Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing | Official Trailer | MasterClass

Summary

In her MasterClass, Margaret Atwood emphasizes the importance of storytelling as a human art form and the necessity for writers to keep readers engaged. She shares insights from her writing process, including the reality-based inspiration for 'The Handmaid's Tale,' and encourages aspiring writers to write frequently, embrace failure, and trust in the existence of their audience.

Takeaways

• 🌑 Start the story in a unique way, like 'It was dark inside the wolf.'
• 🎨 Human beings are naturally creative and make art because it's part of who they are.
• ✍️ As a writer, your goal is to make readers believe in your story, even when it's fiction.
• 📜 When writing 'The Handmaid's Tale,' Margaret Atwood included only real-life events to avoid being accused of having an evil imagination.
• 🚫 She did not invent any of the bad things in her book; they all happened somewhere, sometime in history.
• 💡 If you're struggling to start writing, it's likely due to fear. Remember, it's just you and the page.
• 🗑️ The wastepaper basket is your friend—it exists for getting rid of what doesn't work.
• 📚 The main rule of storytelling: hold your reader's attention, no matter what.
• 💪 Creativity improves through practice. You become a better writer by writing more.
• 🙌 Failure is part of the process. Fail better each time, and know that your readers are out there.

Q & A

What is the different way to start the story of Little Red Riding Hood mentioned in the script?

The story starts with 'It was dark inside the wolf,' which is a creative twist on the traditional narrative.

According to the script, why do human beings make art?

Human beings make art because they are naturally creative storytelling beings, and it is an intrinsic part of their nature.

What is a writer's goal according to the script?

A writer's goal is to keep the reader believing in the story, even though both the writer and the reader know it is fiction.

What rule did Margaret Atwood follow when writing 'The Handmaid's Tale'?

Margaret Atwood made a rule that nothing would go into 'The Handmaid's Tale' that had not happened in real life somewhere at some time.

Why did Margaret Atwood make this rule for 'The Handmaid's Tale'?

She wanted to avoid anyone accusing her of having an evil imagination or making up the negative events portrayed in the book.

What advice does the script offer to writers who are struggling to get started?

The script advises writers to remember that it is only them and the page, and that the waste paper basket is their friend.

What is the main rule for writing a novel according to the script?

The main rule is to hold the reader's attention.

How does the script describe the process of human creativity?

Human creativity is described as a process of doing it repeatedly and getting better at it.

What is the only way to become a writer according to the script?

The only way to become a writer is by writing, doing it more, and doing it better.

What is the message about failure in the script?

The script encourages writers to fail and to 'fail better,' as it is part of the creative process.

What hope does the script offer to writers about finding an audience?

The script suggests that somewhere out there are readers for every writer's book.