Alan Moore's motivational wisdom | BBC Maestro

[@lisprn-tt1tu]

"Read terrible books as well because they can be more inspiring than the good books." Absolutely.

[@franminanicollier9431]

The thing I love about "bad" media is that it's so outside of the tradition that it can offer new and surreal experiences, new takes on the world. Bad movies and books are a gift and can be just as entertaining as excellent art.

[@keithparker1346]

That's why everyone should read Moores Neonomicom...utter crap

[@lisprn-tt1tu]

@@keithparker1346 H. P. Lovecraft was the kind of writer who found his own style through writing terribly...but yeah, he did it better when dealing with Jack the Ripper's more horrible works.

[@te9591]

Bad ideas can sometimes boost your imagination and ego because it then gets you dreaming about what you could have done with the material. Whereas if you see a really great film it can sort of both inspire you but also psyche you out wondering how you could ever top it.

[@franminanicollier9431]

@@te9591 I often watch movies on MST3K and think "they really had something here with this film, it could have been so good"

[@VikingVertigo]

I feel like his advice extends to any art form, not just writing.

[@theendarkenedilluminatus4342]

The world needs so much more of Alan Moore talking about absolutely anything.

[@hammerheadcorvette4]

Well, In actuality Alan Moore is telling us what the world needs. It's us. A Better Us ! and he's telling us what tools to use.

[@theendarkenedilluminatus4342]

@@hammerheadcorvette4 agreed. 100%

[@hammerheadcorvette4]

@@theendarkenedilluminatus4342 So let's read more and write more ! I'm sure some of us would solve many of our own problems, if we could read and write more.

[@costelinha1867]

@@hammerheadcorvette4 As individuals? absolutely not, but the knowledge we get from reading and writing can help us figure out how to organize ourselves as a collective force that can help solve said problems. I mean, humans are great alone, but we are at our peak together, we're social creatures after all!

[@hammerheadcorvette4]

@@costelinha1867 Agreed ! I like the fact he encourages people to write as well. We all need to read more and write more. Honestly, writing can be a form of personal ownership/employment as well.

[@OnlyNexus0911]

What I've been learning from Alan Moore: Becoming a writer is a journey of self - discovery and creativity. It requires courage to share your thoughts and emotions with the world through words. Remember, every great writer started as a beginner, facing challenges and doubts along the way. Embrace the process, trust your unique voice, and allow your passion for storytelling to guide you. Write with authenticity, pour your heart into every word, and never underestimate the power of your story to inspire, connect, and make a difference. Believe in yourself, persevere through the inevitable rejections and setbacks, and keep honing your craft. The world is waiting for your story - so pick up that pen, unleash your imagination, and let your words soar.

[@hammerheadcorvette4]

Thanks for the first sentence. "What I've been learning from Alan Moore: Becoming a writer is a journey of self - discovery and creativity." I wrote that in my Zettlekasten today !

[@unmappedinsights4787]

Uplifting and inspirational words! Thanks & Cheers! 🦘

[@eddienavarro8619]

Beautiful words thank you. ❤

[@chrisr8183]

Such an inspiring comment! You really ARE a writer! Thanks for being so uplifting!

[@supernatural7690]

Hero, and so true. During covid lock down I decided to re read the classics from my childhood. Began with collective works of HG Wells and Jules Verne. Loved them and decided to research who's writing this form of classical SC FI today. Got directed to a "steampunk" novel and it was dreadful. Threw the book down and said to anyone who was within earshot that I could do better myself. First novel due to be published soon. Go for it people it can be achieved

[@ahobimo732]

Alan Moore is one of the few writers whom I can honestly say has fundamentally changed how I see the world. He's one of the greatest storytellers that's ever lived. I challenge anyone to try to argue with that.

[@GoreVidalComicbooks]

It's unlikely I will ever meet him, but it would be a great honor to one day shake his hand and tell him how important his work has been to me.

[@swedishclix7248]

Wow. I have heard so much of Alan Moore and loves his work, but never actually seen him talk. I thought that he was a weird, brooding, and in some ways eletistic old man. Really could not have imagined such a straight forward, easy going and likeable Guy he turned out to be.

[@karohemd2426]

As long as you treat him like any other human being and don't fanboy/girl at him, he'll very happily talk to you about anything.

[@l4zrh4wk]

I remember seeing Alan Moore when I was at Northampton uni back the mid-late 2000s. Dude was walking through Northampton town centre wearing a long black jacket and the most metal rings/claws I’ve ever seen. Great talk Alan!

[@batitony]

"It's not just for me and people with my AMAZING haricut" LOL Can he get any more loveable than that? This guy is truly a prophet of prose.

[@GlazeonthewickeR]

I really wish this had millions of views because it’s by far of the most life-affirming things I’ve seen in a long time.

[@Tomismyusername]

Going to play this for my year 10 class tomorrow. What a legend.

[@FlippingFumetti]

His intellectual honesty is as high as his talent.

[@oguzhankocalioglu3180]

A true prophet. What a refreshing style of talking.

[@JasonSum1979]

Alan Moore is such a true genius in every possible way! He’s the last of a dying bread! The world was lucky enough to be given us Mr. Moore

[@dewulfe9913]

First time seeing any interview/video with him - given his body of work, I probably shouldn't be surprised he's as awesome as this short convo shows him to be!!

[@stocktonjoans]

you need to take a deep dive in to videos of Mr Moore on this site, that man is always an absolute pleasure to listen to

[@p.d.stanhope7088]

The world needs Great Readers especially in a Post-literate World.

[@spoongootjoo]

i am studying a field in college that is heavily reliant on writing but it isn’t fiction. i want to be a story teller and my current trajectory will turn me into a bureaucrat. i hope to use what i learn about society and become a better writer and create a better world or worlds. everyone’s life is a story and i am tired of letting mine become a cheap knockoff of great stories. i hope to feel truly fulfilled by the end of it and that i expressed myself to the absolute best of my abilities.

[@criss3619]

You might face lots of backlash but im sure you already know, be sure to have a support group, because you will step on someones toes.

[@markkuykendall5475]

Potentially the English-speaking world's greatest living magus!

[@ptysme]

The wisdom of the elders, something that may have been lost with the breakdown of community. Now we are realising these valuable teachings are essential to a happy life.

[@yorkshireflatcap7026]

So glad i bought these lessons for them to be posted for free by the bbc

[@costelinha1867]

Honestly, with a powerful voice like that, part of me wish we could get a glimpse of an alternate universe where he became a voice actor. Imagine an antagonist with Moore's voice, instant massive intimidation factor right there. He's so lovely.

[@K_E_Robin]

I had become a bit fatiqued by my own prose writing, but I found tabletop roleplaying games and game design to be an endlessly enjoyable medium to create fantastical fiction. I'm working on my own Dungeons & Dragons Heartbreaker, and my game is the real f***ing deal! 🐲🛡⚔

[@rangerwickett]

It's so much faster to tell a story with your friends forcing you to yes-and and keep the plot going than to put down all the details in text. Like a fool, though, I wrote a few hundred thousand words of DnD adventures. I'm delighted by what we published, and I have heard from many gamers about how I enriched their lives (the campaign even helped link up a couple who's now married), but man it was a lot of work.

[@TheAlkhemiaStudio]

I am a fulltime artist who tends to procastinate and i cannot validate enough mr. moore's commentary on procastination. Sitting down and starting to work is the hardest thing to do, but once you start, the rest is a breeze. Long live the procastinators.

[@jeanoquevedo]

I was just feeling bad today and you come and reminds me of my truest dream, which is writing. Thank you. You've been a master to me since my tender years.

[@BBCMaestro]

We love to hear this!

[@warlockofwordschannel7901]

There's so many great insights & observations in this course, as a long-term AM reader I can see that even if he tends to abandon certain techniques, the gritty deconstruction of superheroes, the frequent use of captions after Swamp Thing, etc, there are still timeless thematic elements that remain throughout his works.

[@ThaKid14]

It's hard to put into words how much this single man means to me. He's had a huge impact on my life, through his ideas and stories.

[@midianpoet]

Thank You ,Mr.Moore. Thanks to You, I am living an incredible story, You know it, personally. Good luck with everything, Maestro, greetings from Czech

[@CarlosBe]

Thank you very much, Maestro!

[@holycrapIambehind]

This is the greatest advice I have ever received. I’ve never been inclined to write but I have read some books that have pulled me in. I really find it inspiring to think I could be a writer even if I am a totally shit writer. I think it would be fun to be a totally shot writer.

[@andenacar]

The BEST writing advice I've ever heard. Thank you Sir

[@WayneTully1]

Love to hear Alan talk about writing and the creative arts! He’s that voice to help! that you need to get you working!

[@jairosousa9643]

Simply wonderful, I needed these words to motivate me.

[@george7333]

One of the greatest videos of our time

[@demetriustelenoid7975]

This technics apply to other art disciplines such as illustration and music. Thankyou very much, Sir Allan...

[@giuseppemare]

It's true that whether your published or not writing becomes invigorating and a meditation. I remember having to write stories for my 5th and 6th grade English class. I loved it. They weren't any good but I enjoyed it so much. can we do that as adults?

[@VisualPanther17]

This is so what I needed right now. Thank you sir.

[@johnransom1146]

Love this guy. Reminds me of a great English teacher I had.

[@moog37-j3b]

Genius Man A real Gent and truthful to the end !! Salutations and a tip of a hat to you Mr Alan Moore !!

[@rosysulla]

Thank you, Alan.

[@carlosnicolini1719]

Great talk. Thanks, Alan!

[@rODIUMuk]

The maestro sub was worth it just for Alan

[@lorivaldorocha7520]

Alan Moore é o nosso Sábio da Montanha, sua voz barítona é um conforto para meus ouvidos. Quando eu "sair" deste mundo, farei um agradecimento à Existência por ter vivido na mesma época que Carlos Castañeda, Caetano Veloso, Paulo Leminski e Alan Moore. Agradeço à todos por dignificar o que seria uma existência medíocre, mas eles elevaram a minha alma.

[@juicesoundsystem]

Alan Moore is a beacon of common sense in a world gone tits up.

[@chadjones1266]

Thanks again

[@thealexprime]

Que legal ! Vou guardar essas palavras de sabedoria!

[@blackbird5634]

🥰LOVE Alan Moore!🥰

[@saliousow-o6k]

Wow incredible work 😊

[@McCrapweasel]

More. I want more. Is there an extended version of this?

[@Len0Grady]

This is a part of a full streaming course from BBC Maestro, their equivalent of Masterclass

[@Tbonetiger21]

Thankyou Allan Moore ❤

[@llauram3650]

great to see him looking so well!! 8)

[@HunterKiller-]

Thank you so much master!

[@pnptcn]

Read Moore Comics

[@hammerheadcorvette4]

Even the bad ones. . . Like the ones coming out of DC & Marvel right now. The Indie scene seems more hopeful right now.

[@j.manuelmendivilm.5039]

​@hammerheadcorvette4 the indie scene has always been more hopeful

[@ThaKid14]

truthfully parts of League were actually really bad - but I loved all of it! haha

[@jmgresham93]

Comics are trash.

[@pnptcn]

@@jmgresham93 wtf is your problem

[@bervync]

Thank you Story Santa

[@ruperterskin2117]

Appreciate ya. Thanks for sharing.

[@geinikan1kan]

Oi suggest . . . What a postmodern freak (the 1960s definition) we love you.

[@daviecrocket9160]

Well articulated end message

[@nunyanunya4147]

thank you for all the great stories. I'm sorry the world tried to improve upon them with CGI.

[@buzzawuzza3743]

The Magus knows best.

[@BenjamminClark]

hes a genius

[@godofspacetime333]

I feel good knowing that one of the all-time great roiters says that I can roit too 😊

[@juanmarcogiambenedetti7574]

Im watching this while procrastinating

[@costelinha1867]

"Now I want you to write ME a better world, because this one is COMPLETELY FUCKED" Yeah, I want someone to write me a better world too, preferably one where there's capybaras and velociraptors living together...... I'll probably have to write that one myself tho... I guess.

[@big.word.energy8569]

Somebody please turn Alan Moore onto the idea of writing and narrating a podcast... PLEASE.

[@profjeff9]

Beautiful outro

[@billythe11thdimensionalhobo]

4:45 the keyword: READ (there are so many awful forms of visual media out there - maybe look for their screenplays if you MUST have their stories in your head).

[@warlockofwordschannel7901]

Yes, and I would suggest you focus on the book form, whether novel, short story, collected plays, or poetry, to focus your mind and your creativity when starting out.

[@Wingedmagician]

I’m here for the stuff on writing and story but.. his procrastination advice! “know that you’re procrastinating. and then get over it” 11:09 😂

[@BBCMaestro]

we love that too!

[@thetriumphofthethrill2457]

The Bob Dylan of comics. He brought a depth and intelligence to the Graphic Novel that elevated it to one of the great art forms.

[@xavierpaquin]

If Gandalf was in Motörhead

[@DAtick]

This is the best way I have ever heard Alan Moore described!

[@unrealnews]

I gotta say I think he's right about everything except the bit about devices. You shouldn't abandon a device merely because you used it before and you recognize that you're using it. You should see it as a tool and that as a tool, it has certain kinds of effects that are can be modulated to change meaning. A device is effective when it does what it's supposed to do, but it is doubly effective when it supports what is being said. The word "said" there is tricky. I mean said from above, as in what the writer is telling you outside of what is happening in the story. It's probably best not to get too wrapped up in these things until the story is complete, then you can fool around with which device does what where and what makes a piece cohesive/coherent and so on. I haven't achieved the status of Alan Moore, but that shouldn't stop you from evaluating his advice to determine if it really works for you. I think it's great that he's used his platform to help people make good art.

[@juicedgoose]

The idea is to keep exploring new territory so you don't end up getting creatively stuck. For the time being you may as well take his advice. You'll always have your old ideas to fall back on if you find your imagination has reached its limit.

[@cajuzinho_cear3690]

"Nao é apenas para mim e para pessoas com meu incrível corte de cabelo, é para absolutamente todo mundo. É para você." - kkkkkkkkkk ok, Alan, você me convenceu

[@FisherKing9633]

5:28 Terrible books are more inspiring than good books. Basically the only reason to read Ayn Rand.

[@charlessmyth]

Yesterday, by coincidence, I read Soldier by Harlan Ellison from The Outer Limits Vol. 01 and was dismayed over his lack of rigour with with regard to viewpoint Spoiled it no end. This man called himself a writer ??? :-) Again, by coincidence, I revisited Our Lady Of Darkness by Fritz Leiber. That guy could write !!! "We're not worthy" :-)

[@vilhelmlarsen9565]

amazing video

[@leonardomattarmonteiro2824]

SENSEI Supreme ALAN MOORE oozes TRUTH & WISDOM

[@RichardMcSweeney]

Very enjoyable! Thank you. :) "道可道非常道" {道德經 一}

[@ikahloayza3530]

When will the classes be available for Southamerica? 😢 I already have mr. Moore's haircut, I need his class 😊❤

[@Arseface-X80]

His IQ is thru the roof! Super intelligent.

[@SeniorAdrian]

Hey BBC, please make the course on your website available in Romania. It says "Sorry, BBC Maestro is not yet available in your location". I want to see more of Alan's videos or just upload them here.

[@Infinitesimal-ho7it]

How does one live in order to have large amounts of time that they know won't be interrupted often?

[@stoatystoat174]

Viz ❤

[@arkmist3270]

I think Alan Moore waited his whole life to look the way he looks nowadays

[@stocktonjoans]

TBF he's looked like for for a while now

[@stocktonjoans]

Now, am _I_ waiting until I look that way? well, that's another matter entirely

[@emmaphilo4049]

I happen to have the same haircut (not the beard though thank God it wouldn't suit me). Is that a sign? I will take it as one This is the best advice on writing I have ever heard said in simple words from someone who is not serving word salad or bs like millions of other videos I am very grateful

[@pocketacessuited]

Damn, this is good.

[@warlockofwordschannel7901]

Isn't it though?! The full course is magnificent.

[@pocketacessuited]

@@warlockofwordschannel7901 would you recommend it to aspiring writers?

[@antonioliborio2160]

I would love a conversation between Moore and Bukowski talking only about writing.

[@warlockofwordschannel7901]

Or Burroughs!

[@agucci]

Oh, he's still alive! ❤

[@3choblast3r4]

"Reading is the gateway drug for writing. Read with an analytical eye." So often, nowadays, I meet people who claim to write but don't read. I've met people who claimed they just didn't enjoy reading but loved writing stories. I've met people who claimed they didn't want to read anything because it might influence their writing etc. Which is ridiculous. A lot of people seem to suddenly want to write not because they like books. But because they like movies. Often these people seem to think that they're very creative and thus they must be great story tellers. They watched a movie or two and decided that they can do better. But because it's nigh impossible to become a hollywood writer without the right connections, nepotism or success, they figure they will write books instead. Except they don't know the first thing about books or how to write properly. They try to write movies. And the most agregious argument for this is "I don't want to get influenced" .. as if movies, games etc aren't influencing you. Of course you're going to be influenced by something. If not by other writers, movies, shows, games then by your own experiences or people in your life. It's completey normal to be influenced by others, to take inspiration and to make it your own.

[@finnhaverkamp]

He wrote some of my favorite comics, including From Hell and Swamp Things. But i actually haven't looked into his more recent work. How's that going?

[@AClassOldie]

Has anyone seen Deborah Meaden and Alan Moore in the same room?

[@stocktonjoans]

wait, you think the working class hero, who still lives in the same ex-council house in his home town he always has, is secretly leading a double life as an ultra-capitalist elitist? You take that back! then wash your mouth out with soap, then apologise to Mr Moore

[@azraeljc]

I think tom king and Geoff jhons should see this vídeo

[@thedeadd.c.207]

Nice burn

[@lucasmattos5727]

🖤

[@crissykloth3721]

I am pretty surprised about your open hearted attitude regarding W R I T I N G. I d like to live in a world full of love, peace, magic, freedom and so on with a lot of wild life and mother nature in full conditions without horrible perturbations in the elemental sources - air water soil and life --- but I was wondering what do you mean by writing and changing the world but only for some few special persons? I prefer the whole bunch of variety from the upper to lower levels ....really happy to hearing about you in another today and afterwards finding you distributing helpful recommendations not for my carreer but for my life. Really nice awesome lovely greetings Crissy

[@CastleHassall]

you sound like you are from where my dad is from.. did you know any of the Hassalls?

[@weregoat529]

Genuine wizard.

[@matthewtopping2061]

Huh. Didn't know that I needed more wroiting in my loife.

[@justinoconnor9516]

@5:51 😂

[@CastleHassall]

Viz!!!.. class! :)

[@colossusrevolt3543]

The last bit was historical all the way.

[@scoon2117]

Thanks Santa

[@benwilliams6993]

For someone who bangs on about originality, Alan has (one would hope, intentionally) used slight twists on the slogans from government campaign adverts as his closing pearls of wisdom. It's actually hilarious. "Always write responsibly" is a twist on "always drink responsibly"; which is mandated by law to be included on any adverts for alcohol in the UK. "Stop when the fun stops" is also a twist on the government campaign slogan advising gamblers to take stock: "when the fun stops. Stop". I'm guessing Alan, true to rumour, is a man who enjoys time in pubs. He absorbed words from pub posters and utilised them in his master class. Talk about putting in layman's terms!