Lee Child

Writing Popular Fiction

Lee Child, the bestselling author of the Jack Reacher novels, is one of the world's most successful authors of all time. Since he began writing in his 40s, he's sold an incredible 200 million books, topping the best seller charts worldwide for three decades. For the very first time, and exclusively on BBC Maestro, Lee breaks down his writing process. He'll show you how to turn your blank page into a complete story, covering idea development, research, planning, character development and, ultimately, how you can make a living as a writer – whatever your age and experience. Lee's long and unparalleled career is proof that it's never too late to get started.

35 video lessons

Course notes

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What does a subscription include?

For new writers and professionals
Practical advice to apply to your work
Self-paced, no deadlines

The course

Unlock the secrets to writing compelling fiction from the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author Lee Child. Taking a practical, career-focussed approach to writing, Lee Child is confident you will likely have already picked up everything you need to know from your many years' experience as a reader, you may just not know you know – yet! And that's where Lee comes in – to help you tap into and apply that innate knowledge. On this course, you'll discover how to switch from first-person to third-person prose without making your readers 'seasick', develop characters with depth and complexity, and learn how to find your niche and making a living as an author.

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Capture attention with your first sentence with writer, Lee Child

Your Maestro

With over 200 million copies sold worldwide and multiple awards under his belt, Lee Child is the undeniably successful author of the popular Jack Reacher book series, which have also been adapted for the screen with two blockbuster movies, as well as a new TV series on Amazon Prime. And to add to his inspirational success story, Lee Child is also living proof that it’s never too late to get started, as he only started writing at the age of 40 after being made redundant from his job.

Lessons

Lee's introduction

5 mins

Lee introduces himself and his Jack Reacher franchise, and lays out the plan for his course on writing popular fiction.

Where story comes from and what it's for

15 mins

Lee discusses the evolution of fiction from non-fiction, and what it is about a good story that instinctively draws people in.

If you want to be a writer, you have to be a reader first

15 mins

Lee explains how you can start writing at any age, and without any specific experience. The only crucial qualification? Being a reader.

Why I love series fiction

14 mins

The only bad thing about reading a good book is finishing it – so why stop at writing just one?

How I wrote my first book (part one)

17 mins

Writing novels is the perfect career for later in life, as Lee found to be the case when he lost his job at the age of 40.

How I wrote my first book (part two)

17 mins

Find out how to carve out a niche for yourself within any genre of fiction.

Book 2 and beyond

25 mins

Overcoming the pressure of writing your next book is a hurdle all writers must face, but there are a couple of techniques that can help you take the leap.

How to not make your reader seasick

19 mins

Find the right balance between writing in first person, third person, and even second person perspective.

Voice is not a metaphor

16 mins

The key to holding your audience’s attention is finding your unique tone of voice and keeping it sounding natural.

10.

Big words and big themes

15 mins

Discover how moments of calm can be just as integral to the momentum of your story as fast-paced action scenes.

11.

Plot is a rental car

17 mins

How you tell your version of the story is more important than originality of plot itself.

12.

Robin Hood and the writers' room

14 mins

Look to the most iconic heroes to create well-written characters with enduring appeal.

13.

Character is king

14 mins

Without a strong lead, you’ve got no one to carry your story forward, no matter how good your plot is.

14.

Ditch the bad advice

13 mins

Even the best advice can be bad advice without a healthy measure of common sense on the side.

15.

Don't fall in love with your hero

10 mins

Learn how to write characters with timeless appeal, like Jack Reacher. Hint: they’re just as multi-faceted and complex as you are.

16.

Why Hook Hobie is like my grandfather

12 mins

Don’t forget to add a little humanity when writing even the baddest of your bad guys.

17.

Reacher, and why he isn't boring

10 mins

Create characters that your readers can’t get enough of – and remember, sometimes less is more.

18.

To plot or not to plot (part one)

14 mins

Sometimes even the best laid plans require a little flexibility – or abandoning altogether.

19.

To plot or not to plot (part two)

16 mins

Learn how to trust yourself as a reader in order to trust yourself as a writer.

20.

Research is a dish best served cold

14 mins

Find the balance of plausibility vs accuracy when incorporating research into your story.

21.

Churning, smoothing and combing

15 mins

There’s more to editing than just cutting bits out, as Lee discusses in this lesson on the path to publication.

22.

Don't forget you're still a reader

9 mins

From tidying up rogue commas to adding in extra context, Lee talks you through his reader-centric editing process.

23.

The Killing Floor edit

24 mins

Lee shares a little insight into how he learnt to deal with third party input, and the value of a good editor.

24.

The book is the thing

12 mins

Even if you’ve got big dreams for your books to eventually be made into movies, it’s important to keep focused on one thing at a time.

25.

Why a Ford is better than a Rolls Royce

10 mins

Writing a novel with mass appeal is no mean feat.

26.

Ditch the airs and graces

5 mins

Lee talks about the importance of treating writing novels like any other job, and how he doesn’t believe in ‘writer’s block’.

27.

How not to write dialogue

24 mins

Discover the secret to finding your rhythm and writing natural-sounding dialogue.

28.

A prose that trips forward

21 mins

Learn how to write a narrative that will keep your readers turning the page – right to the very end.

29.

Suspense is not like baking a cake

15 mins

Discover the real recipe for success when it comes to weaving suspense into your stories.

30.

Write the slow stuff fast and the fast stuff slow

17 mins

Creating momentum is all about the balance of slow and fast paced scenes and making sure to deliver big in those crucial moments.

31.

Hitching a ride on a strong first sentence

14 mins

Unlock the secret to capturing the imagination of your readers and holding their attention from Page 1.

32.

The Sun Also Rises: writing time and place

20 mins

Description is vital to storytelling, but it’s also the thing readers of popular fiction often complain there’s too much of – so how do you find the right balance?

33.

The sense of an ending

17 mins

Just because your readers have reached the end of a chapter doesn’t necessarily mean you want them to stop reading…

34.

The back end of a big machine

27 mins

Lee shares his experience of the publishing process, from eye-catching jacket designs to handling press tours.

35.

Conclusion

1 min

A final word from Lee, and then it’s over to you to start writing your next bestseller.

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Course notes

136 pages

A downloadable PDF full of tips, tricks, and exercises to help you apply Lee’s teachings and get you started on your next bestseller.

What people are saying

I like that this course is simply the writer talking about his craft, and nothing else. It's as if I were invited to his house for coffee, and he's sharing some of what he's learned over his decades of experience, candidly and honestly.

- Duncan Ros

Lee Child has practical, intuitive, and supportive advice and a unique view on "the rules" of writing which resonates with me.

- Keenan Powell

Lee Child provides great detail about his creative process, and also provides a depth of knowledge about the history and mechanics of storytelling.

- Rob Griffith

Even after writing and publishing 3 suspense novels, this is hands-down the best course on writing and mindset that I’ve ever experienced. I feel like I’m sitting across from Lee Child and he’s speaking directly to me, and he makes total sense. I only wish I’d had access to this before I struggled to write my previous books!

- Karen Dodd

The instructor is very knowledgeable and conveys relevant and essential information clearly, offering outstanding examples to support his thesis.

- Thomas Weissmuller

What an excellent course on creative fiction writing. He's a better lecturer than most of my undergrad professors. I'd recommend this course to novice or experienced writers who really want to take a chance on their writing.

- Rebecca Green

Lee is a great story teller, and he is literally leaning forward, sharing his story on how to write popular fiction. I love it.

- Art J

Lee explains things very clearly and cuts through all the industry rubbish to give you realistic essentials.

- CS Franco

Looking to inspire the next big popular fiction author?

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