YouTube as a Writing Resource
YouTube as a Writing Resource
If you have a full time job, a partner, or children (or all three) finding time to study writing is going to be challenging. If you're looking for ways to boost your information intake, but still need time to relax--YouTube videos on writing might be the perfect option.
About a year ago I swapped out Netflix in favor of YouTube videos while I ate dinner at home. Doing this allowed me to continue decompressing from work while making me productive in my downtime.
Here are three of my favorite YouTube channels that focus on the art of writing:
Lessons from the ScreenPlay
Lessons from the Screenplay helped me realize why I love certain movies so much. Michael, the creator and narrator, uses popular movies to explore different aspects of storytelling. In one episode, he dives into what made Black Panther’s villain, Warmonger, so compelling. In another, he explains what made Get Out such a revolutionary horror flick. Once you know how these things were done, you'll be one step closer to replicating the effect yourself.
One of the best things about this channel is its adherence to quality over quantity. Start with anything. It’s all great!
Just Write
Lessons from the Screenplay and Just Write have a lot of similarities. The two channels have different styles and perspectives, however. While Lessons from the Screenplay largely aims to celebrate success in film, Just Write occasionally takes an in depth look into the problems with these blockbusters. I personally find Just Write’s content to be more hit-and-miss than LFTS, but on the whole it's much more hit than miss--and extremely insightful.
The Just Write episode on Wonder Woman and bathos is a must see. You'll never look at Marvel movies the same way!
Lindsay Ellis
Lindsay Ellis is a delight. I had the pleasure of meeting her at the Nebula Conference in LA this year, and found it difficult to avoid fanboying all over the place. She covers a wide range of topics on her YouTube channel, including a video explaining why we all shouldn't hate on Stephenie Meyer and Twilight (and after watching it, I think you’ll agree). She also hosts It’s Lit!, a web series from PBS which has a great breakdown of the history of Science Fiction (which is also worth checking out). I recommend you start with her playlist that uses the Transformers movie franchise to explain nine different aspects of film theory (yes, really). Honestly, it’s absurd how good it is! I learned a tonne and really enjoyed myself. Watch it all, and then pick and choose from there.
Next time you find yourself preparing to turn on an old movie or TV reruns, try queuing up some writing-focused YouTube videos instead. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy learning about writing.
