Brandon Sanderson - 318R - #10 (Plotting)
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- Опубліковано 2 вер 2016
- Brand new for 2016 are Brandon Sanderson's writing lectures at BYU. This lecture was delivered on March 24, 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:
1:33 what is plot?
3:55 promises
11:55 surprises v promises
23:30 making the middle interesting
29:00 bracketing
35:20 middles
49:45 satisfying endings
54:50 author voice
Authors
Robin Hobb - amzn.to/2bL8xFJ
Charlaine Harris - amzn.to/2cokvlG
George Orwell - amzn.to/2bUTHIC
Guy Gavriel Kay - amzn.to/2bUTOns
Gene Wolfe - amzn.to/2c3p4D5
Ursula K. Le Guin - amzn.to/2cpp0PN
Patrick Rothfuss - amzn.to/2c3RFKY
Works
Life is Beautiful - amzn.to/2c2w2sG
I Am Not A Serial Killer - amzn.to/2colNxe
The Prestige - amzn.to/2bUUdX0
Indiana Jones - amzn.to/2cdYBCs
Dragonriders - amzn.to/2comeHM
Ender's Game - amzn.to/2bN5Pky
Ender's Shadow - amzn.to/2c3RAH6
Foundation - amzn.to/2bUVbCp
Harry Potter - amzn.to/2cdZNpD
Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn - amzn.to/2comXbV
The Hero of Ages - amzn.to/2com1Eq
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
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Presented by camerapanda.com
Produced by skepteonmedia.com
CameraPanda.com, LLC and Skepteon Media, LLC are owned and operated by Earl Cahill
© 2016 Skepteon Media
Brandon: "What is plot"
Students: "Yes"
Damn dude I really wish I was in that school lol. Pizza party with Brandon Sanderson? Uh yes please.
I did not intend to sit through an hour of a uni lecture from an author I have never read, but here we are.
His Mistborn series is really good if u have the time
Damn dude this class rocks. Come listen to the best fantasy author out there. And also no homework. And also no tests
And you can pause anytime.
Maybe this is the Hermione in me, but I'd love to do homework and tests. Imagine getting the feedback from him to improve your writing!!
@@galaxylucia1898
With a great teacher it's definitely worth it for the feedback, I agree
And the pizza
@@galaxylucia1898 there's like 15 picked from these students based on something that they wrote and passed to brandon's editor then they would have a more close up creative writing class (i forgot the time length)
I wish the writers of the game of Thrones TV show watched this class
dude talk about it
I wished they hired Brandon
I think it points more to the gap between knowledge and execution.
They probably did. They forgot the Story matters more than the Plot.
it was written by George RR Martin, an even better writer than Brandon
My favorite character introductions are when he's clearly not great person but you can just TELL that he's gonna have the most epic character growth ever (usually in becoming a good guy) so whenever you're talking about promises here that's what I think of
Hrathen (sp? I listened to audio, didn't read with my eyes) in Elantris comes to mind. Not sure if you would even agree, but I had to keep reminding myself that he's the antagonist, because he's sort of sympathetic.
@@peterjames2466 For sure! Hrathen was great! I could tell he was a villain, but it obviously wasn't through malace and I was so excited to see where his character went in the story!
Man, students being bored in his class. I would absolutely love to be taught to write by him in person.
I know, right? If you look at the views on the videos, it's the same thing. That's crazy to me.
i just watchted 4-5 videos and i am not even intrested in writing
Didn't include enough explosions and car chases.
+Jolly Misanthrope No nudity, Twilight fanfic bondage or jive talkin' robots either.
Perhaps they just had a shitty day :P or was just tired that day. Doesn't mean they don't enjoy the class
I loved that part of his story where Sazed was depressed.... it was perfect
I thought Kaladin being built up in his first chapter and then being made a slave only increased my interest in the promise that he would someday be returned to grace.
I came into Way Of Kings without any prior experience with the cosmere universe, and it instantly became one of my favorite books.
@@dalmaronthefirst2237 same!
@@dalmaronthefirst2237 Journey before Destination!
Go to 47:27 and turn on closed captions.
You're welcome.
LOL
masterful
WEW that was amazing
what am i supposed to be seeing?
@@Citizen_J It says Satan instead of Sazed.
Thank you for posting this series. Maybe I will yet become a writer. As a thank you to Brandon, I purchased a copy of the Mistborn Trilogy.
Don't forget the sequel trilogy
He just described why some people really hate Steven Erikson books. They just can't be bothered to wait until all the promises are fulfilled. For Erikson, he definitely pays you back for your patience in the main books.
Erikson is best, 10 book crescendo, I'm bored out of my ass after 3 Stormlights already and now Shallan has extra voice in her head 🤣 yea I'll pass on next filler books
I loved Erikson. Best completed fantasy series of its length.
@john dolores I found both the characters and the story to be the very opposite of poor. They are often rich and fullfilling. Some of them change a lot, some not at all. They each have their own quirks, likes and dislikes.
The story is huge and epic and overwhelming. The learning curve is so god damn high. And you begin the learning curve anew again and again.
And when is the magic system actually being explained somewhat, so you can understand more? Book 4? After 3-4000 pages!
The scope is so large, that when you change viewpoints every book (and back again in the next), it gets hard to follow.
The magic system is unique and interesting tho. Him and Sanderson are one of the best there.
And the world building has to be the best of any book series. It is insane!
But you kind of need a notebook to be able to read it in any fullfilling way, which I find to be extremely bothersome.
Which is why I have only read 6 of them, and halfway through 7 atm..
This concept of making promises is interesting when you apply it to the Last Jedi.
The Force Awakens made a lot of promises and some of the issues people have with TLJ comes down to the fact that almost none of the promises were fulfilled. There was the promise of Rey's parentage (that the movie built up) and that it would be interesting. There was the quest for finding Luke Skywalker and the promise that he was doing something important and that when he was found, it would be important. Whether you like the movie or not, you have to admit that promises were made that weren't delivered on.
Some people defend it with the whole "it subverted your expectations," but TFA gave the audience those expectations and even built them up, so its a pretty cheap defense.
Excellent points. I'd add that typically when expectations are subverted the goal is usually to offer the reader/viewer a satisfying alternative. TLJ didnt provide that for a solid number of people at best, and at worst annoyed a lot of folks by trampling established lore.
I love the epic music intro to this lecture series; it both fits and contrasts so strongly that it makes me chuckle. Thumbs up to whoever added that touch.
Sanderson "I have extra letters up there, but whatever." LOL love it! This is an awesome playlist.
Thank you for filming and uploading this!!
When they were talking about starting lightheartedly then going into tragedy, I immediately thought of Life is Beautiful. And then he brought it up as example, haha!
Same !!
I don't think he bough it up as an example though.. this was way before it came out XD
I've been writing for ten years and have studied craft voraciously. I wish I had found these videos in the beginning. Even watching them now I've gotten so much out of them. Thank you SO much Brandon and team for sharing this valuable resource. I recommend to every budding writer I know.
This was a great lecture! I'm only 12 minutes in and already I'm thinking about all of the fixes for my current draft that will be needed and how to improve my stories moving forward.
Thanks Brandon! Thanks Camera Panda for posting.
It's funny - with some things I _don't_ get hooked by the beginning. "The Hobbit" was like that - I only kept going because of Tolkien's reputation. It pretty much paid off with Tolkien because of course it did, but this discussion has really made me take a look at how often I do this. I read or watch things based on other people's judgement _a lot._ And sometimes I get into things based on a spoiler. _Then_ I'll go "really, that's in here? awesome!" and jump in.
Ender's Game--the most perfectly plotted novel.
HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA
These videos are great! Have helped me so much! I would recommend to everyone to take English 101 at your local College. I took it last semester and i can't even begin to explain how massively it improved my writing. These videos are great for tips and strategies in writing, but what makes actually taking an english class so amazing is the assignments. For me, having to write and do work for the class and go back and do edits have helped me beyond words. I really recommend to everyone to take an English 101 class and then after that taking a creative writing class in conjunction with watching these lectures!
I've been waiting for this! Thanks for uploading
Great videos! I learn something new every time I watch a Brandon Sanderson video!
Honestly, the idea of a story that makes a hard left turn into a different genre is extremely appealing to me. Like, imagine seeing From Dusk Til Dawn without ever watching a trailer. Or even the turn Hancock takes halfway through. Even Orson Scott Card wrote a book like this - Treasure Box. It bugs me to see people learning to temper or soften the blow of that kind of turn, since often the severity of the turn is part of the surprise and enjoyment.
yep dusk till dawn had the hugest twist
personally I hated the second half of Hancock but I agree with your sentiment.
Have you watched Sorry to Bother You?
Amazing free content - thank you.
It would be helpful if he talked about how to structure Novellas and how their structure differs from a standard novel. He is a terrific author and I'm learning so much. Thank you, Mr. Sanderson.
These videos are the best writing advice there is out there on UA-cam! One thing though; without reading the True Blood books, here is what I think she could've done for a satisfying conclusion (it might not exactly work 'cause I have no idea about anything in this story except what Professor Sanderson mentions in the lecture):
Main Character (this one's a girl right?) finds one of the four (It was four wasn't it?) possible love interests dead in an empty room. She later discovers that the murderer was one of the other three possible love interests. Then, she and the two remaining love interests try to go find the murderer because they think they can stop him. But when it comes to the moment of life or death, one of them flees to save his own neck and only one love ineterest remains. There's no such thing as a point from which there is no satisfying ending; it's all about opening your mind to possibility. Though in second thought it would've made the fans of those other love interests even more mad. Blimey, I don't know. Anyway I love these lectures!
37:00 Journey Before Destination :D
strength before weakness
Life before death
Foreplay before Sex
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Underappreciated meme

This bracket thing is great. I think of it usually as narrative "bookends," but since I code the bracket thing works really well.
Yeah! Thinking of plot like HTML tags that you have to open and close is a great, very modern metaphor! Love it.
Question that absolutely needs to be asked:
Did you film the pizza party? :D
Great job all around and many thanks for providing these lectures. :)
Spoiler alert, but nope, didn't film the pizza party.
:(
As a writer that finally gets the opportunity to learn about writing, while writing, I love this class and I love being able to take it and create conclusions for myself.
Love your channel and all your classes. Pretty awesome to learn new things.
I like to define Plot as the things your characters do, think, feel or say that make a difference to the events to come. Plot is the consequence of action.
television shows that ask a lot of question but never enough answers... Lost . haha
سعودية اشعرية Pretty Little Liars... etc
That's what I was thinking :P
Battlestar Galactica (2000s)
Cw dc asks the same questions every season. Can the hero defeat the villian that outsmarts them every time?
I was satisfed with LOST ending.
I just love that he talks about Charlaine, I love the Sookie stackhouse books. I was definitely one of the angry people haha. He is so respectful to all the authors he mentions, major hats off to him.
It's the author he talks about at the beginning?
Getting to grips with Word has been my nightmare. I carefully go through the text to make sure all the indents for spoken dialogue are the same. Save the thing. Open it later and they are all over the place again. It drives me nucking futs.
I came here to watch Brandon throw gummy bears at his class
I’m currently having book middle sickness but I’ve recently had a breakthrough in that area.
I find that I’m lucky I chose fantasy because while the first third introduced the characters and basic setting, I can use the second third to introduce new areas, or flesh out the mechanics of magic, monsters and setting while progressing my plot. If they have to go from point A to point B but point A is the start of the book and point B is the end, you simply need to make the in between a challenge that tests you characters and prepares them, while using your genre to its fullest by introducing the things that were more difficult to tie into the plot.
this should be a 4 credit course. good stuff
There is a lot that Star Wars episode 7-9 can learn from!
Cant believe it took so long for anyone to mention Gene Wolfe. Probably just because there's nothing to say, no one compares, certainly not Sanderson. But these have been helpful for getting started on the technical stuff.
I'm relating _hard_ to having difficulty with the middle. But it's easier to work out after videos like this.
Dang, this guys a genius
i kind of consider myself an alt/experimental literary writer(family tragedy etc.) definitely not fantasy magic stuff but i got more out of these lectures than anything i learned in prep school or my 2 years at college. alot of it is boring "duhhh" kind of stuff but occasionally hell say something that is so helpful that i cant even contain myself and drop my cigarette in my lap scrambling for a pen and the pause button. im almost positive that i would despise his books but thats besides the point, incredible insight on writing fiction in general.
With this whole talk about holding off information without giving any answers until expectations are too high reminds me of the Gunslinger. Three fourths of the book is a boring journey in which you wait for ages and ages to meet the antagonist and figure out the protagonist’s motive. By then I got so fed up I just stopped reading. It was ridiculous- the author even pretended to finally have us meet the antagonist halfway through, only to have him go off through some tunnel in which the protagonists have to follow him through.
Danny Semakov it’s Stephen King. He has the goodwill Sanderson discussed here. Sure, the Dark Tower series is definitely a “new readers beware”, but his main fan base stuck it out through the first half of the book because the pay off is excellent and they knew he wouldn’t disappoint.
It’s Stephen. Freakin’. King. Period. Sanderson gets away with it also because he is Brandon. Freakin’. Sanderson.
@@chrisjones8829 well said
Bro. The book is like 200 pages long, how could you seriously not finish it? It ain't that bad.
I really feel like literary authors of the kinds of books that you read in an English class focus more on the stained glass rather than the story, and the reverse for entertainment novels.
I find a mix of both makes my favorite novels-able to make you think and able to entertain.
Plot's like the melody. You can't have a melody without rhythm and harmony but you usually think of those as three different things.
When he brought up prose, I was waiting for Rothfuss.
Thank you! :)
Can someone please help with the name of the writer/book he suggested for time jumps (sometimes years passing between two related scenes)? Didn't quite catch it
Can anyone tell me what the young lady is saying at 16:19 please?
Okay, so as someone watching this years later, the most impactful thing that he said (yes, I'm aware impactful isn't a word) was around 20-25 minutes in. Answer some questions. If you don't, you're just writing something that could be the first third of a novel. And if you're afraid to reveal knowledge about your world, then perhaps you aren't as sure about the story as you thought.
i think the bracketing technique may work best for me? idk, i literally cannot tell.
can someone tell me if brandon says which one of these examples he uses, and/or if he does a combination of these? i know he's said he's not strict about his usage, in the sense that he doesn't check off the different boxes like he's sticking to the list of things he needs to do to fulfill XYZ plotting method, but i don't know if he's said definitively whether he uses any of these in combination, and if so how many?
@13:35 does anyone know what book he is talking about?
41:45 They laugh, but a lot of parental figures die in the Harry Potter books. Well, mostly Harry's parental figures.
Practically all of them, in fact, at least, all the male ones.
@@dlwatib Molly and Arthur? Although I'm not sure if Arthur counts, since he's rarely around.
I love this course being available, but whenever Brandon asks a question it just feels like the class spits canned writing advice back at him rather than something more personal or specific. Many of them really sound like answers along the lines of "This is what I am supposed to say".
Maybe they're just newbies and haven't got much experience with writing yet?
Thats school for you.
That’s all of college lol
I stopped as soon as he started talking of hero of ages. Starting that book tonight
10 Cloverfield Lane is a film that plays a lot with expectations in brilliant ways (or disasterous ways depending on who you are I guess).
I love stained glass disguised as clear glass.
Pose a lot of questions without knowing the answers...
Is he talking about the Game of Thrones TV show ?
15:52 Slaughterhouse-Five
this is really great class. it's good to not listen to wannabe youtubers who self-published YA novels and suddenly are experts.
20:07 cracks me up
5:01 I'd say an antagonist that the reader loves to hate
That moment when you realize that you‘ve been mispronouncing your favorite character‘s name from Mistborn all along
Happens ali the time, man
Sanderson on voice: "Don`t worry about it!"
Yeah, that makes sense why he`d say that because... His prose is the one thing I don`t love about his writing. Do I like it? Yeah. Do I LOVE it? No. Do I love everything else? YES.
Although I do agree that it is dangerous to overly stress over voice. It shouldn`t be forced.
Anyone have advice on how a character might "perceive" their magical abilities? I understand Vin can "see" her metal sources, which she can burn at will. What if someone develops an ability as if it were a new limb extension or second nature, like for example, the sudden ability to maneuver fire at will? What might be a good way to describe how a magic-ignorant person might perceive and use their abilities?
This is hard, I think maybe have them do stuff by accident, let them fail a lot, and find a metaphor in that world for the character to describe it with. And think of how they would push their limits. Maybe avoid lengthy descriptions, show don't tell
Jfreek5050 a new limb extension is actually a great way to develop a magic user's perspective. Telekinesis never made sense to me (obviously because it's magic) as just being able to control all dimensions of things with your mind. But if you made telekinesis or pyrokinesis dependent on the user trying to control some kind of astrally projected limb that 'grabs' types of matter, it might not only make it easier for the reader to visualise or 'feel', but it would also introduce some interesting limitations, like only being able to move said matter a certain way, rather than just freely doing what they want.
i don't think there's a single formula though for writing the perspective of a newbie, but you could think of it in the way a regular person would learn an instrument (if you're going for a tactile kind of magic), or a new language (if you're going for a more mental/spiritual kind).
Jfreek5050 a new limb extension is actually a great way to develop a magic user's perspective. Telekinesis never made sense to me (obviously because it's magic) as just being able to control all dimensions of things with your mind. But if you made telekinesis or pyrokinesis dependent on the user trying to control some kind of astrally projected limb that 'grabs' types of matter, it might not only make it easier for the reader to visualise or 'feel', but it would also introduce some interesting limitations, like only being able to move said matter a certain way, rather than just freely doing what they want.
i don't think there's a single formula though for writing the perspective of a newbie, but you could think of it in the way a regular person would learn an instrument (if you're going for a tactile kind of magic), or a new language (if you're going for a more mental/spiritual kind).
I always thought a wizard or whatever would be visualizing in their mind what they wanted, they say incantations to make sure fantasies don't happen by accident. Wanting to drop a fireball on somebody's head is ok, but without speaking the words, you can't manifest it
Goodwill is why Jurassic Park doesn't start at the dig site with the visiting EPA guy.
Typically, you only time skip at book ends or once during a book, which is generally adolescence to adult hood. You can also time skip multiple times in a book, but you generally want to spend quite a bit of time on each point to earn the time skip. You have to fulfill a promise each time and foreshadow other events, which can be difficult to do. A lot of this is also going to depend on your tense. Its far easier to time skip in first person, since its the main character talking. Take Garon Whited's Nightlord series. In his most recent book, he time skips pretty much continually, but just doesn't address how much time has passed. The author might know, but you only have a general sense. Months will pass in a single line. This is because he's using first person, so the passage of time doesn't matter as much unless something is happening. You can literally just outright say, I trained hard for 4 grueling years. My hands have become blistered and dreams filled with trivial facts. Etc. Etc. Limited can be a pain in the ass and you generally have to be more creative with it, since its generally from multiple peoples perspectives, its a much larger event.
13:00 Rothfuss's picture book pulls this off ;3
Apparently Kingkiller will be like this as well when the third book comes out. Rothfuss said it'll make you rethink everything that has happened.
Yeah. That's true.
Mihoshika Furude I love that picture book. I watched a video of him presenting it and it was awesome to have him be the narrator and explain it all.
Lawls!
Could this be in podcast form so I can listen to it on the road?
Did you know about his podcast, Writing Excuses? Each episode is 15 minutes and covers much of the things he discusses in these lectures.
Or download the mp3 from the video, just google for youtube mp3 downloader. There is a website that does it for you.
Holy shit his voice sounds so different once got it back. Its like another person is talking. Reminds me of that bald antagonist from alvin and the chipmunks live movie (1st)
What’s with the rules of courtship in Nebraska? I thought he was completely joking until the woman in the audience said „it’s only for dances“...
These videos are awesome, but the audio seems a bit low. I can't hear the students most of the time.
I think brandon might have a mike
When he was talking about True Blood and satisfying endings it made me think of Divergent. I find it odd that people are dissatisfied with that ending. I personally don't see how it could've been better. Tris and Four were an awful awful couple and it would have been a disaster to keep them together. Just my opinion.
I Like You True that they're relationship was awful but you could tell the author had no idea where the story was going and in order to meet deadlines just through something together and then covered it with Tris's death hoping everyone would be too devastated at the loss of their main character to notice how awful everything else was done.
GrinMonister Maybe you're right. I didn't personally see that. I read it a few years ago when I was just kind of getting back into reading, and I really didn't analyze it that much. I remember feeling like the relationship was bad, but that it was a fun adventure if I didn't look too much into the unbelievability of the distopian setup. I liked it, but probably won't read it again
I never cared for Sanderson's dialogue from the books that I read, the man is a GREAT storyteller and wraps things up nicely.
The Mistborn books had their flaws, but it was a great story with a satisfying ending.
I feel like we are missing some of the lectures. like there is a gap between them
There were some guest lecturers and we only filmed Brandon Mull, therefore gaps :)
But we are. This is not the entire course, sadly. They picked the most relevant classes and uploaded here. But, anyway, I'm really, really glad they made this avaliable to everyone. It helped so much that I ca'nt even describe how thankful I am.
utah vs new york story at 58:22
I just noticed those students are the cast of TWILIGHT
Shutter Island !
prologue approach - game of thrones tv opener
We will get more lectures? Or is it finished?
There are two more lectures. Hoping to get #11 out in the next few days, then #12 out, likely toward the end of next week.
Thank you very much! :)
Plot: a plan to a desired or saught after end.
Please do Netflix adaption style movies of your books. I think a stranger things type length per episode over 9-15 episodes for stormlight archives would be awesome. You got me back into reading and I started with the biggest books lol
Yea, but what's the point of series when there are only 3 books? They could probably start when there are at least 6-7 books. I'd much rather see Mistborn now. Either a movie or a mini-series for each book.
Radek Náprstek if you look at his plan for the storm light archives he’s planning to write 10 total for that series
Plot: Who is the main character, and what are they doing?
Theres this one section: Oathbringer kal and crew going through the cognative realm.
how to hint at your story being fantasy. the not at all fantastical and arcane family heirloom/distant relative.
In Croatian language (mine...) word for PLOT iz ZAPLET it means "entangling".
The topic of making promising and not fulfilling on them reminds me of the Last Jedi. It tried to change the tone of the saga 8 movies in and not fulfill on too many of the promises of the previous chapter. Hard to do, and I don't think Johnson actually pulled it off.
Must... purchase... panda...
This is a good lecture but now I'm wondering what their homework is supposed to be.
anyone knows what book is he talking about at 13:33?
A little late but... The Blade Itself (The First Law #1)
by Joe Abercrombie
I feel like he's being a bit unfair to Joe. He definitely foreshadows in more than one instance that The First Law is going to subvert the fantasy tropes, like for example, when we first meet Bayaz. When Logen goes to see him for the first time, he thinks that the scholarly-looking elderly man (who's really one of Bayaz's servants) is the wizard. The fact that the First of the Magi is actually a bald, buff man dressed as a butcher, sacrificing a pig and full of blood from head to toe when we first meet him is very telling of how the series will play out, I think, and of Bayaz as a character. And this is just one example I can clearly remember.
Super hyped for a little hatred. I preordered it on Amazon.
@@Shiznaft1 really? That was the infamous mystery book he's mentioned in all thes r lectures? Looks like Joe's career wound up doing just fine lol.
@@mattkhourie4037 in all fairness to Mr. Sanderson, I am basing that on discussions around the web. Grain of salt recommended.
Holy shit!!! I always pronounced Sazed as a one syllable word
I always pronounced it sah-zed as opposed to say-zed. I never even thought of the one syllable possibility. Reminds me of hermione, I read that forever as her-me-own-e, I felt much better after learning the way she intended it be pronounced.
10:54
these lectures are even pure gold for pro-writers too...me being one.
Bridge 4 bottle
BYU... so NOBODY in that room is allowed to get a cupa' joe?
I think C.S. Lewis beat Orwell to it! Orwell wrote why I write in ‘46 while Lewis compared meaning in language to a windowpane in The Abolition of Man in ‘43!
Is plot all the things that you can't change about a story, so you can still call it the same story? This is of course very subjective, but I think it still works.
Like for an example you probably could switch LoTR from fantasy to scifi, and with some adapting, call it the same story. Generally with adapting you can also make changes to age and gender, things like that.