MasterClass Live with Dan Brown | MasterClass

MasterClass
18 Jun 202051:52
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe script depicts Dan Brown, a renowned thriller author and Masterclass instructor, answering live questions from masterclass members from around the world in an engaging and insightful interview. He shares his process and philosophy on elements of writing like protecting one's creative process, dealing with rejections, plot twists, character point of view, red herrings, and cliffhangers. Brown also reveals how real-world experiences, reading widely, and training one's creativity muscle inspires his evocative writing. The interview concludes with Brown heaping praise on Masterclass while inviting viewers to enroll and nurture their creativity.

Takeaways
  • 👨‍🏫 Dan Brown shares insights on protecting the writing process and overcoming distractions
  • 📝 He emphasizes the importance of consistency - writing at the same time and place everyday
  • ⏰ Using time pressure (ticking clocks) helps create suspense and move the plot
  • 🔒 Putting characters in confined spaces (crucibles) forces them to confront problems
  • 🤝 Making implicit promises to reveal information (the contract) keeps readers engaged
  • 🥸 Misdirecting readers with red herrings is an essential skill for thriller writers
  • 😌 Letting your mind wander free of distractions allows creativity to fill the void
  • ✍️ Persist through rejection by continually working to improve your craft
  • 👀 Get an outside perspective by having others read your work
  • ⛵ Use real world sights and experiences to inspire imaginative plot twists
Q & A

  • What is the format of the Masterclass Live event in the script?

    -It is an interactive discussion between the instructor Dan Brown and Masterclass members, where members get to ask questions directly to Dan Brown.

  • What are the three C's that Dan Brown refers to when discussing how to write a thriller?

    -The three C's are the clock, the crucible, and the contract. The clock refers to a ticking clock or time pressure. The crucible is a confined space that forces characters to confront problems. The contract is making promises to the reader to reveal information.

  • How does Dan Brown stay motivated as a writer?

    -He stays motivated by trying to improve with each new book - making the story more complex, adding more twists and turns. He sees it as a challenge to keep getting better.

  • What is Dan Brown's advice for writers who face rejection from publishers?

    -He encourages them to self-publish and use technology to share their work, rather than relying solely on traditional publishing. Building an audience yourself can lead to publishers taking notice.

  • How does Dan Brown use real world experiences in his writing?

    -He draws inspiration from his travels and things he sees, like a spiral staircase at Sagrada Familia that inspired a character's death scene.

  • What is Dan Brown's technique for avoiding editing as he writes each day?

    -He will write the opening paragraph of the next chapter the night before so he can jump right into the new writing without rereading previous work.

  • How does Dan Brown create effective red herrings in his stories?

    -He creates multiple characters that seem suspicious so the reader guesses wrong. But the true villain must have enough backstory laid out so their reveal seems natural.

  • Why does Dan Brown get out of scenes early when writing?

    -He believes it creates more momentum and interest if you leave scenes before they fully resolve, so the reader feels compelled to keep reading.

  • What similarities does Dan Brown see between writing and music?

    -He draws parallels with tension and release, pacing, tempo - creating satisfying narrative arcs like musical arrangements.

  • What does the secret passageway in Dan Brown's home lead to?

    -He does not reveal where it leads, keeping it a mystery and cliffhanger for the audience.

Outlines
00:00
🎥 Introduction to the Masterclass Live Event

Davis introduces the Masterclass live event, which allows members to interact with instructors. He provides background on Masterclass - an online learning platform where anyone can learn from experts like Dan Brown. Davis will be interviewing Dan Brown in this live event.

05:01
🤝 Starting the Conversation with Dan Brown

Davis and Dan greet each other. Davis asks Dan what his favorite part of having his Masterclass thriller writing course available is. Dan jokes that now he can refer people to his Masterclass instead of explaining everything himself.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡writing process
The writing process refers to the steps and methodology a writer follows to produce a written work. In the video, Dan Brown emphasizes the importance of having a consistent writing process and protecting it from distractions. He shares specifics of his own writing routine such as waking up every morning at 4am to write. The writing process is key to generating creative output over a sustained period of time.
💡imaginary world
Dan Brown talks about the value of immersing oneself in an imaginary world through writing, especially during chaotic times. He shares that after 9/11 while writing The Da Vinci Code, focusing on his imaginary world of characters and locations helped provide meaning and respite. Escaping into imagination helps writers focus creativity inward.
💡point of view
Point of view refers to the narration perspective used while writing a story. Dan Brown emphasizes picking a single point of view per chapter and sticking to it, only changing between definite sections within a chapter. This allows greater control in revealing and hiding details from the reader.
💡red herring
A red herring refers to a false clue or diversion intentionally used by a writer to misdirect readers away from a story's real resolution or conclusion. Dan Brown stresses using red herrings to set up effective plot twists but also laying enough clues so the final reveal feels satisfying rather than contrived.
💡cliffhanger
A cliffhanger is a plot device used at the end of a chapter which leaves the reader in suspense wanting to know what happens next. Dan Brown aims to always end chapters before narrative arcs fully resolve so readers feel compelled to keep reading to get closure.
💡crucible
Dan Brown names the 'crucible' as one of the three key elements of a thriller, along with the clock and the contract. A crucible refers to an intense, transformative situation that confronts characters by restricting their escape and forcing them to deal with conflicts.
💡clock
Along with the crucible and contract, Dan Brown cites the clock as a key component of thrillers. A ticking clock introduces time pressure and a sense of urgency into the storytelling, forcing quicker resolution of conflicts.
💡tension and release
Similar to writing music, Dan Brown emphasizes the importance of tension and release cycles in storytelling to keep readers engaged. Tension builds curiosity while release provides resolution, with effective alternation between the two.
💡secret passageway
Dan Brown makes humorous references to a secret passageway behind a bookshelf in his home, shown briefly during the masterclass video. This ties into common associations of his novels with hidden access ways, encrypted clues and conspiracy theories.
💡red herring
Dan Brown reveals he intentionally named a character in The Da Vinci Code, Bishop Aringarosa, as a literal Italian translation of 'Bishop Red Herring' - signalling clearly to readers the character was a plot diversion and not the real mastermind.
Highlights

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Transcripts

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