It's Q&A time again! If you're not sure what that is, you may be new here. Hello! It's great to have you in the classroom. We're documenting Brandon Sanderson's university class on writing science fiction and fantasy. You can follow the whole series on Brandon's blog and his YouTube channel. So, if you want to catch up, feel free to check out the previous lectures before coming back to this one!
After the past two lectures on worldbuilding and magic systems, we've arrived at the Q&A session. Students got to engage with Brandon directly and ask him their questions on this unit, which is worldbuilding. You'll find lots of insightful questions and answers in this class, and we hope you enjoy.
The Highlight Reel
We’ll let you watch the video for the whole Q&A session, but here are some highlights you can look forward to!
1. Embracing Tropes with a Twist: Tropes are foundational to genre fiction, but to keep your story fresh, you’ll want to subvert them where you can. Brandon talked about how he approached traditional fantasy elements in his work to meet reader expectations while still delivering his signature twists.
2. Balancing Worldbuilding and Narrative Pace: Brandon advises that worldbuilding should always, always serve the story, and not overshadow it. He recommended integrating world details organically through character interactions and plot developments, rather than through tons of exposition. You can read more about this in last week’s lecture notes.
3. Developing Magic Systems: One of the students had a great question about creating compelling magic systems, and Brandon shared his approach of establishing clear rules and limitations. He believes that well-defined constraints not only make magic systems more believable but also enhance plot tension and creativity.
4. Character Motivation and Conflict: Brandon highlighted the importance of grounding fantastical narratives in relatable character motivations. He discussed techniques for creating internal conflicts that resonate with readers, making even the most extraordinary settings feel personal and engaging.
5. The Revision Process: Brandon shared his own process of focusing on different elements—such as plot consistency, character arcs, and prose quality—in separate drafts to refine the manuscript systematically.
For a more in-depth exploration of these topics, be sure to watch the full lecture video linked above.
Ask Your Questions!
Exciting news for our online audience! Brandon is opening up future Q&A sessions to include questions from fans following along remotely. To participate, leave your questions in the comments section of the most recent worldbuilding Q&A session on YouTube.
Make sure your questions are pertinent to the lecture topics and haven't been covered in previous sessions! We’ll be looking for those who are thoughtfully engaging with the content and prioritizing questions from those individuals.
As always, thank you for your enthusiasm and participation. Until next week!
