I'm old and started watching these videos recently and never had a teacher like this - how refreshing. I found it interesting that I reached the same conclusion(s) independently, so I feel this is an organic approach. I'm glad it's being shared. I share these concepts with writers, but they are resistant until they read my work. I decided to self-publish and give in-person talks and interviews to spread the word. Time will tell if I'm successful. I still find it amazing that writers forget we have five senses.
Can I just say, I found your channel maybe 2 weeks ago, and it has been a monumental help to me. Your advice is always actually useful, and the presentation is engaging.
Yet another example of a video arriving at just the right time. I have been struggling with this concept of working backwards versus forwards since reading Stephen King's 'On Writing'. He insists that writing forwards is the superior method and that you don't have to know what is going to happen until it appears on the page. He says the Muse takes care of all that. Obviously that approach works for him, Homer, and Shakespeare. However, his book didn't convince me that working backwards was inherently flawed. Rather, the impression I came away with was that Stephen King has either forgotten or conveniently omitted all the other things that go into his writing (all the hard-learned tricks). I was reminded of Poe's 'Philosophy of Composition' where he says: "Most writers-poets in especial-prefer having it understood that they compose by a species of fine frenzy-an ecstatic intuition-and would positively shudder at letting the public take a peep behind the scenes, at the elaborate and vacillating crudities of thought-at the true purposes seized only at the last moment-at the innumerable glimpses of idea that arrived not at the maturity of full view-at the fully-matured fancies discarded in despair as unmanageable-at the cautious selections and rejections-at the painful erasures and interpolations-in a word, at the wheels and pinions-the tackle for scene-shifting-the step-ladders, and demon-traps-the cock’s feathers, the red paint and the black patches, which, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, constitute the properties of the literary histrio." Or some such.
This is awesome--I think part of what makes writing fun (or frustrating!) is that everyone does it differently. When it comes to poetry, I'm more of a get-started-and-see-what-happens kind of writer, but I tend to rely more on planning when it comes to everything else. That said, a lot of the way that creative writing tends to be taught is rooted in the Romantic ideals of solitary geniuses receiving flashes of inspiration from the muse--leave it to Poe to drag the gruesome reality into the light! When the muse doesn't show up to work, a good plan will often do the job just as well 😆
...and that's the biggest problem with Stephen King's work - his endings are usually awful. I've read his "On Writing" book too, and I learned a lot, but I didn't really find the inspiration I was looking for. I absolutely love King's style and I would love to be able to combine his style with my other favorite authors - nabokov and Douglas Adams. I am often completely let down by King's endings though.
@@mikesmithz This is a good point, actually. Come to think of it I have always been a bit bemused by his endings - though I have always loved the beginnings. I have only read the most famous Nabokov book and none of Adams' works, yet. Do you recommend one in particular which might have a good example of a good ending?
@ElliotBrownSongs have you ever read "hitchhikers guide to the galaxy"? It's the funniest, most creative, and bizarre book I've ever read. It's usually really hard to write comedy, but douglas adams just nails it. Highly, highly recommended if you haven't checked it out. Part of the reason I'm on this channel is because I want to learn how Nabokov did it, I want to be able to write like him! I suppose my 3 influences are Nabokov, King and Adams...if I could just find a way to combine them... What did you think of Nabokov's writing? I found it absolutely breathtaking! I've never read prose like it, each sentence flowed perfectly into the next, and it immediately jumped to the top of my favorite books. Do you have any recommendations? I'm looking for something similarly well written. I would love to have King's style - I find his writing so easy to read, and he just hooks me in every time. He really has a gift for gripping the reader... but yeah, he is famous for having terrible endings to his books, so I wasn't surprised to find out he makes it up as he goes along. I wish he put a bit more effort into creating coherent endings, though. ***edit*** your music is awesome! I'm a lyricist (not a good one, but getting better)...Andrew's videos have really helped me. Ifnyou haven't already, check out some of his other videos, he's great!
Thank you for this. So timely. I was ruthlessly raking through my first chapter, removing all evidence of myself, while seeking to remain present. When I read it aloud, I see I am yet to reach a compromise. This lends me confidence.😊
Honestly, I just found your channel and I love it! It’s so calming, informative, and engaging. Whenever I’m writing poetry, I come up with the ending first and work towards that, and I thought it was weird, yet effective.
I'm old and started watching these videos recently and never had a teacher like this - how refreshing. I found it interesting that I reached the same conclusion(s) independently, so I feel this is an organic approach. I'm glad it's being shared. I share these concepts with writers, but they are resistant until they read my work. I decided to self-publish and give in-person talks and interviews to spread the word. Time will tell if I'm successful. I still find it amazing that writers forget we have five senses.
This is great--I'm glad to hear this resonates with your own approach. Writers can be a forgetful bunch 😅
Can I just say, I found your channel maybe 2 weeks ago, and it has been a monumental help to me. Your advice is always actually useful, and the presentation is engaging.
I'll say, yes--you can say that. In all seriousness, though--thanks! I appreciate that, and I'm glad it's helping
ditto
Yet another example of a video arriving at just the right time. I have been struggling with this concept of working backwards versus forwards since reading Stephen King's 'On Writing'. He insists that writing forwards is the superior method and that you don't have to know what is going to happen until it appears on the page. He says the Muse takes care of all that. Obviously that approach works for him, Homer, and Shakespeare. However, his book didn't convince me that working backwards was inherently flawed. Rather, the impression I came away with was that Stephen King has either forgotten or conveniently omitted all the other things that go into his writing (all the hard-learned tricks). I was reminded of Poe's 'Philosophy of Composition' where he says: "Most writers-poets in especial-prefer having it understood that they compose by a species of fine frenzy-an ecstatic intuition-and would positively shudder at letting the public take a peep behind the scenes, at the elaborate and vacillating crudities of thought-at the true purposes seized only at the last moment-at the innumerable glimpses of idea that arrived not at the maturity of full view-at the fully-matured fancies discarded in despair as unmanageable-at the cautious selections and rejections-at the painful erasures and interpolations-in a word, at the wheels and pinions-the tackle for scene-shifting-the step-ladders, and demon-traps-the cock’s feathers, the red paint and the black patches, which, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, constitute the properties of the literary histrio." Or some such.
This is awesome--I think part of what makes writing fun (or frustrating!) is that everyone does it differently. When it comes to poetry, I'm more of a get-started-and-see-what-happens kind of writer, but I tend to rely more on planning when it comes to everything else. That said, a lot of the way that creative writing tends to be taught is rooted in the Romantic ideals of solitary geniuses receiving flashes of inspiration from the muse--leave it to Poe to drag the gruesome reality into the light! When the muse doesn't show up to work, a good plan will often do the job just as well 😆
...and that's the biggest problem with Stephen King's work - his endings are usually awful. I've read his "On Writing" book too, and I learned a lot, but I didn't really find the inspiration I was looking for. I absolutely love King's style and I would love to be able to combine his style with my other favorite authors - nabokov and Douglas Adams. I am often completely let down by King's endings though.
@@mikesmithz This is a good point, actually. Come to think of it I have always been a bit bemused by his endings - though I have always loved the beginnings. I have only read the most famous Nabokov book and none of Adams' works, yet. Do you recommend one in particular which might have a good example of a good ending?
@ElliotBrownSongs have you ever read "hitchhikers guide to the galaxy"? It's the funniest, most creative, and bizarre book I've ever read. It's usually really hard to write comedy, but douglas adams just nails it. Highly, highly recommended if you haven't checked it out.
Part of the reason I'm on this channel is because I want to learn how Nabokov did it, I want to be able to write like him! I suppose my 3 influences are Nabokov, King and Adams...if I could just find a way to combine them...
What did you think of Nabokov's writing? I found it absolutely breathtaking! I've never read prose like it, each sentence flowed perfectly into the next, and it immediately jumped to the top of my favorite books. Do you have any recommendations? I'm looking for something similarly well written.
I would love to have King's style - I find his writing so easy to read, and he just hooks me in every time. He really has a gift for gripping the reader... but yeah, he is famous for having terrible endings to his books, so I wasn't surprised to find out he makes it up as he goes along. I wish he put a bit more effort into creating coherent endings, though.
***edit*** your music is awesome! I'm a lyricist (not a good one, but getting better)...Andrew's videos have really helped me. Ifnyou haven't already, check out some of his other videos, he's great!
Thank you for this. So timely. I was ruthlessly raking through my first chapter, removing all evidence of myself, while seeking to remain present.
When I read it aloud, I see I am yet to reach a compromise.
This lends me confidence.😊
You bet--I'm glad it helped!
Honestly, I just found your channel and I love it! It’s so calming, informative, and engaging. Whenever I’m writing poetry, I come up with the ending first and work towards that, and I thought it was weird, yet effective.
Thanks so much--I appreciate it! And I like that strategy (maybe a future assignment for my poor students 😆)
This is pure gold!!!
Thanks so much!
Excellent video.
Thanks!
Its a little hard to focus with that demonic summoning in my ear
I can affirm that there are no demons here...unless you count the one keeping me prisoner on the shelf... Ghosts on the other hand...
Woo, you've actually seen a demon to know what it looks like.
That skull is creepy😂
Boo!
@@kaputmortuum aaaahhh!!!
In my end is my beginning 🧐
Ooh!