How to write a story | John Dufresne | TEDxFIU

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Take a journey inside a writer's mind and learn his approach to creating a story.

John Dufresne is the author of five novels, two of which were New York Times Notable Books of the Year, two short story collections and two books on writing and creativity: The Lie That Tells a Truth: a Guide to Writing Fiction and Is Life Like This?: a Guide to Writing Your First Novel in Six Months. The New York Times Book Review wrote of his latest novel, No Regrets, Coyote, “Dufresne is an original talent. His humor is frightfully dark, but also quite dazzling – even by the exacting standards of South Florida crime fiction.” Dufresne was a 2012-13 Guggenheim Fellow and teaches in FIU’s Creative Writing MFA program.

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[urbinamdm]

"Life is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense" - love this quote.

[jasonmott]

Easily one of the finest Ted Talks on creative writing that I've ever watched. Many of these speakers labor over the writer's habits, surroundings and mechanics, while this man outlined a compelling story in less than 20 minutes.

[Merrypaws]

I love how he refers to 'discovering' scenes as you go. A lot of people who give advise on writing talk about plotting out characters and storylines beforehand. That admission that some of the most interesting details will only come to you along the way feels so good, because it's far more true to the actual process of writing, at least for me.

[bugzynutz]

Pixars creative process helped me tremendously:

Once there was a
Event)
Until one Event)
Because of that....(Reaction to event)
Because of that....
Because of that....
to Character)
Until
Ever since

[marburg]

The voice is so calming. He can say "Peanut Butter With Chicken" and leave you thinking he said something very meaningful and intellectual.

[alexdbroad]

I admit that I always trying to do something else but writing. I mean I clean my place first, clean all the dishes, do some laundry, find the best software to write, make some coffee, browsing youtube about how to write a story, download all the ebook about how to write a story, browsing the web on how to write a story, and then it's already late and I'm tired, and I go to bed.

oh another thing is I keep reminiscing on how I used to love to write, and it's gone, and I keep wondering why it's gone. and start to browse the youtube about it.

[reSUNator]

how many photos does that photographer has to take of this guy?

[nandinipanjiyara]

"scene is vivid and intimate, summary is distant and efficient" - love the quote

[paulregan]

"Fiction has to make sense"
If only D&D watched this.

[solitarianihilista]

The secret formula for story writing: one part inspiration, 99 parts perspiration.

[xocoolchickxo]

I haven't been writing for a year. It's been my biggest passion ever since I was little. This video and this guys talk made writing seem so exciting again! I've already started on an idea to work on :)


I feel like when I step away from writing it's so nerve-racking to try and come back to writing. I don't know why but I get so overwhelmed.

[vynyx]

I was literally going to clap at the end of the video sitting on my chair this is awesome

[bhashamarudesai]

"Stories aren't written, they are rewritten". That hit home! This video gave me the encouragement to write as it comes to me and not avoid writing because of the fear of not having a plot beforehand.

[Geniosa]

"If at first you succeed, try, try again." I love it!😁

[bboarder]

I’ve wanted to write down the stories in my mind for at least 15yrs now. I will finally start it

[carrieannebetts]

His book, IS LIFE LIKE THIS?, is a must for new novelists. My mother is an author, and I have read DOZENS of books on writing; this one is my absolute favorite.

[rievans]

'all first person narrators are unreliable they have a stake in the outcome'...hmm fascinating!

[MicheleBloodphd]

This is one of the best writing-related Ted Talks I have ever seen. It is packed to the brim with distilled insights writers at every level and in every genre should apply to their fiction. TODAY. This is the type of seminar people pay a great deal of money to attend. Outstanding..

[Trevorious]

never heard of John Dufresne but he really knows his stuff!! :)

perhaps the flaming heart tattoo is a constant reminder of her own delinquent days of past. when she seemed hellbent on living fast and dying young. maybe it was for an ex lover, the one that got away. but he never cared about Alice. Alice was just another naive girl ripe for the taking. all it took was a sporty car and some beers to make her feel invincible. then he was manipulating her to run away with him and elope. but on the faithful night they were planning on eloping, he had a few to drink before travelling to get her. and on the way he didn't see a left turning semi truck until it's trailer was severing his head from his neck. and when Alice learned what happened she grieved at first. at a love she thought was real being snatched away. but also overcome by a solemn realization that that could be her fate too. if she left with him. so with a hardened heart she vowed to save herself for a decent man. and her new tattoo would serve as a reminder for the reality of living dangerously and without a care.

[tinrobot]

Dufresne did a daily 7:30am fiction workshop at the Sanibel Island Writers Conference back in November, and I walked away after 4 days with the bones of a story in my notebook. He's a great teacher.