. . . about writing advice (the free kind)
Writing advice is everywhere and it seems like everyone has an opinion. For example, there are hard-and-fast capital “R” RULES for every type of writing. Except that some of them can be broken—not that anyone can quite agree on which ones. Or the perennial debate: Tropes—good or bad?
There’s a deluge of advice on story structure, world-building, story archetypes. And a lot of it is expensive. Paid seminars, writing conferences, MFAs, pocket MFAs, online courses, workshops—it can really add up. I recently saw a Writers Digest University online course on blogging for $249. My wallet whimpered. Is the bang worth the buck? How do you sort through the noise? What’s the “best” advice that won’t break the bank?
My answer might sound like a cop out. Sorry, not sorry. Because, honestly, the best writing advice is whatever advice makes you a better writer.
Ok. But I don’t have the unlimited dollars to spend on try-fail cycles. To that I say: YouTube. Blessings upon the creators who have spent so much time putting up amazing, useful, exciting stuff on a platform you can access for free.
And that means . . .
“BE A VORACIOUS CONSUMER”
When so much advice is available for free, come to that buffet hungry. You never know what will work for you—for your method or your story. Be insatiable in your curiosity. If you’re new to writing, try things out; if they don’t work, drop them and try something new. If you’re not new to writing, try things that resonate with what already works for you. You never know what’ll take you to the next level. There’s definitely “crappy” advice out there—but sometimes, the act of trying something “crappy” makes you a better writer in the long term.
CRAFT YOUTUBE GAMECHANGERS
“AuthorTube” and “BookTube” and adjacent sectors of YouTube are jam packed with phenomenal free advice and analysis. Of these offerings, I have come back to these three resources many . . . many . . . many times:
Brandon Sanderson’s Creative Writing Lectures
Overly Sarcastic Productions: Trope Talks
Abbie Emmons: How to Write a Novel with the 3-Act Story Structure
Brandon Sanderson needs no introduction. An absolute master at his craft, his insights into all aspects of building the fantasy novel were priceless. And totally free. He’s put his 13-week BYU Creative Writing course lectures online. And they’re brilliant.
Everything produced by Overly Sarcastic Productions is highly entertaining. But when it comes to writing, their Trope Talks are . . . chef’s kiss. Although they focus primarily on movie content, their analysis of story and the structure of over 90 tropes is so, so, so good.
Finally, Abbie Emmons’ series on the 3-Act Structure is a wonderful, concise, back-to-basics primer. Her conversational style is easy to follow. Even if I already “know” the material, her presentation has frequently helped me unstick myself from a particularly sticky story situation. It’s a good playlist to have lurking in the background (particularly if you’re a pantser . . . sorry, “discovery writer” like me).
My other favorite channels? Reedsy, Storygrid, The Fantasy Writer’s Toolkit, and Story Garden Publishing have consistently produced materials that I’ve used to troubleshoot my work. There are certainly others, and I’m always on the hunt for new stuff. If you have a favorite, drop it in the comments or share the playlist.
If you’re more of a book learner, there are some amazing resources—see our Library section for some excellent suggestions—that you can also pick up from your local Library or through Kindle Unlimited (if you’re subscribed). And if you’ve got memberships to Autocrit, Plottr, and/or ProWritingAid, they frequently have free online courses, workshops, and summits (more on those later).
But if you’re like me and you like to squeeze in some learning between a full-time day job, part-time writing schedule, and adulting responsibilities, watching a few free writing videos with coffee in the morning or just before you fall asleep can really get the creative wheels turning. And who knows, you just might stumble on the solution to a thorny problem or an approach that gives you fresh motivation or a second wind.
HAPPY WRITING!