Brandon Sanderson Lecture 1

Introduction

  • Brandon Sanderson welcomes students to the 2025 lecture series on science fiction and fantasy writing at Brigham Young University.

  • Weekly lectures planned, focusing on various themes regarding writing.

  • Emphasis on approaching writing as a professional.

Class Overview

  • Class format includes lectures lasting about an hour and a half.

  • Initially a smaller class but now adapted to larger lecture halls due to popularity.

  • Important announcements about attendance for a second application-only class.

  • Orientation towards teaching and guidance rather than merely lecturing.

Class Structure

  • Expectation of a "fire hose of information" delivered weekly.

  • Nice recording setup; students being recorded for potential YouTube publication.

  • Recognition of returning students and their achievements, e.g., completing novels.

Course Approach

  • The class will cover key aspects of writing: plot, setting, character, and the business of writing.

    • Each topic will have two weeks of lecture followed by Q&A sessions.

  • Guest lecturers will be invited to discuss specific publishing realms.

  • Additional mini lectures on revision and prose discussed as time permits.

Teaching Philosophy

  • Philosophy on teaching writing acknowledges that learning comes primarily from writing.

  • There's a key distinction between discovery writers and outline writers.

    • Discovery writers explore the narrative organically as it unfolds.

    • Outline writers plan their stories ahead of time to avoid chaos in their writing process.

  • Emphasis on individual writing styles; no one approach fits all.

Advice and Concepts

  • Writing guidance must be personalized; what works for one may not work for another.

    • Example: Orson Scott Card emphasizes outlines, whereas Stephen King warns they can hinder creativity.

Gardeners vs. Architects Metaphor

  • Comparison of writers as either gardeners (cultivating organic story development) or architects (building structured frameworks for stories).

  • Advice encourages experimenting with both styles to find a personal blend.

  • Emphasizes that personal style will evolve over a writing career.

Artistic Integrity vs. Commercial Viability

  • Discussion on being a professional vs. non-professional writer. Each has different motivations.

  • Important for a writer to find personal fulfillment through writing, regardless of audience response or commercial success.

  • The societal perception of the worth of artistic endeavors can be utilitarian; people often ask, "When will you get published?"

Reality of Writing as a Career

  • Acknowledgment of the challenges of making a living as a writer; odds discussed (e.g., 1 in 20 chance of earning a living after ten years of dedicated work).

  • Mention of previous students who have gone professional, participating anecdotes as motivational evidence.

Practical Writing Tools

  • Recommended to develop an aggressive writing schedule early to hone skills effectively.

  • Strategy: Aim to complete multiple unpublished manuscripts before attempting to publish.

    • Allows practice to learn one’s style before facing commercial pressures.

  • Revision processes deemed critical for improving writing; it’s a skill on par with writing itself.

Ideas

Sanderson emphasizes that ideas are cheap; any good writer can turn an idea into a compelling narrative. He suggests a creative exercise: take a writing prompt and combine it with a favorite movie from another genre to explore unique storytelling avenues. This technique helps writers see the vast potential in mundane concepts by reframing them through different genres.

Problematic Mindsets in Writing

  • New writers may hesitate due to getting too attached to their work. Sanderson advises that it’s natural and necessary to move forward regardless of imperfections.

  • Comparison to musical training: early years often yield poor results until enough practice leads to mastery.

Revision Challenges

  • Difficulty in understanding how to revise effectively noted; discovering and addressing weak points in drafts is a must-learn skill.

  • Mentioned the potential benefit of setting specific revision goals or checklists when tackling drafts.

  • Highlighted contrasting experiences of various writers in revision approaches (outliners vs. discovery writers).

Writing Groups and Peer Critique

  • Importance of receiving and acting on feedback discussed; structured environments suggested for feedback sharing.

  • Ensure writing groups don’t derail an author’s unique vision—discovery writers should be cautious about premature feedback.

  • Emotional connection and authentic reading experiences should be goals during peer feedback sessions, avoiding prescriptive advice.

Conclusion and Emotional Journey

  • Emphasis on perseverance through challenges faced while writing.

  • Personal anecdotes shared on failures and successes during writing career, illustrating the unpredictable nature of the writing journey.

  • Encouragement towards providing each other support in writing through groups or classes.

Final Questions and Answers

  • Discussion on handling completed drafts; ability to self-motivate and create structures for accountability favored.

  • Last points emphasized how writers successfully traverse emotional challenges to ultimately pursue personal fulfillment through their craft.