Preview
One of the things I love about books is that they are different things to all people. When you write a novel, you’re not writing one novel. You’re writing a million novels.
And each person reads it in a different way, imagines your character in a different way. Your job is to create a framework, to create the points of interest that the reader’s imagination fills in and connects. Help them imagine the story. Give them just enough to move to the next point and to bring their imagination to fill in all the blanks.
At the end of this MasterClass, I’m going to admit something to you that I have never admitted to anyone on Earth. I’m also going to show you an artifact that nobody except me has ever seen. And that is your first lesson in suspense.
I love the creative process of writing. And I wanted to teach this MasterClass in hopes of helping other writers overcome some of the natural obstacles and frustrations that are inherent in the process of writing a novel, so they could get to the point where they’re actually doing it, loving the process, and being successful at it. I can’t tell you what idea to have or what to write your novel about. But I’m hoping that I can give you a roadmap of sorts to turn your idea into a story.
This class is specifically designed to talk about writing thrillers. But I’m hoping that it actually helps writers of all different genres. Because what makes thrillers work are elements that actually make all stories work. And this art form of storytelling is at the core of every single art form.
Paintings tell stories. Music tells stories. You, as a writer, as a storyteller, are participating in the oldest creative art form on Earth.
I was very fortunate to grow up the son of a teacher. My father was a was a mathematics professor. My mom actually was a music teacher. Some of the people I’ve respected most in my life are teachers.
So when I set out to write a thriller and to create a hero, I said, well, he’s going to be a teacher. He’s going to be just like these people that I respect, that have helped me so much. And in some way, you sort of feel like you’re giving back a little. You’re reminding people that teaching is the noblest of all professions, and that if we can do one thing for the people around us, it’s to help them. And that’s what teachers do. That’s what this class is trying to do.
Written language is how our species has progressed. It’s how we remember what we’ve accomplished and pass it on to the next generation. When I first started out as a writer, I got a lot of very ethereal advice. Write what I know. Write what I’m passionate about. Write a page a day. Show, don’t tell.
And there’s some truth to all of that. But the reality is, it’s not all that helpful when you’re trying to sit down to figure out how to put a book together. What I’m hoping to do in this class is give the actual nuts and bolts of, how do you put a story together? How do you create tension? How do you buil…
Craft page-turning suspense
Packed with secret symbols and high-stakes suspense, Dan Brown’s thrillers have sold more than 250 million copies and include one of the world’s best-selling novels, The Da Vinci Code. In his writing class, Dan unveils his step-by-step process for turning ideas into gripping narratives. Learn his methods for researching like a pro, crafting characters, and sustaining suspense all the way to a dramatic surprise ending.
LESSON PLAN
01. Introduction
Meet your new instructor: best-selling author Dan Brown. In your first lesson, Dan lays out the practical takeaways you’ll get in his class and provides his first lesson in suspense.
02.The Anatomy of a Thriller
Dan believes that all stories are comprised of the same elements. Learn the essential components that every compelling story needs, as well as Dan’s personal checklist for creating some of the most successful thrillers in history.
03. Finding the Idea
Dan teaches you how to mine the world around you for big ideas, how to choose the right topic for your book, and how to find the moral dilemma at the core of your story.
04. Choosing Locations
Learn how to use location to create interest, generate suspense, and build the structure of your book.
05. Creating Heroes and Villains
Dan teaches his techniques for crafting heroes that your readers will connect with on a human level. Then, learn how to create complex villains who function as catalysts for action and conflict.
06. Universal Character Tools
Dan shares valuable tips for developing authentic secondary characters, and teaches you how to strategically design relationships between characters to maximize conflict and drive plot.
07. Character Case Study: The Da Vinci Code
Dan takes a detailed look at the characters from his best-selling novel, The Da Vinci Code, to illustrate how different character types can be used to create suspense and propel the narrative.
08. Research, Part 1
For Dan, research is one of the most important parts of his creative process. Learn how to use on-location research and subject-matter experts to bring specificity and authenticity to your writing.
09. Research, Part 2
Dan goes deeper into his research process to show you how he uncovers the shocking connections between seemingly unrelated elements in his stories.
10. Building a Story From the Ground Up
From the initial idea to the final chapter, Dan walks you through his entire process for building a story, and provides a step-by-step guide to transforming your vision into a captivating thriller.
11. Creating Suspense, Part 1
Using his novel, Origin, and exclusive content from a never-before-seen project, Dan explains how to use parallel plotlines and dramatic opening paragraphs to create suspense that will keep readers turning the pages.
12. Creating Suspense, Part 2
Dan teaches you his strategies to pull your readers into your scenes and craft cliffhangers that will leave them on the edge of their seats.
13. Writing Chapters and Scenes
Learn Dan’s guiding principles for moving from an outline into a first draft, including how to develop stand-out, big moments and manipulate tension and release.
14. Selecting and Utilizing Point of View
Dan teaches you how to strategically use narrative point of view to maximize suspense, withhold information, and reveal character.
15. Exposition and Dialogue
Learn how to craft exposition that appeals to your reader’s senses and write dialogue that communicates essential information while simultaneously revealing character.
16. Editing and Rewriting
Dan shares his practical system for tracking the status of an edit and demonstrates how to strengthen your project through revision.
17. Protecting Your Process
When it comes to writing, Dan’s philosophy is simple: protect the process and the results will take care of themselves. Learn how to beat writer’s block and structure your writing habits in a way that maximizes your creative output.
18. Life As A Writer
Dan explains the importance of persistence, shares tips on how to build a team that believes in you, and teaches you how to write a query letter that will stand out in agency slush piles.
19. The Secret of Secrets
Dan provides parting words of wisdom and encouragement and reveals the never-before-seen artifact he promised to share in the first lesson of his class.
Sales Page:_https://www.masterclass.com/classes/dan-brown-teaches-writing-thrillers
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.