Your videos are actual gold mines, like I have to pause constantly to jot down notes. There's no meandering, just succinct points for 20 straight minutes
In my late teen years, I gave up writing for a while. I stopped because I felt like I didn't experience life enough to render something interesting on a page. And I was right. After some life happened, I started writing again, and it was much more satisfying. Say yes to new experiences.
I think my biggest setback with my own writing is that I lack a friend that shares some of the same passions that I have. I love being able to bounce ideas off someone who can fire back from a place of knowledge... Someone who can catch the holes in my logic and even make suggestions for things to explore or know where to look when there is a piece of information that seems to elude me no matter where I search. ...but also someone who you know won't try and take your ideas and use them for themselves. Sadly, the crazy research rabbit holes the writer's mind must travel lead to such varied and off the wall places that one often is forced to walk such roads alone.
Man, I feel that - not because I have this issue right now, but because I was lucky enough to find someone like that and still have her as much alpha/beta-reader to this day, and I am aware that it is most definitely one of the things that saved me as a writer. People think you need to be told what is wrong with your story, otherwise you won't see it flaws - but imo, you also need to be told what works in your story, so you are able to see your strengths and take advantage of them, strengthen the parts that work best, etc. And it's so hard as a writer to gain confidence, and it can bog you down so much... Unfortunately, I don't really have tips on finding someone like that. I was lucky enough to make that friend online, even though I struggle to make friends... I guess, maybe finding someone on a website where people write? Just, making friends with a similar interest in writing, and then exchanging drafts? But you probably knew that already, and even then, it's such a hard thing to do (I got lucky because I'm a fanfiction writer, so I know where to find writers who write and read the same kind of thing I do, but I assume it must be harder when you write original fiction...) Either way, wishing you all the best
I could totally relate I wish I had someone like that too But hey..when you find the person but unfortunately he/she steals your ideas, all you have to do when you notice it is to limit the information you give out and try as much as possible to also gain as much insight a possible from him/her My thoughts tho🤷 Also, regarding the issue of not having someone to talk to about our writing ideas Why not create a platform of writers where we could do that? Maybe WhatsApp? What do you think?
@@user-tc4mu2pk6k The smaller the circle, the fewer the leaks. When you walk the road not traveled, it is sometimes necessary to walk it without the company of a group. Still, a muse would be nice for all of us once in a while.
Props to Josiah! 60,000 words in two months is incredible! Chasing physical excellence might be the most underrated tip of them all. The way my discipline, focus, AND creativity flourished after improving my sleep schedule, exercise, and diet was life-changing.
I thought I'd never write again. Thanks for reminding me that it's a passion that is never truly forgotten when inspired by other passionate writers willing to care, share and guide. Thank you!
On your point about real-world research and your example of how a longsword feels in your hand, I'd advise caution on just going off first impressions. The problem with many many medieval weapon replicas and trainers and fantasy designs, especially for swords, is that they tend to be thicker and wider than actual battlefield weapons, which adds unnecessary weight. They're a nice starting point for something like writing but may give the wrong impression. If you were to watch videos by anyone online who have used sharp, accurately designed medieval swords, they will tell you they are lighter and more maneuverable than movies and video games led you to believe and even explain the geometry of the blade. Hope this helps!
I think what is really interesting about youre obsession with climbing is, that holding youre balance and training that, really activates the creativity section of youre brain, its scientificly researched and I also allways realize that myself after climbing.
Ive been doing HEMA (Historical european martial arts) for a few years now, and im glad i did cuz not only have i learned to use a sword ive learned the ins and outs of how swordsmanship works and when i end up writing bladed martial arts i can at least present it realistically.
Thank you for giving us these tips, I think that they will help me make my writing slightly better. And you deserve so many more subscribers because the tips you give are extremely helpful
Jed's advice about researching how swords were used is subjective. In my book my protagonist uses a katana like weapon in a psuedo-medieval european ish setting. I think kananas are cool, so the rule of cool takes precedence above all else
I've had ... discussions regarding the value of watching movies/TV to improve writing. Someone on a forum was arguing that there was no value in it. My stance is that as Fiction writers, we are storytellers. Fiction is fiction, storytelling is storytelling. But, I also separate the skill/art of Writing - being the art of using the right words in the right context to create an image or feeling, and Storytelling - being the art of crafting compelling characters and narrative. These are two separate skill. I constantly extract great storytelling do's and don't's from TV and Movies. Always asking, why was that payoff so satisfying, or why wasn't it? Can I see what the creators were attempting to do and failed, and why did it fail for me? Or at what points were were the payoff subtly planted or foreshadowed. What I've discussed, and read are people who are writing, and focusing too much on what they see in their heads and their writing feels like they're describing a Movie that they're watching in their mind. Of course, the ability to inhabit a character is the strength of writing. Dynamic action sequences in literature are often best done with less detail instead of more. "A flurry of quick strikes" will often draw a better mental image than, "He swung his sword down, and then across, followed by a quick diagonal strike." Because it's more words, we tend to see it as happening more slowly. and it can quickly get confusing when we're given very specific, complex human articulation to imagine. This can of course be useful when you want it to feel slower, or more intentional. Anyway, I'm ranting now. Great video!
i should note, around the 10:30 mark. I can almost guarantee you that sword hasn't proper leverage and weights at least twice what it should. Decorative swords have nothing to do with functional ones. If u want, there are many cheap, low quality blades that are well balanced regardless, and they'ññ give you much better insight of how a real one would feel
Your last point made me think of a lesson I drew from one of the books that I've read. From what I took away from that point was if you don't enjoy the journey then the destination is meaningless. The lesson from the book that I read though it may be more accurate to say series is that the journey is more important than the destination. Anyone who's read this series that I drew that lesson from almost certainly already knows what series it is for everyone who doesn't know the series it's the storm light archive and I would highly recommend it.
Great video, a lot of great tips in this one. Just a quick comment on point 6 for your sake - it looks like you've got a fantasy display-style sword. Counterintuitively, the real combat ones are actually often a lot lighter than the display-style ones. Not sure exactly what the sword is or how much other experience you have with swords but be careful of that if you weren't aware.
Yeah I’m pretty sure that’s Anduril from lotr which isn’t really a super realistic, well balanced, practical sword. Real swords are decently heavy, and as far as I’m aware, long swords are usually around 4 pounds (sorry I’m American I don’t know what that is in kilometers) which is a pretty awkward weight for something that long. What makes swords feel lighter is the balancing of them. A real sword can be moved extremely quickly without much strain on the muscles because of how well they are balanced. A wall hanger like that is probably not the best representation of what it feels like to swing a real sword.
I bought a long sword and bow (w/ arrows) about a year ago. I started writing my book just last month and have found it to be super helpful having bought the featured weapons prior to the writing process. I was able to understand the weight and depth of each weapon as well as gain an appreciation for the craftsmanship.
Your videos are a blessing. It's amazing how you can explain things like they're being laid out carefully in the light. Thanks for making these videos.
@@Jed_Herne I already do the "put yourself a little bit more in their shoes" technique already. If a character has their hair up, I have my hair up; if a character is breathing hard, I am breathing hard; if a character is crying, I will find myself nearly in tears. This is just how I create stories.
I love your videos, and they have seriously helped me get back into my writing. However, I do have a note on your physical excellence point. Not all of us are capable of that. I have bad knees, and back, and most of my joints are bad, so I am not capable of reaching for that form of physical excellence. What I use is something else that pulls on my creativity, I dance burlesque locally. It keeps me physically moving while not being too much for my body to handle. Not all of us can strive for that excellence, but I do agree that it is important to remember your physical and mental health in order to write
By my understanding of his physical excellence advice you are meeting it. you are meeting your physical excellence That's not my physical excellence That's not Jed's physical excellence but it is yours and that's all that matters.
Thank you! I'm glad they've helped. It sounds like you are meeting your physical excellence goal - it will always look different for different people, and I imagine my own definition will change as I get older as well.
Being a devoted kickboxing enthusiast and martial artist, my introduction to the world of writing came relatively late. My admiration for Robert E. Howard, spanning several years, revealed an intriguing facet of his life-he engaged in cosplay with friends, incorporating his martial arts skills to embody the characters he crafted in his literary works. This revelation led me on a unique journey to the perilous region of the Philippines where the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was situated. Here, I delved into the study of a rare Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) discipline, historically linked to pirates and designed for the gruesome purpose of decapitating marine adversaries. This connection also gave rise to the term "leatherneck
Yep, I can confirm that doing cardio has helped me build endurance and growth mindset... And other aspects of my life, thanks for uploading a great video as always.
Over the decades many have bemoaned that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was not a chess player as that would have had such an impact on the Holmes/Moriarty dynamic.
Luckily, I have a firm grasp on physics and psychology that helps me to write. I’ve never been rock climbing, but when I wrote a scene about my character scaling a cliff and showed it to someone who has been rock climbing, he asked if I had been rock climbing before. He said that the scene was written with vivid descriptions and details that made him feel like he was climbing the cliff in the place of my character, and this was a huge boost to my motivation.
I like to pause while writing and watch what you drop. You have a few key bits of info inside of these videos that I have found very useful. I think the biggest thing was when you talked about tracking your time spent writing. I had never thought of it before, and it really helps put in perspective how much I have grown, not by word count, because Im rewriting all of the time. But by hours spent writing. Its weird to know that the weeks that feel easier are weeks I have 30 hours writing, and 10 hours gaming. While the weeks that drag are gaming heavy and something like 5 hours of writing. It makes me want to track how long I am doing most things in my life. Maybe I have too many hours on youtube. Maybe I should cut back. Im not sure but I think Im gonna track that now.
Thank you for putting up this video! I think for me my favorite part is the 1st and 2nd habbit you mentioned. Both are pretty simple, but I believe in them, and think it wouldn't hurt to try!
Awesome video as always Jed! Your content is super inspiring to me as a fantasy writer, and I appreciate you sharing these tips. I love that you included the part about the sword, as I do take medieval martial arts classes😁⚔️ I found it to be very helpful in my writing process as I do go heavy on the action, and just wanted to throw out there that I’d love to help anyone if they ever had any questions regarding weaponry or martial arts! Keep doing what you do, it’s amazing
Thanks for this video. Today I was very angry because of my Maths lessons. I study Philology and we have Maths 🙃 I don't understand why we must learn it, and I really wanted all my education go to hell if i wouldn't pass the exam. But your video made me to calm down. Thanks again
Just a heads-up, I don't know because I'm not there but honestly a sword shouldn't feel heavy. Maybe get a better representation of a real world sword rather than fantasy ones before you get too caught into the notion of them as you currently have them. I've never been super strong with my upper body but an actual sword made for combat feels more like a long iron tent stake (there's not many parallels in my mind sorry) than something that would feel like a workout to swing let alone use in a fight. Hope this helps also the channel Shadiversity might help with some of the more medieval facts that even published "history books" often get wrong due to bad sources or just misinterpreted stories etc. Thanks for the tips as always, I was glad that most of these were already a part of what I do and it gave me a bit more confidence due to that.
Big one I've noticed is curious, non-judgemental empathy. When you come across a situation in life where someone makes you feel anything strongly, think through what factors _might_ have gone into it while accepting that you can't know for sure. For example, the person in front of you at the checkout snubs the cashier. Well that's rude, but what might have gone into that behavior? A lot of people presume that they were raised in a highly permissive environment with no challenges and leave it at that. It could be the case, but it might not be. It could also be the case with more to the story. Maybe it is worse than you imagined: maybe that person was directly taught they were better than everyone else, and they grew up believing that. Maybe by believing that and presuming anyone that challenges that belief is stupid specifically because they don't acknowledge that superiority and thus circular reasoning. Perhaps what you interpreted as being a snob was just punctuated oddly: maybe you missed something previously that would have contextualized the comment in a more innocent way. Maybe they are challenging a bad upbringing, and the way they had been taught to behave would have been even worse. Of course, you don't know. You can have a pretty good idea so of course always act with morality in real life. But considering as many possibilities as you can and seeing the strength of evidence change for each one has been huge for me, in life and in writing.
This is an absolutely excellent point. It's a habit I try to follow myself, and it doesn't just help your writing, but it makes you a lot more understanding of other people as well.
Watch anime. It works wonders for me. If you are having trouble coming up with a compelling premise for your book, then watch some anime. Anime is really good at that sort of thing, in my experience, especially for fantasy and science fiction, like Steins Gate. Personally, i have been looking to getting into D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) as of late, which will probably help a lot too I suffer from clinical depression and gender identity issues, so ive not always the most healthy habits, and my protagonists often embody all that in my writing, and why my writing often explores mental illness with protagonists who are often troubled individuals, among other things.
I would advise to not go for D&D. It is the most known due to product placement in tv shows and general marketing budget, but it is by far not the best RPG out there. If you want to have access to as many genres as possible with a single system, go for GURPS (Generic Universal Roleplaying System) or BRPS (Basic Role Play System). Or go for genre specific systems like Call of Cthulhu (cosmic horror), Cyberpunk (cyberpunk), Shadowrun (cyberpunk fantasy), Rolemaster (fantasy), HARP (High Adventure Role Play) (fantasy), etc... There is a ton of great RPG systems out there, something for every genre, and nearly all of them better than the D20 5e system.
I'm going to actually disagree with the first reply to a degree. There are quite a few d20 RPG systems and d&d 5e is a great place to start and get a foundation but after a while I would recommend switching over to another system because d&d 5e is not that good for long-term commitment.
the supreme court leaked the dobbs decision, then i was bitten by a dog. these two events led me to write the only thing i've ever written yet i feel is ready for publication, and since i didn't want to give up the rights, i became my own publishing company (i think, i'm unsure if there are technical issues with issues that nomenclature) i basically make copies and distribute them in my home down free and send copies to powerful people
It seems you have alot freedom to do all these extra things. What do you propose to people that have life-long careers and work 50 hours a week. It kind of complicates the life style and writing experience. Great videos.
On the sword: if you bought a cheap sword to get the idea of what a sword is like, you still don't know what a sword is like. Cheap swords are forged form a plate of steel and the thickness doesn't taper. this makes it tip heavy compared to a real sword and the blade is slow and clumsy. It's just made for looks. A real sword has a tapered thickness that makes the blade light and lively. The difference is enormous.
Have you been horseback riding? That should help you understand how riding a dragon COULD be like. The way the muscles flex and maybe the roughness of the bones (ridges) if you do so bareback. Another habit to practice is intellectual 'empathy' in the subjects you combine. Empathy is all about sharing the emotions of others. In a way, you are tying their emotions to yours and seeing through their perspective. Intellectual Empathy is the same, only with intellectual concepts. No, horseback riding isn't dragon riding, but the horse is much bigger than you, and flesh and blood creatures are only superficially different. From what I can see in videos, a horse's hide is very tight, and that must lend a very hard sensation to the feel of it. In a way, you can draw a comparison between that hardness and the feeling of dragon scales, which are said to be comparable to diamonds.
Thanks for the advice! I am thinking of writing three different novels, and one of them would probably require me to do horse riding. The concept in nutshell: it's played in and around my hometown, which is filled with and surrounded by parks, forests, lakes, smaller rivers, mountains and even some caves. However the characters aren't humans, they are fairies, manós (manó means elf in my native language but I don't want people to think of Tolkien or DnD elves so probably I'll keep using this name even when I translate my work into English), and water-manós (that is just a placeholder name, I will invent something cooler later on). Fairies have wings and they are the smallest, they can ride bigger hornets, manós are a bit bigger as blackbirds are the smallest animals that can carry their weight, and water-manós live underwater (I know, you would never have guessed). The plot is mainly about the tiny kingdoms of these tiny creatures fighting massive wars against each other while remaining hidden in front of humans. Anyway, the characters would often ride animals which more or less common where I live. This is a pretty long list, some would be mainly used for war (like falcons, hornets, owls, praying mantises, snakes, catfish, etc.) some for carrying goods (like pigeons or mallards, among many others), some would be status symbols for royalty (such as kingfishers and golden orioles), and others would be simply for travelling (for example sparrows, squirrels, or blackbirds). It's hard to picture what can riding a turtle underwater or a bat in the sky feel like but if I restarted horse riding then maybe I could picture it more realisticly. Sorry for dumping the whole Bible on you, I just like to write about what I'm gonna write.
@@hungariangiraffe6361: The best part of Intellectual Empathy is that it is the essence to Discovery Writing. There are two kinds of writers, Plotters that plan things out and Pantsers that 'fly by the seat of their pants.' If you practice Intellectual Empathy enough, your mind starts connecting details together on its own. This includes everything from description of 'objects' to the way things interact. It even includes inspiration. I have a story about a demon and a human woman that was inspired by Devil May Cry 5. She is similar to Nico. She's Cajun, with long, "obsidian-black" hair, and tattoos. He is NOT like Dante, though he does get stronger. In my interpretation of Hell, there are many species of demons that inhabit many different regions. In the "Bleached Wastes," which is a giant boneyard, the Veil Slithers exist. They are insect demons that obey their queen, and I imagine them like giant, bone-white, flying beetles similar to White (Kumoko) from "So, I'm a spider." Their particular ability lets them slither through the veil between Earth and Hell, hence the name. This region borders the Famine Sea, which will devour/degrade any non-rock thing that comes in contact with its waters. I have another about the unknown son of Hades and Persephone. As the instance of Chaos, he was largely overshadowed by his "Auntie Eris," and his essence is that cold dread you feel right before a big disaster. Now, there is nothing in the myths about him, but you can understand why. You can believe he could exist. As the "havoc of desolation," he doesn't have emotions. At one point, he didn't even have desire...then, he met Tantalus in Tartarus (the one chained in water under a fruit tree that would both recede when he reached for them). He didn't understand why Tantalus was put in that situation because 'we shouldn't want what we can't have.' When he couldn't give Tantalus what he wanted, he took Tantalus's desire for it. He recognizes that he can't feel like everyone else, and he has declared that he will have all of emotions that he can get...because why shouldn't he? As such, he walks through the human world in a disguise that hides his essence so he can learn all he can about emotions he cannot feel. The story is set in a high school, and he is a transfer student. His reason is adults are too burnt out to learn from while little kids are far too energetic for his patience. Teenagers are an acceptable balance. In the process, he meets a human female, and both life and family troubles ensue. This story started as a way for me to understand the basics of emotions and the ties they carry. If it takes off and sells, others can follow in that journey, too. Otherwise, my first goal of writing for me is met. Just make sure it is a story you want to enjoy.
I've done a little bit of horse riding, and one of my cousins is obsessed with the sport - but I would like to do more. Great example of how you could draw from that to write about dragons!
@@hungariangiraffe6361: Sadly, it isn't an official thing. It's something I discovered on my own, and the words are what I used to describe it as best as I could. It's similar to what Neil Gaiman described about where writers get their ideas from, the whole "What if a werewolf bit a goldfish" thing. Intelligence itself follows these rules as you connect details together, and the only difference between intelligence and creativity is the difference between logic and novelty. Once the details are connected, they are judged by the standards of logic and novelty. Logical thoughts are intelligent. Novel thoughts are creative. And, I know this isn't an official thing because Jordan Peterson is a clinical psychologist, and he says nobody knows what intelligence and creativity are. So, it can't be an official notion yet. He would have learned of it.
That Replica of Aragorn's sword is NOT a good analog of comparison for a real sword. Please do not use it's weight as a point of reference for real swords.
10 minutes in, if you want to do research like that 1. Get a real sword, not a fantasy replica, and 2. actually talk to someone who knows this stuff because you've drawn all the wrong conclusions.
It makes me laugh that "physical excellence" is a tip, and the most successful/popular fantasy authors of the last two decades have been George RR Martin and Brandon Sanderson. I'm not sold on that as a tip for writing, but it is a good habit to have as a baseline.
I think #2 has really backfired for me. I’ve watched literally thousands of movies, but instead of continuing to be appreciative of blockbuster movies, big name movies now just annoy me when I spot them constantly reusing the same cliches, nonsensical plots if you analyze them even a bit, and the mind numbing amount of CGI - even for the most basic and mundane things. I’ve seen indie movies that have actually had great plot ideas, but because they didn’t get the budget of a Hollywood movie, they’re filled with fake acting by casts of nobodies, amateurish camera work, and just as bad editing. Your points on curiosity and research are definitely two of the best points of the list though. Over the course of my writing, I’ve had to do tons of research on subjects I never thought I would even need to consider at first, but doing so has really helped me learn a bit about a wide array of so many different topics.
Your videos are actual gold mines, like I have to pause constantly to jot down notes. There's no meandering, just succinct points for 20 straight minutes
Thank you!
In my late teen years, I gave up writing for a while. I stopped because I felt like I didn't experience life enough to render something interesting on a page.
And I was right. After some life happened, I started writing again, and it was much more satisfying. Say yes to new experiences.
I think my biggest setback with my own writing is that I lack a friend that shares some of the same passions that I have. I love being able to bounce ideas off someone who can fire back from a place of knowledge... Someone who can catch the holes in my logic and even make suggestions for things to explore or know where to look when there is a piece of information that seems to elude me no matter where I search. ...but also someone who you know won't try and take your ideas and use them for themselves. Sadly, the crazy research rabbit holes the writer's mind must travel lead to such varied and off the wall places that one often is forced to walk such roads alone.
Yeah I feel you man I have the same problem.
let’s talk about those things together guys
Man, I feel that - not because I have this issue right now, but because I was lucky enough to find someone like that and still have her as much alpha/beta-reader to this day, and I am aware that it is most definitely one of the things that saved me as a writer. People think you need to be told what is wrong with your story, otherwise you won't see it flaws - but imo, you also need to be told what works in your story, so you are able to see your strengths and take advantage of them, strengthen the parts that work best, etc. And it's so hard as a writer to gain confidence, and it can bog you down so much...
Unfortunately, I don't really have tips on finding someone like that. I was lucky enough to make that friend online, even though I struggle to make friends... I guess, maybe finding someone on a website where people write? Just, making friends with a similar interest in writing, and then exchanging drafts? But you probably knew that already, and even then, it's such a hard thing to do (I got lucky because I'm a fanfiction writer, so I know where to find writers who write and read the same kind of thing I do, but I assume it must be harder when you write original fiction...)
Either way, wishing you all the best
I could totally relate
I wish I had someone like that too
But hey..when you find the person but unfortunately he/she steals your ideas, all you have to do when you notice it is to limit the information you give out and try as much as possible to also gain as much insight a possible from him/her
My thoughts tho🤷
Also, regarding the issue of not having someone to talk to about our writing ideas
Why not create a platform of writers where we could do that? Maybe WhatsApp?
What do you think?
@@user-tc4mu2pk6k The smaller the circle, the fewer the leaks. When you walk the road not traveled, it is sometimes necessary to walk it without the company of a group. Still, a muse would be nice for all of us once in a while.
Props to Josiah! 60,000 words in two months is incredible!
Chasing physical excellence might be the most underrated tip of them all. The way my discipline, focus, AND creativity flourished after improving my sleep schedule, exercise, and diet was life-changing.
I aim to do that in nine months
I thought I'd never write again. Thanks for reminding me that it's a passion that is never truly forgotten when inspired by other passionate writers willing to care, share and guide. Thank you!
On your point about real-world research and your example of how a longsword feels in your hand, I'd advise caution on just going off first impressions. The problem with many many medieval weapon replicas and trainers and fantasy designs, especially for swords, is that they tend to be thicker and wider than actual battlefield weapons, which adds unnecessary weight. They're a nice starting point for something like writing but may give the wrong impression. If you were to watch videos by anyone online who have used sharp, accurately designed medieval swords, they will tell you they are lighter and more maneuverable than movies and video games led you to believe and even explain the geometry of the blade. Hope this helps!
I think what is really interesting about youre obsession with climbing is, that holding youre balance and training that, really activates the creativity section of youre brain, its scientificly researched and I also allways realize that myself after climbing.
A good resource is to get actual swords made to be swords instead of wall decorations. I recommend Shadiversity for more insight on these topics
Ive been doing HEMA (Historical european martial arts) for a few years now, and im glad i did cuz not only have i learned to use a sword ive learned the ins and outs of how swordsmanship works and when i end up writing bladed martial arts i can at least present it realistically.
Thank you for giving us these tips, I think that they will help me make my writing slightly better.
And you deserve so many more subscribers because the tips you give are extremely helpful
Jed's advice about researching how swords were used is subjective. In my book my protagonist uses a katana like weapon in a psuedo-medieval european ish setting. I think kananas are cool, so the rule of cool takes precedence above all else
@@unicorntomboy9736if that's how you want to do it more power to you however melding both the rule of cool with realism might make it even better.
Rule of cool always wins
I've had ... discussions regarding the value of watching movies/TV to improve writing.
Someone on a forum was arguing that there was no value in it. My stance is that as Fiction writers, we are storytellers. Fiction is fiction, storytelling is storytelling.
But, I also separate the skill/art of Writing - being the art of using the right words in the right context to create an image or feeling, and Storytelling - being the art of crafting compelling characters and narrative.
These are two separate skill. I constantly extract great storytelling do's and don't's from TV and Movies. Always asking, why was that payoff so satisfying, or why wasn't it? Can I see what the creators were attempting to do and failed, and why did it fail for me? Or at what points were were the payoff subtly planted or foreshadowed.
What I've discussed, and read are people who are writing, and focusing too much on what they see in their heads and their writing feels like they're describing a Movie that they're watching in their mind. Of course, the ability to inhabit a character is the strength of writing. Dynamic action sequences in literature are often best done with less detail instead of more. "A flurry of quick strikes" will often draw a better mental image than, "He swung his sword down, and then across, followed by a quick diagonal strike."
Because it's more words, we tend to see it as happening more slowly. and it can quickly get confusing when we're given very specific, complex human articulation to imagine. This can of course be useful when you want it to feel slower, or more intentional.
Anyway, I'm ranting now. Great video!
i should note, around the 10:30 mark. I can almost guarantee you that sword hasn't proper leverage and weights at least twice what it should. Decorative swords have nothing to do with functional ones. If u want, there are many cheap, low quality blades that are well balanced regardless, and they'ññ give you much better insight of how a real one would feel
Fair point! I've played with a few real swords as well, but I probably need to do more practical experimentation
Your last point made me think of a lesson I drew from one of the books that I've read. From what I took away from that point was if you don't enjoy the journey then the destination is meaningless. The lesson from the book that I read though it may be more accurate to say series is that the journey is more important than the destination. Anyone who's read this series that I drew that lesson from almost certainly already knows what series it is for everyone who doesn't know the series it's the storm light archive and I would highly recommend it.
Great video, a lot of great tips in this one. Just a quick comment on point 6 for your sake - it looks like you've got a fantasy display-style sword. Counterintuitively, the real combat ones are actually often a lot lighter than the display-style ones. Not sure exactly what the sword is or how much other experience you have with swords but be careful of that if you weren't aware.
Yeah I’m pretty sure that’s Anduril from lotr which isn’t really a super realistic, well balanced, practical sword. Real swords are decently heavy, and as far as I’m aware, long swords are usually around 4 pounds (sorry I’m American I don’t know what that is in kilometers) which is a pretty awkward weight for something that long. What makes swords feel lighter is the balancing of them. A real sword can be moved extremely quickly without much strain on the muscles because of how well they are balanced. A wall hanger like that is probably not the best representation of what it feels like to swing a real sword.
@gooseguyfilms4460 Out of curiosity, were you going for a "wtf is a kilometer" meme or did you genuinely mean to say kilograms? Very funny either way.
@@101jir I knew it was kilograms, I just thought it was funny.
@@gooseguyfilms4460 It was indeed
I bought a long sword and bow (w/ arrows) about a year ago. I started writing my book just last month and have found it to be super helpful having bought the featured weapons prior to the writing process. I was able to understand the weight and depth of each weapon as well as gain an appreciation for the craftsmanship.
Your videos are a blessing. It's amazing how you can explain things like they're being laid out carefully in the light. Thanks for making these videos.
Thanks dude, glad to know they're helpful!
@@Jed_Herne I already do the "put yourself a little bit more in their shoes" technique already. If a character has their hair up, I have my hair up; if a character is breathing hard, I am breathing hard; if a character is crying, I will find myself nearly in tears. This is just how I create stories.
@heatherkline6766 Apparently Jonny Depp spent multiple hours in a very hot sauna to develop Jack Sparrow's legendary mannerisms.
I love your videos, and they have seriously helped me get back into my writing. However, I do have a note on your physical excellence point. Not all of us are capable of that. I have bad knees, and back, and most of my joints are bad, so I am not capable of reaching for that form of physical excellence. What I use is something else that pulls on my creativity, I dance burlesque locally. It keeps me physically moving while not being too much for my body to handle. Not all of us can strive for that excellence, but I do agree that it is important to remember your physical and mental health in order to write
By my understanding of his physical excellence advice you are meeting it. you are meeting your physical excellence That's not my physical excellence That's not Jed's physical excellence but it is yours and that's all that matters.
Thank you! I'm glad they've helped. It sounds like you are meeting your physical excellence goal - it will always look different for different people, and I imagine my own definition will change as I get older as well.
Your videos are amazing and I've learned a lot watching them!!
Being a devoted kickboxing enthusiast and martial artist, my introduction to the world of writing came relatively late. My admiration for Robert E. Howard, spanning several years, revealed an intriguing facet of his life-he engaged in cosplay with friends, incorporating his martial arts skills to embody the characters he crafted in his literary works. This revelation led me on a unique journey to the perilous region of the Philippines where the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was situated. Here, I delved into the study of a rare Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) discipline, historically linked to pirates and designed for the gruesome purpose of decapitating marine adversaries. This connection also gave rise to the term "leatherneck
Yep, I can confirm that doing cardio has helped me build endurance and growth mindset... And other aspects of my life, thanks for uploading a great video as always.
Over the decades many have bemoaned that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was not a chess player as that would have had such an impact on the Holmes/Moriarty dynamic.
Luckily, I have a firm grasp on physics and psychology that helps me to write.
I’ve never been rock climbing, but when I wrote a scene about my character scaling a cliff and showed it to someone who has been rock climbing, he asked if I had been rock climbing before.
He said that the scene was written with vivid descriptions and details that made him feel like he was climbing the cliff in the place of my character, and this was a huge boost to my motivation.
That's awesome
I like to pause while writing and watch what you drop. You have a few key bits of info inside of these videos that I have found very useful. I think the biggest thing was when you talked about tracking your time spent writing. I had never thought of it before, and it really helps put in perspective how much I have grown, not by word count, because Im rewriting all of the time. But by hours spent writing. Its weird to know that the weeks that feel easier are weeks I have 30 hours writing, and 10 hours gaming. While the weeks that drag are gaming heavy and something like 5 hours of writing.
It makes me want to track how long I am doing most things in my life. Maybe I have too many hours on youtube. Maybe I should cut back. Im not sure but I think Im gonna track that now.
Thank you for this video. This was a treasure trove of things I needed to hear. You are awesome!
Thank you for putting up this video!
I think for me my favorite part is the 1st and 2nd habbit you mentioned. Both are pretty simple, but I believe in them, and think it wouldn't hurt to try!
Awesome video as always Jed! Your content is super inspiring to me as a fantasy writer, and I appreciate you sharing these tips. I love that you included the part about the sword, as I do take medieval martial arts classes😁⚔️ I found it to be very helpful in my writing process as I do go heavy on the action, and just wanted to throw out there that I’d love to help anyone if they ever had any questions regarding weaponry or martial arts! Keep doing what you do, it’s amazing
Hoping to take your course someday soon!
Great video, as usual, Jed! Top quality.
Thank you Jed for another great video! Super helpful tips!
Another great video, Jed. Interesting and inspiring, as ever.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have no plans of writing but I still watch these videos
DUDE I just bought that longsword you die hard LOTR fan! lol Love the videos, please keep them coming!
Love that you are a climber too!
Thanks for this video.
Today I was very angry because of my Maths lessons. I study Philology and we have Maths 🙃
I don't understand why we must learn it, and I really wanted all my education go to hell if i wouldn't pass the exam. But your video made me to calm down. Thanks again
Just a heads-up, I don't know because I'm not there but honestly a sword shouldn't feel heavy. Maybe get a better representation of a real world sword rather than fantasy ones before you get too caught into the notion of them as you currently have them. I've never been super strong with my upper body but an actual sword made for combat feels more like a long iron tent stake (there's not many parallels in my mind sorry) than something that would feel like a workout to swing let alone use in a fight. Hope this helps also the channel Shadiversity might help with some of the more medieval facts that even published "history books" often get wrong due to bad sources or just misinterpreted stories etc.
Thanks for the tips as always, I was glad that most of these were already a part of what I do and it gave me a bit more confidence due to that.
This is exactly what I wanted to say. I think he hasn’t got a real sword
Big one I've noticed is curious, non-judgemental empathy. When you come across a situation in life where someone makes you feel anything strongly, think through what factors _might_ have gone into it while accepting that you can't know for sure.
For example, the person in front of you at the checkout snubs the cashier. Well that's rude, but what might have gone into that behavior? A lot of people presume that they were raised in a highly permissive environment with no challenges and leave it at that. It could be the case, but it might not be. It could also be the case with more to the story. Maybe it is worse than you imagined: maybe that person was directly taught they were better than everyone else, and they grew up believing that. Maybe by believing that and presuming anyone that challenges that belief is stupid specifically because they don't acknowledge that superiority and thus circular reasoning. Perhaps what you interpreted as being a snob was just punctuated oddly: maybe you missed something previously that would have contextualized the comment in a more innocent way. Maybe they are challenging a bad upbringing, and the way they had been taught to behave would have been even worse.
Of course, you don't know. You can have a pretty good idea so of course always act with morality in real life. But considering as many possibilities as you can and seeing the strength of evidence change for each one has been huge for me, in life and in writing.
This is an absolutely excellent point. It's a habit I try to follow myself, and it doesn't just help your writing, but it makes you a lot more understanding of other people as well.
Great video. Thanks!
Watch anime. It works wonders for me. If you are having trouble coming up with a compelling premise for your book, then watch some anime. Anime is really good at that sort of thing, in my experience, especially for fantasy and science fiction, like Steins Gate.
Personally, i have been looking to getting into D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) as of late, which will probably help a lot too
I suffer from clinical depression and gender identity issues, so ive not always the most healthy habits, and my protagonists often embody all that in my writing, and why my writing often explores mental illness with protagonists who are often troubled individuals, among other things.
I would advise to not go for D&D. It is the most known due to product placement in tv shows and general marketing budget, but it is by far not the best RPG out there. If you want to have access to as many genres as possible with a single system, go for GURPS (Generic Universal Roleplaying System) or BRPS (Basic Role Play System). Or go for genre specific systems like Call of Cthulhu (cosmic horror), Cyberpunk (cyberpunk), Shadowrun (cyberpunk fantasy), Rolemaster (fantasy), HARP (High Adventure Role Play) (fantasy), etc... There is a ton of great RPG systems out there, something for every genre, and nearly all of them better than the D20 5e system.
@@StarlasAiko I know of a writer who is also a Dungeon Master in D&D, which helps a lot in their writing
I'm going to actually disagree with the first reply to a degree. There are quite a few d20 RPG systems and d&d 5e is a great place to start and get a foundation but after a while I would recommend switching over to another system because d&d 5e is not that good for long-term commitment.
@@robertpanasuk1156 If you really REALLY want to go D20, go for 3.5e or Pathfinder (technically 3.75e).
the supreme court leaked the dobbs decision, then i was bitten by a dog. these two events led me to write the only thing i've ever written yet i feel is ready for publication, and since i didn't want to give up the rights, i became my own publishing company (i think, i'm unsure if there are technical issues with issues that nomenclature) i basically make copies and distribute them in my home down free and send copies to powerful people
Great video your very helpfull
😅❤❤
I never got to do it in a gym. But climbing a rock with 300 feet of air beneath you can be wondrously centering.
Litteraly listening to this on my way to the bouldering gym lol.
Love this!
It seems you have alot freedom to do all these extra things. What do you propose to people that have life-long careers and work 50 hours a week. It kind of complicates the life style and writing experience.
Great videos.
gonna go to sleep at 12 am after listening to number 3. Thank you!!
On the sword: if you bought a cheap sword to get the idea of what a sword is like, you still don't know what a sword is like.
Cheap swords are forged form a plate of steel and the thickness doesn't taper. this makes it tip heavy compared to a real sword and the blade is slow and clumsy. It's just made for looks.
A real sword has a tapered thickness that makes the blade light and lively. The difference is enormous.
just to "hang out 4:03" :)))
Top Gun Maverick is an Awesome movie!
Do you work on more than one story at a time?
… as a German Biologist -
Just ONE
Intense Endurance Training
Emotional Immune
to dis Tracktions and Temptations
Easy to spot in any Person
If my imagination = physical prowess
I wouldn’t be human anymore
WAIT!!! Are you from Perth or something?????
Let’s be friends. Lmao
Have you been horseback riding? That should help you understand how riding a dragon COULD be like. The way the muscles flex and maybe the roughness of the bones (ridges) if you do so bareback.
Another habit to practice is intellectual 'empathy' in the subjects you combine. Empathy is all about sharing the emotions of others. In a way, you are tying their emotions to yours and seeing through their perspective. Intellectual Empathy is the same, only with intellectual concepts.
No, horseback riding isn't dragon riding, but the horse is much bigger than you, and flesh and blood creatures are only superficially different. From what I can see in videos, a horse's hide is very tight, and that must lend a very hard sensation to the feel of it.
In a way, you can draw a comparison between that hardness and the feeling of dragon scales, which are said to be comparable to diamonds.
Thanks for the advice! I am thinking of writing three different novels, and one of them would probably require me to do horse riding. The concept in nutshell: it's played in and around my hometown, which is filled with and surrounded by parks, forests, lakes, smaller rivers, mountains and even some caves. However the characters aren't humans, they are fairies, manós (manó means elf in my native language but I don't want people to think of Tolkien or DnD elves so probably I'll keep using this name even when I translate my work into English), and water-manós (that is just a placeholder name, I will invent something cooler later on). Fairies have wings and they are the smallest, they can ride bigger hornets, manós are a bit bigger as blackbirds are the smallest animals that can carry their weight, and water-manós live underwater (I know, you would never have guessed). The plot is mainly about the tiny kingdoms of these tiny creatures fighting massive wars against each other while remaining hidden in front of humans.
Anyway, the characters would often ride animals which more or less common where I live. This is a pretty long list, some would be mainly used for war (like falcons, hornets, owls, praying mantises, snakes, catfish, etc.) some for carrying goods (like pigeons or mallards, among many others), some would be status symbols for royalty (such as kingfishers and golden orioles), and others would be simply for travelling (for example sparrows, squirrels, or blackbirds). It's hard to picture what can riding a turtle underwater or a bat in the sky feel like but if I restarted horse riding then maybe I could picture it more realisticly.
Sorry for dumping the whole Bible on you, I just like to write about what I'm gonna write.
@@hungariangiraffe6361: The best part of Intellectual Empathy is that it is the essence to Discovery Writing. There are two kinds of writers, Plotters that plan things out and Pantsers that 'fly by the seat of their pants.' If you practice Intellectual Empathy enough, your mind starts connecting details together on its own. This includes everything from description of 'objects' to the way things interact.
It even includes inspiration. I have a story about a demon and a human woman that was inspired by Devil May Cry 5. She is similar to Nico. She's Cajun, with long, "obsidian-black" hair, and tattoos. He is NOT like Dante, though he does get stronger. In my interpretation of Hell, there are many species of demons that inhabit many different regions. In the "Bleached Wastes," which is a giant boneyard, the Veil Slithers exist. They are insect demons that obey their queen, and I imagine them like giant, bone-white, flying beetles similar to White (Kumoko) from "So, I'm a spider." Their particular ability lets them slither through the veil between Earth and Hell, hence the name. This region borders the Famine Sea, which will devour/degrade any non-rock thing that comes in contact with its waters.
I have another about the unknown son of Hades and Persephone. As the instance of Chaos, he was largely overshadowed by his "Auntie Eris," and his essence is that cold dread you feel right before a big disaster. Now, there is nothing in the myths about him, but you can understand why. You can believe he could exist. As the "havoc of desolation," he doesn't have emotions. At one point, he didn't even have desire...then, he met Tantalus in Tartarus (the one chained in water under a fruit tree that would both recede when he reached for them).
He didn't understand why Tantalus was put in that situation because 'we shouldn't want what we can't have.' When he couldn't give Tantalus what he wanted, he took Tantalus's desire for it. He recognizes that he can't feel like everyone else, and he has declared that he will have all of emotions that he can get...because why shouldn't he? As such, he walks through the human world in a disguise that hides his essence so he can learn all he can about emotions he cannot feel. The story is set in a high school, and he is a transfer student. His reason is adults are too burnt out to learn from while little kids are far too energetic for his patience. Teenagers are an acceptable balance.
In the process, he meets a human female, and both life and family troubles ensue. This story started as a way for me to understand the basics of emotions and the ties they carry. If it takes off and sells, others can follow in that journey, too. Otherwise, my first goal of writing for me is met. Just make sure it is a story you want to enjoy.
@@DarkPegasus87 that sounds interesting! I'll definitely learn more about intellectual empathy, I really need it in my writings.
I've done a little bit of horse riding, and one of my cousins is obsessed with the sport - but I would like to do more. Great example of how you could draw from that to write about dragons!
@@hungariangiraffe6361: Sadly, it isn't an official thing. It's something I discovered on my own, and the words are what I used to describe it as best as I could. It's similar to what Neil Gaiman described about where writers get their ideas from, the whole "What if a werewolf bit a goldfish" thing. Intelligence itself follows these rules as you connect details together, and the only difference between intelligence and creativity is the difference between logic and novelty. Once the details are connected, they are judged by the standards of logic and novelty. Logical thoughts are intelligent. Novel thoughts are creative. And, I know this isn't an official thing because Jordan Peterson is a clinical psychologist, and he says nobody knows what intelligence and creativity are. So, it can't be an official notion yet. He would have learned of it.
That Replica of Aragorn's sword is NOT a good analog of comparison for a real sword. Please do not use it's weight as a point of reference for real swords.
Very american.
10 minutes in, if you want to do research like that 1. Get a real sword, not a fantasy replica, and 2. actually talk to someone who knows this stuff because you've drawn all the wrong conclusions.
It makes me laugh that "physical excellence" is a tip, and the most successful/popular fantasy authors of the last two decades have been George RR Martin and Brandon Sanderson.
I'm not sold on that as a tip for writing, but it is a good habit to have as a baseline.
I think #2 has really backfired for me. I’ve watched literally thousands of movies, but instead of continuing to be appreciative of blockbuster movies, big name movies now just annoy me when I spot them constantly reusing the same cliches, nonsensical plots if you analyze them even a bit, and the mind numbing amount of CGI - even for the most basic and mundane things. I’ve seen indie movies that have actually had great plot ideas, but because they didn’t get the budget of a Hollywood movie, they’re filled with fake acting by casts of nobodies, amateurish camera work, and just as bad editing.
Your points on curiosity and research are definitely two of the best points of the list though. Over the course of my writing, I’ve had to do tons of research on subjects I never thought I would even need to consider at first, but doing so has really helped me learn a bit about a wide array of so many different topics.