If you haven’t unintentionally spent three hours watching TED Talks online, that’s about to change. It’s almost impossible to watch just one video at a time because the topics are so interesting. For those who are not familiar with TED, it is a yearly conference that focuses mainly on technology and design and recruits speakers to talk about different topics. Recently, these talks have been streamed on the TED website, known as TED Talks, and have been watched over one billion times.
TED Talks can be a source of information, inspiration, and intelligence, a resource that is valuable to any profession. Many of the speakers work in creative fields, making TED Talks a great asset to writers. We would recommend watching talks on every subject, but here are a few that serve as inspiration to authors specifically:
Andrew Fitzgerald, “Adventures in Twitter Fiction”
Andrew Fitzgerald is a writer and editor who currently works for Twitter. So naturally, his talk deals with writing, short stories, and the various uses of the Internet.
Fitzgerald has three main points:
- Twitter is important for writers. Twitter is a new medium in storytelling. Each Twitter account is like a broadcasted radio show and provides a new way for writers to tell a short story.
- The Internet can help you get your work out there. One example Fitzgerald gives is author Hugh Howey, who famously self-published an e-book online that became a huge success.
- Using the Internet can give writers a way to directly connect with their audience. Social media, like Twitter and Facebook, lets readers directly contact authors and give their feedback.
Young-ha Kim, “Be an artist, right now!”
Young-ha Kim is the author of six successful novels, two of which have been adapted into films. His TED Talk focuses on the writing process and different methods that have helped him as an author.
Kim has two main points:
- You have to connect your points. “A novel, basically, is writing one sentence—then, without violating the scope of the first one, writing the next sentence.” To become a great author, you must find the connection between those sentences and build off one to get to the next, like rungs on a ladder.
- “You must write like crazy! Like crazy! When you write slowly and lots of thoughts cross your mind, the artistic devil creeps in. This devil will tell you hundreds of reasons why you can’t write. People will laugh at you. This is not good writing! What kind of sentence is this? It will say lots of things. You have to run fast so the devil can’t catch up.” Kim says this because the best way to get your thoughts out is to not think about them too much and just write.
Elizabeth Gilbert, “Your Elusive Creative Genius”
Elizabeth Gilbert is an author who is well known for her book, Eat, Pray, Love, which was recently adapted into a film. Her talk focuses on the difficulties that authors face within their own minds and how to use “genius” as a writing partner to overcome those difficulties.
Gilbert has two main points:
- Fight through the doubt. People will ask you questions like, “Aren’t you afraid you’re never going to have any success? Aren’t you afraid the humiliation of rejection will kill you?” and many more. And the answer is yes. As a writer, you will most likely ask yourself these very same questions, but Gilbert says the only way to overcome them is to let your creative mind roam free and just do your work.
- Don’t be afraid of writing or the outcome. All you should do as an author is your job: writing. She says that you have to “continue to show up for your piece of it, whatever that might be” and the writing will come to you. Don’t think about how your book will be viewed or how well it will sell: just write!
Here are a few other videos on writing that are worth watching:
Chip Kidd, “Designing Books is No Laughing Matter. OK, it is.”
Jarret Krozoska, “How a Boy Became an Artist”
Joe Sabia, “The Technology of Storytelling”
There are thousands of TED Talks available that deal with every topic imaginable. Expand your mind by watching a few videos, they might just be a point of inspiration for your writing!
Do you have favorite TED Talks? Let us know which ones!
