduring impression.

[@ListaGamesLP]

Well structured video with excellent voice over and great pacing. You're reeeally talented! :)

[@JerodimusPrime]

Your voice is perfect for storytelling, seriously, you should do part-time work as an audiobook narrator.

[@neledechange7420]

I have learned that Enternainment is nothing else but putting your life in a certain angle. Harry potter might be a story about Harry potter but it allows us to experience and learn from all characters in it. Just like in our world, where we are the center of our existence we can bond, listen and experience connections between each other. Deep down we are all equally interesting and worthy of love.

[@robertzorn1]

You have an amazing voice, Diane. Kind, intelligent, and warming to the heart.

[@ShiftySetax]

And now my head is tingling. Probably gonna binge your series for the soothing voice. Well played Ms., well played.

[@barbararey4337]

What I have learned is that a great writer inspires me to create from my heart and soul.

[@z8080]

Thank you! This was so helpful and fun to watch!

[@richardboldbrooker6327]

12:56 - That is a picture of Ian Mckellen as Gandalf. Not Richard Harris or Michael Gambon as Dumbledore.

[@QuotidianWriter]

Forgive me, for I have sinned.

[@mehwishmanha9250]

Well, shit; I fell for it

[@jas-hr6gq]

Another Chekhov’s Gun in the series is the locket. In The Order of the Phoenix, when they’re cleaning Sirius’s house, it mentions a locket that they can’t open.

[@edsheeranandcoffee]

This is so great. Thanks for making this video!!!

[@ewaldsteven]

Beautifully read, and what a beautiful tribute! Thank you! You have such a peaceful voice.

[@ruthmelicharles5062]

Thank you. I'm currently penning the manuscript for my second book. Your channel gives me priceless guidance.

[@bernirosas1768]

I'm not a writer but I liked this video, and I totally knew who had said those lines!

[@Pelayo_JMR_1980]

I've never read Harry Potter (or watched the movies) It seems I'm in denial... I love The Neverending Story, The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Lord of the Rings, etc...it's not a problem with the genre, which I like... Maybe someday I will... Who knows... I still have hundreds of classics in queue before I can consider to pick it up... So thank you for this info! 😂🥳

[@bluegreen4430]

I just read the first book and I have never seen a harry potter movie. I must say before seeing this clip that J.K Rowlings writing style is very unique. I have learned so much and I intend to read the rest of the series. almost ready for publication a I admit I love dialogue and how she has made it work. thank you for this informative video

[@jacobhaarala6744]

I love the character development that goes on throughout the books. Especially with snape, and Dumbledore after he died. Of course Neville too.

[@OhayoMacchiato]

I really enjoyed your video. It's really illuminating. Your voice is very soothing, but my only critique is that sometimes it's very monotone and occasionally difficult to discern words.

[@QuotidianWriter]

Yes, I think I'll try to inject more energy into future videos. I'm still working on how to improve the audio quality settings. Thank you for your feedback and for watching! :)

[@taking_time]

Diane, I love these videos! The content, delivery and production are just great, and it was one of the easiest subscription decisions ever. Cheers!

[@matthewmontreuil]

Absolutely fabulous video and what a lovely narration voice!

[@lionkingmatiouz3441]

Hello Diane, instructive content with nice editing for each video

[@rudylabsilica2286]

Awesome video, full of sound and wise advice, thank you!

[@mrwitty4166]

Loved this video, some great tips for writing, thanks for the upload!

[@QuotidianWriter]

Yay! Thank *you* for watching! :)

[@OnlyHumanRecordings]

Just finished the book series for the first time after being a fan of the movies. It is literally perfect.

[@MyPrasad12345]

This is the best series of all time!! And my favourite!!!!!!

[@Almediale]

Great video! Very informative.

[@johndavenport8843]

You have cast a spell of inspiration with this. Bravo!

[@LatiNoble]

Fun fact that readers overlook about the series. Even though the story is set in the 90s, there is only one period context in all of the seven books. Harry mentions a PlayStation in his letter to Sirius at the beginning of The Goblet of Fire.

[@Chrischi3TutorialLPs]

In my opinion, Snape is the textbook example of a plot twist. By the time that the seventh book is out, its been firmly established that Snape is a bad guy. Afterall, why would he kill Dumbledore if he wasnt? However, the reason that this one in particular is so good is simple. Throughout the book, we get to see many details that either seem irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, or are written in a way such that were led to believe theyre something else entirely. And all of these details suddenly make sense when you know Snapes past. A good plot twist is written in such a way that the average reader doesnt see it coming the first time around, but when reading the story for a second time, he sees a bunch of details that make him go "How did i not see that the first time around?" when he reads them with that knowledge. And thats not the only example. Harry Potter is full of these. Just think how we get all these details in Chamber about what Ginny is up to. If you know the story, these all jump right at you, but the first time around, they probably go by unnoticed. Or like that one time in Half Blood Prince they encounter two first years standing infront of whats established to be the Room of Requirement in an earlier book. All of these become painfully obvious if you know whats going on, but if not, you will probably not spend a second thought on it. An example of how not to do a plot twist would be Life is Strange. As much as i love the franchise so far, the first games plot twist gives you one line by Jefferson that youre not even likely to hear, letalone notice, to inform you that hes actually the bad guy, theres no documents, no details, no actions, no conversations, that make any more sense than before on a second playthrough of the game.

[@beckymurphy4714]

I write mostly fanfiction, so the character voices and stories are already established. However, in the most recent series I've been working on, I build on the established facts of some characters that weren't expanded on during the show's run, including giving a believable backstory to a character we don't learn much about who at first seems to be an enemy of the main character, but later proves to be a potential ally. I think, in a way, that's more difficult than creating your own universe.

[@kathyl6677]

I am glad for the encouragement to use ancient myths. I was looking up a few just yesterday, and found that there were a couple that "just happened" to fit exactly what I'm writing about and will fit into the story… with modification. ;)

[@ninoninonino981]

when you say a love interest a picture of molly shows up

[@QuotidianWriter]

Fan fiction fuel.

[@gretals9782]

I don't think I've ever watched such an informative video about writing! This is fantastic and I will definitely employ some of these tactics. And your voice is perfect for audio books😊

[@sk8rgrlteen]

I will always love the Harry Potter series. It was a beautiful experience

[@mialarsson4972]

I love your videos! Wish there were a hundred more of them! Is there any chance you could do a video about what lessons writers can learn from Haunting of Hill House and the follow up season Haunting of Bly Manor? I know they aren’t nearly as famous as Harry Potter but those two TV series are true MASTERPIECES when it comes to Chekhov’s gun, foreshadowing, dramatic structure and clever, vivid cinematic storytelling in general.

[@jamesrichey]

These observations of the books are spot on. I do try to incorporate these elements into my own writing. Wonderful video.

[@TheRockyCrowe]

J.K Rowling is one of my biggest influences with my own writing style. I always enjoyed reading, but I became avid with Harry Potter and my love of reading (and then writing) became greater than video games. Lol

[@alyssakays367]

My favorite Chekhov’s Gun (or perhaps misdirection) : HP GOF p696. “He said my blood would make him stronger than if he’d used someone else’s,” Harry told Dumbledore. “He said the protection my -my mother left in me - he’d have it too. And he was right- he could touch me without hurting himself, he touched my face.” For a fleeting instant, Harry thought he saw a gleam of something like triumph in Dumbledore’s eyes. But next second, Harry was sure he had imagined it, for when Dumbledore had returned to his seat behind the desk, he looked as old and weary as Harry had ever seen him. This is utterly brilliant because we are made to think that Voldemort taking Harry’s blood makes him stronger and the situation is so dire that we pretty much disregard the little line about the “gleam of triumph” Harry sees in Dumbledore‘s eyes. In reality it’s the complete opposite. Voldemort taking Harry’s blood and Lilly’s protection makes it impossible for Voldemort to kill him and that gleam of triumph is Dumbledore realizing that.

[@QuotidianWriter]

So true! I've never noticed that!

[@TylerNOS386277]

4:07 Oh I WANT TO, but the whole internet says I can't because 'info dumping is the devil!'; so, I'm left with characters with no descriptions or back stories. :(

[@QuotidianWriter]

Back stories can be conveyed in ways other than info dumping. In Harry Potter, the back stories are revealed as part of the plot, such as when Snape is teaching Harry Occlumency and Harry sees into one of Snape's worst memories, which involves James Potter bullying him. The story isn't coming to an abrupt halt to reveal that information; instead, it's a natural detour from the main plot that creates conflict (in this case, it means Snape is not so keen on teaching him Occlumency anymore, and in terms of internal conflict, Harry's rosy image of his dad has been sullied). So, find a way to create an obstacle in the character's goal because of another character's back story. You don't need to reveal everything at once, either. Sprinkle hints about a character's past early on and then gradually reveal more and more of their background as the story goes on.

[@omenking123]

8th lesson. If you're an aspiring writer, and you constantly hear from experts that you shouldn't adverbs too much, and you're sitting there, struggling. Can't seem find any other alternatives... well THAT'S a lesson you'll definitely learn when reading Harry Potter! :D (Of course, it can be explained that the books are aimed for children, which explains all those dreaded adverbs. But still!)

[@lilypond5158]

I didn't begin with reading the Harry Potter books, I was obsessed with the first movie when I was a baby. My dad even got me a cool wooden stick he claimed to be a wand. I must of rewatched the first 2 movies 30 times or something and they are ingrained in my mind. Somehow I only saw the first 3 movies and didn't continue. I only read the books when the last movie came out. Some people say they wish they could forget the Harry Potter books and experiece them all over again and that's kind of what happened with me. I remembered so little of the 3rd book that all the plot twists still surprised me, the only thing I remember was the traumatizing scene where Peter is revealed.

[@aarchi89]

This is the best HP breakdown ever!

[@marcobessa1483]

You have a really nice voice, I could hear you taking the whole day through!

[@elizabethrain4138]

This is absolutely brilliant! I learned a lot, and it cured my writer's block!

[@janicel847]

I've learnt that some soulmates waste the universe's time by arguing for five books straight. Kudos to Hermoine and Ron for making me want to rip my own hair out.

[@marcusvachon845]

Ms. Diane Callahan, you are a great speaker and highly intelligent. Thank you for the videos.

[@Bene_Singularis]

Great video, I like your videos. One thing, at 12:00, the picture you put while talking about Dumbledore is in fact Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings.

[@jarvissevered4598]

amazing analysis, great interpretation of the literature, thank you for this enlightenment !

[@alec.g.w]

I love your tone of voice and pronunciation, I can understand every word you say (Spanish is my first language).

[@versshha]

Your voice makes this whole video hit different to us! Great job, i must say! ❤

[@masabratkovic1809]

Totaly gonna use this in my stories

[@warrenbuitendag5286]

is it just me or is the picture shown 11:50 gandalf and not dumbledore? awesome video nonetheless!

[@FirezAper46]

I've been writing 2 novels, and I think I've incorporated all the steps but step 6 just by what i've learned from storytelling over the years, as it's hard to say that about my own writing, but good list!