The Future of Storytelling 1-8 | Cornelia Funke: A Writer's Approach to Creating Stories

Summary

In this video, Cornelia Funke, renowned author, shares her unique approach to storytelling and offers valuable insights for aspiring writers. She discusses how stories often begin with a simple image, character, or personal experience, and emphasizes the importance of research and playfulness in the creative process. Funke highlights the significance of location as a major character in her stories and the role of inspiration from diverse sources. The video encourages viewers to reflect on memorable stories from their own lives and invites them to participate in NaNoWriMo, a global writing challenge, as a way to nurture their own creative projects.

Takeaways

• 😀 Inspiration for a story can come from many sources: an image, a scene, a character, or even personal experiences.
• 😀 The initial idea for a story should be tested to see if it has long-term potential. If it feels like it could sustain your attention for a novel, it's worth pursuing.
• 😀 Playfulness in the beginning is crucial. Don’t rush to label your idea as a major project or a side project—allow it to evolve naturally.
• 😀 Research plays an essential role in writing. Writers should gather extensive material (books, photos, historical facts) to enrich their stories.
• 😀 For Cornelia Funke, location is often a central character in her stories. It provides the canvas for her narrative and is integral to her storytelling.
• 😀 Writers should not limit themselves to one location or setting. Locations can evolve as characters travel, providing new opportunities for exploration.
• 😀 Funke often researches thoroughly for her novels, reading at least fifty books on related subjects, and using them to build a rich world for her stories.
• 😀 Inspiration can be drawn from a variety of sources, including old photo albums, other writers, and even events or places from history.
• 😀 Funke’s creative process is highly visual, often using images and photographs to help develop characters and settings.
• 😀 Writers should embrace external influences and perspectives to expand their creativity, as this enriches their storytelling.
• 😀 The creative task encourages reflection on a story that has deeply impacted you. Write a summary and reflect on what made it memorable, whether it was the characters, plot, or how the story was shared.

Q & A

What is the main focus of this video transcript?

The video transcript primarily focuses on how to start writing a story, with insights from author Cornelia Funke about her creative process and the importance of inspiration, location, and research in storytelling.

How does Cornelia Funke describe her process of starting a story?

Cornelia Funke explains that her story ideas can come from various sources, such as an image, a character, a personal experience, or even a photo. There's no set rule for how stories begin; the key is finding an idea that can sustain her interest for a long time, like the duration of writing a novel.

Why is playfulness important in the early stages of writing, according to Funke?

Cornelia Funke emphasizes the importance of playfulness at the start of the writing process. She believes that writers should explore different ideas freely without feeling pressured to choose the 'perfect' one immediately, as this flexibility can lead to unexpected and rewarding outcomes.

What role does research play in Cornelia Funke's writing process?

Research is a central element of Cornelia Funke's creative process. She often reads a large number of books to gather visual and historical material, using these resources to build a richer, more authentic world for her stories. For her novels, this research can be extensive, even spanning various historical periods and countries.

How does Cornelia Funke use location in her storytelling?

For Cornelia Funke, location is more than just a setting; it is often treated as a character in its own right. She believes that the location adds depth to the story and can drive the narrative forward, with her characters sometimes traveling to multiple locations throughout the story.

What advice does Funke give to writers about choosing their projects?

Funke advises writers to give themselves the freedom to explore multiple ideas without rushing to decide which one is the most important. She also mentions that while some projects may be side projects or smaller in scope, they can sometimes turn into more significant works than initially expected.

How does Funke feel about being given specific writing tasks by others?

Cornelia Funke finds value in being assigned specific writing tasks, such as when a publisher or TV producer asks her to write a ghost story. She sees these assignments as creative challenges that can provide new inspiration and help her explore different genres or ideas.

What role do 'real-world' inspirations play in Funke's writing?

Funke uses 'real-world' inspirations extensively in her work. She draws from historical events, old photographs, and even personal experiences to enrich her stories. She believes that these external sources of inspiration help expand a writer's imagination and make their stories more dynamic and authentic.

What is the 'Creative Task of the Week' in this video?

The Creative Task of the Week encourages participants to reflect on the most impactful story they've ever encountered, whether through reading, watching, or personal experience. They are asked to retell the story and explore why it had such a lasting impact, focusing on elements like characters, location, plot, or how the story was shared with them.

What is NaNoWriMo, and how is it connected to this video?

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is an annual event where writers attempt to write a complete novel within the month of November. While the video is not officially affiliated with NaNoWriMo, it encourages participants to join the community-driven event as a way to challenge themselves and stay motivated in their writing endeavors.