I'd like to thank you for being a light in the darkness for me. I've been willing to write a metaphysical/supernatural fantasy novel for almost 5 years. But I couldn't ever get started because whenever I'd sit down to write, I wouldn't know what to write, where to begin etc. I was just a guy with a bizarre imagination but no way to express myself. By Allah's grace, I found your videos 2 weeks ago. I've watched 10-15 of your videos and that has enabled me to finish the first draft of the first two chapters. At least I've written something, all because of you Michael! Please accept my gratitude from India 🇮🇳

Orientation to time is one of those things that is so common sense that it's easy to overlook. As a reader, I'm not consciously aware that I am being given temporal cues, but they are still important.

The operative word in this video is "effective", as in an effective way to do transitions. My transitions seem to turn out alright, but it's trial and error for me getting there. I waste a lot of time in rewriting scenes until something works. I'm glad to learn a more systematic approach to writing these scenes.

I've had this query for a while now and am glad to see it deconstructed and resolved through your video. Super helpful. Thanks!

Nice, I like the idea of anchor words. Good tip!

Dang i found this channel just in time. Everytime i see an update, im like i need to work on that. LOL

You're awesome!!

The idea of adding a # in front of a word is a great idea. Thanks. Videos always helpful.

Great video! I appreciate the examples. Thank you! 🙏🏾

Chidi's interested in fiction now? Damn we ARE in the good place

Brilliant I will check my chapters..

When you talk about how, when we go through our day, we always know what time it is (~13:40), you triggered something I've been thinking about. In life we have an internal clock that helps us estimate time. Even when we don't have access to a timepiece of any kind, we have an idea of how much time has passed. And this, as you point out, is very important to us. We need orientation to ground us in reality so we can navigate (and survive, ultimately - so it's EXTREMELY important, actually [we just never think about it]). This internal clock is instinctual, probably the result of our having evolved over generations in a reality who's fabric is continuous. (Both time and space [spacetime] are continuous here, I should add.) So, this instinct grounds us here. And being grounded helps us feel present in the universe. The ability to intuit the flow of our reality is a major tool (one of many) we use to reap one of life's most coveted rewards: presence. Makes sense? Fiction, on the other hand, is not a continuous reality. It has gaps in its flow of spacetime. There are great swaths of time (and space) missing in fiction - left on the cutting room floor, as it were. So, as an audience, we have no tools, no intuition, to navigate fiction's flow because, unlike reality, it is discontinuous. Our instincts, obtained through evolution in a continuous flow of spacetime, do not apply. And this prevents is from feeling present there. It is up to the writer, then (who's basically the god of fiction's universe), to give us a way to navigate so that we can feel present there - in a survival way. One of fiction's most coveted features is immersion. We need to feel the reward of presence in fiction just as we do here in daily reality (or we don't feel immersed). It is one of the ways audiences find a work of fiction believable (another one of fiction's most coveted features).

Love when you do these deep dives!

This was SO helpful! So much advice out there repeating what we already know - tighten grammar, vary sentence structure, don't head hop, stay in the same tense for the love of god, etc. - but this practical, to-the-point instruction is so very valuable. Thank you!

Excellent timing!

Thank you! ❤

You sir, are a hidden gem. Have a sub!

Very good, coach!

This is such a useful channel, thanks.

Another excellent video. Thank you.

Thank you!

Great stuff bud

Thanks for another great video, Micheal! I do a lot this already, and it's great to know the 'formula' behind it! love the term pracademic!

So early ❤👌🏾

I love these videos! I recently started to write stories that weren't simply for myself but for everyone else instead around one year or so ago. It's been quite a challenge at times though my love for writing and reading always overcomes this, and your videos have made it clear to me that I can keep going, all it takes is patience and a little practice. I found your channel today and I'd just like to say a huge thank you for always caring about your viewers and being so kind and helpful. :)

This video is full of wisdom! Awesome structuring, effective advice and easy ti understand =) thank you!

Thanks, so much for this information. Even editors can miss little things like this. It's not easy writing a book. I noticed that it's the small things you insert in your chapters that can make all the difference.

In my latest story, I have to move a character from the year 1685 as an adult, back to the year 1647 as a child. In cinematic terms, the transition could be done by superimposing one scene over another. In writing terms, it is taking me ages to work out the mechanics of doing this. A section break is no good, because the transition comes too early in the first act, (about three paragraphs in from the start).

Thank you for all the videos. i have never wrote a book before but my kids always after me to put my stories in writing, they loved them so much. After watching videos i think it just may be possible.

THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH! YOU DID THE TRANSITIONS VIDEO XXX THANKS !! SUCH A GOOD VIDEO!

I would definitely be interested in hearing your research and thoughts about transitions between in-chapter scenes. Great video.

Hey Michael (Hope I spelled it correctly), here's my question to you. Can your first novel be successful?

By the way, just to let u know, I was scrolling through books on audible for books related to writing and I came across your book, I didn't buy it , I listened to the sample in which u talk about your channel, so this is how I found your channel. Interesting right?

Bro I am a 16 year old currently in 11th grade and I have always wanted to write a novel, but I didn't know how to go about it, so last week I joined this online course on Coursera. Basically In the course you have to be in the process of writing a novel and they guide u in each step, I just started it, do u think it would be helpful and worth my time?

I love American Gods