Tim Ferriss - How Brandon Sanderson Writes a Bestselling Series
The conversation explores various resources and methods for understanding narrative structures and writing. 'Save the Cat Goes to the Movies' is recommended for examining different genres in screenwriting, while 'On Writing' by Stephen King offers insights into the life of a writer. The speaker discusses the balance between structured outlining and creative 'gardening' in writing, emphasizing the importance of both skills. They share their personal writing process, which involves starting with intriguing ideas and developing characters organically. An example from the book 'Mistborn' illustrates how combining unique concepts, like a fantasy heist with magical talents, can lead to innovative storytelling. The speaker highlights the importance of character development and how it can influence plot restructuring.
Key Points:
- 'Save the Cat Goes to the Movies' is recommended for understanding genre structures in screenwriting.
- Stephen King's 'On Writing' provides insights into the writer's life and creative process.
- Balancing structured outlining with creative exploration is crucial for effective storytelling.
- Developing characters organically can prevent them from feeling wooden or forced.
- Combining unique ideas, like a fantasy heist, can lead to innovative and engaging stories.
Details:
1. 📚 Essential Reads for Aspiring Writers
- Reading is essential for aspiring writers to grasp various narrative forms, providing insight into different storytelling techniques.
- Exploring a variety of genres and authors helps writers understand narrative construction and improve their craft.
- While specific titles were not mentioned, aspiring writers are encouraged to read widely to gain exposure to different narrative styles and techniques.
2. 🎬 Diving into the 'Save the Cat' Series
- The book 'Save the Cat Goes to the Movies' is aimed at exploring different genres within screenwriting, providing a genre-specific approach to storytelling.
- As a follow-up to the original 'Save the Cat' book, it offers deeper insights into genre-specific storytelling techniques, essential for screenwriters looking to refine their craft.
- This book is particularly recommended for those interested in understanding the nuances of screenwriting beyond basic principles, enhancing their ability to craft compelling narratives within specific genres.
- An example of the book's impact is how it guides writers in structuring stories to fit genre conventions, which can significantly improve the marketability of a screenplay.
3. ✍️ The Balance of Structure and Creativity
- 'Save the Cat' is recommended for understanding story structure, serving as a starting point for writers.
- Stephen King's 'On Writing' offers a perspective focused on the writer's life rather than strict structure, providing a contrasting viewpoint to 'Save the Cat'.
- 'Writing to Sell' by Scott Meredith is another recommendation, but it is noted for being heavily structure-focused, which may not appeal to those seeking a balance between art and structure.
4. 🧠 The Art and Secret of Outlining
- Despite having an outline, learning to 'garden' or creatively develop content between outlined points is crucial. This involves using creativity to fill in gaps and connect structured points effectively.
- Both outlining and the ability to creatively connect points are essential skills in writing. Writers must find a balance between sticking to an outline and allowing room for creativity, ensuring that the final piece is both structured and engaging.
5. 🌱 Navigating Between Gardening and Architecture in Writing
- The author skillfully combines 'gardening' (improvisational) and 'architecture' (structured) writing styles to enhance creativity and structure in their work.
- For the 'Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians' series, the author embraced a 'gardening' approach, akin to improvisational comedy, to generate spontaneous and creative stories without predefined outlines.
- Despite the initial improvisational method, the author now prefers a '75% outline' strategy, indicating a shift towards more structured plotting while retaining some flexibility for creative adjustments.
- This blend of methods allows the author to effectively balance spontaneity with structure, leading to dynamic and engaging storytelling.
6. 📝 Crafting Characters Through Writing
- Avoid overly detailed outlining to prevent characters from feeling wooden or merely functional.
- Characters should evolve through their motivations rather than strictly following a preset outline.
- Writing into characters involves creating settings and environments that allow characters to develop naturally.
- Revising outlines after character development can lead to more authentic character portrayal.
- Incorporate character-driven scenarios to allow personalities to emerge organically.
- Utilize character interactions to reveal underlying motivations and growth.
- Experiment with different narrative perspectives to gain deeper insights into character dynamics.
7. 💡 Sparking Creativity and Generating Ideas
- The creative process often starts with generating multiple interesting ideas for the setting and at least one hook for each character, aiming for diversity and engagement.
- An example from the book Mistborn illustrates starting points based on unique perspectives, such as questioning why dark lords rarely get a break in popular fiction.
- By challenging conventional narratives, like the predictable defeats of dark lords by unlikely heroes, creators can explore fresh storytelling avenues.
- In Mistborn, the concept emerged from reimagining the roles and fates of traditional antagonists, offering a new take on the hero-villain dynamic.
- This approach encourages writers to rethink established tropes, fostering originality and depth in storytelling.
8. 🔍 Developing a Unique Fantasy Heist Plot
- The plot explores an alternate scenario where the traditional hero's journey ends with the dark lord winning, creating a unique narrative angle.
- The inspiration for the plot stems from a love for the heist genre, citing favorites like 'Sneakers', 'The Sting', 'Oceans 11', 'The Italian Job', and 'Inception'.
- The creative breakthrough came from realizing the potential for a fantasy heist where each crew member possesses a magical talent, a combination not previously explored in major stories.
- The plot centers on a team of thieves attempting to rob a victorious dark lord, offering a fresh take on both the heist and fantasy genres.
- Identifying a niche in the market for a fantasy heist allowed for innovative plot development, merging personal interests with unexplored storytelling territory.
- Character development focuses on diverse magical abilities, enhancing the heist's complexity and appeal.
- Challenges included balancing fantasy elements with heist dynamics, ensuring a cohesive and engaging storyline.
9. 👥 In-Depth Character Development in 'Mistborn'
- Kelsier is conceptualized as a gentleman thief who cons people and lives among upper society. He experiences a crisis of conscience after realizing he hasn't made the world a better place.
- Kelsier's motivation for revenge stems from his wife's death and a heist gone wrong, leading him to plan to rob the dark lord.
- Vin is depicted as a young woman with undiscovered magical talent who has remained good but lost faith in others due to betrayals.
- Vin's internal conflict is her struggle to maintain belief in humanity after being betrayed, contrasting with Kelsier's learned optimism.
- The narrative explores the dynamic between Kelsier's optimism and Vin's disillusionment as they team up for a heist.