Craft Chat Brandon Sanderson's new story structure free series

[Sarit]

So as most of you know Sanderson is probably one of the most prolific fantasy writers these day. I don't know how he does it. Back in the days I binged his course recorded in BU in 2012. And now he is back with the 2025 instalment, repeating some things but always a good refresher. So far 3 classed have been released for your viewing pleasure:

 

[Pamela Jo]

I cannot on his books. Just cannot. But I never could resist a freebie. Thank yu for posting. Is it just me or is it just a listing of tropes that have worked in the past? Just another reworking of Save the Cat?

 

[Sarit]

I cannot on his books. Just cannot. But I never could resist a freebie. Thank yu for posting. Is it just me or is it just a listing of tropes that have worked in the past? Just another reworking of Save the Cat?

Hey Jo, I'm not a big fan of his books either, but hey you can't argue with success! And it's nice of him to make this available to others. Fo most of us we've heard it before, but it's always interesting plus his take on the industry etc. I call these "podcasts you put when you're taking a shower or cleaning the house".... ;-)

 

[Hannah F]

I see his handwriting hasn't improved any! (I won't diss him though. Enjoyed his pervious lectures, and how kind of him to give us these freebies.)

 

[Pamela Jo]

on the topic I just saw this from Orbit books.

 

[Pamela Jo]

FairyLoot and Transworld launch new fantasy publishing imprint

The book subscription service FairyLoot and Transworld are launching a new fantasy publishing imprint, the name and logo of which will be announced at the London Book Fair in March.

www.thebookseller.com

 

[AgentPete]

Brandon is a force of nature, really well worth studying. Responsible for the biggest book deal of the past year - look below if you don’t believe me. Yes, that’s forty-two million dollars!

The guy is doing something right.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Brandon is a force of nature, really well worth studying. Responsible for the biggest book deal of the past year - look below if you don’t believe me. Yes, that’s forty-two million dollars!

The guy is doing something right.
View attachment 20069

OK-but using AI illustrations wouldnt be one of the things to study. That would be his marketing genius -the 42 million. Def something agents should study. And important for self-publishers. But in the market - yu have to think ahead to where the NEXT 42 million can be made. Trying to make the 42 million the way the other guy did seldom works. As all the salesman say in Music Man. "Ya gotta know the territory."

 

[AgentPete]

I so agree re AI illustrations, had a think about this a few days ago (thanks to
.. another Litopian...) and my position has hardened on this. No one should be using AI pix for their covers. To give Sanderson fair treatment, his whole Kickstarter campaign was probably conceived two years ago, when everyone was experimenting with the new technology.

His secret sauce isn't really so secret. He's assiduously built a large core readership who love that they're in a direct relationship with the author. Way to go!

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Hey Sarit,

I'm prob never gonna read one of his books, but I'm thoroughly enjoying these videos. Thank you for posting them. xx

 

[Sarit]

Hey Sarit,

I'm prob never gonna read one of his books, but I'm thoroughly enjoying these videos. Thank you for posting them. xx

with pleasure. The 4th class was posted now:

 

[AgentPete]

I’m impressed he’s giving these away (I hope he is and they’re not just tasters for the BS Writing Course @ $100k a pop!). It shows generosity, confidence and a real interest in his fellow writers. Good for him.

 

[RedSquiggle]

I see his handwriting hasn't improved any! (I won't diss him though. Enjoyed his pervious lectures, and how kind of him to give us these freebies.)

Related: I once watched a brilliant YouTube explanation on how the Three-Act structure is essentially "thesis, argument, conclusion" in fiction form. That drove it home for me, having started my writing career in essays. Here it is, for critique or simply enjoyment. The illustrations are charming.

 

[LJ Beck]

Oooooh. Thanks for posting @Sarit . Cooool.

I loved "Mistborn" - like freakin' loved the 1st book, and also really enjoyed the whole series. I've watched his 1st lecture series. Learned a ton. I'll definately check out the lastest one. The man's an anomoly. Truly.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Related: I once watched a brilliant YouTube explanation on how the Three-Act structure is essentially "thesis, argument, conclusion" in fiction form. That drove it home for me, having started my writing career in essays. Here it is, for critique or simply enjoyment. The illustrations are charming.

WoW! Hannah, I thought that too and have been looking for the secret ingredient that made it NOT true. Thank yu for pointing out that there is no secret I'm missing. The 3 act structure is exactly what I learned in 6th grade English.

 

[Hannah F]

WoW! Hannah, I thought that too and have been looking for the secret ingredient that made it NOT true. Thank yu for pointing out that there is no secret I'm missing. The 3 act structure is exactly what I learned in 6th grade English.

@RedSquiggle made the comment, but yeah. 3 Act or 5 Act structure. Unless you're writing experimental fiction, that's what's expected.

 

[RedSquiggle]

@RedSquiggle made the comment, but yeah. 3 Act or 5 Act structure. Unless you're writing experimental fiction, that's what's expected.

I'd go so far as to say the 3 Act structure is not just what's expected, it IS the structure of a true story--something that looks, smells, feels like a story. What the CriticalHit is effectively saying in that video is that all stories are good stories (in the sense they follow a 3 act structure) or they aren't stories at all. "Poorly structured" attempts at story are not really stories (even if the author wants to see it as such), but merely rambles.

The final part of that video is CriticalHit going through the process of refining a story until it said what it was he wanted to say. And lo and behold, it had a 3 act structure by the time he was done. Thesis. Argument. Glorious conclusion. Is it an award-winning creative effort? Certainly not. But it is satisfying in its fullness and therefore demonstrates the point.

At first, I found this Youtuber's opinion to be at odds with Stephen King's opinion in On Writing. King argues for putting the "story first," then refining and highlighting any inadvertent symbolism or message in later stages, whereas CriticalHit argues for putting the message first, and refining the story until the message rings out (he says that all stories are attempts to tell us how we should live). However, these approaches are only at odds if you think a writer can write without expressing their views about the world. That is, of course, ridiculous. The only difference here is that one is a conscious attempt at message, and the other isn't.

You can argue for which approach feels more enjoyable to you as a reader until the cows come home, but the creative process offers so much play and flexibility between imagination and worldview that only a real Edward Bernays kind of author would let their craft suffer under the thumbscrews of overt moralism. If there's no play, then it's not the art of story-telling--it's just propaganda.

All of this to say, my humble opinion is that writers suffer unnecessarily under the so-called rules of structure. Your very thought processes have structure, so structure will be intrinsic to your finished product. If the structure isn't there, if it doesn't "ring" like a true story, it only means you're not finished.