How To Write Dystopia - Creative Writing Advice With JJ Barnes

Episode 69 of Creative Writing Advice, with JJ Barnes. I do my first video on how to write dystopia. I explore the frequently occurring theme in dystopian fiction of trying to erase pain from society, and how erasing pain also erases joy.

#WritingAdvice #WritingTips #CreativeWriting

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Hopefully we can all become better and more confident writers together xxx

[WilliamsLibrary]

I just finished writing an alternate history novel with just some elements of dystopia in it. It's my favorite kind of dystopia: a fork in the road in history where had we taken the other path, it would result in a dystopia. Alternate History is not always strictly dystopia, but often the two do walk hand in hand.

[StephaniedeBritoLeal]

I still think Hunger games did such a marvelous work on writing a dystipia that was so so close of 2010s world, also being a great start for younger readers

[RafayWorld]

Your passion for your children makes me cry 💕😭 so motivating talk you give in this class I watch whole video without taking my eyes away for a second. Thank you so so much

[martinneumeyer]

I read right now part two of Alexander Merow's Prey World and Huxley. Both great dystopian books

[RXBYEDITS]

In English class I need to write a Dystopian book opening. I hope this will help! :)

[thealiencosmo]

Great video, I love hearing other writers' takes on dystopias! You explained it beautifully!

Currently working on a dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel years in the making along with other collaborative projects. I am still working out the kinks, but several things go wrong in a society trying to battle against human nature, animal nature, and even mother nature. This leads to an internal war that ends with a Union bombing itself. While the majority of the world is almost inhabitable due to chemical smog, mutated creatures meant to be pets but are now ravenous vermin, earthquakes, and soldiers and draftees forcibly altered to no longer require basic human needs. One city remains, locked away from the rest of the world, still trying to achieve the height of human advancement while ignoring the hundreds of survivors suffering outside. My main character makes a team of allies as he searches for the truth about the fall of the Union, battles a rival group of survivors who only cares about going back to how things were, and eventually meets with an old friend now in the center of a rebellion. I would love to hear any thoughts :)

[CripplingDipStories]

Thank you so much for all the valuable instructions and advice ❤️

[frizero]

This video is so beautiful in so many levels. Thank you for this amazing class and for showing we writers must hink about the things we teach and tell. Greetings from Brazil.

[thogameskanaal]

The saddest part about living in a harrowing dystopia is everyone around you pretends it's actually a utopia.

[phillise]

My favorite dystopias, which are all about population control are:
The Sythe Trilogy
The Shadow children
Logan's Run

[pedroguerrero]

An interesting take on dystopian is a manga called Shinoneta. Its about the government outlawing anything sexual and pornography, including sex ed.

[shadowess]

I have a concept, I've never seen it before in any form of writing, but Pastel Dystopia? Kind of what you were just talking about. However my idea, is more Forced Happiness than erasing all suffering.

[bosonquark]

Excellent advice!! But I always feel like my character is much like the one in 1984 every single time lol 😁😁😅😅

[goodleshoes]

Did you end up making more videos on this subject? It's difficult to search through YouTube channels now a days and only this one comes up.

[ilmasaavedra]

Amazing explanation. You are a very encouraging person. Thank you. 😊

[fjookenterprises]

Intro and outro music is awesome.
How would a dystopia fit into SSU?

[antoniamcgregor]

I'm currently planning an idea for a dystopian novel which has fantasy elements in it its got vampires, witches, werewolves and im thinking of including fairies in too.

The theme of my novel is pretty much what you've just said the erasure of humanity mine is what would it be like if there was no religion ? In my government run society they have banned religion because in their eyes its seen as harmful and concerning so everything has been ripped away associated with religious beliefs and buildings they convince the people that you don't need to have faith because things in life dont come true so what's the point in believing in miracles etc.

And the fantasy creatures in my world dont have names anymore they used to but they are non existent their names are now numbers you refer to them as numbers and not their names so eg: " No 8, No 11" etc etc the erasing of identity.

[Eluzian]

I'm developing a dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic story with the premise of getting the whole population to gain first-hand memories of the most terrible times in their world's history with the hope that knowledge would make it so nobody would ever want to make such things happen for real, and therefore end the cycle of war and peace.

[artcorbeau]

How to write dystopia :
-White cis female main character
-Fake love triangle with 2 hot white men (the author need to really emphasize that one love interest is the worst human being on Earth and the second one is a feminist who treats fmc like a queen while being dark and broody and masculine and mysterious)
-Have a black gay man, bonus if is a good friend to the fmc
-Factions which don't really make sense and are just thematic stereotypes
-Disfunctional government which is clearly stereotypical bad, no nuance allowed. Government bad. Freedom good.

[markokuk]

Nice video! Thank you. Can you make a video on euthanasia, abortion and contraception?