4 Lessons Writers Can Learn From Brandon Sanderson
By: Markus Skårnes
Tags: Writers On Writing, Brandon Sanderson, Writing Advice, Writing Tips, Writing

4 Lessons Writers Can Learn From Brandon Sanderson

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

For those who don’t know him, Brandon Sanderson is a fantasy author who has published many books since 2005, totaling over 5,5 million words. He also finished The Wheel of Time series, after Robert Jordan passed away before being able to.

During his career, Sanderson has learned a lot about the craft of writing and the process of becoming a writer. He shares these lessons in his lectures at BYU, where he teaches creative writing.

Through watching these, I’ve picked out some nuggets of writing wisdom, which I hope will help you on your writing journey.

1. Don’t spend energy on what you can’t control

Writing is a long process that requires a lot of mental energy. That’s why it’s so important to focus your energy where it needs to be.

“Focus on what you have power over: You have power over whether you finish your stories. You have power over whether you’re consistent. You have power over whether, you know, you are excited and interested in the stories you are creating. You do not have as much power over whether you’re going to make it or not.” — Brandon Sanderson

If you can’t finish what you write, then it’s likely that no one will ever see it. The good news is that you’re the one who decides if you’ll finish a piece of writing. You alone have the power to actually sit down and write it all the way through. Don’t leave something half-finished just because it’s hard. Finish it.

You’re also the one who decides what your everyday writing routine looks like. Do you write 1–2 hours every day, or do you write maybe once a week if you feel like it? You don’t become a prolific writer without good writing habits.

Brandon’s next point is important. You have control over whether you write something that interests and excites you. Writing is a craft that requires passion and dedication to master. Choosing topics that are exciting to you will make it easier to not give up if you don’t find success.

Because if there’s one thing you can’t control, it is the success of your writing. You can make your writing better. You can get to know people. You can learn about marketing. These will increase your chances of success, but you can never be certain of it.

2. Deal with discouragement by loving what you do

Sanderson finished 12 novels without getting any of them published. Obviously, he was discouraged by this, but giving up wasn’t an option for him. Brandon Sanderson just loves writing too much to quit.

“Was I gonna keep doing this, even if I knew I would never get published? And I realized, yeah, I would!” — Brandon Sanderson

When you are facing discouragement, you need to take a look at yourself and ask: do you enjoy writing enough that you want to keep doing it even if you might never be successful?

Writing is a perfectly acceptable hobby too. Why do you write? If it is because you want to get rich, then you might have to take a realistic look at your odds and consider if writing is the best avenue. It might be right for you, or it might not.

However, if you do it because you love it, or want to influence the world for the better, then keep going no matter the obstacles. Sanderson wrote a lot of novels before ever seeing success. It takes time, but it’s worth it if you love to write.

3. Your product as a writer is your skill

Being a writer isn’t about being someone who has written a book or a story or an article. It’s about becoming someone who can write great content regularly.

“You don’t wanna be a person who writes a novel. You want to become a novelist who can write novels.” — Brandon Sanderson

Books, articles, poems, essays, etc. are what a writer will produce. However, as a writer, your end goal shouldn’t be just to write one or several of these. In most cases, writers need to be constantly churning out new content to make a living.

Thus, the start of a writing career should revolve around becoming a better writer, optimizing the writing process, and providing yourself with the tools you need.

Obviously, writing a lot is the biggest factor in becoming a better writer, but it’s all about how you approach it. Rather than focus on how much writing you produce, focus on what you learn from each piece of writing.

4. Write consistently

A lot of writers stress this point, as it is so important for evolving as a writer. Brandon Sanderson writes anywhere from 4 to 16 hours a day. He also rarely takes a break, because he loves writing. That passion really helps with becoming successful.

“The single best thing you can do to be a better writer is make good habits for writing consistently” — Brandon Sanderson

Consistency might not look the same for different people. Most writers have a unique process. Some spend a lot of time planning, outlining, and researching, before binge writing their content. Others type away, little by little.

If you spend the next 10 years building these habits, writing every day, and dedicating yourself to becoming better, there’s a good chance you’ll find success in one form or another.

The amount of time it takes to become successful will vary depending on what your goals are. Writing novels is different from being a freelance writer or a copywriter, for instance. Nevertheless, consistency is key no matter what shape your writing career takes.