Writing & literature
Creative Writing Lectures (Brandon Sanderson, BYU 2020)
Sikhami InstituteEnglish
Free
Join for free- 14 video lectures (14h 47m)
- Certificate of completion
- Ask the teacher your doubts
- Watch on the web and in the Android app
- Learn more
About this course
The full 2020 writing class that best-selling author Brandon Sanderson teaches at Brigham Young University (BYU), on writing science fiction and fantasy novels. Who it's for: aspiring novelists and storytellers of any genre. These are the free, official videos of the "2020 Creative Writing Lectures at BYU" playlist from the Brandon Sanderson YouTube channel (youtube.com/@BrandSanderson). All videos belong to Brandon Sanderson; Sikhami is not affiliated with Brandon Sanderson and simply arranges the public playlist into a course, so you can learn one lesson at a time and keep track of your progress.
What you will learn
• Plot: promises, progress and payoff • Characters that readers care about • Setting and world-building • Outlining versus discovery writing • The business of writing, and publishing a book
This course at a glance
- Lectures
- 14 video lectures
- Video
- 14h 47m in all
- Level
- Undergraduate, Professional
- Language
- English
- Access
- Lifetime access
- Certificate
- On completion
Lectures last updated September 2026
Course content
1 section · 14 lectures · 14h 47m
1. 2020 Creative Writing Lectures at BYU
- My Philosophy on Teaching Writing—Brandon Sanderson2m
- Lecture #1: Introduction — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 3m
- Lecture #2: Plot Part 1 — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 7m
- Lecture #3: Plot Part 2 — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 9m
- Lecture #4: Viewpoint and Q&A — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 2m
- Lecture #5: Worldbuilding Part One — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 12m
- Lecture #6: Worldbuilding Part Two — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 13m
- Lecture #7: Short Stories — With Special Guest Instructor Mary Robinette Kowal44m
- Lecture #8: Worldbuilding Q&A — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 14m
- Lecture #9: Characters — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 12m
Show all 14 lectures
- Lecture #10: Characters Part 2 — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 11m
- Lecture #11: Character Q&A — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 12m
- Lecture #12: Publishing Part One — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 7m
- Lecture #13: Publishing Part Two — Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy1h 12m
How long it takes
14h 47m of video in 14 lectures. Pick a pace that suits you:
Steady
about 4 weeks
at 30 minutes a day
Regular
about 2 weeks
at 1 hour a day
Fast track
8 days
at 2 hours a day
Video time only: practice takes a little longer. Your place in every lecture is saved, so you can stop any time.
Earn a certificateLearn more
Watch every lecture, then claim a certificate of completion with your name on it.
- Its own web page and code, so a school or an employer can check it is real
- Save it as a PDF or print it
- Included with the course, at no extra cost
Who teaches it
Sikhami InstituteNew Delhi · 297 courses · 694 learners · 473 followersSikhami Institute is Sikhami's own institute for free learning. We pick some of the best free courses on YouTube, from Harvard's CS50, MIT, NPTEL, Khan Academy, Google, Microsoft, the BBC, Crash Course, PW, Magnet Brains, CodeWithHarry and many more, and turn them into proper courses on Sikhami that you can follow lesson by lesson while your progress is saved.
Free courses in every category, in English and Hindi: school and competitive exams, programming and AI, languages, music and dance, art, yoga and fitness, cooking, trades, business, marketing, farming and more.
All videos belong to their creators and play from their official YouTube channels, and each course credits its creator. Questions or suggestions? Write to help@sikhami.com.Questions people ask
Is this course free?
Yes. Joining is free, and the lectures unlock as soon as you join. Once you join, it is yours for life.
How long is the course?
14 video lectures, 14h 47m of video in all. At an hour a day, the videos take about 2 weeks. You learn at your own pace; there are no fixed class times.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes. When you have watched every lecture, you can claim a certificate of completion. It has its own page and code, so anyone can check that it is real. About certificates
What language is it taught in?
English.
Can I learn on my phone?
Yes. Watch on the website or in the Sikhami app for Android with the same account. Your place in every lecture is saved, so you can switch between them.
Can I ask the teacher a doubt?
Yes. Ask it in the questions on the course page, or from inside any lecture while you watch. You can also keep your own notes on each lecture.
Who made these videos?
The lectures are the free, public videos of the YouTube playlist "2020 Creative Writing Lectures at BYU", and they belong to their creator. Sikhami arranges them into a course, so you can learn one lecture at a time and keep track of your progress.
