Lecture #2: Plot Part 1 — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

Advice is basic, but rendered without the pretentiousness a lot of online sources have. Pleasantly surprised.

Not me listening to this full course while taking full semester classes & working 2 jobs XD

Wow I think 2020 will be the year historians look back at and classify as peak woke, the beginning of the End. Back then relatively benign individuals who mean well, the average person, could say things like 'White Dude' in a disparaging manner and get ZERO pushback. Wokism had completely invaded academia to the point that at BYU, a religious college, had fully embraced the DIE (Death, INversion, Evil) philosophy of discrimination against whites. Full Racism on display. I'm so glad the last few years have truly been an 'apocalypse', which means awakening. As with all Evil, it labels itself by its opposite so that it can hide in plain sight. The "WOKE" are fully asleep, fully programmed NPC's who never critically examine their own philosophy and take marching orders from the Establishment. These last few years have truly started to Awaken the 'Woke' from their false reality. This type of speech, disparaging even of ones own race or sex, will be considered DIE in years to come, the philosophy of a virus intent on self-destruction and willingly throwing oneself on the pyre if self immolation. Only ones enemies would inflict this upon you, and then laugh at you like the clown you've become when you spout the very philosophy that will destroy you and everyone you know while you perform like a monkey. THe highest form of honor amongst the Navajo was 'counting coup' by striking an enemy with ones flute in a non-lethal manner to prove that you could get within striking distance, and completely avoid his retaliation and walk away the victor. I think the enemies of mankind want the even higher honor of convincing you to hate yourself, hate your ancestors, and watch as you in thrall like fashion, completely under their spell, peel off your own skin, destroy your own people, and dance on their graves. Only when you have completed the job for them will they look in your eyes and tell you well done my well and faithful dog, and as you peer into their eyes you will see the hate, the evil, the pure joy in your confusion when you realize you've been decieved. Only then will they kill their 'servants'. Good job.

I'm listening this as a podcast and just because of the voice I can't stop seeing Peter Griffin talking to me

It's no wonder that GRRM is taking so long to write his next book. Dude has so many characters and subplots and major plot lines that makes endless promises, needs progress, and payoff that it's like trying to untangle the largest heap of yarn in the world and connect all the pieces properly into a tapestry. I do not envy him.

Belgarath is the OG hot grandpa. lol that's my 2 cents.

"I would rank setting the least important of the three"
Wonderful, I have exclusively ideas for setting and worldbuilding, and nothing for plot or characters. Just grand.

Brandon is excellent at explaining the concepts. Suppose it is not surprising that he is a best selling author 😅

Taste is clearly a thing, because I hate Stephen King novels. What I hate about him is his themes, they are insufferable.

I have never watched or read Harry Potter

Every time I see a training about writing, the trainer alwaysbeging taking about movies. Interesting...

Lol, who wrote "How Bourne works" for the section where he's discussing Mistborn?

beuty

The sleep film is soooo messed up, imagine youre the guy??? It's worse for the others and when the truth comes she'll be seen as manipulative and crazy even if shes just naive.

Where did you get the sick shirt?!

Let me just preface this with I love Brandon Sanderson. Love his work, I am a advid injester of his creations. A stellar author. But If I had to watch this video on mute because the sound of his voice is like using a razor wire q-tips

Just a counter-example to one of the points:
Guardians of the Galaxy movie is a whacky comedy.
It starts with Starlord's mother dying from cancer in front of him and he was so in denial that he refused to hold her hand in her last moments.

Drama for a prologue for a comedy can work, but it it is easy to mess up.

On that point my other suggestion - don't change the genre halfway into the book. I remember reading a book that was magical and full of hope and positivity... And in the 7th chapter it turns into psychological horror.
Life does work that way, I get it. But I immediately dropped the story because it was not the book I wanted to read.

just got major mistborn spoilers, thanks, brandon

Im glad that dude pissed off Butcher.

The Stephen King thing got me lol. I had never really noticed before but his stories really do go like: A while ago in the NE US...A BUNCH OF WEIRD CRAZY STUFF HAPPENED!...and then it stopped happening.

I’m surprised you didn’t start by explaining the difference between plot and story

Now I need to read Mistborn, because I've only read Elantris series, and I don't want to get a spoiler. See later Brandon! When I will finish the first book and I will be back at this video

i can't believe there is so much blablablablablabla without any info about writing.

Sanderson is above the law. He IS allowed drink in the auditorium

What's the payoff in a tragedy. This question is important for an especific kind of fantasy: dytopian. What's the payoff n 1984 or Handsmaid tale?

I never thought I'd hear someone talk about While You Were Sleeping this way -- I am here for it! 😂

Awesomeee videooo. Wish this was in my class

Does anyone have lecture notes for these? 😅😊

Brilliant thanks! Also essential that you repeat many of the questions from the floor. It really is impossible to hear what most are saying.

Excellent materials!

If an editor isn't actually going to read the manuscript and tell you where and how the story and writing needs to be improved before publishing can be considered, the whole point, how is someone supposed to get better? If writers don't know what they're doing wrong, it's not possible to improve (outside of your own head). That seems like it's just running the risk of feeding a delusion (ie: that someone is the next Steven King or George R. R. Martin). Wouldn't the course then be to just self publish via your ebook and print on demand services and just take your chances that your writing is as good as you think it is?

The fact that this is free is just incredible. Props to you.

The beginning of the walking dead series is a good example of cold open

Thank you, Brandon, for sharing your knowledge with us 🫡

I cant believe this is free! What a world we live in <3 thank you Brandon !

John Wick 3 had an awful diversion into the desert with Halle Berry...totally awful, served no purpose except him sacrificing his digits.

Anyone else watching these for bettering their fanfiction skills?

Backsliding is Okay! He said it!

Gw!

Great, now i can tell storries!

Wow... there is so much to unpack in these lectures. Trying take notes and divulged on each topic he brings up... is very taxing.haha

I have absolutely zero interest in writing anything myself, but I really enjoy seeing someone at the top of a craft disect their art. Thanks for the wonderful stories you tell.

Why is he holding a bag??

Tone promise from Up says lost love and lonliness, it gives you a love story and makes you cry with a prologue. Then it's screwball comedy action. There's a talking dog named Doug, for pete's sake. You only get tone payoff at the very end where the old man semi-adopts the little boy. It succeeded brilliantly, even though it ignores the opening tone for most of the runtime. That is some BS, confusing you with bright colors and cute character design. Freaking suspension bridge with the characters.

This. Is. Writer's. GOLD!!! Thank you Brandon for your insight and generosity!!! You are our Hero!!!

Eat your salmon Brandon