Brandon Sanderson - 318R - #11 (Dialogue and agents)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 13 вер 2016
- Brand new for 2016 are Brandon Sanderson's writing lectures at BYU. This lecture was delivered on March 31, 2016.
Filmed by Jon Deering and Earl Cahill, edited by Earl Cahill (@spackest - where I will announce when new videos go public).
Table of contents:
0:36 dialogue
1:00 - Motive
2:55 - Individuality
12:45 - Conflict
16:00 - Realism
21:12 - Objective
26:20 - agents
49:50 - agent advice
Authors
Joss Whedon - amzn.to/2cvwErj
William Shakespeare - amzn.to/2clpisN
Mary Robinette Kowal - amzn.to/2cdObne
Brandon Mull - amzn.to/2cWQ8TN
Works
Sherlock - amzn.to/2cvx5BN
Star Wars books - amzn.to/2cmAOyw
Hardy Boys - amzn.to/2cdPuT7
Spirit Animals - amzn.to/2cUGpkN
Fwiw, those are affiliate links.
Logo by Isaac Stewart, intro music by David Doxey.
Cameras / lenses
- Panasonic G7 (42.5mm, F1.7)
- Sony A6000 (Rokinon Cine 85mm T1.5)
- Panasonic G7 (14-42mm, F3.5-5.6)
- Canon 70D (Canon 24-105mm, F4)
Audio
- Sanken COS-11D
- Sennheiser ME66/K6
- Tascam DR-40 recorder
If you love, love, love the videos you are more than welcome to say thanks in one or more of the following ways
- try one of Brandon's works - amzn.to/2a28JLt
- go buy a camera or lens at CameraPanda.com, maybe a 4K camera - camerapanda.com/p/camera/s_Bes...
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- say thanks in the comments
- just enjoy
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I'm not certain if Mr. Sanderson is aware of what a hero he is to us fledgling writers. I'm a huge fan of Hobb, Martin, Koontz, King, etc., but Mr. Sanderson's genius is his ability to make the craft of writing something decipherable and thusly understandable. He's our Rosetta Stone. /salute
Agreed. This and Writing Excuses is amazing!
I really appreciate you putting these lectures up for the public, I've enjoyed every one of his lectures.
same
Thanks to both of you for your appreciation :)
@@camerapanda 6 years later and Just wanted to say there are still people who appreciate it :)
I love the way he speaks to the students, he doesn't outright dismiss anything they say but if it doesn't exactly fit what he's talking about, he explains why it doesn't work. I wish more teachers did that.
A wise man once said, "The thickness of a character's accent, even if previously established, should be proportional to how important they are to the scene at hand."
Makes sense tbh. People do have a certain level of control over the thickness of their accent, and can tone it down when clear communication is necessary. There's even a moment in Star Wars Episode II where Yoda speaks normally because he's giving orders to the clones.
@@professionalmemeenthusiast2117 "Bring me a ship."
Writing as a craft is truly amazing. Its thoughtful and creative. All these instruments to deliver progress in a story to your readers. I'm not a writer but watch all his lectures because it is so insightful to understand all these things in what stories are about
Brandon is an absolute treasure for this world. I honestly love that man.
I truly adore the number of X-Men examples throughout this lecture series.
I've never read this guy's books or heard of him before (haven't had much time for reading outside of academic journal articles), but now #11 videos in, I've never heard such an awesome speaker on writing. Thank you Brandon, and to this channel! Will Definitely find time for a book of his.
Have you read any of his stuff by now?
You should read The Stormlight Archives and Mistborn if you like fantasy.
Elantris is a good starting point.
Have you read any of his stuff by *now*?
Have you read any of his stuff by **now**?
About writing smart people:
I think people are smart in different ways.
Socially intelligent people are more self-aware and understand the meaning behind certain behaviours. They make snap judgements about people and often show this in the way they interact, or through internal monologue. Their flaw could be that they aren't as logical as others, so they have to ask a lot of questions. These people tend to have a base knowledge of everything, but no real specialism, I think.
People who are not socially adept, but highly logical, might have a hard time relating to others. They might habitually correct grammar and flaws in people's logic, which make them difficult to be around, even though they're trying to be helpful. Their strength would lie in their ability to plan ahead and make rational decisions. They might also have a lot of specialist knowledge, making them extremely useful in certain situations.
I think that these two personality types are polar opposites, so bringing them together creates interesting conflict (Kirk & Spock, Leonard & Sheldon, Sherlock & Watson). But realistically, I think most people fall on a spectrum.
But, in my opinion, the way to make a character look intelligent is to show them in their most comfortable environment and compare them to people who are not competent. The way to make them more relatable is to put them in an environment where they are not comfortable and compare them with the people who are.
Sorry for the long post. The lecture sparked some ideas and I just wanted to share them.
You just described me vs my father.
I get along with EVERYONE but am a jack-of-all-trades and master of none while he is a Construction Manager and appears to think everyone is an idiot with a passion for showing how they are wrong then not understanding why they dislike him or how he explains things. This makes it obvious that I got most of my genes from my mother, but since I grew into the family business in those formative teenage years there is that innate vs environment learning which left the mark of my father in how I conduct myself sometimes and have to try and filter that out when working with people who might actually have a lower skill set than I do on a given topic or skill.
That last part I think can make for good characters having them wrestle with traits that they didn't really choose and so are forced to overcome throughout the story. I too apologize for the long post but it just hit so close to home...literally! :P
That's a great addition to the video, thanks for sharing. There are different forms of intelligence that can clash very effectively (as you've shown in your examples).
I think when the word is used, we can take it for granted that the person is probably talking about a commonly accepted or stereotypical idea of intelligence. No one would deny Fraser is a smart man, although he's blatantly dumb in a lot of ways.
What you explained are the tropes Sanderson was warming against. Just because someone is logical doesn't mean they are socially inept. My profession requires I work with people who would mostly fall under the blanket term of "intelligent" and I have yet to meet one that is noticably unskilled in social interaction. Instead, they are some of the most pleasant people to converse with because they enter dialogue to enlighten and illuminate with the focus of answering questions. Their logical ability allows them to follow the conversation and project where it's going, often answering questions as or before they come up. This focus of answering questions instead of just trying to speak or keep a conversation going shows, to me, a mastery of social interaction, not the lack of.
Thanks Mr. Panda!
You're welcome Mr. Leskin!
Great name.
10/10 for the adorable sneeze at 14:04.
Sanderson wears the best tee shirts.
this comment should be higher.
>Offers it a spliff< :D
Thank you Brandon! This is by far the most extensive and useful writing information I have encountered! As a bonus it is also very entertaining. I have listened to every video more than once.
This is the only way I can learn about anything like this properly or close to it. Thank you so much for posting these vids.
What makes good dialogue is tons of rewrites. In my experience, in the first few drafts you write a ton of junk but then you cut, cut, cut and it improves. If you can cut a whole convo and not impact your plot, cut it. Characterization is important, but people's actions show character so much more than their words. That's why in screenwriting we have those clichés about kicking or petting dogs
One good tip on the dialect - you could make character use it in specific (I usually use them in high pressure moments) It appears very natural and not overloads the book.
Take a shot every time one of the students uses the word "like"
Cyasn cunfyrn thixds id s bsd ifes
It's a linguistic tell.
Just another version of “Um” or “Uh”. Langauge evolves, nothing wrong with it
Sanderson
Is
Incredible
:0
Thanks for uploading! I hope the last one will be up soon :)
Man thanks, never die.
Always good information!
realistic dialogue: i have been interrogated a couple of times by leos or security. and it seemed to me in both cases either the tv writers are indeed very familiar with procedure or the officers were way too into tv cop shows. in fact, if the situations hadn't been so serious, it would have seemed laughable that people irl were saying exactly what i heard their counterparts say on tv. fortunately, i was innocent on all counts, but even if i weren't, i would have just shut up and lawyered up. sometimes, real is too real.
Predators & Editors, Absolute Write Water Cooler were the websites mentioned for finding agents and learning about them.
Hey, Camera Panda, just wanted to say I found your ad useful (and like that it's at the end of the video) -- and like your site. Good job on that!
Thanks! I hope you're able to buy many cameras and lenses through camerapanda.com :)
I personally think that objective is foremost in importance since the book is the plot, wrapped in everything else that truly makes it interesting. I believe that Sanderson is trying to highlight that the others are so crucially underrated.
22:30
every lousy dialogue i've read, i think that was it.
thank you so much for sharing
I don't know if it was intentional but every time the big dun dun dun dun sequence in the beginning starts and then it cuts off immediately with Brandon just doing his normal lecture, I find extremely hilarious.
Can you add automatic subtitles like the other ones?
Great dialogue: read Elmore Leonard. Great dialect dialogue: read Ken Bruen's Jack Taylor books.
26:19 for agents
I really appreciate this lecture as I am currently reviewing agent agreements. BTW I wish he can ommit the NY comment as I lived in Utah and was in BYU and met lots of blunt and individuals that were not the kindest to people of color...Goes both ways!
Not everyone means the same thing by the word "smart". Isn't it always better to clearly express that your character is knowledgeable in a field (they know exactly how to forge steel, command troops in the field, write a complex enchantment) or that they have a certain kind of mental personality (quick thinking and able to win debates, precise and rigorous, never failing to stay optimistic and find a solution when everything looks hopeless)? "Smart" is too vague.
"Considering themselves highly intelligent" and "highly educated" and "considered intelligent in our culture" were phrases Brandon used.
@14:05 thought that was a cat. cute sneeze
Student audio is terrible, so it would be great if Brandon could repeat what they said before answering. They do have good questions and contributions.
26:00 Agents section
50:23 Princess Carolyn was right?
Hey all! I'm starting in on a sci-fi story and I'd like to post a couple chapters somewhere to get some feedback/ideas. Does anyone have any suggestions for some good boards, forums, etc? Thanks!
Reddit: r/writing or r/fantasy, seeing as nobody has answered your question yet.
even little small places like amino can help!
FictionPress
Scribophile
Brandon’s deep knowledge and inclusive style is a beautiful thing
MICRO -
Motive
Individuality
Conflict
Realism
Objective
Does anyone know what book he is talking about set on Antigua and a local author rewrote the dialogue? Someone "mary"?
It's a super late response, but it's probably Mary Robinette Kowal, a Co-Host on the Writing Excuses podcast with Sanderson and a fantastic writer as well.
Thank you for posting this! However, the first 11 or so minutes of the video are very out of sync.
Where is the Q and A
Note to self... don't write cover letters for (short) stories like #1 1:03:30
this intro is great hahahahha
The guys outfit at 14:37 behind the girl speaking wearing leather
That one sneeze 14:07 *mewww*
My old white female 11th grade English teacher made this tall black girl read passages from There eyes were watching God and it was the most authentic sounding this ever.
James Patterson does the IP attorney thing
He touched a bit on speech markers for individual characters becoming frustrating for readers, and I was wondering how much this would apply to a main character with a chronic stutter. It's an idea I've been toying with in my head quite a bit, and while important to the character, I feel like it would be heavy handed even if I were to vastly limit how much they stuttered.
It really depends. I'll say that I'm reading IT by Stephen King right now, and one of the main characters stutters, and I find it not to be a problem. In fact, it's very effective. The thing is, IT has quite a lot of characters, and only one of them stutters. If you don't have an ensemble cast of protagonists and this one stuttering character is the person we're following throughout the entire story, I can see that becoming grating. Perhaps add another viewpoint character and switch back and forth between them? I'll also say that many people who stutter tend to talk less than the average person, because of the shame factor. This can allow you to get away with a character who spends less time talking to others and more time in his own head than is typical. Be the character. Only make him speak when he has to, or when he's with a very close friend.
The viewpoint switch would probably work well in this story. Thanks for the input.
I think this is an awesome idea - especially if you make it to where the protagonist thus avoids conversation because of this affliction, so their ability to address the conflict is mostly through other skills (attention to detail, for example). This also opens up for one or two of those big character moments where, (1) character is able to open up to another character that they have a romantic interest in about this insecurity, building the relationship, and (2) where the protagonist overcomes their insecurity of speaking in a big plot moment (speaking up against the antagonist, using conversation to get critical information, whatever).
I don't have any experience with stuttering and never really anybody knew anybody that had to deal with this, or I'd totally consider doing it myself. But, so much power to you, I'd love to read the book! Let me know if you go with this premise!
an abraham lincoln t-shirt playing guitar
sick shirt btw
These lectures are so useful! But I'm confused - are you not supposed to hire an editor prior to sending it to an agent?
Anyone here heard of light novels?
My, my, so much aggression...
Different way, i speaks in
MICRO -> ROCMI -> rock me :P
What about just saying they spoke with so and so accent and not even worry about it?
That sounds lazy.
I'd say still sprinkle some stuff in between, or readers will forget
If all of your characters are from the same place, then absolutely. But if you have a character or two from somewhere far off, it benefits the reader to show it in their dialogue.
I think it's another one of those "it depends on what you're trying to accomplish" things. If it's a random, nameless waitress who's serving coffee to your main characters in one scene and you never see her again, describing her as a perky blonde with a Southern (for example) accent is probably plenty of information. You don't want to interrupt the flow of the action by calling a lot of attention to a character who isn't important to the story. But if it's one of your main characters, SHOWING her Southern accent with the occasional dropped letter and characteristically Southern turn of phrase will give her a lot of personality. Especially if the fact that she's from the South affects the plot or her attitudes toward other characters (or theirs toward her) in any way.
Brandon does this all the time. in stormlight he will just say, "X said in perfect alethi" or "Y said with a thick shin accent." or whatever. But he also does the accents with some characters in the actual dialogue.
28:20 nice heads :)
Is this the last lecture? I think I read in previous comments you didn't record the Q&A.
There is one last lecture, which I hope to get out next week sometime
So you could say this video opens with a dialogue about dialogue.
Sorry I couldn't help myself.
was the q&a session not recorded?
It was, hoping to get it out sometime this week, perhaps the weekend?
You like dialect? Hmm, did you like Jar Jar Binks???
I appreciate Brandon not being afraid of calling out the publishers who specialize in the kinds of things that he would be likely expected to cape for as a Mormon (e.g. LDS publishers), for trying to buy THE WORLD WHICH THE WRITER INVENTED
smh ffs who do they think they-
...oh wait
Wow, how does Brandon Sanderson's neck even handle the weight of his massive brain?
what's a six dollar word?
A big word
Like a cup of Starbucks coffee that isn't much better than a 50-cent cup from a convenience store, but looks fancier.
To me, using fancy words and not using contractions is more about class than education or intelligence. There are plenty of intelligent and educated people who come from working-class backgrounds who don't start talking like aristocrats because they get an education.
It’s kind of funny watching these lectures all about selling yourself strategically and then it’s followed by an ad for where to buy camera stuff, which even if you’re in the market for that, has absolutely zero to do with why you’re on this video
1:04:00
Dear Liz Grimaceky
[Insert four pages of gratuitous ass kissing here] Here's my book, proceed reading.
Heartfelt bs, C.C.