A Few Notes From Great Writers

[Golak]

I have been taking the Masterclass for the past few weeks (my awesome editor gave me a two week free trial of the class from her account.)

So far, I have finished Neil Gaiman's class and am half way through Amy Tan's sessions. I thought I'd write down a few points that I've found interesting. Hopefully it'll inspire someone here too.

Neil Gaiman's sessions are consisted of main topics that lingers in the mind of every writer out there. From inspiration to writer's block and how to take responsibility for your writings. Here are a few quotes from him:

1. "It's good to know what the rules [of writing] are before you break them. That way, you will know what they are and can break them with joy."

2. "When you are building a new world in your story, you're playing God."

3. "When you're world-building, you have to know the rules of this new world. Don't be afraid to let things happen to your characters."

4. "In fiction, we are using memorable lies to tell a truth to someone."

5. "The more you get specific in your writing, the more people you may reach."

I haven't finished Amy Tan's MasterClass, but it's important to note that she was 33 years old when she started writing short stories and her first novel. I will update this thread as I go through more classes.

I hope this post comes in handy when you need a little reminder that you are not alone. That even the greatest writers in the world have struggled with matters that we are facing now.

 

[Joseph K]

I love number 5.

 

[Golak]

I love number 5.

Me too.
He's MasterClass is truly amazing. I recommend it to anyone who's just starting out their career in creative writing. Actually, to professional writers too

 

[Golak]

I will leave a note here about one of the things Amy Tan said in her MasterClass:

"Remember a time when you thought you were going to die..."

Write it down, envision it, think of the feelings you had at that moment. Think of the people you thought of at that moment. This could be a great way to think very deeply about your personal experiences and use them for creative writing.

So today's little side experiment for me is to do just that. Think about a personal experience and try to create a scene with it.

If you're willing to share, think about Amy Tan's question and experiment with your personal experiences too.

Happy Writing.

 

[Sage]

Hey, Golak, I’m glad you’re having a good experience with these master classes!

However, just a reminder that this is not a display site, so please remove the example of your writing exercise.

 

[Golak]

Hey, Golak, I’m glad you’re having a good experience with these master classes!

However, just a reminder that this is not a display site, so please remove the example of your writing exercise.

Done.

 

[FirePrince]

1. "It's good to know what the rules [of writing] are before you break them. That way, you will know what they are and can break them with joy."

Thank you for this, Golak! I first heard of this quote of his while watching one of his videos on YouTube and this rule has been my favourite so far. I'm not doing the masterclass own, but the BBC Maestro and I have learned a lot while listening to Harlan Coben's BBC Maetro course (though, I haven't finished it yet). Indeed, these videos do help a lot. I hope you update more quotes on this thread too!

 

[Golak]

Thank you for this, Golak! I first heard of this quote of his while watching one of his videos on YouTube and this rule has been my favourite so far. I'm not doing the masterclass own, but the BBC Maestro and I have learned a lot while listening to Harlan Coben's BBC Maetro course (though, I haven't finished it yet). Indeed, these videos do help a lot. I hope you update more quotes on this thread too!

I'm glad you found this helpful. Yes, I will update this thread as I go through more classes. I'm watching Amy Tan's MasterClass at the moment, and she is amazing. Such a great teacher too.

 

[rservello]

I have been taking the Masterclass for the past few weeks (my awesome editor gave me a two week free trial of the class from her account.)

So far, I have finished Neil Gaiman's class and am half way through Amy Tan's sessions. I thought I'd write down a few points that I've found interesting. Hopefully it'll inspire someone here too.

Neil Gaiman's sessions are consisted of main topics that lingers in the mind of every writer out there. From inspiration to writer's block and how to take responsibility for your writings. Here are a few quotes from him:

1. "It's good to know what the rules [of writing] are before you break them. That way, you will know what they are and can break them with joy."

2. "When you are building a new world in your story, you're playing God."

3. "When you're world-building, you have to know the rules of this new world. Don't be afraid to let things happen to your characters."

4. "In fiction, we are using memorable lies to tell a truth to someone."

5. "The more you get specific in your writing, the more people you may reach."

I haven't finished Amy Tan's MasterClass, but it's important to note that she was 33 years old when she started writing short stories and her first novel. I will update this thread as I go through more classes.

I hope this post comes in handy when you need a little reminder that you are not alone. That even the greatest writers in the world have struggled with matters that we are facing now.

Love Neil Gaiman. I remember reading Neverwhere when it first came out and loving it. He and Clive Barker were my go to authors for most of high school

 

[Golak]

Adding more points from Amy Tan's Masterclas:

"Don't write exactly how it happened, use the emotions instead."

Based on Amy's own experience in creative writing, the stories that are derived from our emotions prove to be more relatable and somewhat powerful, at the end.

I also found this article on Medium that has summerized Amy's Masterclass. I thought it might come in handy for some of you.

Happy Writing.

 

[smithdavid07]

A few notes from great writers can be like medicine for the soul, offering wisdom and insight that transcends time. In Islam, seeking knowledge, whether it be from literature or medicine, is highly encouraged, echoing the belief that enlightenment can be found in various forms. Just as medicine heals the body, the writings of great minds can heal the mind and spirit, guiding us towards understanding and peace.

 

[Golak]

Happy Mother's Day.

So this one is not from the MasteClass, but since it got me really thinking this past few days, I thought I'd share it with you too.

"Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." This is from Anton Chekhov. I know as writers, we're always told "not to say but to show," and I think a reminder every once in a while might be worth out time.

Happy Writing.

 

[Woollybear]

Adding more points from Amy Tan's Masterclas:

"Don't write exactly how it happened, use the emotions instead."

Based on Amy's own experience in creative writing, the stories that are derived from our emotions prove to be more relatable and somewhat powerful, at the end.

I also found this article on Medium that has summerized Amy's Masterclass. I thought it might come in handy for some of you.

Happy Writing.

I noticed this in a book I am currently reading. The plot is less a sequence of events and more a sequence of emotions. It's fascinating.

 

[Golak]

I noticed this in a book I am currently reading. The plot is less a sequence of events and more a sequence of emotions. It's fascinating.

How refreshing. As soon as I read you quote, I was reminded of the movie Carnage, with Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz. The entire movie happens in the living room of a couple's apartment and the plot relies entirely on emotional changes. If you like this side of storytelling, you should definitely watch that movie too.

 

[Fantasiawrites]

Thank you for sharing!

 

[Writerofghosts]

Ive watched several. Dan Brown, James Patterson, and a few others. They all have nuggets of great info. They make it look and sound so easy....They are well produced and done in such a way you feel like they pulled up a chair next to yours are sharing their secrets. However, bottom line the only way to improve is to write, write and then write more...

 

[Brightdreamer]

FWIW, there are several MasterClass courses available free via hoopla if your library is affiliated. There is a monthly limit to borrows, and you have three days to watch a video once you borrow - each lesson in a course counts as one video/borrow - so you might have to space your watching. (Also FWIW, you can safely skip the first video in Neil Gaiman's MC; it's just an intro that offers no lesson value, and will eat a hoopla borrow for little to no benefit to you.)

 

[FirePrince]

However, bottom line the only way to improve is to write, write and then write more...

I agree with you, here. I feel like when I read their quotes or videos, the whole summary is effectively to write and keep writing lol

 

[Golak]

Ive watched several. Dan Brown, James Patterson, and a few others. They all have nuggets of great info. They make it look and sound so easy....They are well produced and done in such a way you feel like they pulled up a chair next to yours are sharing their secrets. However, bottom line the only way to improve is to write, write and then write more...

I couldn't agree with you more. Writing, at least to me, has more to the with imagination and knowing the story you want to tell. Of course technique is super important, but I believe that it could be improved through practice.

The one thing I really enjoyed about these MasterClasses is that as a newbie (in novel writing) I get to see that even the greatest writers of our time have struggled with what I'm struggling right now at some point in their careers.

It feels like a group therapy )

 

[Golak]

FWIW, there are several MasterClass courses available free via hoopla if your library is affiliated. There is a monthly limit to borrows, and you have three days to watch a video once you borrow - each lesson in a course counts as one video/borrow - so you might have to space your watching. (Also FWIW, you can safely skip the first video in Neil Gaiman's MC; it's just an intro that offers no lesson value, and will eat a hoopla borrow for little to no benefit to you.)

This is such a great tip. Thank you for sharing.