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

The fact that Jim Butcher asked for the worst idea someone could come up with, then proceeded to write a 6-book series from said idea, is absolutely legendary.

Anyone notice whenever Brandon takes a drink that the camera cuts to wide shot to show him standing under the big sign that’s says absolutely no drinks allowed in the auditorium? Someone is being funny!

Thank you for giving this out freely and not holding this behind a "MasterClass" paywall. Journey before destination, Sir. :)

I love how he repeats every question so we can hear it... actually, I just love this whole series

I can't believe this is free. GOLD. Thank you, Brandon.

My friends: Beers after work? Me: Can't. Have class.

This man is a treasure in this world. I hope he lives at least a hundred years.

This perfectly communicates why everyone is upset with the new Star Wars Trilogy. Each set of writers and directors made different promises.

I've just found this series of lectures and I think my favourite thing about Brandon here is, unlike other "tips and tricks videos" he doesn't discourage people using tropes or well-worn frameworks. He doesn't bash the idea of needing something wholly original and doesn't act as some sort of gatekeeper. Instead his enthusiasm to see people do *their* thing regardless of where it takes inspiration from is basically infectious and makes me feel like, even if one person reads my work and enjoys it, I've accomplished something.

PLOTS -A book needs to be the mashing of a lot of ideas. You can’t write a book from one idea -Good setting but bad character =bad book -Trash or cliche setting but good characters= still ok book - Try to have a strange attractor aka a spin on a familiar idea, or a mash of two ideas that don’t seem like they might go together. (Heist plus my fair lady = mistbourn) Promise - Tone: Indicates the tone and style of story you’re telling. The beginning chapters usually do this. If you want your story to be funny- the start of the story needs to be funny. Thats why the cold open is popular. *Indiana Jones. Don’t start with a kid on the farm if you want action adventure tone promise *Starwars -> that’s why a prologue is popular. Try to avoid the prologue cliche. - Character Arc: This is how the character is going to change throughout the story. Either how THEY change or their SITUATION changes. Show your character’s desires and what’s preventing them. Could also be showing reader what they know he should want, but the character doesn’t want *Bilbo doesn’t want to go on an adventure*. - General Plot: Umbrella plot (visible plot), core plot (what your actual progress and payoff is going to be). Core plot could be a romance, but the umbrella plot is “we need to do x, and while we do x we fall in love”. General plot should be the umbrella plot usually. You can be more predictable in your plot than you think as long as your setting is bomb and your characters are really likable. **Progress - This is the hardest but most imporant. - The readers want a “map”, they want to know the direction they are going and the progress they are making through the story. They want to FEEL the progress. They want to see the story building toward something, and they want to find out what that “something” is. Create an illusion for the reader that a steady progress toward an inevitable and exciting goal is happening in the story. Do this by identifying what questions the reader wants answered, that will be the reason they are turning the page. - If you make a “promise” in the book, but start taking the story in another direction then readers get bored because they feel like they are on a “diversion” from the actual plot. Thats when they get bored. Thats why the progress needs to be cohesive with the promises you make as a writer. - Starwars Example: Umbrella plot is destroy empire but the reader thinks is actually -> get the plans to the princess. Character arc is Luke trusts the force (secondary character arc of Han becomes less of a jerk). All the scenes should be working toward those goals. Thats good progress. - When you write a plot make little increments in the plot where you can show you are making headway in the goals. If you are writing a romance, you need to indicate progress is happening, so plot out little points to indicate that is blooming. - Sometimes you need to nest plots like Umbrella plot -> Character plot -> Sub plot which all gets closed at some point [ie Alderon is destroyed, we can’t take the plans there. New mini sub plot becomes turn off the death star tractor beam and rescue the princess]. - Progress should involve problems arising. Payoff - The feeling you leave the reader with when they finish your book. You make good on all your promises. - Sometimes the final sequences/plot isn’t the original promise. It can be the character growing, plot expands, or along those lines. A lot of readers will have problems with a substitute a lot of times. If you promise them a “toy car” and give them a “toy plane” they won’t like that unless you REALLY convince them that what they really want is the substitute, even though they THOUGHT they wanted the original. - Pay off should flow naturally with the progress. It should give them everything they were promised at the beginning PLUS something else and new. Give them a toy car AND a plane.

10:33 - What is plot? Why does it work? 11:38 - Promise, Progress, Payoff Promise: Tone, Genre, Character Arc, Type of Conflict, 18:42 - Character Arc 36:05 - Progress 45:00 - Progress in Umbrella Plot 47:04 - Matching The Right Promises with Progress 52:49 - Summary of Last Few Points 1:00:17 - Payoff

I love how even he has a hard time describing his own books. “It’s a uh, it’s ummmm, a.....it’s a fairy land?”

It's pretty great that BYU allows for these lectures to be shared online with students outside their university :)

"Another One" -DJ Sanderson

"Kid on a farm" Can't stop thinking about Eragon's prologue and first chapter

Its actually insane that we can hear a lesson from one of the most accomplished authors in the world for free.

“Don’t start a wacky comedy with a prologue that makes us weep” *UP has entered the chat*

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.

Brandon is like the opposite of a gatekeeper when it comes to writing. He chooses to give back his knowledge in the name of bettering the writers of the world and uploading these lectures for fee on youtube instead of keeping his secrets to himself or charging people money to access his lectures. Truly a model for anyone in any field.

I'm not an aspiring writer, but I'm still really enjoying these lectures! When someone is knowledgeable and passionate about a topic, I can usually listen to them for hours. And on top of that, Brandon is a really engaging speaker.

Just got my first manuscript request from Writers House. Watching Brandons vids helped a lot.

"Why am I here? I do not even like stories." Was supposed to be my comment but I am now realising this could be an opener for my story. God damn it. These lessons work.

This year's classes looks like it's going to be the one with the best sound.

I like the little Kaladin on his shirt

Thanks for the free knowledge nuggets. I'll pay it back by buying your books.

The bittersweet irony of the realization you spend more time watching videos about writing than actually writing. 😫

"Oh, thanks" like he didn't just drop gold.

"And he got over himself and they got together." Sanderson casually explaining the plot of When Harry Met Sally...

I think the whole ‘progress’ thing kind of explains why Season One of A:TLA, though iconic, is the weakest of the three. We establish the North Pole as a goal very early on and there are so many diversions, but it’s clever because it also introduces the whole comet thing, which keeps us hooked as an overall series end goal.

Brandon must be a very good person, I’m 10 minutes into this presentation and the information provided is easily worth it’s weight in gold for any aspiring new writer regardless of genre. Brandon could just as easily charged a few thousand dollars as other well established authors have ( I won’t mention names but I could) for this course and yet makes it free on RU-vid! God Bless you Brandon Sanderson, you have just provided an amazing service to thousands perhaps millions of aspiring writers of fiction. 👍🏼

„No food or drinks allowed in Auditorium“ - and Brandon walking up there with his Bottle occasionally sipping like a Boss ! Lol xD but honestly thank you very much for this! Please more of it.

"You cannot escape so easily, Dragon. It is not done between us. It will not be done until the end of time.” Then he was gone, and the mountain and the island stood alone. Waiting. Chapter 1: some-BODY

The real payoff is the friends we made along the way.

I've had a series stuck in plotting and development hell for about a decade now. This year, I'm finally getting serious about writing it. I know I'm a little late to this party, but I found these lectures at the perfect time. I followed a lot of other people who offered writing advice, but so many of them just seem to take things so seriously that it's almost like a "no fun allowed" type of thing. This advice and these lectures really resonate with me and encourage me to write more. This is honestly better than any paid courses I've seen. The fact that this is free on RU-vid is an absolute godsend. Thank you!

I'm not writing novels but I am writing scripts and I'm gaining tons useful information and tips from this.

It's funny and sad at the same time that i watched more lectures from sanderson than from my own proffessor in computer science

Ah yes, The Master speaks yet again

Brandon makes me feel guilty for not reading more stories. It's as if these authors put their life's work into these projects, and I'm just letting all that effort go to waste.

Toph Beifong is definitely an "iconic character."

Can't believe no one laughed at the speed limit because we are being recorded

His hand writing has gotten much better since previous videos.

I recently finished the first draft of my first book. This series played a big part in that.

Hi Brandon! I know you probably aren't going to read this but I just wanted to say how wonderful these lectures have been. I have always wanted to be a writer but have been too afraid to begin out of being the worst or not good enough, and last year I decided to finally give it a try. I wrote my first draft of my book idea and ran into so many problems which is when I ended up finding your lectures! It has helped me astronomically already. All of your advice is wonderful and I appreciate you giving writers like me this free and open resource. To anyone who passes by this comment and is just a watcher: Hi!!!! lets connect and write some good stories together (:

Thank you so much...from a guy who barely makes ends meat and can't afford the masterclass or the formal education. This is a gold mine for me. Thank you, I dont know of a better way to say that at the moment so just...thank you.

"And the this is the surprise I used for Mistborn-" *"Requiem For A Tower" plays in the background as I frantically press every button BUT the mute button in an attempt to not be spoiled*

Even if you've studied a topic for years, hearing things again can still be super useful. Case in point: I've listened to two previous years of his lectures, many seasons of Writing Excuses, and have a B.A. in Creative Writing, but despite having heard almost all of this a hundred times before I still discovered a promise that was missing from the beginning of my book that I spend half the novel paying off without setting up properly.

"You might have noticed that there are a lot of maps in my books" I wish stuff like maps were included in audiobooks in some way. I love audiobooks but it sucks to not partake in the artwork of the books.

Game of thrones TV show writers should have watched this.

I am an aspiring Dungeon Master in Dungeons and Dragons. That format of storytelling and story writing is very different than a movie or novel, as my players are the main characters and their actions influence my story as it proresses. These lectures, despite being designed for authors primarily, are incredibly helpful for me in laying out my initial ideas and even as far as helping me with bringing these ideas to life! Thank you for having these on RU-vid!

Top work B dog. The world isnt ready for the shitty novel you are giving me the confidence to write.

These lectures are returning my desire to write again. I've not been writing for a very long time, but I am finding a return to it cathartic. This is the class I needed as a young adult dreaming of being a writer.

As someone with ADHD, and a very small attention span, I was engaged and enjoying this entire lecture. This is really rare for me and I appreciate how good of a teacher you are. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to enjoy your classes remotely.

15:40 right as he goes for a drink the camera pans out to the no food or drink sign

shoutout to the person that subtitled this whole video

Yes, another one! these things are gold for aspiring writers such as myself. Thank you so much Brandon!

I've always felt like anything and Pokemon would make an awesome book, especially in the arms of an experienced writer.

Lord Ruler, I'm dying for the 3rd class!

Brandon, thank you for giving back! You've inspired me to write again!

"let's talk about progress for a little bit, because this is the most important of them, I think." Journey before destination, Radiant

Brandons mastery of the subject matter really comes out in the Q&A. Just hitting home runs each time, with great examples for reference.

This man seems like a remarkable teacher from what I've seen this far.

His classes are The Oasis in a desert for writers like me... THANK YOU so very much for these videos.

This is seriously amazing, and convinced me to keep writing. Thank you Brandon.

In college, I've never spend much time in the classroom...guess, this would have been very different with Mr Sanderson as professor! Thank you so much for uploading this!!!

Progress... omg this is why I loved Ready Player One and The Martian so much. I haven’t had that reading experience in a long time. I just needed to keep going to get to the promised destination! The Martian has the map too for his journey to the MAV and the journal so we can see days passing. And ready player one has this urgency of a race to get all the keys. Such a valuable lesson thanks Brandon! I will definitely put this in my writing.

Honestly I have never read any of Sanderson’s books, but I’m an English major studying in Omaha, Nebraska so I hear his name a lot !! Always was skeptical bc I was afraid that he was just an overhyped fantasy writer, but this series has completely changed my perspective of Sanderson and the fantasy genre overall !! This is an AWESOME resource if you don’t have time or can’t afford a creative writing class, but this goes even deeper than any writing or creative writing class I’ve been in. Not only is he giving a “how to” but also a “why this works so well”. I really admire Sanderson now and understand why he’s such a huge name in the English field. Truly deserved !!

It's characteristically magnanimous of you to make these available here, Brightlord 🙏.

Brandon Sanderson, Thank you for your generosity to share your experience and knowledge. You didn't have to, but you have a generous spirit. Thank you! Also, I love how you repeat the questions we can't hear from the audience. Wonderful teaching. gush gush gush

I just finished "Alloy of Law" and I can definitely see how the brainstorming process led to that story. "So, how about if The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. was mixed with an updated version of Mistborn?" Great book, can't wait to get into the 2nd and 3rd books. Bonus points for the 'Wax and Wayne' word play....

I'm attempting to rewrite the novel i wrote in high school (badly) and with my most recent rewrite of the outline I was struggling to figure out how to start. When I did, the first few paragraphs felt WRONG. Now I know why, I wasn't making any promises as to what the reader should expect from me the author, the characters or the plot. I was just creating a scene without giving it a reason. This lecture was eye-opening. I can't wait to watch more.

This is great. I sat glued to my computer and felt sad when you said we're out of time.

Great teacher, imagine if ALL teachers were this passionate, our country would be in a better place.

'I dont think ive ever read a magical heist!' The hobbit: *ahem*

You just changed my life 7:10. Jim Butcher is my favorite author, and Codex Alera is my favorite series. I even have a tattoo with Codex Alera and the Dresden Files. Codex Alera got me back into reading; it was like breathing life itself after denying my own humanity. I don't think I can look at the books the same way now lol. When trying to get other people to read I always explained it more as Avatar the Last Air Bender, but fantasy. I had the most amazing experience with Jim maybe 9 or 10 years ago. I sent him an email asking if he would say hello to a friend who was also a big fan. I honestly didn't think he would do it, a famous author and all probably doesn't have time for random fan emails. He sent the email saying hello, and did something so amazing to this day it makes me smile. He sent me an unedited first couple chapters of his 13th Dresden File book. I got to see the changes from when the book was actually published and that version. I always struggled with spelling, grammar, and bad hand writing; so to see that version really inspired me to write my own short stories. I still write to this day, but never actually finished a full story.

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

The first I ever saw of Brandon was him making a weird statement at a panel, then the other 3 members explaining why he was wrong. Then it was this series. I've been recommended Mistborn by a friend too, so I am a little apprehensive I know too much going on, but his story sound genuinely awesome and I love his approach to writing. It is very true that no one is an architect or gardener 100% either, everyone is on a scale and works differently- the key is learning how to manage and support how your creativity, passion and joy comes naturally.

Imagine giving this a thumbs down. One of the greatest writers in the world is willing to teach us what he does, and how he does it, for free. And you're like, "Hmm, nah, no good." Impossible. Thank you, Mr. Sanderson. You are, quite literally, an inspiration.

I'm convinced Brandon would look fly with a big, bushy moustache. Bert Reynolds style.

Thank you so much for uploading this with subtitles. You're allowing foreign people that are not quite good in English (as I'm not) to learn.

"They kept waiting for the diversion to end. If you've ever been in a movie where you've been like I am SO BORED, even though exciting things are happening, cant they just get back to the main plot? ... Canto Bight" Love this man.

This is the greatest thing new writers could watch. I would love to take this class just to be able to interact with the legend. The classmates at BYU are fortunate!

3:38 I'm glad to hear that Brandon doesn't like to eat fish. Makes me feel safer watching this

16:56 best spoiler for Wall-E I have ever seen

I listen to these lectures with a Lord of the Rings soundtrack on in another tab! It adds a fun element to these already great vids. Thank you so much for releasing these!

When delivering a lecture, I find it important to keep a few things in mind: -Be Knowledgable -Be able to pass that Knowledge along -Be Funny -Be Honest -Be Detailed -Be Expressive Sanderson NAILS all of these. These lectures are perfection and awesome in the literal sense of the word.

I’m so happy you mentioned Jim Butcher and Codex Alera. I’m going through it right now am enjoying it. And one of the reasons why I checked it out was precisely hearing that story good writers can take the most insane idea and make it work. Just look at Stephen King?

I cant believe this is free! What a world we live in

I love this. Love how you explains how Romance fits in as well. The umbrella plot, and then the romance is what you are actually here for. haha! So true

I learned SO much from listening to this. The main take away- the ability to organize and focus my thoughts. While I listened, I took notes. I fleshed out loose ideas for my characters and I replayed a couple parts to really understand. A light bulb turned on for me, I felt like I understood what to give attention to and what aspects would make my story worth reading. I randomly decided I liked writing not too long ago, and no one around me has any interest in reading. I didn't know who to talk to about what the writing process has been like for me. I feel a lot less like I'm struggling along by myself and more confident that my idea and my writing is going to be worth the effort. So thank you.

Thank you so much for uploading these classes online. Even though I'm not a writer or necessarily want to become one in the future, stories have fascinated me since I was a child and knowing about the ways writers set up to build them has always interested me.

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

what he talks about at the 50 minute mark, being bored because of a failed promise, I felt this watching Phantom Menace in theaters, wanting to get back to the Naboo situation instead of spending so long on a pod race (even knowing Anakin's future importance). Now I know why.

I am a programmer. Thank you for all of the programming references. (1:00:00-ish mark) I think you just helped me to understand plotting!

Thanks Brandon I’ve been following your lectures since 2014 and I can’t thank you enough for giving this to us without a paywall

It's an incredible honor to be able to listen to him on RU-vid. My favorite author of all times. Thank you, Brandon, for existing in this world.

Taking notes to a RU-vid video. Never thought that day would come. haha

This professor is a gem. I wish to have someone like him as a professor, he really makes the class very interesting and outgoing.

This video was so helpful. Lately, I've been feeling frustration towards certain stories with their plotting and I realize it was because I felt the progress was diverting from the promise of the story.

Brandon, this is so generous of you to share this. I have studied craft for the past 10 years ("toiling away in obscurity hahah") and I still find everything you share here absolutely riveting and super helpful. Thank you thank you thank you!!

can't fathom how anyone would dislike this. thank you for the knowledge. I'm grateful!