8:32: "[My mother] had been pushing me to become a doctor or a scientist instead [of a writer] because i was skilled in some of these things." For some reason, this reminds me of a quote by Pablo Picasso: My mother said to me, 'If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope. ' Instead, I was a painter, and I became Picasso. You instead chose to be a writer, and you became Brandon Sanderson!
@Mason Wheeler This also reminds me of Bruce Springsteen, who likes to tell the story to his audience that his parents kept telling him "you can still go back to college", when he already had sold tons of records. :D Also, in his autobiography, he says that his father didn't stop bugging him to make something out of himself until Bruce came home and put his Oscar on the kitchen table. Only then, it dawned on his father, that maybe his son hasn't thrown his life away after all.
Also, get a lizard and put little plastic or paper wings on it. Or get a parrot, and put little horns on it. And train it to recite Smaug's lines from the hobbit.
The thing I like to keep in mind is that success is a spectrum, especially in a world with self-publishing and print-on-demand options available. If you write a niche book that only sells a hundred copies, no traditional publisher is going to care. And you certainly won't earn a living wage that way. But if a hundred people choose to spend a significant chunk of their precious time on this planet enjoying something you created that is still an accomplishment. A hundred is still infinitely more than zero, which is what you'd get without ever writing anything.
All of this. Even writing a full novel itself is a crazy committment and requires a lot of creativity, planning, plotting and dedication. I plan to write a novel or two before I die; if I was to ask the people in my office who else has written a novel all 15 of them would answer in the negative. It's hard but doing it is a ridiculous achievement.
That’s honestly how I look at my stuff, or at least how I try to. Am I going to be the next Tolkien? Fuck no, I’d have better odds with the lottery. Can I potentially build a up niche following online writing stories that I enjoy creating even if I’m earning zero dollars writing said stories? That’s definitely more in my cards, but still, the audience isn’t 100% of the goal.
@@gold_spin1639 I really think ots possible to be the next Tolkien with enough and quality history world building and mythology. I am working on a really bug scale thing rn
@@subghrajputraghavWhile its certainly not impossible, I think its more realistic to strive to be the next Brandon Sanderson, or even GRR Martin. Tolkien literally defined fantasy as we know it, it’s kind of hard to beat that.
He 'trries' to use the force to get almonds all the time? Dunno about you Brandon, but I am pretty sure he used the force and got an almond... there was no try.
Having Brandon seriously discuss how he was having a crisis while a bird jumps around on his shoulder definitely brightened my day. And the video was informative and interesting. Great job Brando.
@@bluecollarlit according to Brandon its trying to use the force to get omelets. I'm not even joking, he actually said that. To be clear: Brandon said that, not the dragon-parrot.
Me, about to give up in some cinematic fashion (while sitting and writing): "I can do hard things, Doing hard things has intrinsic value Doing them will make me a better person.... even if I end up failing" Silence. Then "THESE WORDS ARE ACCEPTED" And I have sworn the first ideal of the Writers radiant. (Thanks a lot man this video was just what I needed today)
It takes a lot of humility to admit and insist that writing is not an elitist group for people chosen by their temperament and desires, but in fact something you can choose if you want it and want to work for it. You are truly a great help to the writing community at large, not just for your literature. Thank you Mr. Sanderson.
He is a refreshing contrast with Patrick Rothfuss, who talks about writing like it is a mystical, ineffable experience and can't finish one book in the same time that Sanderson has written ten. And I don't think he's _so much better_ in writing quality to justify the insanely slow pace.
Between just bringing a parrot to an interview and cutting his wedding cake with a sword, Sanderson just radiates chaotic good energy. You never know, what he will do next
When I was a teen, my parents asked my music teacher if expressing concern if I could support myself might dissuade me from being a composer. My teacher, a successful composer, replied, "If anything you say can discourage him, he probably isn't cut out to be a composer." I am now retired and still love to compose.
This speech reminds me of the message of Ratatouille "Anyone can be a successful author" doesn't mean every individual person could be a professional author. It means that an author could come from anywhere
I did not expect my feelings to be validated today. Not trying to become a writer but I am trying to become a doctor and I have moments where I wonder if I'm really cut out for it because a lot of times I just don't want to study and would rather do other stuff. I guess being told that it's ok and natural, while obvious, is something I needed to hear. So thanks Brandon and I'm super looking forward to Rythm of War.
I love how this applies to so much of what we hope and dream of. If what you are doing has value to you and to others regardless of whether or not it leads to you being considered successful you should stick at it. What you are studying sounds extremely hard but extremely valuable not just to you but to those you will meet. I think as long as that brings you satisfaction it is brilliant that you are determined to persist!
Trisjack20 It definitely helps to be aware of the fact that imposter syndrome is playing into my doubts about my capabilities to deliver. Thankfully I have friends who are there to remind me that no I'm here because I deserve to be and it's immensely reassuring. Thanks for taking the time to post this ^^
@@AllTheNamesIPickedWereTaken Especially if even some level of failure still brings satisfaction. I don't think it is so much about achievement as about what makes you happy. The difference between I exercise because I like being healthy and how it makes me feel or exercise as a price I pay to get a gold medal. If I don't achieve the gold the first still makes me happy the second I feel like all the exercise was a waste. Trying for you sounds like it brings real satisfaction that is its own achievement. It will likely lead you to more and more success but even if it does not it will not be wasted energy.
Im in the same seat. In medical school too and studying gets really hard sometimes, other times i can study for hours and hours and still not get tired
In this UA-cam chanel, Sanderson posted his lectures about writing. In the last lectures he talks about the how to publish by traditional means and self publishing specially by digital means. It may be usefull to you.
@@iloveyourcat.it.is.minenowYeah, traditional publishers are super by-the-numbers. You may have to prove your story can sell well before they will even consider picking it up, if the story is unusual.
I personally just got a desk job, work 9-5, come home and for straight up 2 hours, I sit and write. It doesn't give me the time to go through books quickly, but I like the security of knowing I have a career even if I never make it in the writing industry
Okay I just had the craziest thing happen to me. I’ve been watching all of your lectures for about 6 months now (they are fabulous by the way) and never put this together, so bear with me! Last year I was on my way to a dinner party in an uber. I was discussing books with my driver and he recommended one of your books to me. I bought it (prior to knowing about you or your videos) without even thinking about it and put it on my shelf to come back to later! A few months go by and I randomly came across your videos. Tonight, I’m looking at a plant on my shelf and look over at the book and it hits me that I have your book The Way of Kings! I had totally forgotten I had even purchased the book (don’t worry, I will be reading it when I finish my current book)! So in all of my excitement I tell my husband about the crazy coincidence and he looks at me dead in the depths of my soul and says “I’ve legit watched that guy play magic! He’s a huge fan and I hear he’s a prolific writer!” So both of our hobbies collided tonight over a chance recommendation from an uber driver last year!
I am a PhD student in French. Survivorship bias is huge in my world. My parents have given me the same speech as your mom did, Brandon. So have other professors. They are all right. The market is nonexistent. But I'm fine with doing this research short-term and afterward doing something very different. Still, there's the question of transferable skills. All of us in the arts and humanities have such skills but it has to show up on our CVs in some way. When people ask me about doing graduate work, I give them the speech too. I tell them that unless this is what they dream about doing for the next 5 years there's no point. There are no jobs. Only the 1% win. One of my favorite quotes, I heard from Kate DiCamillo. I don't think she came up with it but I will always associate it with her: "I hate writing but I love having written." I feel this so much.
This is basically what I was taught in project management class. Set achievable goals, break them down to manageable tasks, know how you work, know how the people with you work, make sure you have a hard and a soft deadline to work towards, don't beat yourself up if you don't make them just readjust them etc. They're solid advice, but if you're not used to working like this it's hard to start.
@@Jujukungfu not really, the only advice I got was basically "just do it", so experience plays a big part. I think the best way to start is to to set goals and break them down, after that you can usually estimate how long each task will take (and if you need to do them chronologically or can switch between tasks) and through that you can begin setting realistic deadlines (always give yourself a little more time per task).
"If you want to become anything difficult, you gonna have to figure out how to make yourself do the things you'd wish to have done." I printed it and put it on the wall. Its a little rephrased but got me to start writing my thesis for my bachelor degree in Biology after six months.
Brandon, you're clearly warming up to a new profession, as a great Professor. You sir, clearly are an incredible story teller, be it written or the spoken word. Now I have to try to explain to my friends, that there's this inspiring writer whose lecture they have to see, while also warning them there's a parrot involved.
“You can’t control who you’re competing against.” In 2014 I was part of the Firefly RPG design team, and we were nominated for an Ennie award. Problem was, that year, Dungeons and Dragons 5th Ed was published. We didn’t have a chance. 🙂 But a year later I got on the design team for Torg Eternity, a game I loved in the 90s...and got to write huge portions of three sourcebooks, and even reboot the classic adventure trilogy from the first edition. Haven’t won any awards, but I’m still pinching myself I got to do this. And it was a combo of skill, persistence...and luck. A whole lot of luck. But one of the best feelings was getting to make OTHER authors’ days by bringing them onto the team themselves. Next step is novel writing. I’ve probably written 200,000 words for Torg Eternity so I’ve already proven I can finish the thing. Just need to convince myself I’m good at the other things too. 🙂 Though then I remember that my first editor on a game said that I was one of the most enjoyable writers he’d edited before. Impostor Syndrome is a @$*$#,. But I definitely needed this video. Thanks, Brian.
I’m writing my first novel after writing only fanfictions for many years, and the firt part of this video was really depressing.... but I somehow got inspired by the end! Just got pass the 30,000 word count today, and I’m going o continue writing it everyday! Thanks for all the tips Brandon, take care!
"I feel like every story was a boy and his pet dog, and the dog died. That was like, three in a row." This is why I'm very selective when people suggest me books nowadays, this is too accurate lol
*when you get a notification from your favourite person in the world and 3 minutes in the video you realise that this is just the opposite of what you needed and you start having existential crisis*
His message might not have been the one you wanted, but its probably the one you needed. One of the primary sources of disappointment in life is having unrealistic expectations. Ambition is great, but it needs to be built on the right foundation.
He did preface it was going to be a bit of a downer before it got better, and it does. Trust your favourite person in the world, he's not turning on you, he's saving you from the danger of being overidealistic or giving up.
The brutal truth needs to be heard. You could write a top quality novel that isn't what the current market wants while someone else writes a pretty good novel that agents are looking for. They'll get published instead of you dispite the quality. Brandon is right. It is largely luck. Hang on to your hope and manage your goals ^_^
Yes! I got in trouble from a parent when they discovered I had told my son that people just can’t always be or do whatever they want, even if they work really hard for it. Know your strengths, find your passion and live your life well.
This video was just for me. Brandon said exactly what I did. I sat down tonight to write, but played a video game instead... "You're just human" - Brandon Sanderson 2020 Mind blown, really. Time to get back to writing!
I am a screenwriter and I can confirm that I've learned everything he has (the hard way, like he did). Keep writing. If it happens for you, great. If it doesn't, at least you got to spend your life doing what you love. And trust me, even if it does "happen for you", it's not as great as you might think. Success means money, which means pressure from other voices in the room. Many successful writers complete their most creative and fulfilling work in their breakthrough script/novel.
Unlikely you'll ever see this, but this was actually very encouraging, thank you! And your wish for it having a broader application than just for aspiring writers has come true. I write for pleasure on occasion, but I have no particular desire to ever publish anything. I am however a PhD student having a "oh god what am I doing with my life" crisis. And this was helpful.
I could stop writing if I wanted to (I don't). I actually just spent an entire month not writing, which was really hard (absolutely torturous some days). Ironically, not writing taught me a lot about writing, and is helping me write more consistently, which has been a real struggle. Great video! I always look forward to your videos.
"You're going to end up playing the Switch instead of writing your book a few times." Literally what I was doing the entire time I listened to this video. I feel so called out. But in a good way. Struggling with distraction doesn't make me any less confident that I want and need to keep writing. Thanks for being inspirational as always, Brandon. Now, time for me to get back to work.
IDK why some of the people in these comments are acting as if this was some doom and gloom 'hit you with hard reality' sort of thing. This was probably the most inspiring reminder to stay grounded I've ever seen.
This is actually much more optimistic advice than what it seems at first. Setting goals & milestones, becoming a student of your own psychology/motivations, breaking stuff down into manageable bits - these are all aspects of the dream-making process that you can control. Hence, where the tangible joy of the journey is. There’s something so remarkable about this video.... maybe it’s Brandon Sanderson being as generous and insightful as he is, side by side with a macaw who knows the force. Their thu’um is strong.
@@edwardstrinden Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. The Dragonborn can speak the language of dragons (Thu'um = power of the Voice). Just a dumb joke combining the idea of the force with the fact that Brandon taught his macaw how to plume like a dragon.
As a musician, I really feel this. I got into my college music program on a talent based scholarship, but that in no way guaranteed I would de well in my program, get good roles in Operas or especially have a career after college. There is nothing I can do about who I am auditioning with, what my competition is, or what a given director is looking for. Several of my classmates are making a living performing and I am so proud of their work! A greater number of them-equally talented, skilled, and educated-are teaching or working in an unrelated field, and talent had nothing to do with that.
The Master on May the Fourth! 😍 Edit: wonderful lecture. And Magellan is one wonderful bird. I'm so thankful we can share a time and a planet with Brandon Sanderson.
9:26 Watch Magellan. He reacts every time Brandon says dragon. By the third time, he starts doing his dragon trick (flapping his wings). (Even the first time, he moved his wings a little. But 3rd and 4th, he was doing it full out.)
What a wonderful world where I can watch this for free. I really needed this. Whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever is it your life seems to be circling around, remember: please give me money, but never give away hope.
As a later-in-life author, this message resonates a lot with me! Guidance throughout childhood and the school system is bipolar: First, we're told we can be anything we want to be, then a switch flips sometime in HS and we're told "ONLY IF YOU CAN MAKE MONEY AND GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!" Well, I went the route of accountant... so now I can support writing my own novel. Thanks Brandon for some realistic advice and helpful tools! The best thing I got out of this was to "gamify" writing--I will be implementing this. All you writers, keep writing!
That's why we love reading books. We like to see a world with characters that defy the ugly truth. The beautiful success stories are few, so we go looking for more in fiction.
Many people think that being down to earth and realistic means giving up on your dreams. Brandon Sanderson shows us that is not the case and that the two can go hand in hand. Don't wait for your dreams to happen. Make it possible for them to happen. No award will give you more satisfaction than the award you give yourself! Thank you, Brandon, for your inspiring books and videos!!
I find it weird that I enjoy Sanderson's lectures more than I enjoy his books. So interesting and informative. I wish more writers did stuff like this and made it freely available for their fans.
This is so great. I wrote 8 novels in my 20s before I decided l was missing something and quit. I'm 40 now and have started writing again because about 2 years ago I realized that what I had been missing was the desire to write for its own sake apart from external validation. I have another coule novels in the works niw and of course I'd love to see them published, but I've gotten the maturity to realize that I cannot control others' response to my output - where I have control is if output happens. Glad Brandon is passing this lesson along so others don't have to spend 15 years learning it.
Thanks for the speech, I am in process of writing my first novel, and I really needed this. I am a physics major, and had always sucked at English, it’s often that I ask myself if I would ever be successful, and if this would all be worth it. But now that my insecurities are confirmed, I realized the true value of my stories to me. Although my books might never be published or even be seen by another person, it now feels of value, at least to me.
The bit about the things you "want to have done" as opposed to things you want to do absolutely grabbed me. This is **exactly** the way I've always phrased it to myself every day. I have so many things that I never want to do when I have the time, but I do want to **have done** them. So uplifting to hear Brandon talk about that exact feeling.
I needed to hear this. I've been prone to daydreaming about writing and having had written for years, writing in binges and imagining myself on a panel of other writers, or in a bookstore signing books. This year when I finally got serious, I started with a daily word count goal of 1000 words. I wrote a few short stories, tried my hand at a little horror, and now I'm 108,000 words into my novel, with 125 days straight of reaching that goal (and going up to over 2k words on a few days) The act of writing every day has been so amazing. I generate ideas faster, I think differently, and I have work to look back on. I feel accomplished and better mentally than ever before. If I don't sell the book, I still have something to cherish. Thank you Brandon. You are always a light for me as I stumble through this writing journey of mine. I can't wait to one day shake your hand and thank you in person. Come to Orlando soon!
Thank you so much for all these UA-cam chats you do! I'm in a weird place right now where I enjoy working in news and I'm pouring a ton of time and energy into it, but I know eventually I'm going to burn out. Something that also holds such a strong place in my heart though is writing, and eventually I plan to transition careers so I'm trying to lay the groundwork now. Establishing two careers at once isn't the easiest thing but I currently work in a major news station in Pittsburgh PA and I am writing my second fantasy novel. I'll admit there are many times it's hard for me to get home from a long day of staring at the computer at work, have dinner and then sit down to write again. Listening to your talks on my drive home gives me the gumption I need to re-enter my fantasy world and do the work that makes me smile 😊
Me, a teen, watching the beginning: Brandon: There is a lie lots of adults tell you... Me: Ohhhhh... Brandon: ...Particularly the media... Me: He's gonna say something amazingly inspirational! Brandon: that lie is that you can do it.
It is so true though. I wish I had seen this video when I was a teenager. That advice is solid--as is the second part of his advice: "Learn how to do difficult things." Speaking to my own teenage self, I'd say, "You can do many things that you think are too difficult, but you can't do just anything." My career opportunities came from doing things that were scary for me---traveling on my own, learning a second, third, and fourth language, public speaking professionally, teaching composition to non-native English speakers. If I chose not to do the difficult things, my life would have be a lot smaller.
As Someone creeping into my late 20’s, I wish I had this advice! The problem is that those who say “you can do anything” do profit off your hope, then leave you to flounder. It’s like saying “you can swim across this lake”, and then you’re wondering why you’re sinking. You CAN swim across the lake, but it takes hard work and determination and training. Another thing is that you’re not the only one working in your dream field. Everybody wants to be the star actor, but we’re competing in a big cast of players. We can still become amazing, but we have to see where the line between luck and hard work lie, and to not get discouraged.
I'm 15 minutes in and this is one of the most important speeches that will never spread to the masses. I will forever be grateful to have been exposed to Sanderson and therefore this video. Brandon, thank you. I will take this lesson to heart but most importantly, my son will be thankful for this moment. Whether he never knows who you are or not.
I really love this. I was lucky enough to see it live as part of the conference and it left a deep impression on me, and I think really changed my outlook on writing and why I write just as I’m beginning to get more serious about it. Thank you.
Great honest and blunt advice. It can be an excruciating life for a writer that thinks he or she is better than what they actually are. And they set unachievable goals. And when they can't reach those goals, the burden can be heavy.
Mr. Sanderson, thank you so much for this speech, for your honesty, and for all the other things you do to help aspiring authors. You are my hero, and not only because you are a bestselling author, but because you kept writing despite rejection for so long. Knowing you did this gives me strength to overcome self-doubt and keep writing too.
Great video Sanderson, whit a lot of truth, as a writer, this actual lies can affect a lot in your writing process, even in your professional life. Greetings mr Sanderson! You are great!
you dont know how good I feel after this speech, I was actually having a crisis about my writings and this advice was just what I needed, thank you very much for sharing these sincere thoughts. :)
This is super helpful, about survivorship bias. "We don't know how much was skill, how much was talent, and how much was luck. Certainly, all three play a part, and you can control some of those things-but not others." I've been aware of this for a long time, but it's good to have Brandon affirm and clarify it like this. And this sort of reality check isn't a downer for me at all. It isn't discouraging. Just the opposite. The discouraging downer is when all the voices are saying "Anyone can do this" and "If you can dream it you can do it" and even "This should be easy for you" (since I'm an educator, a writing coach, and a professional editor, I am writing and improving others' writing projects all the time) while my own attempt to write my first novel is beating me up. So, I know I have talent. I know I have "novelist-adjacent" skills, and I know I need to learn and strengthen my actual novel-writing skills. As for the "luck" part- I will do the best I can with the skills I have; I will FINISH this trilogy (which has been clawing its way out of my soul). Those things I can control. Then, whether I find a publisher or I publish it myself, I will be at peace with whatever degree of popularity my story might have. I hope the readers who will enjoy it will find it, and I'll do what I can to help them; this is called "marketing". But if my trilogy doesn't seem to build momentum, I'll be happy to return to being "just an editor." I'll be happy to have created something unique in the SF world, and I'll go back to helping other writers tell THEIR stories well and publish wisely... whether my own attempt at it is a success or a cautionary tale. ;-)
I was just wandering around and found this. If you ever read this Brandon, you have given me one hell of a push today, and I'm extremely grateful for your words and your hope. Thank you.
Art or any desire of your heart, you have to do it just because it is what you want to do regardless of success, because success it is actually luck, luck that people resonate with what you do and that they want to buy whatever you are doing.
Thank you, Brandon. I wish someone like you had come along when I was fifteen and had this talk with me. All I knew was that I wanted to write a fantasy like the LOTR movies. Nobody in my family knew anything about writing, and the one acquaintance who did didn't ask me important questions such as "Is this just for fun or do you want to try making a career out of it?" I've written several book-length manuscripts myself and they all stank. Now it's hard for me to get motivated to tackle such a huge project, even if I come up with a concept, characters, plot, and outline. Short stories are much easier in that respect. One of the most motivation-killing things has been depression. It made a difficult act ten times harder. You're absolutely right about all of this. We're easily taken in and set up for failure because we compare ourselves to King and Rowling, two writers who DID have a hard time and DID become mega-successes. I'm still fighting against the alure of all that. My current goal is to publish just one short story in a pro-rated magazine. I've come close before, but I'm still working towards it. Every time I submit, I think "That's it, this is the best I can do. If they don't buy this, I'll never write anything better." Then I get another idea and start brainstorming. I don't know if I'll ever reach that milestone, and I don't know if I'll ever write another book. I've been toying with a historical novel, but I only started that with the explicit understanding that I could walk away at any time. Maybe I'm a better short story writer. Again, thank you for saying what many in the industry will not.
While I agree that some luck plays into it, Brandon and other writers shift the odds dramatically in their favor by 1. Getting really good at wrting by just reading and writing a heck of a lot. 2. Completing a multitude of well-written novels in a genre with a rabid fanbase 3. Not getting too discouraged by rejection that he would give up or stop submitting. The great thing about writing nowadays is that even if not published, you can independently publish and still find an audience and start to build a fanbase, which will make you more alluring to the big publishers if that's your goal.
I like that you’re talking about your “failures”, but you’re bigger as a writer than both Scalzi and Novak, arguably speaking. Awards aren’t everything, sir. From my perspective, you’ve truly won. Btw, Magellan was force chocking you the whole time! Lol, you’re truly a Master Jedi!
This is actually true...even Brandon has things he cannot do...stick with what you can do...if you can't get famous or make money off of it, well, that's life...but at least you can do it...learn to figure out what you can and cannot do and learn to live with it...
“You can do anything you want!” It’s true somethings will never happen. It’s important to see the difference between wishes and goals. Goals are dependent on the individual making the goal. Wishes depend on other people in order to be accomplished. I’m going to write a New York Times best seller is not a goal. It is a wish. It depends on a lot of different people including agents, publishers, critics ect. I’m going to write a book is an attainable goal.
I absolutely love this. It's great to hear you talk about how no matter how good you might be at something there's still luck involved. I also loved how after even a dozen rejections you still didn't give up. You've become my favorite author and I just love how open you are with your fans and how much you give back to the community.
I came across this video on the exact day I received my first rejection letter from a short story I seriously cared about. This helped me understand it's not always in my control, even though the moment was hard. Thank you, Brandon.
Brandon - I hope you see this because your videos have been such a huge inspiration to me. You're advise is spot on and practical and you don't sell us the illusion, you give us reality. thanks for these videos :)
Thank you for this vid, Brandon. It was both sobering and hopeful. It was very truthful, and you know what they say about truth. It hurts. But it can also set one free. Glad Magellan was there to lighten the mood. The force is strong in that one...
Bird waves leg: "You will give me an almond." Brandon: "I will give you an almond"
Well you have to condition your human properly. Haha
The real truth about training a parrot: If you do it right, the parrot will think it has you trained.
The bird is a Jedi... how else could it do the Jedi mind trick?
This comment made no sense until well into the video and now it’s amazing
💀
8:32: "[My mother] had been pushing me to become a doctor or a scientist instead [of a writer] because i was skilled in some of these things."
For some reason, this reminds me of a quote by Pablo Picasso:
My mother said to me, 'If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope. ' Instead, I was a painter, and I became Picasso.
You instead chose to be a writer, and you became Brandon Sanderson!
Holy cow that is awesome!!!!
I love that quote nice
@Mason Wheeler
This also reminds me of Bruce Springsteen, who likes to tell the story to his audience that his parents kept telling him "you can still go back to college", when he already had sold tons of records. :D
Also, in his autobiography, he says that his father didn't stop bugging him to make something out of himself until Bruce came home and put his Oscar on the kitchen table. Only then, it dawned on his father, that maybe his son hasn't thrown his life away after all.
I like it, Picasso!
…preeeety sure people know the names of many popes and generals, though.
How to get a pet dragon:
Step 1: Get a pet.
Step 2: Name it “Dragon.”
Instead he chose a NERD name like Magellan!
or get a bearded dragon
Also, get a lizard and put little plastic or paper wings on it. Or get a parrot, and put little horns on it. And train it to recite Smaug's lines from the hobbit.
I have a leopard gecko named Rand. I have a pet dragon 😆
This was the dumbest joke, but it made me laugh, so I was forced to give you a like. Oh, the woes of me.
“I love big books and I cannot lie” 😂😂
Came here for this. 🤣😂
The fact that that line has gone through Brandon's mind amuses me.
I lolled. I need a Brandon in my life to celebrate the glory of bad jokes like this.
Gordon Hawkins same!! I think I laughed way harder than I should have lol.
I would also like to add, same Brandon, same. 😂
The thing I like to keep in mind is that success is a spectrum, especially in a world with self-publishing and print-on-demand options available. If you write a niche book that only sells a hundred copies, no traditional publisher is going to care. And you certainly won't earn a living wage that way. But if a hundred people choose to spend a significant chunk of their precious time on this planet enjoying something you created that is still an accomplishment. A hundred is still infinitely more than zero, which is what you'd get without ever writing anything.
All of this.
Even writing a full novel itself is a crazy committment and requires a lot of creativity, planning, plotting and dedication. I plan to write a novel or two before I die; if I was to ask the people in my office who else has written a novel all 15 of them would answer in the negative.
It's hard but doing it is a ridiculous achievement.
That’s honestly how I look at my stuff, or at least how I try to. Am I going to be the next Tolkien? Fuck no, I’d have better odds with the lottery. Can I potentially build a up niche following online writing stories that I enjoy creating even if I’m earning zero dollars writing said stories? That’s definitely more in my cards, but still, the audience isn’t 100% of the goal.
Totally agree and he acknowledges in some lectures that being a hobbyist writer is 100% achievable for most people
@@gold_spin1639 I really think ots possible to be the next Tolkien with enough and quality history world building and mythology. I am working on a really bug scale thing rn
@@subghrajputraghavWhile its certainly not impossible, I think its more realistic to strive to be the next Brandon Sanderson, or even GRR Martin. Tolkien literally defined fantasy as we know it, it’s kind of hard to beat that.
What's funny is Brandon thinks it was *his idea* to teach Magellan to use the Force and get an almond
yep. definitely a mind trick hand position not s force pull. rookies....
How do you know he thinks that?
So... you think this is a case of FORCED feeding? ;)
@@frrixz I think you missed the joke here
Bwahaha! I needed this comment today!
He 'trries' to use the force to get almonds all the time? Dunno about you Brandon, but I am pretty sure he used the force and got an almond... there was no try.
"These aren't the droids you're looking for".
"This is not the bird you're looking for."
That's not how the Force works!
@@glenn_r_frank_author The Force is now magic xD
If he taught Magellan to say "You want to give me an almond" it would be brilliant!
"That IS the almond I was looking for."
Having Brandon seriously discuss how he was having a crisis while a bird jumps around on his shoulder definitely brightened my day.
And the video was informative and interesting. Great job Brando.
yes! - if 19:13-15 "what am I doing with my life?" while parrot dances across shoulders doesn't become a gif/meme, the internet might be broken...
I like to pretend it was the bird speaking all along lol
@@urorazbojnik5678a ratatouille situation
I don't know about this guy, but his dragon-parrot was spitting out straight facts.
I like your name
Great name. Great comment.
The bird puts one foot up in the air and claws at nothing. Interesting.
@@bluecollarlit according to Brandon its trying to use the force to get omelets. I'm not even joking, he actually said that. To be clear: Brandon said that, not the dragon-parrot.
That is a strange chicken indeed!
I was looking for this!
Jeksonofnone
I love Sanderson...
But he can't compete with his bird.
Me, about to give up in some cinematic fashion (while sitting and writing):
"I can do hard things,
Doing hard things has intrinsic value
Doing them will make me a better person.... even if I end up failing"
Silence.
Then
"THESE WORDS ARE ACCEPTED"
And I have sworn the first ideal of the Writers radiant.
(Thanks a lot man this video was just what I needed today)
Underrated comment
Will absolute read a stormlight fanfic about the 11th order, just so I can know the rest of the ideals.
@@ChandrewsArt Thanks you so much, I missed that you had written
@@TheVampB Haha, I may try this out given time^^
This is the best comment, why doesnt it have 10k likes yet? I would read this book
World’s weirdest reality check curtesy of Mr Sanderson.
It takes a lot of humility to admit and insist that writing is not an elitist group for people chosen by their temperament and desires, but in fact something you can choose if you want it and want to work for it. You are truly a great help to the writing community at large, not just for your literature. Thank you Mr. Sanderson.
He is a refreshing contrast with Patrick Rothfuss, who talks about writing like it is a mystical, ineffable experience and can't finish one book in the same time that Sanderson has written ten. And I don't think he's _so much better_ in writing quality to justify the insanely slow pace.
The fact that the first book Sanderson wrote after the darkest moment in his writing career was The Way of Kings is beautiful in a way
What’s more beautiful is he wrote it, shelved it for TEN years, and now it’s “The Way of Kings”
Between just bringing a parrot to an interview and cutting his wedding cake with a sword, Sanderson just radiates chaotic good energy. You never know, what he will do next
En contraire. You know he will write another book.
When I was a teen, my parents asked my music teacher if expressing concern if I could support myself might dissuade me from being a composer. My teacher, a successful composer, replied, "If anything you say can discourage him, he probably isn't cut out to be a composer." I am now retired and still love to compose.
This speech reminds me of the message of Ratatouille
"Anyone can be a successful author" doesn't mean every individual person could be a professional author. It means that an author could come from anywhere
This has been more helpful than 3 weeks of therapy.
I did not expect my feelings to be validated today. Not trying to become a writer but I am trying to become a doctor and I have moments where I wonder if I'm really cut out for it because a lot of times I just don't want to study and would rather do other stuff. I guess being told that it's ok and natural, while obvious, is something I needed to hear. So thanks Brandon and I'm super looking forward to Rythm of War.
I love how this applies to so much of what we hope and dream of. If what you are doing has value to you and to others regardless of whether or not it leads to you being considered successful you should stick at it. What you are studying sounds extremely hard but extremely valuable not just to you but to those you will meet. I think as long as that brings you satisfaction it is brilliant that you are determined to persist!
Roxanne G Got my acceptance into medical school today actually. I'd rather try and fail than not try at all. Thanks for your reply ^^
Trisjack20 It definitely helps to be aware of the fact that imposter syndrome is playing into my doubts about my capabilities to deliver. Thankfully I have friends who are there to remind me that no I'm here because I deserve to be and it's immensely reassuring. Thanks for taking the time to post this ^^
@@AllTheNamesIPickedWereTaken Especially if even some level of failure still brings satisfaction. I don't think it is so much about achievement as about what makes you happy. The difference between I exercise because I like being healthy and how it makes me feel or exercise as a price I pay to get a gold medal.
If I don't achieve the gold the first still makes me happy the second I feel like all the exercise was a waste. Trying for you sounds like it brings real satisfaction that is its own achievement. It will likely lead you to more and more success but even if it does not it will not be wasted energy.
Im in the same seat. In medical school too and studying gets really hard sometimes, other times i can study for hours and hours and still not get tired
As an unpublished author of 4 different novels, thank you for sharing this. I haven't stopped yet and I don't plan on it.
Only 7 more to go!
@@MuttFitness One can only hope
In this UA-cam chanel, Sanderson posted his lectures about writing. In the last lectures he talks about the how to publish by traditional means and self publishing specially by digital means. It may be usefull to you.
See about the self-publishing service of Amazon, I think it's called Amazon KDP. It may be what you need. Some writers were "discovered" this way.
@@iloveyourcat.it.is.minenowYeah, traditional publishers are super by-the-numbers. You may have to prove your story can sell well before they will even consider picking it up, if the story is unusual.
I personally just got a desk job, work 9-5, come home and for straight up 2 hours, I sit and write. It doesn't give me the time to go through books quickly, but I like the security of knowing I have a career even if I never make it in the writing industry
That’s really cool, I hope you finish your book
Okay I just had the craziest thing happen to me. I’ve been watching all of your lectures for about 6 months now (they are fabulous by the way) and never put this together, so bear with me! Last year I was on my way to a dinner party in an uber. I was discussing books with my driver and he recommended one of your books to me. I bought it (prior to knowing about you or your videos) without even thinking about it and put it on my shelf to come back to later! A few months go by and I randomly came across your videos. Tonight, I’m looking at a plant on my shelf and look over at the book and it hits me that I have your book The Way of Kings! I had totally forgotten I had even purchased the book (don’t worry, I will be reading it when I finish my current book)! So in all of my excitement I tell my husband about the crazy coincidence and he looks at me dead in the depths of my soul and says “I’ve legit watched that guy play magic! He’s a huge fan and I hear he’s a prolific writer!” So both of our hobbies collided tonight over a chance recommendation from an uber driver last year!
I love coincidences like this. Read The Way of Kings as fast as you can because it's amazing!!
Please let us know about your reading of the way of kings.
Hoping you've finished it and read the sequels too...
Man, this guy is my hero. I'm not an author but Brandon's leadership and modeling style are just so genuine and well-meaning.
I am a PhD student in French. Survivorship bias is huge in my world. My parents have given me the same speech as your mom did, Brandon. So have other professors. They are all right. The market is nonexistent. But I'm fine with doing this research short-term and afterward doing something very different. Still, there's the question of transferable skills. All of us in the arts and humanities have such skills but it has to show up on our CVs in some way. When people ask me about doing graduate work, I give them the speech too. I tell them that unless this is what they dream about doing for the next 5 years there's no point. There are no jobs. Only the 1% win. One of my favorite quotes, I heard from Kate DiCamillo. I don't think she came up with it but I will always associate it with her: "I hate writing but I love having written." I feel this so much.
This is basically what I was taught in project management class. Set achievable goals, break them down to manageable tasks, know how you work, know how the people with you work, make sure you have a hard and a soft deadline to work towards, don't beat yourself up if you don't make them just readjust them etc.
They're solid advice, but if you're not used to working like this it's hard to start.
Do you have any advice on navigating the difficulties of getting started?
@@Jujukungfu not really, the only advice I got was basically "just do it", so experience plays a big part. I think the best way to start is to to set goals and break them down, after that you can usually estimate how long each task will take (and if you need to do them chronologically or can switch between tasks) and through that you can begin setting realistic deadlines (always give yourself a little more time per task).
"If you want to become anything difficult, you gonna have to figure out how to make yourself do the things you'd wish to have done."
I printed it and put it on the wall. Its a little rephrased but got me to start writing my thesis for my bachelor degree in Biology after six months.
Brandon, you're clearly warming up to a new profession, as a great Professor. You sir, clearly are an incredible story teller, be it written or the spoken word. Now I have to try to explain to my friends, that there's this inspiring writer whose lecture they have to see, while also warning them there's a parrot involved.
“You can’t control who you’re competing against.”
In 2014 I was part of the Firefly RPG design team, and we were nominated for an Ennie award.
Problem was, that year, Dungeons and Dragons 5th Ed was published.
We didn’t have a chance. 🙂
But a year later I got on the design team for Torg Eternity, a game I loved in the 90s...and got to write huge portions of three sourcebooks, and even reboot the classic adventure trilogy from the first edition.
Haven’t won any awards, but I’m still pinching myself I got to do this. And it was a combo of skill, persistence...and luck. A whole lot of luck. But one of the best feelings was getting to make OTHER authors’ days by bringing them onto the team themselves.
Next step is novel writing. I’ve probably written 200,000 words for Torg Eternity so I’ve already proven I can finish the thing. Just need to convince myself I’m good at the other things too. 🙂 Though then I remember that my first editor on a game said that I was one of the most enjoyable writers he’d edited before.
Impostor Syndrome is a @$*$#,.
But I definitely needed this video. Thanks, Brian.
I’m writing my first novel after writing only fanfictions for many years, and the firt part of this video was really depressing.... but I somehow got inspired by the end! Just got pass the 30,000 word count today, and I’m going o continue writing it everyday! Thanks for all the tips Brandon, take care!
How's your progress 1 year later?!
@@joepalkovic I wanna know too.
What IP are the fanfictions in?
is it ready?🎉
Brandon, you would make a horrible “Get Rich Quick Fake Guru”! Way too much honesty... you should probably stick to being a best selling author ;)
LOL love this!
"I feel like every story was a boy and his pet dog, and the dog died. That was like, three in a row."
This is why I'm very selective when people suggest me books nowadays, this is too accurate lol
I have no desire to be a writer, and this is one of my all-time favorite videos. Everyone should watch this.
"YOU, SIR, WHY DO YOU HAVE A PARROT ON YOUR HEAD?"
"What parrot?"
"What duck?"
@@donotfollow9529 What chicken?
What pumpkin?
Buggrit! Millennium hand and shrimp!!
I thought it was a dragon?
*when you get a notification from your favourite person in the world and 3 minutes in the video you realise that this is just the opposite of what you needed and you start having existential crisis*
It's actually not if you listen to the end though, he expressed this idea before in his lectures
Yeah, I watched this when it was being originally streamed and I was really taken aback at first but by the end I appreciated it
His message might not have been the one you wanted, but its probably the one you needed. One of the primary sources of disappointment in life is having unrealistic expectations. Ambition is great, but it needs to be built on the right foundation.
He did preface it was going to be a bit of a downer before it got better, and it does. Trust your favourite person in the world, he's not turning on you, he's saving you from the danger of being overidealistic or giving up.
The brutal truth needs to be heard. You could write a top quality novel that isn't what the current market wants while someone else writes a pretty good novel that agents are looking for. They'll get published instead of you dispite the quality.
Brandon is right. It is largely luck. Hang on to your hope and manage your goals ^_^
Yes! I got in trouble from a parent when they discovered I had told my son that people just can’t always be or do whatever they want, even if they work really hard for it. Know your strengths, find your passion and live your life well.
Brandon: I can't have a pet dragon
Birb: *flaps around* What am I then?
A pet dinosaur.
Lilith Ahrenholz What is a dragon but a winged dinosaur?
A dino :D
Your delightfully unassuming manner, your fumbling with the white board, and your intrusive macaw, all add to the strange magic of this video.
Rhythm of War is the one thing that can save 2020
Rhythm of war os the one only thing that can save de f*** world
Sadeas is skeptical about your trust in a book. _Also, the way 2020 is going, Moash will most certainly be rewarded by the universe._ xD
If we're lucky, maybe The Lost Metal will save 2021. At this rate it'll take another decade though.
Kind of ironic though, isn't it. A book with "war" in its title will save us.
Now I love Stormlight just as much as ya'all do, but lets not forget we are also getting TWO Dresden Files books this year.
This video is the writting equivalent for Ratatouille´s *"Anyone can cook"*
This video was just for me. Brandon said exactly what I did. I sat down tonight to write, but played a video game instead... "You're just human" - Brandon Sanderson 2020
Mind blown, really. Time to get back to writing!
You gave me the free Ways of King's today and now this...
Thanks. Thanks. Thanks.
I am a screenwriter and I can confirm that I've learned everything he has (the hard way, like he did). Keep writing. If it happens for you, great. If it doesn't, at least you got to spend your life doing what you love. And trust me, even if it does "happen for you", it's not as great as you might think. Success means money, which means pressure from other voices in the room. Many successful writers complete their most creative and fulfilling work in their breakthrough script/novel.
Unlikely you'll ever see this, but this was actually very encouraging, thank you! And your wish for it having a broader application than just for aspiring writers has come true. I write for pleasure on occasion, but I have no particular desire to ever publish anything. I am however a PhD student having a "oh god what am I doing with my life" crisis. And this was helpful.
How am I supposed to watch other Brandon lectures without a dragonbird eating his buttons after this??
I could stop writing if I wanted to (I don't). I actually just spent an entire month not writing, which was really hard (absolutely torturous some days). Ironically, not writing taught me a lot about writing, and is helping me write more consistently, which has been a real struggle.
Great video! I always look forward to your videos.
"You're going to end up playing the Switch instead of writing your book a few times." Literally what I was doing the entire time I listened to this video. I feel so called out. But in a good way. Struggling with distraction doesn't make me any less confident that I want and need to keep writing. Thanks for being inspirational as always, Brandon. Now, time for me to get back to work.
IDK why some of the people in these comments are acting as if this was some doom and gloom 'hit you with hard reality' sort of thing. This was probably the most inspiring reminder to stay grounded I've ever seen.
This is actually much more optimistic advice than what it seems at first. Setting goals & milestones, becoming a student of your own psychology/motivations, breaking stuff down into manageable bits - these are all aspects of the dream-making process that you can control. Hence, where the tangible joy of the journey is. There’s something so remarkable about this video.... maybe it’s Brandon Sanderson being as generous and insightful as he is, side by side with a macaw who knows the force. Their thu’um is strong.
Thu'um? What is that from?
@@edwardstrinden Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. The Dragonborn can speak the language of dragons (Thu'um = power of the Voice). Just a dumb joke combining the idea of the force with the fact that Brandon taught his macaw how to plume like a dragon.
@@archetypalsurvivalguide We all appreciated it! Nice crossover!
As a musician, I really feel this. I got into my college music program on a talent based scholarship, but that in no way guaranteed I would de well in my program, get good roles in Operas or especially have a career after college. There is nothing I can do about who I am auditioning with, what my competition is, or what a given director is looking for. Several of my classmates are making a living performing and I am so proud of their work! A greater number of them-equally talented, skilled, and educated-are teaching or working in an unrelated field, and talent had nothing to do with that.
The Master on May the Fourth! 😍
Edit: wonderful lecture. And Magellan is one wonderful bird. I'm so thankful we can share a time and a planet with Brandon Sanderson.
9:26 Watch Magellan. He reacts every time Brandon says dragon. By the third time, he starts doing his dragon trick (flapping his wings). (Even the first time, he moved his wings a little. But 3rd and 4th, he was doing it full out.)
What a wonderful world where I can watch this for free.
I really needed this.
Whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever is it your life seems to be circling around, remember: please give me money, but never give away hope.
As a later-in-life author, this message resonates a lot with me! Guidance throughout childhood and the school system is bipolar: First, we're told we can be anything we want to be, then a switch flips sometime in HS and we're told "ONLY IF YOU CAN MAKE MONEY AND GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!" Well, I went the route of accountant... so now I can support writing my own novel. Thanks Brandon for some realistic advice and helpful tools! The best thing I got out of this was to "gamify" writing--I will be implementing this. All you writers, keep writing!
That's why we love reading books. We like to see a world with characters that defy the ugly truth. The beautiful success stories are few, so we go looking for more in fiction.
Many people think that being down to earth and realistic means giving up on your dreams.
Brandon Sanderson shows us that is not the case and that the two can go hand in hand.
Don't wait for your dreams to happen. Make it possible for them to happen. No award will give you more satisfaction than the award you give yourself!
Thank you, Brandon, for your inspiring books and videos!!
I find it weird that I enjoy Sanderson's lectures more than I enjoy his books. So interesting and informative. I wish more writers did stuff like this and made it freely available for their fans.
This is so great. I wrote 8 novels in my 20s before I decided l was missing something and quit. I'm 40 now and have started writing again because about 2 years ago I realized that what I had been missing was the desire to write for its own sake apart from external validation. I have another coule novels in the works niw and of course I'd love to see them published, but I've gotten the maturity to realize that I cannot control others' response to my output - where I have control is if output happens. Glad Brandon is passing this lesson along so others don't have to spend 15 years learning it.
Thanks for the speech, I am in process of writing my first novel, and I really needed this.
I am a physics major, and had always sucked at English, it’s often that I ask myself if I would ever be successful, and if this would all be worth it. But now that my insecurities are confirmed, I realized the true value of my stories to me. Although my books might never be published or even be seen by another person, it now feels of value, at least to me.
The bit about the things you "want to have done" as opposed to things you want to do absolutely grabbed me. This is **exactly** the way I've always phrased it to myself every day. I have so many things that I never want to do when I have the time, but I do want to **have done** them. So uplifting to hear Brandon talk about that exact feeling.
I love how real Brandon Sanderson is. He's not sugar-coating anything and his advice is actually incredibly helpful.
May the 4th be with you Master Sanderson.
I wish I had this advice in school, but even as adult, it's still relevant and great advice. Thanks Brandon Sanderson for the great reminders!
I needed to hear this. I've been prone to daydreaming about writing and having had written for years, writing in binges and imagining myself on a panel of other writers, or in a bookstore signing books. This year when I finally got serious, I started with a daily word count goal of 1000 words. I wrote a few short stories, tried my hand at a little horror, and now I'm 108,000 words into my novel, with 125 days straight of reaching that goal (and going up to over 2k words on a few days)
The act of writing every day has been so amazing. I generate ideas faster, I think differently, and I have work to look back on. I feel accomplished and better mentally than ever before. If I don't sell the book, I still have something to cherish. Thank you Brandon. You are always a light for me as I stumble through this writing journey of mine. I can't wait to one day shake your hand and thank you in person. Come to Orlando soon!
Magellan is so cute laying in brandons arms.
And Brandon: You might want a Magellan proof jacket with magnetic buttons that Magellan can't reach.
magnetic to counter its allomancy?
Brandon: I like big books and I cannot lie
Birb: I like big buttons and I cannot lie
Thank you so much for all these UA-cam chats you do! I'm in a weird place right now where I enjoy working in news and I'm pouring a ton of time and energy into it, but I know eventually I'm going to burn out. Something that also holds such a strong place in my heart though is writing, and eventually I plan to transition careers so I'm trying to lay the groundwork now. Establishing two careers at once isn't the
easiest thing but I currently work in a major news station in Pittsburgh PA and I am writing my second fantasy novel. I'll admit there are many times it's hard for me to get home from a long day of staring at the computer at work, have dinner and then sit down to write again. Listening to your talks on my drive home gives me the gumption I need to re-enter my fantasy world and do the work that makes me smile 😊
Me, a teen, watching the beginning:
Brandon: There is a lie lots of adults tell you...
Me: Ohhhhh...
Brandon: ...Particularly the media...
Me: He's gonna say something amazingly inspirational!
Brandon: that lie is that you can do it.
It is so true though. I wish I had seen this video when I was a teenager. That advice is solid--as is the second part of his advice: "Learn how to do difficult things." Speaking to my own teenage self, I'd say, "You can do many things that you think are too difficult, but you can't do just anything."
My career opportunities came from doing things that were scary for me---traveling on my own, learning a second, third, and fourth language, public speaking professionally, teaching composition to non-native English speakers. If I chose not to do the difficult things, my life would have be a lot smaller.
As Someone creeping into my late 20’s, I wish I had this advice!
The problem is that those who say “you can do anything” do profit off your hope, then leave you to flounder.
It’s like saying “you can swim across this lake”, and then you’re wondering why you’re sinking. You CAN swim across the lake, but it takes hard work and determination and training.
Another thing is that you’re not the only one working in your dream field. Everybody wants to be the star actor, but we’re competing in a big cast of players. We can still become amazing, but we have to see where the line between luck and hard work lie, and to not get discouraged.
I'm 15 minutes in and this is one of the most important speeches that will never spread to the masses. I will forever be grateful to have been exposed to Sanderson and therefore this video.
Brandon, thank you. I will take this lesson to heart but most importantly, my son will be thankful for this moment. Whether he never knows who you are or not.
"I can't have a Dragon"
Has an evolved dinosaur instead...
Maybe its partly my fault, but that parrot really got my eyes almost throughout the video
I really love this. I was lucky enough to see it live as part of the conference and it left a deep impression on me, and I think really changed my outlook on writing and why I write just as I’m beginning to get more serious about it. Thank you.
Great honest and blunt advice. It can be an excruciating life for a writer that thinks he or she is better than what they actually are. And they set unachievable goals. And when they can't reach those goals, the burden can be heavy.
Mr. Sanderson, thank you so much for this speech, for your honesty, and for all the other things you do to help aspiring authors. You are my hero, and not only because you are a bestselling author, but because you kept writing despite rejection for so long. Knowing you did this gives me strength to overcome self-doubt and keep writing too.
Great video Sanderson, whit a lot of truth, as a writer, this actual lies can affect a lot in your writing process, even in your professional life. Greetings mr Sanderson! You are great!
you dont know how good I feel after this speech, I was actually having a crisis about my writings and this advice was just what I needed, thank you very much for sharing these sincere thoughts. :)
This is super helpful, about survivorship bias. "We don't know how much was skill, how much was talent, and how much was luck. Certainly, all three play a part, and you can control some of those things-but not others." I've been aware of this for a long time, but it's good to have Brandon affirm and clarify it like this.
And this sort of reality check isn't a downer for me at all. It isn't discouraging. Just the opposite. The discouraging downer is when all the voices are saying "Anyone can do this" and "If you can dream it you can do it" and even "This should be easy for you" (since I'm an educator, a writing coach, and a professional editor, I am writing and improving others' writing projects all the time) while my own attempt to write my first novel is beating me up.
So, I know I have talent.
I know I have "novelist-adjacent" skills, and I know I need to learn and strengthen my actual novel-writing skills.
As for the "luck" part- I will do the best I can with the skills I have; I will FINISH this trilogy (which has been clawing its way out of my soul). Those things I can control. Then, whether I find a publisher or I publish it myself, I will be at peace with whatever degree of popularity my story might have.
I hope the readers who will enjoy it will find it, and I'll do what I can to help them; this is called "marketing".
But if my trilogy doesn't seem to build momentum, I'll be happy to return to being "just an editor."
I'll be happy to have created something unique in the SF world, and I'll go back to helping other writers tell THEIR stories well and publish wisely... whether my own attempt at it is a success or a cautionary tale. ;-)
I was just wandering around and found this. If you ever read this Brandon, you have given me one hell of a push today, and I'm extremely grateful for your words and your hope. Thank you.
Dedication before motivation. Journey before destination. We can do hard things! Brando Sando, you're a great person for sharing your insights!
Art or any desire of your heart, you have to do it just because it is what you want to do regardless of success, because success it is actually luck, luck that people resonate with what you do and that they want to buy whatever you are doing.
Thank you, Brandon. I wish someone like you had come along when I was fifteen and had this talk with me. All I knew was that I wanted to write a fantasy like the LOTR movies. Nobody in my family knew anything about writing, and the one acquaintance who did didn't ask me important questions such as "Is this just for fun or do you want to try making a career out of it?" I've written several book-length manuscripts myself and they all stank. Now it's hard for me to get motivated to tackle such a huge project, even if I come up with a concept, characters, plot, and outline. Short stories are much easier in that respect. One of the most motivation-killing things has been depression. It made a difficult act ten times harder.
You're absolutely right about all of this. We're easily taken in and set up for failure because we compare ourselves to King and Rowling, two writers who DID have a hard time and DID become mega-successes. I'm still fighting against the alure of all that. My current goal is to publish just one short story in a pro-rated magazine. I've come close before, but I'm still working towards it. Every time I submit, I think "That's it, this is the best I can do. If they don't buy this, I'll never write anything better." Then I get another idea and start brainstorming. I don't know if I'll ever reach that milestone, and I don't know if I'll ever write another book. I've been toying with a historical novel, but I only started that with the explicit understanding that I could walk away at any time. Maybe I'm a better short story writer.
Again, thank you for saying what many in the industry will not.
While I agree that some luck plays into it, Brandon and other writers shift the odds dramatically in their favor by 1. Getting really good at wrting by just reading and writing a heck of a lot. 2. Completing a multitude of well-written novels in a genre with a rabid fanbase 3. Not getting too discouraged by rejection that he would give up or stop submitting. The great thing about writing nowadays is that even if not published, you can independently publish and still find an audience and start to build a fanbase, which will make you more alluring to the big publishers if that's your goal.
He had us in the first half not gonna lie.
Thanks Brandon for sharing your journey with us. You’re the best!
34:34 "It's good for you to write books." *Magellan peeks over head for emphasis.*
We need to turn this into a meme.
Dear Brandon theese life lesson's are true for so many things. It is true for science as well. It really help to write a thesis as well.
Three lessons from the lecture: 1) Set goals that you can control. 2) Learn how you work, and make it rewarding to you. 3) You can't have my buttons!
I like that you’re talking about your “failures”, but you’re bigger as a writer than both Scalzi and Novak, arguably speaking. Awards aren’t everything, sir. From my perspective, you’ve truly won. Btw, Magellan was force chocking you the whole time! Lol, you’re truly a Master Jedi!
This is actually true...even Brandon has things he cannot do...stick with what you can do...if you can't get famous or make money off of it, well, that's life...but at least you can do it...learn to figure out what you can and cannot do and learn to live with it...
Spoken like a true medieval lord.
@@pendlera2959 Yeah, the original commenter sounds like the knight right out of The Frugal Wizard :)
I love at the end when he was out of almonds he gave the bird a toy and the bird was like "This is acceptable."
“You can do anything you want!”
It’s true somethings will never happen. It’s important to see the difference between wishes and goals.
Goals are dependent on the individual making the goal.
Wishes depend on other people in order to be accomplished.
I’m going to write a New York Times best seller is not a goal. It is a wish.
It depends on a lot of different people including agents, publishers, critics ect.
I’m going to write a book is an attainable goal.
This is hands down the most encouraging and accurate lecture about writing.
I absolutely love this. It's great to hear you talk about how no matter how good you might be at something there's still luck involved. I also loved how after even a dozen rejections you still didn't give up. You've become my favorite author and I just love how open you are with your fans and how much you give back to the community.
Agreed
Thank you very much for making this available on YT.
I came across this video on the exact day I received my first rejection letter from a short story I seriously cared about. This helped me understand it's not always in my control, even though the moment was hard. Thank you, Brandon.
as a piano teacher and a aspiring writer, this man is speaking the god-honest truth and people NEED to listen
I'm printing this advice and putting it in front of me.
Make Goals You Can Control
Learn How You Work
Break It Down
this is priceless. the content and the way it was delivered. Challenge any of you to watch minute 19 without laughing.
Thank you, Brandon. This is very apt for me right now. Thank you from Manitoba, Canada
Brandon - I hope you see this because your videos have been such a huge inspiration to me. You're advise is spot on and practical and you don't sell us the illusion, you give us reality. thanks for these videos :)
Thank you for this vid, Brandon. It was both sobering and hopeful. It was very truthful, and you know what they say about truth. It hurts. But it can also set one free. Glad Magellan was there to lighten the mood. The force is strong in that one...