Lecture #1: Introduction - Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

[@stephensorenson4397]

Notes from the video: 1. Branden looks back at this course as the most impactful one he took for helping him become the author he is today i. In his words the course "changed everything for him" - he had already written 8 novels at this point. 2. The class is centered around the nuts & bolts of writing covering the following: i. Two weeks on plot ii. Two weeks on character development iii. Two weeks on setting iv. Two weeks on the business side of becoming an author v. The remaining lectures are filled with guest authors/lectures Branden feels can cover an area of writing better than himself 3. Branden believes writing stories is good for you just by itself, no need to aspire to become a professional author 4. You don't need to aspire to become a SciFi or Fantasy genre author to derive value from this course 5. Branden teaches this course with the goal to provide the student all the tools and information needed to reach Sanderson's level of success in 10 years. (No guarantees on success just the right information) 6. Out of the 20 students who took this class in 2000 @ BYU, 5/20 are now professional authors or editors (including Sanderson) i. Branden claims about 1/20 students go full time professional authors/editors out of his BYU classes on average 7. Branden believes 90% of becoming a professional author is training yourself to write, working hard and writing consistently for 10+ years i. Role of the instructor is to help you develop these skills and provide information 8. Two kinds of writers: Gardner's - Write without structure and explore the story Stephen King George R. R. Martin Architects - Write outlines/have structure first than fill in the story from there 9. Branden believes the most important skill to becoming a professional writer is being a consistent writer. Perfect jobs/careers while working on becoming a professional author i. Bad choices from his experience and anecdotes from others: Computer programming - Brandon was too exhausted after programming to write Being a teacher - never able to stop thinking about the classroom ii. Good choices Manual labor jobs (layering bricks/consutruction), allows you to think during/after work. Graveyard shift at the Hotel front desk (tons of downtime to write on the job) Whatever works for you! 10. Branden explains it's common for writers to balance family, friends and consistent writing i. 2+ hours a day comes from somewhere ii. You need to learn how to best balance your life iii. Branden personally splits his writing into two 4 hours chunks with a gap between where he doesn't write from 5:30 pm - 9 pm designated for family/relationships 11. While struggling to make it as an author, you need to focus on what you have power over i. Consistent writing ii. Finishing your novels 12. Writing Groups - Can be helpful or harmful depending on the individual writer i. Do the following to make the most out of writing groups: 1. Be descriptive of your emotions when reading others works, not prescriptive 2. Tell them what your experience was when you read the material, not what they should do in your opinion. You may not know exactly what style or theme they are going for in the work. 3. Share what is good about the author's work upfront before diving into areas for improvement 4. Share your natural reaction, don't overthink it 5. Author listening to the feedback: * Write it down and don't change anything right away until you can work over the feedback. * Don't defend our explain your writing to the writing group, you want your readers to absorb the meaning from your story not your verbal explanations. * Avoid tainting your feedback; people will withhold feedback if you get defensive about your writing every time they provide feedback.

[@klebercarvalho7219]

God bless you,dude. This resume is damn neat!

[@lovekindnesstruth6558]

Thank you for the notes, I used them....much appreciated

[@leeisoffline]

I love you.

[@Anakianaj]

Thanks a bunch :) Just stumbled over a mention of the lectures and watching a whole hour to find out if there is something that might be useful to me in there didn't seem very appealing - but with your overview I'm fairly sure it's gonna be an hour (/an hour day) well spent :)

[@reputationbarbie]

Thanks! Helpful.

[@letsrock434]

I am the Brick Layer. Thanks for the class while I work Blue Collar. Having this on KZbin means everything to someone like me.

[@nj.7325]

I hope you'll be successful, or at least that this will give you a lot of fulfillment.

[@Sabamonster]

People like you keep society going. Thank YOU for the work that YOU are doing. Hopefully, you find what you're looking for out of your writing. I'm a disabled combat veteran, 42, and just now realizing I want to be a writer - so hopefully you started earlier than I did. Good luck!

[@teppil]

I'm seeing a trend with his class size. Brandon's class in 2025 will be held in a football stadium.

[@damionmurray8244]

Hopefully we'll be able to afford tickets!

[@DeeSnow97]

The only issue I see with this is how far the Soldier Field is from the BYU

[@Jrdn357]

Brandon Sanderson Lectures On Writing Science Fiction And Fantasy Novels 2015: Held in a normal, everyday classroom. Brandon Sanderson Lectures On Writing Science Fiction And Fantasy Novels 2020: Held in a really big auditorium. Brandon Sanderson Lectures On Writing Science Fiction And Fantasy Novels 2025: Held in a MASSIVE theatre with multiple stories of seats and a very powerful microphone.

[@Raichulula]

Classes are always bigger on the first few days.

[@davecasey4341]

@@DeeSnow97 Cougar Stadium is right there on campus. I loved going to games there and it should be able to hold one of his classes.

[@hondasamer5920]

Joey Tribbiani: there are no selfless acts. Me: **pointing to Brandon uploading lectures for free on KZbin**

[@peskyseagull]

are they not monetized?

[@bowtieproductions6708]

@@peskyseagull But we don't have to pay

[@ryan1840]

@@bowtieproductions6708 but he still gets something out of it. He benefits. The idea that there is no such thing as pure altruism is not incompatible with the idea that some things are just good

[@JenamDrag0n]

@@ryan1840 From what I can tell from other YT channels I watch, monetization alone without merchandise doesn't make that much money. He might be making some money off of it, but that's not WHY he's doing it. He's not doing it for the money, but to provide instruction and advice to aspiring writers to help them also become writers. If he was doing it for the money, then you'd have a better argument for these videos being not a purely altruistic act on his part.

[@desdichado-007]

@@ryan1840 Nobody likes a pedant.

[@TheCloserLook]

I've been looking forward to this.

[@switchclawblackvein]

found ya

[@raetekusu1]

My powers have doubled since the last time we met, Count.

[@justinianstone8578]

The chosen one has arrived.

[@Mongoose458]

@@raetekusu1 Good. Twice the pride, double the fall.

[@themocingbird2488]

Eyyy, I love your stuff, cool to see you here.

[@kermitdfrogz]

Whether or not he realizes it, he's saving lives and people from despair that have dreams and feel trapped. God bless you, Brandon.

[@kermitdfrogz]

@@bjornkretzmann Worry about yourself.

[@deonambrose]

@@kermitdfrogz What did Bjorn say?

[@skylarwalls3227]

Brandon stays in God’s good graces

[@kermitdfrogz]

@@deonambrose Something about my statement being corny or awkward.

[@guseynguliyev707]

This is literally how I have been feeling for the last year, could never put it into words. Thanks :)

[@vernazzasyrah]

48:22 “Focus on what you have power over: You have power over whether you finish your stories. You have power over whether you’re consistent. You have power over whether, you know, you are excited and interested in the stories you are creating. You do not have as much power over whether you’re going to make it or not.” So, so, so good.

[@Raizaiel]

I literally scanned this comment about four seconds after he said “Focus on…” The coincidence is great, but you taking the time to write it out really stitched these words into me. Thank you.

[@abhinavravipati6728]

Yeah this is some great advice by Brandon, thank you for writing it out for us

[@EXbobomb]

I love the fact he points out that sometimes you need to ignore advice. There are too many teachers in creative fields that think their word is law, its so important to understand that almost any creative advice is what works *for them* and *could* work for you.

[@michaelkuntz1923]

Sign above says "No food or drink in auditorium." Water bottle in hand most of the class. A true rebel, Brandon is.

[@syrkon27]

😂😂

[@Nameguy2]

truly defiant

[@tattoofthesun]

And no caffeine or hot drinks because they’re all Mormons and Joseph Smith’s wife didn’t like tobacco spit on the floor and then a guy came to a meeting and said “let’s ban alcohol and coffee and tea too” and the small group approved the motion and banned it all

[@_mollusc_lover_1509]

I know this comment will get buried, but as someone with a hearing impairment I'd just like to thank the youtube channel/whoever was in charge for putting good captions on this video :)

[@JulianMakes]

Also the volume was good and loud but also clear. Very helpful!

[@XCatherine]

I’M IN THIS EXACT CLASS and it feels even more special! Thank you Sanderson, for your awesomeness💛

[@reagame8700]

Awesome! I've got two more years until I can hope to get in.

[@Fitzroy_Edvin]

Lucky you! Brandon classes are a perk for Americans surely haha

[@Georionsc]

So, tell us, what's up with the few people walking out at the beginning? Is that common, wanst it super hard to get into this specific class?

[@brendawaworga]

C.. you are so lucky ❤️

[@TheColonelCommisar]

@@Georionsc Sometimes you gotta poop you know?

[@jimmyslaughter6262]

I've never written anything outside of college assignments, but I just finished writing chapter 1 of my story. It just feels good to get the story out. I'm not sure how far I'm gonna go, but I'm gonna follow my heart.

[@Derekivery]

Finish the story. Just finishing it gives you a lot of power. You can edit it and try to get it published or you can put it away and look back at it when you're old and grey. But completing it is a goal unto itself.

[@opalfenwick3953]

Truer words never said :3

[@ForYou-eo5bs]

I am on the same page right now....I hope I can reach the end too... edit : I have written some 5000 words until now...I hope I can reach upto 40,000 atleast

[@Katrein]

hey :) how is it going?

[@memcgiffin]

How far have you gotten so far Jimmy? I hope it is good.

[@jbizzlemcnizzle]

Thanks primarily to Brandon, after 15 years of being a writer who never finished anything, ever, I'm finally on pace to finish at least 2 novels a year, every year! I'm still not at a point where I feel like my books are worth submitting, but I have grown so much and it's because of these classes and Writing Excuses. I've even started looking at agents. Thank you, Brandon!

[@rorschach7752]

Jack G yo Jacky! one way you could improve too is read Story Genius. i cannot stress how much help this book has been. it outlines what makes a story suspenseful and how there is no story, without backstory. it has taught me so much about how to create suspense and how to evoke emotion. i was on the road to a 125,000 word novel until i realized it was complete shit after reading Story Genius. I have just begun a new journey with a revamped version of the original story with all the lessons from Story Genius by Lisa Cron, in mind. so, whatever you do, read Story Genius

[@kathyl6677]

If you've done your best with them, I'd say submit them. Stephen King says he thought "Carrie" was bonafide crap when he submitted it (his first finished manuscript). Even J.K. Rowling was rejected 13 times for Harry Potter, and other authors get rejected even more. Whichever way you go, good luck. I'm still racing to the finish line on my rough/"first" draft.

[@anachelnance6329]

GO! DO IT! SOMEONE NEEDS YOUR WORK! ! ! ! ! !

[@anonymousguy720]

Jack G homie even if you don’t like them convert them into web novels for free and you can get views, then, when they are popular you can submit them to a publisher, who will help you edit them into a better version of your writing, NEVER WASTE YOUR EFFORT, you took the time to make make some awesome novels, get the word out, even if it is only on Wattpad or RoyalRoad you are establishing an audience, who can comment and criticize your work, making it even better. Also you can make a Patreon for early reads on chapters, making some money.

[@kats6736]

This gives me hope ❤️

[@AndYouWillBeWithMe]

I know this is dramatic, but I wanna cry lmao. I studies literature in university. My passion for literature died in those classes. Sanderson has a way of communicating his passion to students and even viewers not in the room. I want to bust out my laptop and start taking notes, revise them, prepare the next class, damn. Like he makes me feel like I will LEARN and I will be incredibly skillful by the end of these lectures. That in itself is something worth complimenting in a way words cannot describe AND THIS IS FREEEEEE

[@aberosh1819]

I've cried twice during this lecture already, and I'm not done with it yet. It's so much truth, and it cuts deep.

[@15MinuteWellness]

DO IT!

[@zigi1524]

This has been the most liberating thing ever ... I DON'T NEED AN OUTLINE oh my god thank you my life has been saved

[@socio637]

@Aaron Jacobson clearly not

[@Sagebrush061]

Sammmmeeee except I never use an outline so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@mikaila1555]

😭😭😭yes

[@WillEnj0y]

I assume you do need at least some form of notes though, even if very vague

[@carandys]

Where is this in this video??

[@contactsergio18]

A week ago I told my sister that I was finishing the first draft of my first novel ever and she asked me "But is someone forcing you to write it or something?" We live in a world where if you don't get profits (the money!) for your time is a wasted time. Thank you Mr. Sanderson for this amazing lectures!

[@cooljool1]

it kinda is.

[@Нікі-в7ъ]

@@cooljool1 why?

[@embern3372]

@@cooljool1 So you don't have hobbies?

[@Celeborn93]

@@cooljool1 L reply, lol.

[@S.O.N.E]

​@@cooljool1Proceeds to actually pay money to waste their time watching shows on Netflix

[@kushpatel7204]

The biggest difference I find between these 2020 lectures and the 2016 ones is that in 2016 Brandon said "if you want to become a pro" and now he says "if you want to become me." He knows now that he has made a mark on the fantasy world. Great guy, Sanderson.

[@demiserofd]

'Do not write in the shadow' sounds like a great piece of mysterious wisdom that becomes important in the ending.

[@jareddavis554]

The fact that he uploads these blows my mind. So thankful for this being here as a resource

[@carlsmith4568]

Brandon is a wonderful human being who has given much more to the world than he has taken. A true role model.

[@bjornkretzmann]

I, on the other hand, am not thankful.

[@isaac10231]

@@bjornkretzmann ???

[@kmig42]

WHY???@@bjornkretzmann

[@Slytzel]

Everyone talks about how useful the advice is, but I think not enough people mentione how enjoyable it is to listen to him on a rethoric level. He is funny and seems very pleasant in general.

[@nightforest666]

So glad this is back. Loved his past classes.

[@hibak8196]

Saaaame!

[@aaronsutich-ursell8670]

Let the array of brown jackets begin! 50 shades of beige

[@nightdruid540]

me too!! great username and pic btw :))

[@Maribro4]

Don’t know if you’ll see this, but I wanna say how much I enjoyed your lecture and your books. I hope to write my own books one day and you are a huge inspiration

[@BrandSanderson]

I did see it! Thanks for the kind words and good luck with your writing!

[@Maribro4]

@@BrandSanderson Thank you so much! That means a lot coming from you!

[@RandomAnimeYT3O]

hey buddy ,did you made it ?

[@MrYessir21]

I love his analogy with the basketball players and writing. You don't need to become a professional writer! One thing that Brandon said that got me to start writing was that he just wrote novels for himself. That really stuck with me.

[@gordonpreston7960]

Yeah, I write for myself too. It's just a huge pleasure, I'm addicted.

[@anival9576]

If you wanted to be a professional basketball player, and someone responded with "Good for you! The exercise is good for you!" it would be a bit condescending.... Not trying to negate his point, just pointing out a pitfall.

[@pendlera2959]

@@anival9576 True, but his point was that not going professional is not necessarily a failure. Writing (like all art) is a worthwhile endeavor even if you don't make a living from it. Also, Brandon doesn't mention how many students sold at least one book, just how many made a full- or part-time living from it. If your goal is just to sell a book, even if you don't make a ton of money from it, I'm sure the chances of success are higher.

[@Wanessie]

This is how I write music. I write for myself, because I love doing it. Occasionally I upload something, sometimes people like it. But 95% of the work is at home, for myself and me alone, just because I love the process. It has value even if no one but me hears it. I think this is so important to remember regardless of your hobby. The basketball example was really really good.

[@fullmetalathlete]

Man I'll tell you what. I have no intention on being a writer, but I absolutely could have used a class and a mentor like you when I was 19-20. You said so many important things that I, as an aspiring musician, wish I had heard, and I think apply just as well in that arena as in writing. I think I will be finishing this series just because I find this discussion about creating art and balancing it with life and career etc so fascinating. Well done.

[@toom_56]

I’m just 13 and I started writing a novel, I know that it’s not that great, but I know if I stick with it I can make something that is actually good. I can not wait to watch the rest of your lectures because this introduction has already help me. Thank you ☺️

[@TheDiabeticGameMaster]

How's it goin 14 year old? you stick with it?

[@toom_56]

@@TheDiabeticGameMaster partially, chose a new topic

[@TheDiabeticGameMaster]

@@toom_56 hey, experimenting is just a part of it. Keep at it if it's something you care about. You've got a serious advantage starting as young as you are. I know that one of my biggest regrets is not getting into a pattern of working hard on my writing when I was younger. I often think about how far I'd be now if I had only started writing daily 5 or 10 years ago. There's no telling where I'd be if I had started taking it even a little more seriously when I was a teen. So good on you. Keep it up! You can do it if it's something you want to do.

[@plutoniumtangent]

@@toom_56 Nothing wrong with that! I was about your age when I first started writing, and am in my late 20s now. My stories have evolved so much over the years that they're barely recognizable as the things they started out as. Just sticking with it, if it's something you enjoy, is the important part.

[@darthinkarnatus7264]

@@toom_56 Don’t get discouraged! Don’t fully commit to one project if it isn’t working for you at the moment! There’s nothing wrong with starting a new project and going back to when you’re ready. The more you write the better the writer you become!

[@akashchakraborty4083]

Hearing someone speak so coherently was borderline essential. You come to realize how crippling your own expectations and fears can be. It helps to hear these words from someone you've trusted through the years. Thank you, Brandon. Reading Rhythm of War right now and adoring it.

[@kanis999]

I viewed this entire lecture through the lens of writing music instead of books, and it still made perfect sense. Quite inspiring.

[@Talurvia]

Amazing, I viewed it entirely from the aspect of writing films.

[@Vospader21]

Thanks for releasing this for free Professor Brandon. I’m 27 now but I’ve dreamed of being an author since I was 12, and I’m mentally ready to start taking it seriously and making it my 2nd career. I hope to learn everything I can from you.

[@legocontrollerjr]

Damn, you and I are on the same page. Good luck to you dude.

[@jettison_m]

I started a writing group in my town and it's definitely saved me. We actually don't talk for a straight hour and all we do is write, but after the session we are free to discuss. It keeps me focused through the week and I've had peope tell me that they haven't written as consistently for years before joining this group.

[@jredwood16]

I love how he talks about the architects also being gardeners but just in smaller jumps. I definitely fall into the architect category, but when I'm doing a 15 page chapter by chapter outline I'm still making stuff up as I go along. More than anything, it helps me remember all the ideas I've had that I love and lets me make sure I incorporate those ideas in ways that make sense. And it ALWAYS happens that something comes up to make those outlines not work completely when I'm doing the actual writing. When the characters start talking and doing things, the original plan shifts. If you're writing fiction, you're a gardener on some level.

[@MrYessir21]

I write almost everyday for an hour or so. I am also a full stack web developer (programmer). If you are watching this and aspiring to be both, you can do it. Similar to what Sanderson said about new Magic the Gathering players, eventually when you become good at programming many of your daily tasks won't take much "brain space" to accomplish. You can use that brain space for your writing.

[@stumpy1146]

I'm glad I just stumbled across your comment, I recently decided to try and learned full stack web development and was worried about the two things working together.

[@williamkeohane9964]

How do you do both? I want to be a software engineer, but I want to be an author more. I don’t want to risk going into the wrong job and stopping my chance of being a writer. How do I know if I can do both?

[@levihobbs1416]

@@williamkeohane9964 I'm a software engineer and it doesn't impede my writing at all. I don't get to think about writing ideas all day while I'm at work, obviously, but that's the case for most careers. It does take mental energy and thought and a desire to learn to be a programmer. I'm not sure the definite answer to your question, but my best guess is: if you just love learning and thinking, then you probably won't be exhausted by writing code for hours (or more accurately writing code for a couple hours and doing all the other things associated w being a dev for the other 6)...you'll just enjoy changing gears to a different kind of thinking and creativity when it's time to write.

[@user26912]

I am an experienced programmer and also write. A benefit of programming is that it pays good money and at least in EU there is enough time off. You can support writing with time and money from your job. Also programmings helps my writing. I am trained to see what is important and what can be abstracted, to find great variable names (!!) and to care about grammar rules as syntax. The relationship between writing and programming becomes clear from this quote: "Computer programs must be written for humans to be read, and only incidentally for machines to be executed." It's true there's less time during the mental work to think about stories, but I do think it continuous subconsciously. One programmer who became a famous author is Michel Houellebecq.

[@wayln2591]

So are you still writing along with your software development work?

[@regulusvizsla2951]

The fact that this lecture is free on the Internet restores my hope in humanity

[@itzybitzy1390]

I love watching your classes. To receive an updated version of it in 2020 is a dream come true. Much thanks for all you do for budding writers and for the sci-fi/fantasy genre as a whole. Can't wait to watch the entirety of this lecture series.

[@Arkady20]

Listening to this while not being American is like a glimps into another dimension - a world in which a succesful writer may actually earn money writing. That's the US for ya' I'm a writer from Poland, got 3 bestsellers, am published abroad in the Ukraine and Russia... and would die of starvation if I wanted to live off the writing. Different market, different reader.

[@Lucifurium]

I know this is four months later, but don't forget at least one Polish writer made a huge impact. And he was no young guy when he did so abroad

[@marcelocaruso7343]

Already watched his past classes one hundred times. Now I'll watch this ones another hundred times :)

[@CNBlaze-qj7fg]

Ditto!

[@SpaceExplorer]

100 times??

[@CNBlaze-qj7fg]

;) My excuse is a tendency to forget, unlike most humans.

[@TheRociCrew]

have you started writing?

[@marcelocaruso7343]

@@TheRociCrew Yes I have! A few months ago...not many pages yet, but its building up

[@leocarioshiny]

I'm a sophomore animation/sequential arts student who's currently writing his first webcomic, and I can already tell this is going to be incredibly helpful for me. So many of my classes are about the visual components and mechanics of *drawing* a story, but I always feel a little lost when it comes to the narrative progression and writing side of things.

[@oh...hi.]

working on a webcomic too, how did it go

[@wayln2591]

​@@oh...hi.how did it go?

[@wayln2591]

How did it go ?

[@wayln2591]

I hope both of you were able to achieve your goals ❤❤

[@tripwire202]

How did it go?

[@jordanb7304]

Im definitely a binge hobbyist. I have several hobbies that I delve into at any given period and its extremely difficult to stay focused on one of those things. Between art, D&D, writing, design; and other things like movies, tv, video games, or even just personal growth I can't seem to stay consistent to one thing for an extended period of time. A lot of the time its some kind of "art block" where my motivation is just shot, not knowing how to continue, or feeling overwhelmed by a project. So I often just shift my focus to something that makes those feelings go away. This is my biggest creative hurdle and its honestly one I have no idea how to overcome. Ive never tried to explain this now, and Im realizing it may be tied to my general anxiety. The way Ive learned to deal with that is through focusing only on one thing at a time. Maybe when I hit a "block" I need to ignore everything else and focus on one thing that may be causing the block. Does any one have any other advice that could help with this?

[@Raikeran]

i still deal with this kind of thing myself. it's kind of why my grades drop off during a semester even though i'm perfectly capable of managing it. the act of trying to be good at many hobbies at once just makes me average at everything and i hate it for as long as i remember i just do what i want to do at the moment because it makes me feel in control, however it just makes me inconsistent whether it's completing a certain mode within a game or finishing off an essay the cool thing is one way i can really manage wanting to do a lot of things is by reminding myself what i really care about e.g. writing more often at the cost of time spent drawing. it's more of a "forget everything and 100% this" attitude i started to adopt and that made things easier. if i start to get distracted i try to remember if i _really_ want to do something else and that allows me to choose better. when it comes to (resuming) projects it's easier for me to get into it by remembering how i got there, whether it's asking myself questions or reading over what i have so far, and at that point i start correcting things and get into flow

[@Gardinho_III.]

Agree haha, but what I noticed over a certain amount of time, Is that you can connect all of them horizontally very well, because a certain Skill from one Hobby can influence another one in a very beneficial way. Even If it Is just the approach to learning, but also the Idea Generation process. Don't see them as many seperated and unconnected hobbies, but as one big Project ;-)

[@jordanb7304]

@@NathanaelBlevins-cj6mt Thanks for commenting back! Its nice to know I'm not alone as well.

[@jordanb7304]

@@Gardinho_III. Interesting take. Ive definitely noticed there are aspects about hobbies/ skills that do translate to other skills. But there are some skills I find that require different types of thinking though. And its hard to switch from one mode to another. So in that way I view those skills as different because of the headspace that is required. Drawing and design appear really similar but I find theres a huge difference in the way my mind tries to solve those problems. Drawing makes me think of 3d space and and representing that with lines, but designing makes me think of how each part of the thing fits together, whether its graphic design or even game design. You can certainly put them together but my brain sort of has a buffer between those different headspaces. Although Im sure the more confident and the more experience you have in one or both may shorten the buffer.

[@arkanthor_art]

​@@Raikeran You are not alone. That has been my issue. It seems like I am interested in everything and constantly bounce around. I have become decent at many things: drawing, martial arts, weapons, engineering, design, programming, languages, bushcraft, leatherwork, construction... But it's difficult to master any one thing. And I can't seem to make a living off of anything. I hope all those different hobbies will provide experience with writing or art in the future. Hoping it wasn't all a massive waste of time.

[@rwalt862]

I love Brandon's classes, and I'm not even a writer. I appreciate his level of mastery! He is my favorite author, hands down! I had to laugh as he is standing in front of the "no drinks" sign with a water bottle. Yes, I know it doesn't apply to the instructor. I know from experience that teaching is thirsty work!

[@mikali1704]

he should apply that to food also cuz if he continues like this he won't last 100 years as he wishes.

[@SheWhoWalksSilently]

If I’m not mistaken, drinks usually apply to everything but water. It’s a cleaning thing, because water will evaporate, but if you spill soda or juice it will continue to collect dirt and grime for the rest of time.

[@rwalt862]

@@SheWhoWalksSilently Yes, usually. I am an academic librarian. I have made sure that policy is crystal clear and pushed for signs that say "Water Only". I have fought to have a drink when I am teaching for an hour or more. There are a few places like science labs with technology where the signs explicitly say no liquid at all.

[@Lov3.peyton]

As a 13 year old with a dream of being a writer, you are truly an inspiration. I've read some of your books over the years and I've always looked up to you. I know im 2 years late hahaha

[@vyrunae]

I've been working on a novel off and on for years now, and have something like 65k words if you include the non-consecutive, ahead-of-time chapters I've written. When I was in school, taking writing classes, I was much better about actually getting down to business, so I think watching your lectures will keep writing fresh in my mind and I plan on getting back to it. (Even if that means churning through writing up background and doing other world-building first.) And I don't know if you read comments at all, but I think I'm going to update the comments section on my progress as I go. Maybe it'll at least help some other writers stay inspired

[@nathanj3528]

That's amazing. I'll be waiting for your update because it motivates me to write as well

[@Maba111]

I would love an update! I'm just getting back into writing the last two weeks!

[@Levi_Zacharias]

Yo eight months but zero progress? Stay motivated bro, im halfway through a novel outline myself.

[@kats6736]

Any updates?

[@tys1954]

Any updates?

[@jckleme]

The one dislike is from the person that said Brandon Sanderson was unemployed.

[@mikeosteel]

Just because I didn't see anyone else mention it in the comments, I just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for adding captions to the video. So grateful for that. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[@carlwilliams9642]

Holy crap where has the time gone? It feels like yesterday when Camera Panda was uploading his 2016 lectures.

[@billyalarie929]

was it REALLY 4 years ago???

[@GameMasterToolbox]

And that's not even the first class recorded.

[@juldor93]

i;m so confused. is this the same lecture?

[@GameMasterToolbox]

@@juldor93 Nope, there are 4 older lectures. It's all the same class.

[@billyalarie929]

@@GameMasterToolbox so like... kind of. Lol

[@ambmae8]

RIP Dave Wolverton. Your knowledge lives on, touching future writers who may or may not know your influence, but are changed none the less by your willingness to teach.

[@simona2021]

Brandon Sanderson giving us transcendent knowledge yet again. Thank you!

[@lexietalionis]

Infectious enthusiasm as always 😭 So much good advice here! And it's so refreshing to hear a wildly successful author acknowledging how very different authors are and what works for one might be completely wrong for another.

[@michaelgouker8623]

I met Brandon accidentally at Worldcon a few years ago--one of the happiest days of my life! :-)

[@laurena7894]

Thank you for putting this on KZbin. Words can't express how much this means to me and I am sure many others.

[@chadum96]

This makes me so happy. I was told he wasn't going to upload anymore of these.

[@karenmcdonnell4337]

after 20 years of trying to finish writing a novel it is NOW that I realise that its because I'm a gardener but all the advice I've been following has been to write an outline. EXACTLY what he said happens, I have an idea or some characters I want to play with and I start writing but I then think *Oh no, I have to do an outline etc before I start writing* so I get a few thousand words in, start doing an outline, and by the time the outline is done I no longer have the motivation to write the story. I keep trying but the energy for it is gone. it also explains why I am enjoy writing poetry and short stories, because I've never followed any rules about how to write them...AMAZING first lecture!

[@tenaciousvermin]

Almost 1,000 likes and 0 dislikes currently. Brandon is seriously the GOAT! I've been writing/fantasizing about a story in the back of my head for almost a year now. Maybe one day, I'll put my ideas onto paper. It is a little intimidating, but maybe that is just because I overthink everything. With that being said I will continue daydreaming about my little story, and procrastinating on my actual work that needs to be done. Thanks, Brandon!

[@MindofAmna]

Yes, I recommend just picking up a pen and jotting down the idea (go vague or in detail), when I did this 3 years ago, the idea became cemented and few papers here and there became full notebooks lol So I really do recommend you to just tackle the first step and write your idea(s) down .. your future self would very much appreciate it!

[@PMLectures888]

The worst feeling is having a story in your mind and then losing it over time as your memory fades. Write that stuff down!!! :D

[@CagainmeetsLP]

I was intrigued from the start, but as soon as you said "I will use a Magic: The Gathering metaphor", I knew I would be down for the whole lectures from start to finish! Greetings from a German guy who is closing in on his first novel and Magic: The Gathering nerd by heart for the past 20 years.

[@pootsydoodle2326]

Thank you for that answer on despair. I have been working on a novel, it’s 90,000 words in and has completely fallen apart. Have been in a rather despairing place for the past month. I think I’m ready to go back to it now.

[@elialexedits2528]

As someone who can't afford to take college & has always been a writer these videos really help me, i really appreciate this so thanks so much

[@ChaseNoseworthy]

I remember binge listening to his past classes while ripping up floorboards and insulating stuff, and it's one of my happiest memories

[@reagame8700]

You're right about the Computer Programming thing. After several hours of coding, all social and basic human functioning skills go to crap for the rest of the day.

[@ooi97]

I disagree. For me IT and writing overlap in ways that let me progress in one while doing the other. I agree that sometimes debugging is so tiring you don't have the energy to do anything, but you just need to go do some workout, eat up, take a nap and you're good to go. I sometimes even write while going to and from work

[@reagame8700]

@@ooi97 that last sentence you wrote actually explains a lot. But nevertheless, everybody is different. So if that works for you, then lucky you!

[@maedre9330]

I love coding alot and om introverted so fuck social life og

[@BlueRidgeBubble]

@@reagame8700 I write in my mind, epic passages that read like old poetic adventures And then I forget it Really need to get a voice recorder

[@MurphyFreelance]

Found this after listening to Warbreaker on Audible. I am working on a huge science fiction project, your structure and attitude is exactly what I need to help me focus and get the world out of my mind and into reality. Thank you for making this course accessible! 💜

[@legendlightningbringer1173]

He’s finally getting active on KZbin!

[@AnthonyMorales19]

Brandon thank you! Your books helped me in a dark place. I was in a dungeon (CA State Prison). Your Spren gave me an escape! I write poetry, song, and blog. I write a lot, and these videos are helping as well. You are making a difference in people's lives. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[@souran1321]

If GRRM watched this he might finish his book

[@elathiaskade7311]

Topkek

[@rlmccoy252]

If he followed Stephen King's 6-page rule then he would have been done a decade ago.

[@zekeolopwi6642]

​@@rlmccoy252 I thought it was a 3 page rule?

[@aaronbeckett0714]

Yo, shots fired!!!!!!

[@etheolee4430]

I always go back to Brandon's lecture videos and everytime I find something new. Thank you!

[@anthonyhughes1305]

The original Master Class returns!

[@WarpedDimensions]

"Focus on what you have power over. You have power over whether you finish your stories. You have power over whether you're consistent. You have power over whether you are excited and interested in the stories you're creating. You do not have as much power over whether you're going to make it or not." Very wise words!

[@artofthepossible7329]

Taking two hours to get going and then the third hour was the most productive... That explains a lot. Certainly explains my lack of words during English class.

[@tommyinnes]

I've watched this before, and now I'm watching it again as I gear up for NaNoWriMo. Thank you, again, Mr. Sanderson. Offering these lectures for free shows a generosity of spirit that can only be matched by your incredible talent.

[@All4Tanuki]

This is great, it's like going to university except without the trauma :)

[@HiImKangarou]

BS: One job I can say NOT to do is Computer Programmer Me, listening to this while coding at work: Well, shit.

[@JoniCorn97]

Can you actually become so used to coding that you can listen a lecture while doing it?

[@scotwilcox1771]

Depends on what you're doing. If you're designing something new, probably not. If you're testing existing code or trying to reproduce a bug, sure.

[@Jaqen_Hghar]

Me after finishing CS undergrad: Well, shit.

[@slickawesome7807]

I wanted to be a writer but you would make more money as a computer programmer

[@skullclutter953]

Me, doing the same thing: challenge accepted.

[@RiedSiheal]

Really glad that they gave BranSan a bigger classroom.

[@RiedSiheal]

@@lahangya7124 Szia! De remélem, nem az utolsó :) Hiába, terjeszteni kell az Igét, mert ahogy én tudom, Magyarországon (vagy legalábbis az én környezetemben) nagyon kevesen ismerik BranSant :D

[@filipmolnar]

Kell is neki a pocakhoz :D Imádom a csávót

[@RiedSiheal]

@@filipmolnar Gyűlünk, gyűlünk :D

[@Exeidur]

I think this is my third time watching these lectures, and I'm probably going to make it a yearly ritual. They always inspire me to get back into writing, which is like a rollercoaster for me. I write fervently for a few months, and then I get anxious and I leave my stories for weeks, months, or even years. I really want to get into the habit of writing a little every week, and I've been sticking to it for the past month, so I'm cautiously optimistic. Having dedicated writing time really helps. Being a mom of two young children (4 months and 20 months) doesn't allow for a lot of spare time, but I've asked my husband to 'guard' my writing time on the weekends (1-2 hours at a time), and it really helps. So thank you, Brandon, for the tips. I hope to be able to finish a book within the next year :)

[@feranks3211]

How'd it go so far?

[@Exeidur]

@@feranks3211 thanks for your interest! I'm probably at around two thirds of a novel, have written bits and pieces for other story ideas and am hoping to finish the novel by the end of the year. I'm planning on rewatching the lectures soon 😊

[@feranks3211]

@@Exeidur that sounds not too bad! It's my first time watching and I'm applying what I learn in a little story as I go. Feels really satisfying :) Thanks for sharing and have fun writing on!

[@simmonslucas]

Got your own lecture hall lol. Thank you, as always, for making these available online, it is convenient that the videos will live on your channel. Happy for your continued success. Excited for Stormlight Archive 4!!

[@Plak_tow]

Brandon Sanderson saying that I, a casual fanfic-writer, am welcome here with him and the rest of the probably super talented students felt very wholesome. Also the feedback-tips at the end were pure stormlight!

[@saltywriteralex]

Love your point about menial labor. I too was under the impression that I should do an English-adjacent job to one day become a writer and started teaching high school - BIG MISTAKE!! I'm now a nanny and don't have to spend every waking moment planning and grading and teaching and it's perfect for writing! Wish more people knew this.

[@native2theuke]

I already hugely respected you as a writer, now I know how much of an awesome person you are. Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge.

[@JamesWilliamsVII]

Finally started my first Sanderson book two days ago, The Way of Kings, and all I can say is, I love this man.

[@Madd_ie]

54:55-55:51 applies so much to me right now, and having it thrown in my face was very much needed. 😄

[@cruelruel6623]

"My books are terrible, I'm terrible." Yeah, me every night.

[@mallikareddy4948]

Hi

[@jordanthomas5635]

Liking cause I empathize, not cause I agree 😅😅😅

[@victorhp1537]

I'm probably twice the age of anyone in the audience, yet I've found this class very inspirational and useful, even if I'm too old for even think to become a professional writer. The fact that you decide to put it on KZbin for free is a demonstration of how high your professionality and competence is. We have to be grateful and learn a lot from you, Mr.Sanderson. Thank you so much.

[@WhatNowMaxTVchannel]

I went with the "major in a subject that you like that'll get you a job and minor in writing to maybe one day realize your dream" and I can say confidently that I'm in a much better spot than my colleagues that spent their college time/money only on writing. I'm not crazy about my job, but I make good money, and I have managed to write my first book in the span of a year (80,000 words). Before the span of last year where I successfully wrote that book, I had considered taking a large chunk of time off of work to pursue my dream, but I've managed to stay employed AND pursue my dream without sacrificing either. I could have easily written that book within a month of 40hr/week regime, but it would not have turned out the same. Taking a year to write that book meant I had MUCH more time to think about it, which greatly benefited that particular type of story. I intend to write another one this year and pursue getting the first one published so we'll see. If your dream is writing, I highly recommend using your college to get employed in something you like, and use your passion to chase your dream. Time learning skills other than writing is not time wasted. Someone putting all of their eggs into writing is not going to have an advantage on you just based off of that decision, like they would for sports, chess, skills of that nature highly based off of hours spent with the subject. If you want to spend every penny of your education on a 1/20 chance to make decent money editing, you're foolish. You've got to play to win in this world.

[@smokedbeefandcheese4144]

Wow this comment kind of helped me a lot as someone who has spent a lot of time doing other stuff throughout my life and only recently felt the need to express myself in writing it’s good too see that this is one of those arts that can actually be picked up. I thought about trying to do music but then a bunch of people basically just broke down how long it took to get good at it and I feel like it definitely is one of those like chess or sports and I used to think the same about writing but maybe you’re right maybe the floor of the skill Is just lower

[@davidj.diehlii6607]

Thank you, sir. I have gone headfirst into writing and I love it. Sanderson is a damn saint for posting these for free. Good luck to everyone, I'll see you on the bestsellers list!

[@ismayonez6865]

Honestly the advice of "Just write if you like writing" is very good and applicable advice for a lot of things. Don't worry too much about doing it as a job, just do it as a hobby and try to get better ^^

[@else4868]

This is gold! Thank you so much Brandon for helping and motivate people to follow their dream of becoming authors. I've learned more from your lectures than anything I was forced to listen to at school haha

[@polaris30000]

Hey, I know you probably won't see this, but I grew up reading the Wheel Of Time series since I was pretty young. It was a favourite of mine and I read the books front to back and loved the world, the characters. the rules, the nations, and the politics that wove together to make the wonderful tapestry of the story. Robert Jordan inspired me to try writing for myself, and I currently use (IE, shamelessly steal) a lot of elements from his work while running a Dungeons and Dragons campaign for my friends, and they are all hooked on every twist and turn. After you took over the series and kept it feeling so original and alive, I started reading your Mistborn series, and again I found myself hooked. To cut a long story short, both to you and to you on Robert Jordan's behalf, I just wanted to say thank you for making me want to be a story teller and providing the inspiration to help me set my imagination free and start to build worlds, characters, and stories of my own.

[@adaml8827]

You are a brilliant teacher, charismatic and engaging. I'm so grateful to be able to listen to you!

[@MrAndrius182]

This man is a being of light with one of the most brilliant minds on this planet.

[@vincentdc211]

Got to love KZbin with the opportunity to receive a free lecture from one of the top fantasy writers. People pay a lot for this!

[@marcbenny]

Brandon, just a huge thank you for this amazing course you have uploaded. I am have written my first draft of my first book already and you have given me so much more to think about. I know the knowledge I got from you will help me level up my book in ways I did not think possible. Thank you a million times over.

[@sr.duarte9438]

I finished my 1st 225k novel, and I'm almost finishing my 2nd 300k-ish. I remember watching Brandon's class when I was in something like 40k or 50k of my 1st, and I assure that it was the most important thing in my writing life, just as Dave's class was for him.

[@filzeppelin]

What a great class. It was so gripping, I feel fortunate for those who were present. Thank you Brandon for uploading it for free. It speaks volumes about you.

[@ryanratchford2530]

I’m so glad this one’s being recorded

[@Royalguardpublishing]

Han Yang here. Long time fan. I didn't know where else to put this. I'm the next generation that made it. Grew up on Tad Williams, Robert Jordan, and then you. In the short term, my 36 hour long audiobook is number 300 in the entire world on audible. Doubt it'll stay there, but it feels pretty epic to see my books next to yours on the leaderboards. Especially for a self-published guy. I wish you the best and thank you for all the great content both in published form and on youtube.

[@defiantaichi]

You sir have gotten me back into writing and reading again as an adult. Thank you. I had forgotten how much I loved it,

[@ItsMeGlitch]

Thanks Brandon for uploading these, its really helpful and there isnt really anything else online that goes as in depth for free available. I really hope you keep uploading classes that you have license to upload as its a godsend for writers worldwide, but even if not this entire series already goes above and beyond anything else out there - thank you wholeheartedly

[@brikaro1]

*Looks at the multitude of 600+ page Sanderson books on my shelf* Yeah I think it's a good idea to bring someone else in to talk about short stories.

[@coloringpencil]

I am blown away right now!! I can not believe I have just stumbled upon these lectures. What an amazing opportunity! Such good advise, so different from many books I've read on writing. I feel so fortunate that these lectures have been made available. Thank you so much!!

[@MrFishing4u]

Thank you Mr. Sanderson. I appreciate your knowledge, humor and inspirational ideas. I am currently taking a 10 week course through a west cost extension program and it is a nightmare. Only two weeks left. The teacher has written 14 novels and most in the mystery horror detective genre. My genre is science fiction...I've actually taken many writing courses over the last 10 years and they were all very positive experiences but this current course has taken an emotional toll. No positive comments everything was negative from the instructor. For the first since I started my first novel 5 years ago, I was actually discouraged. Because I taught history at the secondary level for 35 years I've developed a thick skin...but wow this teacher is a true bully...I've contacted the program director and I'm still waiting for a reply I hope that comes soon.

[@manilalamat6612]

Np

[@juliakhomych6539]

First Lecture: Brandon is successfully preparing me to actually show someone my writing once it is done, that alone is very valuable

[@carlosperezdelema]

Why am I listening to a class on creative writing, when the longest creative thing I've written is less than 10 pages and find it so compelling, and all the while fail to pay attention in my classes about engineering? Brandon, you're a really good teacher, keep that in mind.

[@petermacdonald8479]

I know what you're saying. I just graduated from electrical engineering and some of those classes felt like watching paint dry. I could listen to Brandon talk all day, despite the fact I have no intentions of becoming a writer. I do love fantasy novels (especially his) though, so its interesting to get a peak behind the curtain.

[@aamnamalik212]

Mr. Brandon I am a teen writer ,and your lectures help me a lot on how to approach my story and especially how to refine it to something that I like. Thankyou for making this class accessible to many out there who might be in as much of a need for this, as me.

[@TheZabuza49]

YESSSS!!! I’ve waited my whole life for these...the time has come 🌊

[@maheshs6014]

Mr. Sanderson, I love your books. They are wonderful and great. Your love for books are clearly visible in every word of your books. As well as your great effort. I love your books. Thankyou Mr. Brandon Sanderson.