@@Ramdas_Devadiga Yes because the more people who hear deluded celebrities attribute nothing to luck the better. We want our children to believe that becoming financially independent in the arts is not a lottery but determined only by how hard you work and how talented you are.
MasterClass automatically renewed my subscription. I asked for a refund as I do not have the funds to have it this year. After a month they had not refunded me despite telling me they had. I kindly asked them to and they told me to contact my bank; that it wasn't their fault. I did and my bank said MC had not refunded me nor was in the process of doing so. Again, I kindly told MC and they said they could do nothing more. They even sent me a receipt to show they had refunded me. I called my bank again and again they said this was not true. I told MC and they said that there was nothing they could do. I had to open a dispute with my CC company and tell MC that I was in the process of opening a dispute and was going to tell people about this to protect their accounts when they finally looked into the matter. They said whoops, looks like there was a duplicate charge you were not refunded for. However, I have online banking. There was only one charge from MC not two. And there certainly were not two charges and one refund. This makes me believe that someone who works for the company is pocketing some money. They send you a receipt saying you have been refunded and if. you don't check your online banking, you believe them. I had to go to extraordinary lengths for them to look into the matter too. Either they don't believe you or whoever I was contacting was in on it too. Folks be careful. I am still waiting for the money. I am paying interest on this charge now too. Nice Christmas surprise.
@@jackgreen5627 Hmm. There is an extremely large element of luck, yes. But if you enjoy writing or anything else really, what's wrong with seeking people to look up to, emulate, and learn from? It doesn't have to be something that people pursue purely to make a living off of right?
@@ericmacfarlane3604 I agree with you completely. However, these masterclasses do not say what you are saying. They literally say e.g. James Patterson: 'If you want to make money, it's important to have a hook, an idea that makes people say tell me more.' I hope he begs for water in hell.
@@noone-gh4dw Yes, just follow his advice, and the advice of James Patterson, who reduces success to something as trivial as a catchy opening sentence, and the statistic that 99.999% of submissions are not even looked at will go away.
Many great poetry, fiction, and drama writers were or are journalists. Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Salman Rushdie, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Rudyard Kipling, William Butler Yeats, Maya Angelou, Neil Gaiman, and many more.
When he talked about not wanting to show his writing because he didn't want people knowing his true self and to judge him, that hit me like a truck. Because that's me.
Exactly why I haven’t started writing for real. I am not ready to open up and be honest about me yet. He is honest about being honest. A real man for real.
Honesty does not make a successful writer. LUCK makes a successful writer. Hard work, talent etc. are not irrelevant but they are secondary, and anyone who tells you different is trying to sell something.
Jack Green Why do you have to reveal the real truth! 😂 My “laziness” was hiding behind the curtain of “honesty” just fine! Now everyone knows that I am too lazy to put up the hard work. 😌
I literally almost cried. This is what most writers need to hear. It isn't just a job. We're literally giving people our life stories through fiction. It's practically gossip but with more events, more detail to make it fun, and no backstabbing (for some😂). Five minutes and this man has given the definition of a writer and what we do.
Gaiman mentions craft and honesty. I think that if aspiring writers begin by seriously learning to craft the story that will be the first step towards honesty. When you finally know what you are doing, then you can harness anxiety and any other energy that comes from trying to write honestly, with that intimate perspective that allows to convey themes, character arcs, plot, POV, world, atmosphere and all of that ultimately as vehicle of a narrative of the human condition.
Honesty? These masterclasses are irresponsibly filling naive young minds with the delusion that they can become financially independent if they follow this ignorant advice. James Patterson literally says: 'If you want to make money, it's really important that you have an idea that makes people say: "Tell me more". No intelligent person would ever buy their books again. They are insulting the majority of unsuccessful writers and spitting upon the memory of people like John Kennedy Toole (committed suicide when his now widely acclaimed book was not published in his lifetime). Beg for water in hell, instructors.
@@ginge641 I am not buying the books of instructors who are insulting, egotistical, delusional and deceitful. They insult the 99% of unsuccessful authors by implying that they did not work hard enough, were not talented enough, did not have a catchy opening sentence etc., and egoistical/delusional for implying that they were bright enough to know that is the way to be successful. They are knowingly or unknowingly deceiving people.
@@jackgreen5627 the successful writers are providing instruction. That in itself is not counterproductive but I think I get your point. It should be common sense to realize that not all writers are going to be commercially successful, instruction or not instruction. But also people write for different reasons. Why write then? Well, just because one has to. It is not that every writer would not want their book published. The logic of this is sometimes not evident because, amongst other things, this zeitgeist carries a doctrine of wealth and fame as the only measure of that success. Gaiman is giving students a scaffold of sorts: craft, honesty, the importance of curiosity, etc. What masterclass sells is knowledge... It is hard not to see promise in that, but it is healthy to temper dreams with a bit of realism...and keep writing as a madman poised in the boundary of reason and chaos... We got to try and being wise... Right?
The fear of opening yourself up to others and being honest is very real! I've been there, and even after putting my book out there, that fear remains, but I also feel satisfied in spite of it.
For me as an aspiring writer, the hardest question is: how do I find the strength and the mental clarity to write after I come home exhausted from an 8-hour work day? Like most people on this planet, I need my job to survive, to pay the rent. So, the main piece of advice that I would like to get from accomplished writers is how they managed to overcome this struggle (unless they were born well-off, of course, then I don't have any further questions)
Working in a Music store for example, & there still is energy after a full days works, but if it's demolition you're working than sleep is all you can do.
I'm a full time professional comic book writer and artist. I like many people started part-time and had a day job. If you want it bad enough you find energy even when burnt-out. I will tell you a secret to working when you're too tired though... accountability. Think of why you're able to go to work and make it through the day even when you're really tired or sick. It's because you're held accountable. Find competitions or join a club where you have to have a chapter done each week or month and you analyze each others work. This will give you the energy you need to write evenings and weekends.
Honestly you just have to do it. Like exercising, you build up endurance so if you make it part of your routine, you will be able to do it. But start small. Write a paragraph, or even a couple sentences.
I agree with littleripper, but the other thing too is It MUST become a habit. I made that my New Years' resolution last year and I kept it for this year as well. Have I written every single day for almost two years? No! But each day try I write something - computer, handwritten, email - these are what's holding you accountable. And I bullet the date on my calendar so I can see them each day. It also boils down to how badly you want it. Do you? Don't say you're an 'aspiring writer' just say you're a friggin writer. Own it. Good luck!
I like how, at 5:13, he said, "And some things, when you get really specific, apply to so many of us." For years, I've considered that our individual experience of that universal truth is exactly that: our truth. When we describe our truth, others may or may not understand us, but they can, if they're so attuned, see the universal truth that's embedded in our individual truth. Heck, they may even have their own experience of that universal truth, and that's how your story becomes theirs: they recognize something in your story--the keyword being recognize.
@@masterclass These masterclasses are full of deluded celebrities who attribute nothing or very little to luck. There are countless talented, hard working artists in the world who will never be successful because they never got a break, and they don't need to hear about how to write a second draft! Step one: Have an insane amount of luck. Step two: Never forget step number one.
You write it everywhere as if it's important. Yeah, they had opportunity (idk how to spell) - that is out of your control, you either have it or don't, that is luck. From there they did everything they could to become who they are, in terms of priorities, strategy and work. And here they are, partialy thanks to luck, but writing is not actually a lottery
I've seen several of the MasterClass series. This one, the one by Neil, was for me the best of any I have seen thus far. He is an excellent teacher as well as being an excellent writer. Three of my favorite books are by him: The Graveyard Book, Good Omens, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
Honesty does not make a successful writer. LUCK makes a successful writer. Hard work, talent etc. are not irrelevant but they are secondary, and anyone who tells you different is trying to sell something.
@@jackgreen5627 youre saying the same thing in every comment, we get it. Luck is a factor and hard work sure is... And both of them can make you "Successful" for some people, but without honesty... You're just not a great writer
@@jackgreen5627 Did you get lucky? Cause if you didn't your philosophy is a matter of odds, so logic would say keep throwing the manuscript & like dice you may strike gold.
@@jessica5497 Nice "success" retort, with worldly riches as the prize for "winners" , imagine the amount of writers all trying to make it, no doubt many would be at the bottom of the million pages of text never to even be read?
I connect with almost everything he said. I realised that about myself...why I struggled to be motivated in writing. I was always thinking about what would be a popular story or what would be considered cool instead of listening to my truth. Even style of writing.... it should begin with finding your voice first.
“You have to be willing to walk down the street naked.” That’s exactly my problem, and that advice is fantastic. It’s so difficult exposing your true self to the world...and my inability to do that has held me back in my writing.
When he talked about honesty in writing, it made me think of a time when I wrote a story years ago when I was going through some major health challenges. I wrote about this character who was going through the same things, and really tried to make my writing feel more complex and flow naturally. I posted this tiny chapter online and people showed interest, which had never happened before. It was odd to see that my bad health was entertaining to these readers, but it made me realize that reality can inspire you to make the best art, because it IS real. You can feel it. Make a few changes and boom, original story.
I was having an emotional crises last year, hopeless, in fear that all the dedication and effort I was putting in my book would go to waste, that there would be nothing that I could do that hasn't be done, that no one would care. It was very late, I was in my bed watching youtube. I had to sleep and I wasn't with insomnia, but I just didn't want to sleep, I was feeling like garbage. I clicked in one more video and there it was: this video, as an ad. I was petrified, it was exactly what I needed to hear, it felt so magical, it felt like he was talking directly to me. I cried and, after that, finally went to sleep with peace in my heart, because I knew that I could do something that mattered, that all of my effort would be worth it in the end. Next mourning I couldn't find this video, I think it wasn't yet uploaded in the channel, or something. For a while I even though I might have imagined it, because it was surreal, I couldn't confirm it even existed. Finally finding this made me cry, and I'm eternally grateful for those words, those precious words that I so desperately needed to hear in that dreadful night.
It's still worth pointing out (as Neil alludes to at the beginning) there are plenty of very successful writers who pretty much write vicariously and show very little of themselves. It's whatever works for you and your target readers.
@Masterclass: You guys have some absolutely legendary directors and writers now, as well as legendary figures in other areas of craft. Your format is fantastic and provides valuable insight into artistry. As a composer, however, I'm saddened that you only have Hans Zimmer, who in no conceivable way represents the traditional craft of composing or even film scoring. Nothing against him, but he is distinctly modern and in a very particular genre. Is anything in the works for John Williams while he is still alive? That guy is probably one of the last remaining genius composers around in popular media. Or Arvo Part? Someone of that nature.
Hi Alex, thank you for your interest! We currently don't have Spanish subtitles for Neil Gaiman's class, but all of our classes are subtitled in English! We appreciate your interest and this has been forwarded to our internal team for future consideration. We hope to include more languages in our subtitle options in the near future! We will announce this via email to everyone on our mailing list if/when those plans are implemented. The best way to stay in the loop for the update is to create a member account at www.masterclass.com (if you haven’t already done so). We hope this helps, and we always love to hear from our future and current members so if you have any more suggestions or questions, please feel free to reach out by sending us DMs. Stay safe!
I'm 20 years old at the moment, I've been freewriting/creative writing for half my life now; Finally decided to pursue it and it's videos like this that make me realize I did NOT 'waste' a decade starting and throwing away dozens of rough drafts/ideas. When he talked about how authors read compared to readers... it made me cry. If you're like I was---alone in your work, never sharing, constantly revising/trying to improve---you're doing great; Writing is a discipline; A craft need honed; Wood needing carved. Dissatisfaction is the devil's deal with authors; The best we can do is rest assured that at least our readers will be satisfied.
Neil Gaiman’s masterclass and Amy Tan’s are the best on writing I’ve found. The other masterclasses are a little too surface level for me. Both Gaiman and Tan use examples from their own writing and others quite often. So they give you wisdom, advice, and examples in a three-pack punch that’s just wonderful. I’ve re listened to both of their Masterclasses and have found new perspectives I didn’t see before. They make the subscription worth it to me.
I always have this voice in my head , or what you supposed to called it inner voice, or head voice or whatever. But after i listened to neil gaiman audio books and master class and tips , tricks and videos. Now i had unlocked neil gaiman as the narrator in my head.
This is interesting because a time ago I was thinking about how facinating was that I was not only connecting with the story or the characters but I felt that I was seeing a part of the writer himself. It was a peace of his heart and this is facinating.
"you have to make it as honest as you can" Just proves that knowing how to do something and teaching it are two different skills. I have no idea what that even means.
With writing of novels I feel like I somehow can hide behind characters, people not knowing exactly which one is actually me.and find it challenging to construct characters which don't have any resemblance with me. It's the message I want to convey that would touch hearts and make people ask themselves old or new questions. It's amazing. I wish I started earlier..
Good words and advice from Neil Gailman, be honest. I wrote stories and novels and I send them to dozens of publishers and agents, and I recieved so many rejection slips - I used to keep them. I remember, one who said she liked my writing and that I write well with lucidity. That gave me hope and encouragement. I still have that slip today. It is frustrating when you get lots of rejections but you have to be persistent and pushy , and it will pay off. Look at Stephen King, perfect example he was a struggling writer once, but he continue to write stories and books until he got published.
When I was a kid, the first thing I wanted to be was a journalist. I told this to my teacher and she just looked at me and told me you can't do that. I asked why and she said, I was too quiet and that I wasn't cut out for it. I accepted that. Years later I found myself in my English class preparing for my exams. My teacher at that time said I write descriptively and beautifully but I need to go deeper. I asked her what she meant by that, I didn't get a direct answer, but what I got from her was that I was taking things at face value. People have praised me for writing "deeply" so I was just left feeling lost and confused as to how to move forward. I couldn't figure it out so I gave up. I haven't wrote much since I finished school, but watching this now I feel a bit rueful. Time to become a journalist I guess. Thank you Neil. I'm going to find some way to take this masterclass.
I have read nothing of Gaiman's except about half of The Sandman, and I see this honesty most strikingly in the character Delerium. She's beautiful and scary and relatable and most importantly, honest.
"Some things, when you get really specific, apply to so many of us." - This is so counterintuitive and can take a long time to learn, but it's so true that when you really dig in and examine the human condition, it's not the the broad generalized ideas that connect us, it's the specific intimate ones.
Being honest means finding the real human condition that a majority of people can relate to. We always think our experiences are only ours alone but in reality, we are all experiencing something very similar, and the more we find those similarities the better we will be as a society. And it makes you a better writer, it’s a win-win. Highly recommend this full MasterClass and all the rest of the author’s classes as well.
Fascinating. My stories are always as dishonest as possible. If I ever put something of myself in a story, I make sure to hide it beneath layers upon layers of misdirection, so that nobody would know that it is me.
Wow I really am so happy I found this video. I feel like I'm exactly in that place...I've always wanted to write a book my entire life, but the one thing stopping me was how afraid I am to be honest about some of my lived experiences...even if it was written as fiction, I was afraid.
Writing is a great exercise in vulnerability and emotional intimacy. And often, the beauty of art is the human behind it and the very human emotions and thoughts that went into the crafting of it. It’s all just a way to explore and reflect, both for the writer and the reader. It’s a fascinating craft
I wrote a novel. Put it up on Smashwords after 40 or 50 rejections. Now it's on Amazon, Barnes and noble. It's sold 3 copies. It's buried. Invisible. I know it's not a bad novel. I know the writing is not bad. But it's invisible. What Neil is talking about is longevity, but getting noticed, being seen. That's the hardest.
I think this kinda sums up what it means, in my perception, "to do a good job". We are not able to escape being honest/vulnerable if we want to be that way.
I recently embarked on my writing journey, and I must admit that building confidence in myself proved to be quite challenging. However, I soon realized that there was something missing in my approach. In an effort to enhance my skills, I decided to invest in a few books. While they provided valuable insights, I still craved for more knowledge. That's when I came across MasterClass, and without hesitation, I enrolled in it. The first author I had the privilege of learning from was none other than the brilliant Dan Brown. To my delight, I discovered that his teachings resonated with me on a deeper level than any book I had previously read. Now learning from David Baldacci. It’s worth every cent. Best investment yet.
What timing to have clicked on this video. I just finished reading Diana Wynne Jones series of Howles Moving Castle, Castle in the Air, and House of Many ways these past two days. It is interesting that Amazon had recommended to me both Stardust and Howles Moving Castle at the same time around 2001 and I had bought and read them both the same month. I had read Good Omens prior to get recommended Gaiman and Jones came from either Robin Mckinnley or Mercedes Lackey. It is so cool that they knew each other. It is like the book club Mary Sheeley and Bram Stroker had.
LUCK makes a successful writer. Hard work, talent etc. are not irrelevant but they are secondary, and anyone who tells you different is trying to sell something.
I noticed that he seems to talk as if he is writing. It would probably be a useful addition to take note of this, and talk as if you are writing; to become more accustomed to it, potentially making your drafts and overall writing quality better.
Oh, this is good. I remember a TH-cam quote from Neil (we're on a first name basis) where he says, "I figured it out." But he doesn't say what he figured out. This is what he figured out, be honest.
작가라면, 글을 쓰는 사람이라면 누구나 걱정할만하고 고민할만한 내용이네… 무섭지… 세상이 어떤 반응일지, 내가 정말 잘하고 있는건지, 이 정도는 누구나 쓸 수 있지 않을지… 뭐 이런 고민들… 천재같은 닐도 이런 고민을 했다는게 신기하다 멋진 징조들만 봐도 스토리 라인이 너무 조리있고 대사들도 캐릭터들도 정말 매력적인데…
I have a massive hard drive full of stuff I've written. Nobody has ever read any of it. With the time that's left in this year, I will write a story and I will publish it.
I want an artist's perspective on something I face I love the process but i get too entangle on finishing it, seeing it out there as a whole that sometimes i dont give myself the permission and freedom of patience.
House of card topic centre around rich individual want to be rich. The character is talk about who rich and who is bad in the system. Character building part in house of card is based around using politic as a tool to be rich. Then, character deal with cop is to talk about close case a action to be involve in high income individual.
You can enroll in Neil's class at: mstr.cl/2JS7Hp8
@@Ramdas_Devadiga Yes because the more people who hear deluded celebrities attribute nothing to luck the better. We want our children to believe that becoming financially independent in the arts is not a lottery but determined only by how hard you work and how talented you are.
MasterClass automatically renewed my subscription. I asked for a refund as I do not have the funds to have it this year. After a month they had not refunded me despite telling me they had. I kindly asked them to and they told me to contact my bank; that it wasn't their fault. I did and my bank said MC had not refunded me nor was in the process of doing so. Again, I kindly told MC and they said they could do nothing more. They even sent me a receipt to show they had refunded me. I called my bank again and again they said this was not true. I told MC and they said that there was nothing they could do. I had to open a dispute with my CC company and tell MC that I was in the process of opening a dispute and was going to tell people about this to protect their accounts when they finally looked into the matter. They said whoops, looks like there was a duplicate charge you were not refunded for. However, I have online banking. There was only one charge from MC not two. And there certainly were not two charges and one refund. This makes me believe that someone who works for the company is pocketing some money. They send you a receipt saying you have been refunded and if. you don't check your online banking, you believe them. I had to go to extraordinary lengths for them to look into the matter too. Either they don't believe you or whoever I was contacting was in on it too. Folks be careful. I am still waiting for the money. I am paying interest on this charge now too. Nice Christmas surprise.
@@jackgreen5627 Hmm. There is an extremely large element of luck, yes. But if you enjoy writing or anything else really, what's wrong with seeking people to look up to, emulate, and learn from?
It doesn't have to be something that people pursue purely to make a living off of right?
@@ericmacfarlane3604 I agree with you completely. However, these masterclasses do not say what you are saying. They literally say e.g. James Patterson: 'If you want to make money, it's important to have a hook, an idea that makes people say tell me more.' I hope he begs for water in hell.
@@noone-gh4dw Yes, just follow his advice, and the advice of James Patterson, who reduces success to something as trivial as a catchy opening sentence, and the statistic that 99.999% of submissions are not even looked at will go away.
When your stories get rejected so you become a journalist to figure out why.
Ultimate boss move.
lmao
Many great poetry, fiction, and drama writers were or are journalists. Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Salman Rushdie, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Rudyard Kipling, William Butler Yeats, Maya Angelou, Neil Gaiman, and many more.
such a silly way to think about it. it's an act of humility
@@saigade1236 Charles Dickens even used his stories to bring attention to societal issues and laws he disagreed with, like the Poor Law.
Wrote my life story please! It will be a great seller , I promise
When he talked about not wanting to show his writing because he didn't want people knowing his true self and to judge him, that hit me like a truck. Because that's me.
Same
I'm prepared to write on any subject but the thought of showing it to the world scares me
Same!!! The fear!!
I was so nervous sharing my poem with my roommate lol and she’s my best friend
Me too :(
The lighting and coloring of this video is remarkable
Got that David fincher vibe going.
Liron Koren is there a cinematographer masterclass?
Thank that *gaffer*
I noticed the light too. Its fairly simple and cheap to create with a darkened room and artificial lights in the right spots.
Its so poetic
Only ads I watch all the way through with eagerness:
Masterclass ads
Me too
This and for some reason the fudge of uranus ad
Same. Even if it pops up right before a video I was dying to watch too
Y
@@TaigiTWeseFormosanDiplomat Have you ever gotten a master class ad?
If only Master Class would stop popping up and tempting me all day. Guys, I'm broke. Leave me alone.
Find a friend, or more than one, and split a class. Knowledge is out there, worth seeking. No price can be too high
@@Reblwitoutacause I thought about the same think tooo
Felt.
XD
Same.
Exactly why I haven’t started writing for real. I am not ready to open up and be honest about me yet. He is honest about being honest. A real man for real.
A writer writes.
Nautilus1972 I am not, I knew. 🤓
Honesty does not make a successful writer. LUCK makes a successful writer. Hard work, talent etc. are not irrelevant but they are secondary, and anyone who tells you different is trying to sell something.
Jack Green Why do you have to reveal the real truth! 😂 My “laziness” was hiding behind the curtain of “honesty” just fine! Now everyone knows that I am too lazy to put up the hard work. 😌
@@jackgreen5627 Yeah. But honesty makes a QUALITY writer.
"Art is a lie that reveals the truth" ~ Picasso. One of my most favorite quotes.
Fiction is a lie that tells the truth. 🙃 - Neil Gaiman (The view from the cheap seats)
Insightful words from a cruel monster.
@@saigade1236 you seem to find pleasure in your lack of focus
@@gc8972b lol
@@gc8972b you got me
That brief melancholic look at 0:58 after he says “they all came back”. Wow, you can tell that the sting of rejection never fully healed within him.
I thought the same thing
I literally almost cried. This is what most writers need to hear. It isn't just a job. We're literally giving people our life stories through fiction. It's practically gossip but with more events, more detail to make it fun, and no backstabbing (for some😂). Five minutes and this man has given the definition of a writer and what we do.
Gaiman mentions craft and honesty. I think that if aspiring writers begin by seriously learning to craft the story that will be the first step towards honesty. When you finally know what you are doing, then you can harness anxiety and any other energy that comes from trying to write honestly, with that intimate perspective that allows to convey themes, character arcs, plot, POV, world, atmosphere and all of that ultimately as vehicle of a narrative of the human condition.
Honesty? These masterclasses are irresponsibly filling naive young minds with the delusion that they can become financially independent if they follow this ignorant advice. James Patterson literally says: 'If you want to make money, it's really important that you have an idea that makes people say: "Tell me more". No intelligent person would ever buy their books again. They are insulting the majority of unsuccessful writers and spitting upon the memory of people like John Kennedy Toole (committed suicide when his now widely acclaimed book was not published in his lifetime). Beg for water in hell, instructors.
@@jackgreen5627 No intelligent person would buy books after being intrigued enough to want more? What?
@@ginge641 I am not buying the books of instructors who are insulting, egotistical, delusional and deceitful.
They insult the 99% of unsuccessful authors by implying that they did not work hard enough, were not talented enough, did not have a catchy opening sentence etc., and egoistical/delusional for implying that they were bright enough to know that is the way to be successful.
They are knowingly or unknowingly deceiving people.
@@jackgreen5627 They're doing none of those things, just giving advice on how to write better shit.
@@jackgreen5627 the successful writers are providing instruction. That in itself is not counterproductive but I think I get your point. It should be common sense to realize that not all writers are going to be commercially successful, instruction or not instruction. But also people write for different reasons. Why write then? Well, just because one has to. It is not that every writer would not want their book published. The logic of this is sometimes not evident because, amongst other things, this zeitgeist carries a doctrine of wealth and fame as the only measure of that success. Gaiman is giving students a scaffold of sorts: craft, honesty, the importance of curiosity, etc. What masterclass sells is knowledge... It is hard not to see promise in that, but it is healthy to temper dreams with a bit of realism...and keep writing as a madman poised in the boundary of reason and chaos... We got to try and being wise... Right?
The fear of opening yourself up to others and being honest is very real! I've been there, and even after putting my book out there, that fear remains, but I also feel satisfied in spite of it.
For me as an aspiring writer, the hardest question is: how do I find the strength and the mental clarity to write after I come home exhausted from an 8-hour work day? Like most people on this planet, I need my job to survive, to pay the rent. So, the main piece of advice that I would like to get from accomplished writers is how they managed to overcome this struggle (unless they were born well-off, of course, then I don't have any further questions)
Working in a Music store for example, & there still is energy after a full days works, but if it's demolition you're working than sleep is all you can do.
I've tried to write in the mornings, before work. Writing on my phone. It helps sometimes
I'm a full time professional comic book writer and artist. I like many people started part-time and had a day job. If you want it bad enough you find energy even when burnt-out. I will tell you a secret to working when you're too tired though... accountability. Think of why you're able to go to work and make it through the day even when you're really tired or sick. It's because you're held accountable. Find competitions or join a club where you have to have a chapter done each week or month and you analyze each others work. This will give you the energy you need to write evenings and weekends.
Honestly you just have to do it. Like exercising, you build up endurance so if you make it part of your routine, you will be able to do it.
But start small. Write a paragraph, or even a couple sentences.
I agree with littleripper, but the other thing too is It MUST become a habit. I made that my New Years' resolution last year and I kept it for this year as well. Have I written every single day for almost two years? No! But each day try I write something - computer, handwritten, email - these are what's holding you accountable. And I bullet the date on my calendar so I can see them each day. It also boils down to how badly you want it. Do you? Don't say you're an 'aspiring writer' just say you're a friggin writer. Own it.
Good luck!
If Neil Gaiman was my English teacher that would actually make school worth going to.
I like how, at 5:13, he said, "And some things, when you get really specific, apply to so many of us."
For years, I've considered that our individual experience of that universal truth is exactly that: our truth. When we describe our truth, others may or may not understand us, but they can, if they're so attuned, see the universal truth that's embedded in our individual truth. Heck, they may even have their own experience of that universal truth, and that's how your story becomes theirs: they recognize something in your story--the keyword being recognize.
Big Facts💗
Great takeaway, DK!
This goes to back to what Neil brilliantly said in the official trailer: "Humans convey truth through stories. That is the magic of fiction."
@@masterclass These masterclasses are full of deluded celebrities who attribute nothing or very little to luck. There are countless talented, hard working artists in the world who will never be successful because they never got a break, and they don't need to hear about how to write a second draft! Step one: Have an insane amount of luck. Step two: Never forget step number one.
You write it everywhere as if it's important. Yeah, they had opportunity (idk how to spell) - that is out of your control, you either have it or don't, that is luck. From there they did everything they could to become who they are, in terms of priorities, strategy and work. And here they are, partialy thanks to luck, but writing is not actually a lottery
I've seen several of the MasterClass series. This one, the one by Neil, was for me the best of any I have seen thus far. He is an excellent teacher as well as being an excellent writer. Three of my favorite books are by him: The Graveyard Book, Good Omens, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
Honesty does not make a successful writer. LUCK makes a successful writer. Hard work, talent etc. are not irrelevant but they are secondary, and anyone who tells you different is trying to sell something.
@@jackgreen5627 Gaiman talked about luck being a key component at length, so...
But a good writer always will have to be honest.
@@jackgreen5627 youre saying the same thing in every comment, we get it. Luck is a factor and hard work sure is... And both of them can make you "Successful" for some people, but without honesty... You're just not a great writer
@@jackgreen5627 Did you get lucky? Cause if you didn't your philosophy is a matter of odds, so logic would say keep throwing the manuscript & like dice you may strike gold.
@@jessica5497 Nice "success" retort, with worldly riches as the prize for "winners" , imagine the amount of writers all trying to make it, no doubt many would be at the bottom of the million pages of text never to even be read?
I connect with almost everything he said. I realised that about myself...why I struggled to be motivated in writing. I was always thinking about what would be a popular story or what would be considered cool instead of listening to my truth. Even style of writing.... it should begin with finding your voice first.
He’s right. His blistering honesty makes his books visceral.
“You have to be willing to walk down the street naked.” That’s exactly my problem, and that advice is fantastic. It’s so difficult exposing your true self to the world...and my inability to do that has held me back in my writing.
He's a big wimp. A big nose rich boy who knows nothing about real story.
I'm not against being a moneyed brat per se but admit it. I'm sick of the families pretending to be genius.!
Facts
When he talked about honesty in writing, it made me think of a time when I wrote a story years ago when I was going through some major health challenges. I wrote about this character who was going through the same things, and really tried to make my writing feel more complex and flow naturally. I posted this tiny chapter online and people showed interest, which had never happened before.
It was odd to see that my bad health was entertaining to these readers, but it made me realize that reality can inspire you to make the best art, because it IS real. You can feel it. Make a few changes and boom, original story.
I was having an emotional crises last year, hopeless, in fear that all the dedication and effort I was putting in my book would go to waste, that there would be nothing that I could do that hasn't be done, that no one would care. It was very late, I was in my bed watching youtube. I had to sleep and I wasn't with insomnia, but I just didn't want to sleep, I was feeling like garbage. I clicked in one more video and there it was: this video, as an ad. I was petrified, it was exactly what I needed to hear, it felt so magical, it felt like he was talking directly to me. I cried and, after that, finally went to sleep with peace in my heart, because I knew that I could do something that mattered, that all of my effort would be worth it in the end. Next mourning I couldn't find this video, I think it wasn't yet uploaded in the channel, or something. For a while I even though I might have imagined it, because it was surreal, I couldn't confirm it even existed. Finally finding this made me cry, and I'm eternally grateful for those words, those precious words that I so desperately needed to hear in that dreadful night.
We need a Haruki Murakami masterclass: How to Describe an Ear
@masterclass THIS WOULD BE INCREDIBLE
honestlyyyy lol
YESSSSSSS
Yesss Kafka on the shore, such intriguing story.
And get Morgan Freeman to read that description.
I could listen to Neil Gaiman talk about writing all day long.
It's still worth pointing out (as Neil alludes to at the beginning) there are plenty of very successful writers who pretty much write vicariously and show very little of themselves. It's whatever works for you and your target readers.
@Masterclass: You guys have some absolutely legendary directors and writers now, as well as legendary figures in other areas of craft. Your format is fantastic and provides valuable insight into artistry.
As a composer, however, I'm saddened that you only have Hans Zimmer, who in no conceivable way represents the traditional craft of composing or even film scoring. Nothing against him, but he is distinctly modern and in a very particular genre. Is anything in the works for John Williams while he is still alive? That guy is probably one of the last remaining genius composers around in popular media. Or Arvo Part? Someone of that nature.
What if they had phillip glass, breh?
Ennio Morricone next
@@te9591 Philip Glass's music is not particularly difficult to decode or learn and he doesn't represent traditional film scoring.
@@ianbyrne465 Ennio Morricone died a few years ago.
@@RohannvanRensburg it's really good though regardless of difficulty.
Hi Alex, thank you for your interest! We currently don't have Spanish subtitles for Neil Gaiman's class, but all of our classes are subtitled in English! We appreciate your interest and this has been forwarded to our internal team for future consideration. We hope to include more languages in our subtitle options in the near future! We will announce this via email to everyone on our mailing list if/when those plans are implemented. The best way to stay in the loop for the update is to create a member account at www.masterclass.com (if you haven’t already done so). We hope this helps, and we always love to hear from our future and current members so if you have any more suggestions or questions, please feel free to reach out by sending us DMs. Stay safe!
Do you need someone to transcribe for future courses?
I'm 20 years old at the moment, I've been freewriting/creative writing for half my life now; Finally decided to pursue it and it's videos like this that make me realize I did NOT 'waste' a decade starting and throwing away dozens of rough drafts/ideas. When he talked about how authors read compared to readers... it made me cry. If you're like I was---alone in your work, never sharing, constantly revising/trying to improve---you're doing great; Writing is a discipline; A craft need honed; Wood needing carved.
Dissatisfaction is the devil's deal with authors; The best we can do is rest assured that at least our readers will be satisfied.
Neil Gaiman’s masterclass and Amy Tan’s are the best on writing I’ve found. The other masterclasses are a little too surface level for me. Both Gaiman and Tan use examples from their own writing and others quite often. So they give you wisdom, advice, and examples in a three-pack punch that’s just wonderful. I’ve re listened to both of their Masterclasses and have found new perspectives I didn’t see before. They make the subscription worth it to me.
I always have this voice in my head , or what you supposed to called it inner voice, or head voice or whatever. But after i listened to neil gaiman audio books and master class and tips , tricks and videos. Now i had unlocked neil gaiman as the narrator in my head.
This would make a fantastic podcast!
This is interesting because a time ago I was thinking about how facinating was that I was not only connecting with the story or the characters but I felt that I was seeing a part of the writer himself. It was a peace of his heart and this is facinating.
"you have to make it as honest as you can"
Just proves that knowing how to do something and teaching it are two different skills. I have no idea what that even means.
With writing of novels I feel like I somehow can hide behind characters, people not knowing exactly which one is actually me.and find it challenging to construct characters which don't have any resemblance with me. It's the message I want to convey that would touch hearts and make people ask themselves old or new questions. It's amazing. I wish I started earlier..
Good words and advice from Neil Gailman, be honest. I wrote stories and novels and I send them to dozens of publishers and agents, and I recieved so many rejection slips - I used to keep them. I remember, one who said she liked my writing and that I write well with lucidity. That gave me hope and encouragement. I still have that slip today. It is frustrating when you get lots of rejections but you have to be persistent and pushy , and it will pay off. Look at Stephen King, perfect example he was a struggling writer once, but he continue to write stories and books until he got published.
When I was a kid, the first thing I wanted to be was a journalist. I told this to my teacher and she just looked at me and told me you can't do that. I asked why and she said, I was too quiet and that I wasn't cut out for it. I accepted that. Years later I found myself in my English class preparing for my exams. My teacher at that time said I write descriptively and beautifully but I need to go deeper. I asked her what she meant by that, I didn't get a direct answer, but what I got from her was that I was taking things at face value. People have praised me for writing "deeply" so I was just left feeling lost and confused as to how to move forward. I couldn't figure it out so I gave up. I haven't wrote much since I finished school, but watching this now I feel a bit rueful. Time to become a journalist I guess. Thank you Neil. I'm going to find some way to take this masterclass.
I would be curious to hear him speak about specific writers and things he learned from them (in his capacity as either a journalist or fellow writer).
I have read nothing of Gaiman's except about half of The Sandman, and I see this honesty most strikingly in the character Delerium. She's beautiful and scary and relatable and most importantly, honest.
I has discovered him today.....
And I'm feeling as i have jumped into literature
Thanks sir❤ for this great feeling and enthusiastic moment.
"Some things, when you get really specific, apply to so many of us." - This is so counterintuitive and can take a long time to learn, but it's so true that when you really dig in and examine the human condition, it's not the the broad generalized ideas that connect us, it's the specific intimate ones.
Remote video lessons might be a good idea with this dude
Being honest means finding the real human condition that a majority of people can relate to. We always think our experiences are only ours alone but in reality, we are all experiencing something very similar, and the more we find those similarities the better we will be as a society. And it makes you a better writer, it’s a win-win. Highly recommend this full MasterClass and all the rest of the author’s classes as well.
Fascinating. My stories are always as dishonest as possible. If I ever put something of myself in a story, I make sure to hide it beneath layers upon layers of misdirection, so that nobody would know that it is me.
I think he means he gives his soul to his work & feels the pain of emptiness?
Wow I really am so happy I found this video. I feel like I'm exactly in that place...I've always wanted to write a book my entire life, but the one thing stopping me was how afraid I am to be honest about some of my lived experiences...even if it was written as fiction, I was afraid.
I wish I could watch the whole thing! I hope they will get Marlon James to do one of these.
I came upon this video on my English exam, and I'm so glad it was there because as an aspiring writer, I really needed this right now.
This might have just CHANGED my life.
This video truly inspire to get the pen again and write again
Writing is a great exercise in vulnerability and emotional intimacy. And often, the beauty of art is the human behind it and the very human emotions and thoughts that went into the crafting of it. It’s all just a way to explore and reflect, both for the writer and the reader. It’s a fascinating craft
You words gently nursed my Heart back to full health.
With Gratitude
I wrote a novel. Put it up on Smashwords after 40 or 50 rejections. Now it's on Amazon, Barnes and noble. It's sold 3 copies. It's buried. Invisible. I know it's not a bad novel. I know the writing is not bad. But it's invisible. What Neil is talking about is longevity, but getting noticed, being seen. That's the hardest.
Nautilus1972 how can I buy your book
I think this kinda sums up what it means, in my perception, "to do a good job". We are not able to escape being honest/vulnerable if we want to be that way.
He is such an amazing person and writer.
Felt your words could easily apply to any creativity pursuits. Thank you for being so open.
I have this app and have watched loads but he is my fav! If I ever do finish anything it will be on the back of your words x
Having A Good And Positive Effort And Able to Mischeive The Possibilities In Every Great Taste
I recently embarked on my writing journey, and I must admit that building confidence in myself proved to be quite challenging. However, I soon realized that there was something missing in my approach. In an effort to enhance my skills, I decided to invest in a few books. While they provided valuable insights, I still craved for more knowledge. That's when I came across MasterClass, and without hesitation, I enrolled in it. The first author I had the privilege of learning from was none other than the brilliant Dan Brown. To my delight, I discovered that his teachings resonated with me on a deeper level than any book I had previously read. Now learning from David Baldacci. It’s worth every cent. Best investment yet.
What timing to have clicked on this video. I just finished reading Diana Wynne Jones series of Howles Moving Castle, Castle in the Air, and House of Many ways these past two days. It is interesting that Amazon had recommended to me both Stardust and Howles Moving Castle at the same time around 2001 and I had bought and read them both the same month. I had read Good Omens prior to get recommended Gaiman and Jones came from either Robin Mckinnley or Mercedes Lackey. It is so cool that they knew each other. It is like the book club Mary Sheeley and Bram Stroker had.
This is such a pep talk
LUCK makes a successful writer. Hard work, talent etc. are not irrelevant but they are secondary, and anyone who tells you different is trying to sell something.
He is simply amazing, have absolutely loved his writing. Be honest... what a thing huh.
I've got the most essential tool to write a story or a concept from this honest man.sir! You're eyes are very honest and I love this video 💖
For a second we thought that was Howard Stern with an English accent 😂 BTW Great advice!
I’ve been reading his work since last summer…he’s so good
Hoping all ads having such high quality like MasterClass
I would listen to this man read the phone book. I don’t think I would’ve survived the 2010s without NG audiobooks.
This applies to everything, not just writing... people dont like something or someone inauthentic
Feel this in my bones. Thank you Neil, I needed that :)
What is meant by, write what you know, and, finding your voice
Great interview - I'm such a fan of these books and it's fun to hear the author talk about writing.
This is a phenomenal class... and I highly recommend it as I found it very inspiring.
This is EXACTLY what I needed to hear. Thank you!
Any reference for the music at the end?
I appreciate your honesty!! You are spot on ! Thank You
I wish every ad I got was a MasterClass ad.
I noticed that he seems to talk as if he is writing. It would probably be a useful addition to take note of this, and talk as if you are writing; to become more accustomed to it, potentially making your drafts and overall writing quality better.
"I didn't want to be judged " yep, I get that!
He was so and sincere!
I love this, yes honesty is key for me 😃 As a writer I feel like my characters are real, and so are the places as well as the plot 🌌
Fudge this is a Fudging hit in the conscience and heart
This was very inspiring and I'm rethinking my future all over again
Never knew I needed to hear this.
Oh, this is good. I remember a TH-cam quote from Neil (we're on a first name basis) where he says, "I figured it out." But he doesn't say what he figured out. This is what he figured out, be honest.
Sir your voice is just amazing.
Thank you for this precious insight, Sir!
Thank you so much
thank you. 💜
Thank you.
This is GOLD. :)
작가라면, 글을 쓰는 사람이라면 누구나 걱정할만하고 고민할만한 내용이네… 무섭지… 세상이 어떤 반응일지, 내가 정말 잘하고 있는건지, 이 정도는 누구나 쓸 수 있지 않을지… 뭐 이런 고민들… 천재같은 닐도 이런 고민을 했다는게 신기하다 멋진 징조들만 봐도 스토리 라인이 너무 조리있고 대사들도 캐릭터들도 정말 매력적인데…
Please share the name of the Microphone used to record the audio ?
JUST GETTING STARTED
This is amazing. I needed to hear this
thank you so much, that was so helpful!
Thanks, Neil !
I have a massive hard drive full of stuff I've written. Nobody has ever read any of it. With the time that's left in this year, I will write a story and I will publish it.
Good luck!
He looks more like a painter than a writer
I mean anyone can tell from his appearance that he belongs to the race of ARTISTs....
Like singing cover songs, letting your own voice ring out can be daunting.
I want an artist's perspective on something I face
I love the process but i get too entangle on finishing it, seeing it out there as a whole that sometimes i dont give myself the permission and freedom of patience.
House of card topic centre around rich individual want to be rich. The character is talk about who rich and who is bad in the system. Character building part in house of card is based around using politic as a tool to be rich. Then, character deal with cop is to talk about close case a action to be involve in high income individual.
Quit making me feel like there's more to life, I can't afford hope right now
Daniel Castillo 💖
Shame that fifteen dollars a month turns into something like seventy five brazilian reais. This sounds like a pretty awesome product.
👍