The 10 Ingredients of GOOD STORYTELLING!

[@AgMak]

"Hold on I'll go sharpen this pencil" *proceeds to almost complete the entire drawing*

[@saulisaac2632]

*slobbers ur gobstopper* needs more bloggers oh yeah yeah

[@mariahwallace3973]

Love the name, very original.

[@Rustyhound-Cartoons]

*slobbers ur gobstopper* needs more bloggers oh yeah yeah!!

[@wokycookie]

It's very nice that you cover not only drawing tutorials, but writing advice and tips as well! I'm so glad I subbed

[@desireesmith862]

There’s a picnic...THEN THERES A KID NAPPING! -MarkCrilley

[@rickcoona]

than wake him up!

[@brobro3770]

@@rickcoona lmaoooo

[@saige6442]

Wow. This came out 2 days before my English end of year exam!!! We have to write a short story for the assessment. Thanks for the advice!!!

[@JealotGaming]

Why haven't you done it yet...

[@saige6442]

JealotGaming I live in London so I think the school terms are different. My school year ends in july

[@JealotGaming]

I meant your assignment. Why haven't you done it yet. Stop slacking!

[@kieroisdabest928]

Good luck

[@valasafantastic1055]

Anime Army!!! Consider writing out a pointform timeline of the plot events and making some notes about the characters and world. Say dialogue aloud or listen to a recording of you saying it to ensure it sounds natural. Try to write for multiple senses; ex; A bird called loudly in the distance as she walked through the Erie woodlands. Is not as evocative as ex; A bird called loudly in the distance as she walked feeling the scratch of the underbrush against her legs, she smelled the musty aroma as the chilled air clung to her, looking about in the dimness she realized with a sharp intake of fear; she was lost in these woods. Sight, sound, taste, smell, touch, emotion, etc. And of course all the tips in this video! Good luck, have fun!

[@thomaswilson9925]

It’s interesting to think that, as humans, we’re interested in conflict. What does that say about us?

[@killerpimp069]

We are programmed to solve problems in order to survive. We tell stories that teach us how to solve problems, they hit a deep fiber and they help us grow (and not fall into chaos).

[@JosephDR]

We typically enjoy watching conflict, but would not want to experience it for ourselves. For example, I love reading murder mysteries, but would not want to be involved in one whatsoever.

[@bendyamin86]

Let me guess, u want a utopia too? 🤣

[@PrateekRay-yt8rt]

Hi I want to start a you tube channel on sketching, will it cost me copyright if I draw sketches of celebs and movie characters?

[@thomaswilson9925]

Güido, the killer pimp oh, nice. Maybe I was just think pessimistically

[@PastryPuff9339]

2:00 This is very true. In one of my favorite book series the main character was watching the villain and caught him crying over his past and his old lover. It was really sad and made that villain my favorite villain in the whole series.

[@janfields4816]

That was a great video on storytelling. I spend a lot of time teaching writers how to write fiction and every one of those points you made is key. At the risk of being obnoxious, I would add one more: "The choices you make need to affect the story." For example, a scene in a school hallway should be affected by the location/setting and not be exactly like a scene set on a busy street or at a bus stop or in a café. It's not just background, it's story. The more you keep the choices you make relevant to what actually happens, the more real your story will feel.

[@ScotsThinker]

Having recently read 'Brodie's Ghost', I can be justified in saying that I can look up to you as an artist and an excellent story teller. I consider myself an aspiring artist/animator/story teller and your videos are always quite insightful. God bless you!

[@markcrilley]

Thanks so much! :)

[@ScotsThinker]

Your welcome :)

[@francescavelasco7485]

Mark, i just wanted to say i'm really thankful for your videos. 9 years ago i was in 4th grade, watching you teach viewers how to draw an anime eye. Now, i'm launching my very own webcomic. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with the rest of us 😭

[@ftgihf467]

What’s ur comic called?

[@sketch2471]

Hey Mark Crilley, I just got paid for the first time to do two drawings. I wanted to let you know that all your old how to draw videos and books are the thing that got me here. I am very grateful for your indirect teaching.

[@youraverageartist5855]

Not all heroes wear capes. The man, the myth, the legend.... Mark Crilley! Rewatching all the videos uploaded by this guy! Best advice when it comes to graphic novels I've ever seen! Best wishes from England!

[@hungrygori6077]

I'm really liking how you focus on story writing as much as art, we really lack alot about story writing specially advises coming from comic artists, so I hope you keep talking about it, and thank you so much

[@NKSProductions]

Mark, thank you for posting these videos that are about story telling! Because of your videos, I decided to challenge myself to make a comic/graphic novel! You have been helping me out a lot with my drawing skills and getting my creative juices flowing! Thanks again! :)

[@CalicoJackal]

*1.NO** CAPES!*

[@AYoungAdultOnYoutube]

*2. EDNA MODE! And guest.*

[@jassagao694]

One Punch Man *TRIGGERED*

[@binyameenmohammady1471]

Oh now you done it you made saitama mad

[@DARKGORZ]

WHADDAYA MEAN NO CAPES!?

[@normalperson659]

@@DARKGORZ Exactly that.

[@LDXReal]

I'm glad this video came out today because I am in the process of writing a story and I want to make sure I have most of these.

[@crystedits4616]

What's the story about?

[@lsedanolg]

same here

[@LDXReal]

Geometry Dash Cryst4l an idiotic elf king who is building a wall to block out humans, and is also on the verge of war with the humans. There are two middle School kids at the military boarding school along the border, and they leave school to stop this guy before he puts the entire country in danger.

[@XemberOfXIII]

All the ingredients listed out for ya, but you should still watch the whole thing. 1: Characters that the audience cares about 2: An interesting premise 3: A conflict at the heart of the story that isn't easily solved 4: Interesting dialogue 5: Moments of humor (even if the primary tone of the story is serious) 6: Surprising twists: developments that are unexpected (but still make sense within the construct of the story) 7: An emotional journey that underpins the literal journey of the story 8: An ending that is exciting and/or dramatic, in which the main character makes a final attempt to resolve the conflict they've been dealing with 9: Bold decisions, made by the main character, that alter the course of the story 10: An unusual point of view: the story allows the audience to see something they've never seen before.

[@ryancarless7921]

Thank you for the advice! This drawing is amazing. I'll start writing my story out before it escapes me.🤘

[@valasafantastic1055]

Ryan Carless consider getting a binder for the notes and separators as well as a computer file (backups). A timeline of major plot points is also helpful as is a section on the characters and various worldbuilding notes. Also try saying dialogue aloud or make recordings and listen to them to ensure it sounds like realistic dialogue. Etc. Good luck!

[@ryancarless7921]

ValasaFantastic Thanks. I try to write it out and work on it often until I'm finished.

[@GreeneyedApe]

Thanks, Mark. The storywriting is the one part of my project(s) that I consistently stumble over. Thanks for the help.

[@tacticslc4805]

That's why Re:Zero is working, make the main character suffer so we care for him :D "I'm going to sharpen this pencil" is this the code for "start the timelapse"?

[@tatarsauce6314]

Tactics Lc yea, nobody cares about Emilia

[@notarein]

@@tatarsauce6314 Arc 4 of Re Zero fleshes out her character a whole lot.

[@DarkoFoxfire]

This is actually a good video for how to make simple yet interesting stories!

[@kaneki-ken96]

"That is why you are here, to draw me. Edna Mode... and guest"

[@julianosuzuki]

Blushies, you forgot the blushies!

[@lsedanolg]

julianosuzuki let's be honest, do you really want to see edna blush?

[@awesomelegos8051]

Yeah forgot that in how he makes comics video, DORITOS

[@Onsvaltti]

I really enjoy your tips and these "top x things that will help you with storytelling" -videos! I always instantly click them open, and even tho I most of the time watch videos with 1,5 speed (they don't get to the point), these I always watch at normal speed, just to admire them. Thank you for doing what you do. I enjoyed Drawing lesson even tho it took a month to ship because I live in Finland. Have a nice summer!

[@DamnQuilty]

Great list. It is really helpful. About the twist I have found two bad scenarios in media: The after the fact twist reveal. Nothing hinted towards the twist and yet the audience has to accept it. The planned twist with subtle hints. Like it is all there, the hints and all, but the writer has made them so subtle that you have to be as vigilant as an eagle to notice them.

[@jamesrichardsoniii4801]

DamnQuilty Frozen and Zootopia should have taken the latter to heart.

[@DamnQuilty]

James Richardson III True. It is bad in those. It is connected with two flaws : the audience is not used to pay attention to certain things. Like if people that watched Gravity Falls were given coded hints they would have solved them and would have some idea of the things to come, but if you tried that with lets say Phineas and Ferb you will have no luck. The other issue is that sometimes the twist is a later adition and even if the story is rewritten and adjusted to make it fit, there is still the need of too much mental gymnastics, combined with paying attention to some scenes while ignoring others to make the twist work. Like I am of the idea that Frozen would have work better if it didnt have a villain. But I guess that they needed a clear cut bad guy. I mean the idea of Elsa fear of her own powers, her isolation, potential and shown danger to others, combined with the need to fix her bond with her sister and the struggle of the kingdom because of her actions...it all brings conflict that is more than just villain that does stuff.

[@beepbeepimmadragon8758]

My biggest focus are characters their relationships and setting I feel like setting is underrated because it can feel like you’re really there and you can write relatable details in cities

[@armstrongilly]

I love how Mark says he's just gonna go sharpen his pencil and then all but finishes the drawing. I wonder if that is how he gets all his work done , Think about it, Mark excuses himself from the room saying "hang on for just a minute I'm just going to sharpen this pencil " and then comes back into the room having just conquered the universe.

[@Wheat24673]

These are all very great factors to keep in mind when writing a good story. I never even thought of a couple of the ones you mentioned. I’ll definitely remember these while developing my own stories. Thank you.

[@bbsaburittobutforrandomstu6247]

I was just casually scrolling through KZbin, and I found this video, and I found it really helpful, but then somethings started to look super familiar. I realised it was mark crilley. I bought his book xD

[@marshallsriboonrung2887]

Fantasic round-up of crucial story telling elements!

[@BE_Art]

It helps to have these guidelines! When I was younger and less experienced, I thought I was sitting on gold with my manuscript. But my bubble burst when it came time to submit 😊 If I followed a good portion of this, I think I might have had a different outcome 👍

[@ripleyarcher8164]

A great summary of the core ingredients for a great story. It was the perfect sanity check. Thank you.

[@ThugDestroyer]

Your video is my mantra. I watch this video right before writing or thinking about my story

[@rebathosakhiletshane8364]

I would love to meet Mr Crilley one day and talk about comics all day. Best advice in a while.

[@justinwhite2725]

The premise of groundhog day is so good EVERY SciFi show has a groundhog day style episode at least once.

[@wavyassassin8017]

That fact that I automatically knew all of these tips tells me to keep going with this whole manga thing , and im steadily improving at my artwork❤️

[@Zelda090909]

It’s really crazy that this man basically taught me how to draw lol. I’ve been watching his videos since I was around 13. I am now 20 years old. Time sure does fly.

[@artkeyknight3542]

I noticed this video in my subscription feed and decided to watch it, hopefully some of these pieces of advice will assist me when I start working on my comic book script

[@snotpup1502]

Your videos are so interesting and helpful. When I feel like I've hit a roadblock in my art I listen to your videos and take notes and put them in my sketchbook. Truly inspiring!

[@andrewteichroeb8886]

I followed most of these guidelines for my own novel without even trying. That's rather exciting.

[@Daniel-qi3qv]

I just came back from the theater the movie is amazing :D, thank you for the tips.

[@wiktoriakohman2200]

You are the best art teacher on this planet,thank you so much 😍

[@dapug2823]

you gave me an idea for my work ive been working, that idea works so well, it merged perfectly in it, thanks.

[@mahmoudelzayat7111]

Almost at 3 mil how exciting!!!!:)

[@dekutree64]

I definitely agree on #5 (moments of humor). I especially like shows like Slayers where comedy is the default presentation style, but the story itself is serious, and a large portion of the runtime is in fully serious style. But regarding point #1 (characters you care about), I consider the "wake up and go about their day" beginning style to be the equivalent of a video game tutorial, i.e. technically effective, but not enjoyable. And since I don't care about the characters yet, I may not make it past that hurdle. Use as a last resort if you can't get the story to work any other way.

[@abreathingshadow2324]

Yey, I got around 8/10~ Thanks for the great video Mark.

[@Septic-Hearts]

"And suddenly, THERE'S A KID NAPPING!!" Well, I guess that could be an interesting conflict. XP

[@TheJaredPunch]

Candymlp02 if done correctly that is

[@LDXReal]

And I'll be back with another one...real soon

[@alexandergumenscheimer4321]

Daer Mark I am really happy for your amazing content. It helped me alot with my own drawings and stories. I am a real book fanatic ( I've read all kinds of stories . Your amazing ones too :) ) After countless dozens of books I came up with my own story to tell. But I didnt believe my writing could been any good. But after this video I realized my book could be decent or even good. Thank you for this.

[@sajiwashere]

Thank you for this advice! I can use this new knowledge for my comic for the Line Webtoon Contest!

[@gusdontbe_9930]

"Hang on, let me go sharpen my pencil" *FINISHES DRAWING NEAR TO COMPLETION*

[@dsargent3]

Great video and great tips, thanks Mark! That will be a good help for my comic!

[@tsrotmasftghhjkuujiou]

There's a beautiful graphic novel without any dialogue called The Arrival by Shaun Tan. It's wonderful and I recommend it.

[@mvanvid4433]

Yeeet I’m seeing The Incredibles II tonight! Great vid Mark, exactly what I needed

[@atousa7856]

You probably get this ALL the time, but I cannot tell you how much I love your voice! haha

[@Lemonsausage]

duuuuude. you are helping me so much with my own anime/manga story and drawings. best decision in a long time: subscribing to you. thank you! keep up this outstanding work!

[@LDXReal]

I just watched incredibles two yesterday and today I return to this video

[@hollyfortier3731]

Thank you so much for the advise Mark Crilley :-D

[@AporiaLester]

I see a Crilley video about writing, I click, I like

[@taniyahstafford843]

Man your so good I practice every day but it does not look different it still looks like the same as a beginner

[@TheJklay]

I love Edna, amazing drawing as always

[@lilianatowns9289]

Awesome video! I find that I have a lot of those in my own stories that I am making.

[@rainstarflowerdroplets9624]

That looks wonderful I love Edna mode I also draw Edna mode for the characters

[@appledough3843]

0:51 - Characters the audience cares about 2:39 - An interesting premise 4:24 - A conflict at the heart of the story that isn't easily solved 5:45 - Interesting dialogue 7:07 - Moments of humor 8:07 - Plot twist 9:42 - An emotional journey within the physical journey 11:11 - A climactic ending with a deep character choice 12:18 - (active protagonist) bold decisions made by the main character that alter the course of the story 13:21 - A different point of view

[@akibarenjj]

thank you so much, this is gold!

[@JAWA63]

Thanks for the advice 😄, i’ve been thinking a lot on how to write a story lately but i ended using a lot of tracing from other stories i tend to read or look up on. With the advice you gave, definitely i could at least create an outline of it before starting it

[@jtpikachu1012]

Can't wait to watch this video! I desperatly need it

[@ghostofcanidstheinnovator4275]

Thanks Mark Crilley!👍😆

[@InvoRL]

200:1 like ratio for a good reason. I'm new to writing and I've been writing anime scripts for fun, and this video has helped me out a lot. Great video

[@levobertus]

I'm gonna have to disagree with 2, 6 and 9. I know a lot of stories that work exactly because they don't have them and I find them to be far less important than they are made out to be. An interesting premise or a plot twist for example do barely anything for the story in the long run. I'd argue the premise (not to be confused with setting!) is even the least important part of the story because the story could go literally anywhere from there and it only matters for the cover or the back of the book. Virtually every other storytelling tool is more important to engage your audience. Twists aren't necessary either. It's an optional element that is meant primarily for shock. Some stories don't need that. Sure it can and probably will help to excite the audience, but that might not always be the best for the kind of story you try to tell. The same applies to bold decisions. Some stories are interesting because the main character is unable to make decisions (thinking about basically every story about depression) and that's what makes them good. I think a lot of your points on this list are just superficial elements that will probably make a standard story work, but doesn't necessarily mean they have good storytelling and by no means are required for all stories. Most of the best and most unique stories I know barely have more than half of your points in them and I think it's part of why they are so special, especially the ones that push you out of your comfort zone. They simply focus on other things to engage their audience and sometimes that is more effective.

[@justinwhite2725]

Levobertus That's why he said you need at least 8. That allows you to skip a few

[@warlordera5409]

You need like a break in that wall of text

[@bronghusphidalski522]

not taking the opinion of someone with an animu profile pic. sorry big guy that's just the way it is

[@dashinypunnymarsking]

this helps me so much! ^^ thanks for making this!

[@mamodokod]

I have all of Marks how to draw books now I just got the first volume of brodys ghost I wish he wrote a how to write a story and make a comic book

[@clarencep90]

Love the art of love intro.

[@markjthomson]

Edna Mode... my muse... so looking forward to the next Incredibles... :) Excellent video Mark.

[@Romutforsker]

This is good stuff mark 👍

[@davidtheartist8179]

Wonderful video & advise mark. For me I like to put myself in the story. For example if I watch an anime from beginning to end, I think of a character, his name, pros and cons, and background. Then I either choose to follow the original story from the beginning then switch and AdLib, or start with my own version then tie it in with the original story later on down the line.

[@warlordera5409]

From my own personal observations, I find that the climax of a story is heightened when the hero learns something new and/or sacrifices something. Resident Evil 5, for example, had neither and I've been scratching my head wondering why I was dissatisfied until I thought more about it. We don't learn anything new about Wesker and Chris doesn't lose a thing, he even gains back an old friend who was lost.

[@Evangelionism]

*A great example* of how everything Mark explains is used in a story is in the Webtoon comic, *"Home Sweet Home"* .

[@delicatemindarts9786]

Alright my man, alright. Bet money, all of you will see my name on a comic one day. (Yes, im writing it now.) This was the most inspirational and knowledgeable video I've seen in a while from anybody.

[@whatdoyoubelieve8572]

Do it

[@nasserfirelordarts6574]

So shall I!!!!

[@animenate1014]

Great advise thanks

[@odeimaginations5267]

These are my favourite types of videos! Could you make a video about your own storytelling processes with Brody's Ghost, The Drawing Lesson and other stories where you feel like you made a mistake? Like, if you could go back and redo some storytelling element: what and why? How would it improve the story?

[@shurue8628]

As far as empathyzing with characters who are suffering, it helps if the thing that is causing them external problems also ties in to a character flaw that they have. If you wanted to take that a step further and make the character even more relatable, when you establish what happened to the character, make them believe that its existence is somehow their own fault. (This eventvis often referred to as the character's ghost.) This way they are forced to either give in to these weaknesses and feel guilt as a result, or rise above their inner demons to become better. Basically what this setup does is force the character to change and grow, rather than become stagnant. When it comes to the nature of the premise, it doesn't necessarily have to center around out of the ordinary events. If the focus of your story is alien enough to the reader, then a normal day in that context could be just the thing they might want. Documentaries are a good example of this. While interesting and engaging dialogue can be invaluable to a story, don't discount the efficiency or nuance of conveying information through visuals. In many cases, visual storytelling can do in one action what would take several lines of dialogue to convey. As the video mentions, planning ahead to set up a twist that makes sense is crucial. The key to doing this is to present two separate things in the story, both of which are important elements to the story, only to later reveal that these two things were in fact the same thing all along. It would probably be best to start off by using two things that appear to be diametrically opposed to each other. While simple enough that the audience might see it coming, this idea can still present interesting ideas to the audience, causing them to think about the implications of the twist long after the reveal has occurred, which is a much more effective use of the twist concept than simply for shock value. In regards to endings, it helps with impact if you can resolve multiple plot threads in the same scene. (Or even the same action, if you really want to push yourself.) Furthermore, you don't want your story to drag on too much longer once the climax of your story has been resolved, otherwise you risk dealing with ending fatigue. While there is something to be said about avoiding passive characters, it is worth noting that there is a difference between characters that are passive because of lack of characterisation, and characters who are meant to grow from passive to active as the story progresses. (See Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit.)

[@acutechicken5798]

Hey, Mark, are you going to write any more stories like Brody's Ghost and Miki Falls?

[@chrisr5362]

Very useful advice :) Thank you!

[@billyriedel6449]

I'd love if you could do a video on how to draw photo-realistic athletic clothing such as gym shorts or sweatpants

[@lunatic_3521]

Oh man I wish you wrote all points down somehere in the description so we could have a quick overview of what we learned

[@محمدحيدر-ي8ص8س]

🌈Woah 🌹Fantastic 👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻

[@blupee6346]

I'm getting your book !!!!!!!!

[@isabellabihy8631]

About tip 6: unexpected, "illogical" resolves used to be termed "Deus ex machina". Your hero is in a fix, unable to help himself and, 'lo and behold, a god or goddess appears out of nowhere (the stage effects machinery), wiggles a finger or two and, Bang, happy ending. To my knowledge, this stupid resolve was already known in antiquity. BTW, as any principle of story telling. Even story telling patterns (boy meets girl, a quest, a maturation, there's at least a dozen more), which can be combined (e.g. on a quest, boy meets girl). I've read a few books on how to write fiction and as examples they cite stories you'd maybe read to find out how the author did it. I find your hints, forged by experience, much easier to relate to.

[@valasafantastic1055]

Quest for fire! (No dialogue), but yeah good tips; great dialogue does tend to be pretty vital. All these tips are great and great art! I’d just like to say not every story needs a twist and forcing a twist has ruined some stories for me. For me the characters, and hero’s journey/character progression and world are more important than a twist. I’d like to see you take suggestions from the audience and make a one page comic based on them for a video. Maybe even using all the tips in THIS video when you do that (if possible). Keep up the great content!

[@aftw1225]

#9 made me think of Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World. Great novel/anime if anyone is interested.

[@keithscott2706]

Lol that drawing is hilarious Edna!

[@androth1502]

careful with the use of humor. mistimed humor pieces can ruin serious moments (i'm looking at you, rian johnson).

[@acutechicken5798]

Lel

[@EpitomeLocke]

bathos is the worst kind of humour. even marvel's starting to realize it and they've been avoiding it much of the phase 3. though maybe excluding ragnarok but... its made to be a comedy so that might be the point idk then on the other side of disney star wars is plagued with bathos. thx rian

[@keithscott2706]

What does Lel mean

[@jessiefox3739]

I think that Ryan John violated everything on this list.

[@warlordera5409]

Epitome Lock That's why I couldn't stand the Marvel movies, I loathe bathos humour.

[@elizabeths.3307]

There was a picnic, and then there was a kidnapping! The story ends with him waking up.

[@Dee-jp7ek]

10:30 THANK YOU! I was there awkwardly debating with myself because I really wanted to wipe that spec off her face but part of me was all "it's a screen stupid it won't do anything" I had to consciously fight that urge and it resulted in my hand fidgeting from wanting to so badly but being unable to xD

[@MidoriDad]

Hey Mark. 1st I love your vids. But can we get a video on how to draw African American Men/ Women video. There are literally few to none (that are of your caliber) on KZbin. And I desperately would like to see your take on them.

[@MidoriDad]

ごじらはかっこいです 1st I am "black". 2nd does it matter how people want to use grammar? You understood exactly what I was asking. Don't be a baiter.

[@MidoriDad]

96 Thank you for info. I sure will.

[@MidoriDad]

96 this might just be the greatest discovery for me this year! Their work is phenomenal!

[@kya7566]

ごじらはかっこいです there are different types of black people depending on where in the world they live. How is it being a SJW to specify?

[@pradyuminater]

step 1- Start by reading and studying various images of skulls of three major human races-Asian,African and European. step 2- Then study the skull structure of various subdivisions of those three races, in order to study the minor differences that came in existence because of environment. Step3 - At last study the skull structure of other sub groups that are some what in middle of those major races. only by carefully studying the difference between various skull structures, you would become a master in drawing any type of face from any race. it may seem a long process but it`s very fun and fruitful

[@kiztru6969]

Thank you again!❤

[@sørinstudies]

Thanks for the graet advice!

[@sawyermckay4107]

I took an American Drama class in college, and boy howdy are the American playwrights (Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Eugene O'Neil, Edward Albee) masters of anti-resolutions. The plays so often felt to me like they just ended without a real conclusion. It drove me nuts.

[@phantomraven8853]

Thank you I needed this I want my story to be a good one

[@zsaszypants4life780]

Thank you!!!