Writing something straight from your heart and publishing it could be everything you have ever dreamed of or even much more. Writing is not something that naturally comes to many people. Even if you are gifted enough to have such an amazing talent, learning all the necessary skills will help you shape it into perfection. There are so many courses both online and offline. Do you have to attend a professional course?
Yes and no.
Yes, because experts know the field and market. They will shape your writing and help you become a better author in the future.
No, because when you attend a specific course you see every project only with the rules and suggestions you learned from that.
It’s more of a personal choice and you need to have control over your writing regardless of the course. There are so many free courses online. So, use all the free resources and enrich your knowledge, but never get too caught up and take the rules to your heart.
There are so many YouTube channels that help you with writing and becoming an author. This type of content in YouTube is known as Authortube. Although you might already know a few channels in the list, there might be some gems you missed.
So here goes a list in no particular order.
Channel Name: Merphy Napier
Here there is a series of videos called ‘Dear Authors’. These videos tell what kind of things make readers feel fed up with, as over-used, boring, and so on. These videos discuss tropes in different genre books, plot lines, and other stuff. Other videos discuss various topics related to writing such as pacing, Hook, world-building, and foreshadowing. Merphy Napier also does a lot of book reviews among other things.
Channel Name: Writing with Jenna Moreci
Jenna does have so many videos that it would be hard to list here. But the thing is Jenna discusses different ‘How to’ videos about various features in a book. How to write a blurb?, How to write a realistic character? Anything you want to know is probably in the channel. Jenna also talks about tropes, world-building, characters and so much more.
Channel Name: Film Courage
As the name suggests this channel discusses about movies and story ideas behind them. Though it is not exactly about book writing, you can learn a thing or two from this channel. Given how these videos are interviews of highly-talented people from Hollywood, they are so much resourceful.
Channel Name: Ellen Brock
This channel has so many topics covered like ‘How to’ Questions regarding writing and has so many tips for all writer’s struggles. Ellen does an amazing job of explaining things in a detailed manner that most of her videos are long. But that is not a disadvantage in any sense given how everything is clearly explained with examples for writers to understand. The range of topics that are covered here is so vast you should explore them.
Channel Name: Alexa Donne
This channel has a lot of writing advice, especially for new writers. Alexa Donne has also published books and the videos provide insight into the publishing world as well. This channel might be the place to start for amateurs.
Channel Name: Abbie Emmons
This channel is where you can find anything you need to know about internal conflict more than anywhere. Abbie has a way of explaining many writing problems in terms of understanding characters and internal conflict. The channel also has writing playlists and a clear explanation of how to use the 3 Act story structure.
Channel Name: Tyler Mowery
Tyler Mowery must be the first place you should look if you are into screenwriting. Though screenwriting is not exactly similar to novel writing, Tyler explains so much about plotting and story ideas as well. There are videos on character arcs, conflicts and so much more with examples from movies.
Channel Name: Diane Callahan– Quotidian Writer
This channel has video essays on plotting, characters, tense, point of view, world building, writer’s block and so much more. Diane Callahan has scripted videos with amazing writing tips that we might need from time to time. Diane has experience as both editor and writer which makes her that insider in the field, whose guidance you would appreciate.
Channel Name: Hello Future Me
‘Writer, worldbuilder, video essayist, bread connoisseur, and person who talks about The Last Airbender probably a little too much.’
This description of the channel probably sums up everything. But seriously, the videos in this channel have so many insights especially in terms of world-building, characters, magic systems, fight scenes and so much more.
Channel Name: iWriterly
iWriterly is a channel where you need to look for all your publishing doubts regardless of traditional or self-publishing. The channel hosted by Meg LaTorre has so many videos about the publishing world and all process that comes with publishing such as marketing, literary agents, pitching, audiobook and so much more. There are also videos on writing and editing tips, tropes, ways to improve writing.
Channel Name: bookishpixie
This channel has writing advice starting from the backstory, genres, manuscript, storytelling and so many more. The one thing to admire is, that bookishpixie has a straightforward way of expressing everything. Given how Gabe has published and knows what they are talking about, you can get a lot of information about the publishing world.
Channel Name: Vivien Reis
This channel has so many writing tips and amazing vlogs. You can find out her website on her About page and her website has so many resourceful blogs about writing. Vivien has published books and has helpful information for you to know about the things that come with it.
Channel Name: The Closer Look
This channel discusses various movie plots and characters and analyses them to explain what is good and bad. Such analysis video is so helpful for writers to understand what kind of things work and what don’t.
Channel Name: The Creative Penn
Here you can find information about the writing field, marketing, fiction, short stories, and technology. The videos have so many guests who generally explain the writing field and its essentials. These videos are detailed and you better grab your pen and note.
Channel Name: Terrible Writing Advice
Terrible writing advice has sarcastic videos on writing tropes, plot lines, story arcs, and genres. These videos are enjoyable and mock so many things we see in famous books. Entertaining videos of this channel will make you laugh so hard and at the same time gives so much insight as well.
Channel Name: Lessons from the screenplay
This channel explains movie screenplay and how well or bad they are written. The detailed videos give you a new perspective on the movies you have already seen.
Channel Name: Type cast
This channel mainly focuses on explaining enneagram types using movies and series characters. This relatively new channel has clearly explained videos that guide you about enneagram character types.
Channel Name: Katytastic
Here we have a bookworm who has so many videos about writing terminologies explained. There are also writing vlogs and book hauls. Though most videos are about books there are considerable videos on writing tips as well.
Channel Name: Trope Anatomy
Trope Anatomy channel has many video essays discussing famous movies, series, and their characters, plots, tropes. The videos are enlightening and help to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Channel Name: ShaelinWrites
Shaelin has written short stories and published them. Her insights are the best for short stories. But she also has explanatory videos on writing, plotting, outlining, world-building and so much more. Her clear-cut videos are the ones you should surely check out.
Channel Name: Tale Foundry
This channel is unique in the list because it has videos analyzing and explaining so many unique stories, books, concepts. Most of these are unheard of – at least for me. The videos encompass amazing cartoon/animation that is so creative in themselves. Watch these videos to get a unique perspective on unheard concepts.
Channel Name: Author Brittany Wang
This channel has videos by Brittany wang who is a published author. The videos here help you with writing slumps and give you advice on writing sprint, publishing, the fantasy genre and so much more.
Channel Name: Just write
The channel has videos essays on so many movies, series, and cartoons. Similar to so many other channels mentioned before, you can get detailed information on what to will work and what might not work.
Channel Name: Rachael Stephen
Rachael has information about writing and filmmaking. Her vlogs are so great and she has clearly explained videos about making protagonist, plotting method, character backstory and so much more.
Channel Name: Katesbookdate
This channel has amazing content on publishing, writing, and authors’ life. The videos are resourceful and give you an idea about a lot of your writing problems.
So given this list of YouTubers, check out all the resources and become a better writer than you were the previous day. Remember your only competition is you. With that said it’s obvious that I have a Youtube channel-Gayathri writes where I post my writing vlogs. Feel free to check it out as well!
I post my writing tips here on my website. Stay tuned!
