Framework OverviewBrandon Sanderson’s Writing FrameworkCharacter — People Who Drive the StoryUse Sanderson’s 3 Sliders:Add psychological depth with:Also include:Plot — Structure That Delivers EmotionCore formula:Structure tools:Plot Archetypes & Story StructuresSetting — World That Serves the StorySanderson’s Laws of MagicProcess SummaryBrandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture (2025)The Philosophy of Professional Writing: Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #1 (2025)Promise, Progress, Payoff - Plot Theory: Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #2 (2025)Story Structures - Plot Theory: Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #3 (2025)Plot Q&A: Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #4 (2025)Creating Proactive, Relatable, and Capable Characters: Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #5 (2025)Customizing your Character: Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #6 (2025)Types of Character Arcs - Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #6.5 (2025)Sanderson's Laws of Magic - Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #7 (2025)How To Worldbuild on Earth? - Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #9 (2025)An Ending and A Beginning — Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #12 (2025)2020 Creative Writing Lectures at BYUMy Philosophy on Teaching Writing—Brandon Sanderson (2020)Lecture #1: Introduction — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and FantasyLecture #2: Plot Part 1 — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and FantasyLecture #3: Plot Part 2 — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and FantasyLecture #4: Viewpoint and Q&A — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and FantasyLecture #5: Worldbuilding Part One — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and FantasyLecture #6: Worldbuilding Part Two — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and FantasyLecture #7: Short Stories — With Special Guest Instructor Mary Robinette KowalLecture #8: Worldbuilding Q&A — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and FantasyLecture #9: Characters — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and FantasyLecture #10: Characters Part 2 — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and FantasyLecture #11: Character Q&A — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy
I’ll skip some videos talking specificaly about the publishing industry below and focus on storytelling.
Framework Overview
Brandon Sanderson’s Writing Framework
Structured around the 3 Core Pillars: Character, Plot, Setting — because every great story balances who it’s about, what happens to them, and the world it happens in. Sanderson builds from these three to ensure emotional depth, narrative drive, and immersive context.
Character — People Who Drive the Story
Use Sanderson’s 3 Sliders:
- Relatability (Empathy) — Make readers care.
- Show kindness, humor, struggle, or social proof (others care about them).
- Proactivity — Let them choose and act.
- Characters must make meaningful decisions.
- Capability (Competence) — Show what they’re good at or learning.
- Competence can be physical, intellectual, emotional, or social.
Add psychological depth with:
- Personality — Distinct behavior, habits, attitude.
- Motivation — What do they want? What drives that want?
- Values — What beliefs shape their choices and conflict?
Also include:
- Quirks — Small, unique behaviors that make characters memorable and hint at deeper personality or emotion.
- Flaws — Weaknesses that challenge them or others.
- Arc — Change over time (growth, fall, resistance to change).
- Voice — Unique worldview in narration/dialogue.
Plot — Structure That Delivers Emotion
Core formula:
Promise → Progress → Payoff
- Promise — Set tone, genre, and expectations.
- Progress — Develop plot and character through setbacks and growth.
- Payoff — Resolve tension meaningfully and satisfyingly.
Structure tools:
- Ending First — Define your climax, then outline backward.
- Scene Goals — Each scene = goal + obstacle + consequence.
- Weave Threads — Interlace character arcs, world reveals, and relationships.
- Escalation — Increase stakes, risk, or emotional depth over time.
Plot Archetypes & Story Structures
- 3-Act Structure — Setup, Confrontation, Resolution
- Try-Fail Cycles — Repeated failures before breakthrough
- Yes, But / No, And — Conflict escalates every beat
- Hero’s Journey — Call → Ordeal → Return
- Story Circle (Dan Harmon) — 8-step desire and transformation
Setting — World That Serves the Story
Three layers of worldbuilding:
- Physical — Geography, weather, materials, environment.
- Cultural — Language, religion, laws, customs, economy.
- Magic/Technology Systems — Must follow the Laws of Magic.
Sanderson’s Laws of Magic
- 1st Law — An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic. (The more readers understand magic, the more it can solve problems.)
- Use hard magic (clearly explained) for problem-solving.
- Use soft magic (mysterious, vague) for tone, atmosphere, or creating conflict—not resolving it.
- “If the reader understands the rules, the resolution feels earned.”
- 2nd Law — Limitations and costs matter more than powers.
- Magic is more interesting because of its costs, flaws, and rules.
- Focus on what magic can’t do, not just what it can.
- Limitations create tension, obstacles, and creativity.
- 3rd Law — Expand what's established before adding new.
- Develop your existing magic/system deeper instead of inventing more powers.
- Ask: What are the implications, edge cases, abuses, societal effects of this power?
- Zeroth Law — Always err on the side of what's awesome.
Best practices:
- Worldbuilding Serves Story — Avoid worldbuilder’s disease.
- Avoid Info Dumps — Show through character perspective and conflict.
- Extrapolate — Think through consequences of systems and culture.
Process Summary
- Start with Awesome — What excites you? Start there.
- Idea Fusion — Combine character, plot, and setting ideas.
- Outline from Ending — Define payoff and work backward.
- Bullet Point Beats — Emotional and plot turning points (not scenes).
- Weave Threads — Interlace arcs across chapters.
- Write & Iterate — Draft, adjust, and evolve as needed.
