Transcripts
1. Lesson 1: Welcome to the Class: No. Hmm. Hi. I'm Josiah.
And I'm hype here. If you're anything
like me, writing isn't just something that you do.
It's a way of thinking. Processing, dreaming, surviving, creating,
whether it's poetry, journaling or building
out full stories, it all starts with having
something real to say, and the courage to say it. You're away. And yeah, you're probably already
noticing this wall behind me. It's covered in pieces of
paper I've typed up over time, little sparks, lyrics, ideas,
questions I'm chasing. It's kind of like a
visual brain cell. I'll circ it back to it later. But just know it's very real. This class is very
personal to me, and I want it to feel
that way for you, too. What we're diving into here is how to build your creative
writing foundation. From a place of honesty,
emotion, and structure. You'll learn how to
shape your voice, break through blocks, and create writing that actually
feels like something. By the end of this class, you'll have a finished
piece of writing and hopefully a fresh way to look at your creative mind.
Let's get into it.
2. Lesson 2: Finding Your Voice: Welcome back. So now
that we kick things off, let's talk about
something that's huge for any writer, finding your voice. Your voice is basically your unique way of seeing
and saying things. It's what makes
your writing sound like you and not
just anyone else. A lot of people get stuck here because they think their
voice has to sound like some famous author or something like
popularity. I don't know. Here's the truth. Your voice
is already inside you. It's shaped by your
experiences, your feelings, the way you think,
even the way you talk, when you're just chilling
with your friends. The trick is to
listen to that voice and let it come out on the page. So how do you find it? Start by writing,
like how you talk. Forget rules for a minute. Write how you would tell a story or share a thought
with your best friend. This helps you get comfortable
with your natural style. Another way is to read a lot. But don't just read to copy. Read to notice what you like
and what feels real to you. Pay attention to how
different writers use words, rhythm or emotion. Then think about what parts of that vibe you
can make your own. Inspiration is everywhere,
literally everywhere. I music, art, you meet, places you go, or even your own memories. Sometimes it hits like
a lightning bolt, and other times, you
have to dig for it. That's why adrenaline
can be a game changer. Just jotting down your thoughts, dreams or random ideas every day can spark
something bigger. When you're stuck, try changing your environment
or your routine. Go for a walk, listen to
a song that moves you, or even close your eyes and
imagine the story unfolding. Inspiration often shows up
when you least expect it. And here's a little secret. Your voice will grow and
change the more you write. So don't stress about
sounding perfect right now. The goal is to be
honest and curious. Explore your thoughts and
feelings without judgment. For your practice today, I want you to write
a short piece, maybe a paragraph or two, just as you would speak it. It could be about
something that has been on your mind or a story
that you want to tell overthink it. Just let it flow. Remember, this is your
space to experiment. Your voice is waiting. You
just need to give it a chance. Alright. Next up, we'll
dive into story structure, how to shape your ideas
so they really hit home. But before that, get writing
and have fun with it. I'll see you in the next lesson.
3. Lesson 3: Story Structure Basics: Hey, welcome back. So now that you started finding
your voice and inspiration, let's talk about how to
organize these ideas into stories that
really grabs attention. Story structure might just be a boring term, but honestly, it's just a way to make sure your story flows
and makes sense, and keeps people hooked, too. Think of story structure
like a roadmap. If you just start
writing random stuff, your reader might just
get lost or bored. But when you follow
a simple plan, your story takes your reader on a journey with a beginning, middle, and end that
feels satisfying. One of the easiest
structures to start with is the classic
three act structure. It's everywhere from movies to novels to even songs
to storytelling. Here's how it breaks
down. Act one, setup. This is where you
introduce your characters, the world they live in, and what their normal
life looks like. You want to hook your audience here with something interesting, a question, a problem,
or a cool scene. You also hint the main conflict or challenge that's coming. Act two, conflict. This is the heart of your story. Your character faces challenges,
struggles, or obstacles. Things get complicated. This is where attention builds, and the story gets excited. Also the place to show your character growing or changing. Act three, resolution. Finally, you wrap things up. The conflicts come to a head. There's a climax and
everything feels intense. And then the story resolves. Your character either overcomes the problem or learns
something important, and the story feels complete. For example, if you're writing
a poem about a breakup, your setup might be a
memory of happier times. Your conflict may be the pain
or struggle of moving on. And the resolution could
be finding peace or hope. One thing to remember. This
structure isn't a cage. It's a tool. Feel
free to bend it, play with it, or even break
it once you get comfortable. The goal is to keep your
audience emotionally engaged. Another useful tool is the
story art, which is similar, but focuses more on the emotional highs and
lows throughout your piece. Helps keep the energy flowing and makes your story feel alive. Here's a quick exercise. Take a simple story. It could be something
that happened to you or a made up idea. Break it into those three acts, write a sentence or
two for each part, just to get the idea flowing. When you film your lessons
or share your writing, you can't even talk
about how you use this structure to
organize your ideas. That's a great way
to connect with your audience and show
your creative process. For the next lesson, we'll
dig into poetry basics, how to play with words and rhythm to make
your writing seem. But for now, try this story structure exercise and see how it
shapes your ideas. Have fun with it. Catch
you in the next lesson.
4. Lesson 4: Poetry Basics: Alright, welcome back. This is one of my favorite lessons. We're diving into poetry. Now, before you think
I'm not a poet, or that's not really my thing. Hear me out. Poetry isn't about being fancy
or complicated. It's about distilling
emotion, energy, and ideas into something powerful and sometimes
even healing. Poetry is like the
heartbeat of writing. It's rhythm, it's imagery. It's raw, it's honesty. And most of all, it's personal.
So let's break that down. What is poetry
really? At its core, poetry is just using language
in a way that hits deeper. Not always telling a
straightforward story. You're evoking
something, a feeling, a memory, a mood.
That's the magic. There's no one way
to write a poem. Some rhyme, some don't. Some are long and lyrical, others are short and sharp,
like a punch to the gut. That's the beauty.
It's wide open. Let's talk about a
few key elements. One, imagery. Poetry thrives on imagery. That means using words to paint pictures in
someone's mind. Of all five senses, sight, sound, taste, touch. If you say I felt
empty, that's fine. But if you say my chest echoed
like an abandoned hallway, now we're feeling
something real. Two, rhythm. You don't need to study
music to understand this. Rhythm is just the
flow of your words. Some poems have a beat, like a song, others break
the rules on purpose. Try reading your poems out loud. You're here where your flow
works and words stumbles. Three, wordplay and metaphor. This is where your
creativity really shines. Metaphors and similes are the bridge between
something ordinary and something extraordinary like saying her smile was a sunrise. You're giving emotion to shape for structure or no structure. Some poets love structure, like writing in stanzas, using Haku or sonnets. Others go free full verse, no rules, no rhyme,
just raw expression. I recommend trying both. Structure teaches you control. Free verse lets you break free. Quick tip. Try writing a
poem using a constraint. Like every line must
start with the same word, or the poem must be
exactly ten words long. Constraints can help spark
creativity in crazy ways. Trust me, let's do
a short exercise. Pick a feeling you
had this week. Maybe it was loneliness,
excitement, frustration. Whatever. Then pick a color and a place that connects
to that filling. Try writing just four lines that capture that emotion
using imagery. Here's a fast example.
The kitchen light buzz like my thoughts. Walls yellow, like a
memory I can't name. Coffee steam curled like
the words I didn't say, and morning never quite arrived. That's it. We're all
and perfect, but alive. So your homework before
the next video is this. Write a short poem
using one emotion, one color in one place.
Don't overthink it. Fill it first, polish it later. And the next lesson
talking journaling, not just the dear diary kind, but the type that
gets your creativity flowing and helps you connect
with yourself as a writer. Until then, take a breath, grab a pen, and let
your feeling speak.
5. Lesson 5: Journaling for Creativity: All right. Welcome back. Let's talk adrenaline,
but not the cliche kind. I'm not here to tell
you to sit down with the floral notebook
and write. Dear Diary. Today I ate cereal. Nah, what I want to show you is how adrenaline can
be this powerful. No pressure way to
generate ideas, process emotion, and unlike creativity you didn't
even know was stuck. Think of adrenaline
as a writing, gym. You're building mental muscle without needing an audience. And the best part,
there are no rules. You don't have to be poetic. You don't have to be deep. You just have to be real.
Here's how I approach. One, types of adrenaline
for creatives. Let's break this down to
a few styles you can try. Number one, stream
of consciousness. This is basically
just word vomit. You set a timer for
five to 10 minutes and write without stopping. Even if it's just nonsense. The goal is to shut
off your acritic. You might be surprised
by what slips out. Number two, prompt
based adrenaline. Give yourself a
jumping off point. Prompts like, I feel most alive when or if my fear could talk, I would say, or the last
time I surprised myself. These pull you deeper into
your voice in your story. Number three,
dialogue adrenaline. Write a covo between
two parts of yourself, like my ambition, talking
to my doubt. It's weird. It's fun. It reveals things. Number four, image
your lyric response. Put on a song or
stare at a photo and just write what it makes
you feel. React to it. Let it guide the page. Part two, how this
sparks creative work. Now, here's why this isn't
just emotional venting. This kind of adrenaline
starts building material. A straight line you write might become the
start of a song. A weird metaphor might
grow into a short story. I've pulled whole
lyrics and story arcs from old journal entries
I almost threw away. The key is not judging
what shows up. You're not writing for applause. You're just writing to
remember who you are. Adrenaline prompts
to try right now. Here's a quick set of prompts
I love. Choose one a day. The moment I realized I change was what I never
say out loud is. This morning smelled like I could write a letter
to my younger self, that's four prompts. Write for five to 10 minutes. No edits, truth. Then underline or
highlight any lines that hit hard. Those are gold. Use them later in poems,
lyrics, or characters. Alright, so don't
sleep on adrenaline. It's low pressure
but high reward. And remember, you don't have
to share these with any. If you do find something
in what you wrote, a line, a concept, a feeling, save it. You might revisit it
weeks from now and realize it's exactly what
your next piece needs. In the next lesson, we're
going to bring it all together with a project that
pulls from your writing, your imagination, and
your emotional truth. Get your journal or notes ready, we're making something
that matters.
6. Lesson 6: The Final Project: Alright. Here we are. This is the part where
it all starts to click. We're going through voice,
poetry, journaling. Now it's time to
create something. This final project is your
opportunity to pull from everything we've
covered and shape it into a piece that
feels like you. And don't trip. This
doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to be honest.
Here's what I want you to do. Write a short creative piece, 200 to 500 words that blends
with what we explore. Be a personal essay
with poetic flare, a free flow poem from
journal entries, a lyrical story based on the felinora moment.
You're the artist here. The format's open, but I
want it to come from you, your experience, your
voice, your rhythm. Let's walk through
how to build it. Start with a free write. Go back to your journal, look for a sentence or a
phrase that still moves you. That can be the seed.
Add poetic energy. Can you paint a stronger
imagery, use a metaphor? Can a color or a sound
or scent pull us in? Bring rhythm, read it out loud. Where does it breathe?
Where does it hit hard? Don't just tell us what
show us how it felt. That's where the
connection lives. Here's an unpolished example. I walked past my
old school today. The windows still look tired. The sun hit the playground
like it used to hit my face. I thought of the girl who
never called me back, and the poem I never
finished about her. Maybe this is the last line
of that poem. That's it. Just a glimpse a truth. It doesn't need to
explain itself. It just needs to exist. If you feel comfortable. I love for you to
share your piece right here in this
class project section. Because you need validation, but because someone
might see your words and feel less alone. Art does that. That's why we write. And if
you're shy, that's cool, too. But save your peace. Come back
to it. See how it evolves. Before we close this out, I just want to say
something personal. You probably noticed
the wall behind me, covered in printed pages
and typed up ideas. Miss it. That wasn't just
for show. That's me. That's how I live surrounded
by fragments of dreams, quotes, lyrics, brainstorms,
future projects. When I started, none of this looked like a career
or something serious. It was just energy,
curiosity, need. If you got that, you
already got a writer. So don't wait for permission. Keep writing, keep showing up. Start building your own wall of words or your own
weird version of it. And maybe one day, someone
will watch your class. Thank you for spending this
time with me. Seriously. I hope you felt inspired or
at least a little more seen. Now go create something. Peace.
Josiah Murry, Fuel Your Creative Fire
