From Dan Brown's MasterClass
Choosing Locations
Learn how to use location to create interest, generate suspense, and build the structure of your book.
Topics include: Think of Location as a Character • Look to Location for Inspiration
Learn how to use location to create interest, generate suspense, and build the structure of your book.
Topics include: Think of Location as a Character • Look to Location for Inspiration
Preview
When I sit down and write a book, I think of location as a character. I think that if I choose the right location, it's going to do a lot of the heavy lifting for me. I can write a conversation that takes place in a Denny's Restaurant. If I set that same conversation, and put it in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao in the shadow of a 30-foot tall black widow spider, suddenly, that conversation feels more interesting. The information itself may not literally be more interesting. But the effect on your reader is that this entire scene is more interesting. And I would encourage you, as you try to figure out where am I going to set my novels, what are the locations, choose places that excite you personally. And the fun thing about that is that you can go there, or you can go online and research the place. And so when you sit down to write the scene, there's some inherent enthusiasm about what you're writing. And that's going to come through to your reader. Location not only functions as a character in that it has a personality. It can function as the pillars of your structure, in that you can use location to start to frame your book. You say, I'm not really sure what the action is, but in the case of "Origin," for example, I know I want it to take place at the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Casa Mila in Barcelona, Sagrada Familia, the Supercomputing Center. So I've picked these locations that I say, I know I want something to happen there. I don't know what it is yet. But I'm going to put them in an order that kind of makes sense. Maybe geographically, it makes more sense to move in this direction. Or maybe thematically, it makes more sense to move from the world of art toward the world of technology, the Supercomputing Center at the end. Location is going to be an enormous tool for you as a writer to build suspense, build interest, but also build the structure of your book. One other thing that location can do for you is it can inspire you. It can actually tell you, this is a plot point that you need. When I had researched Sagrada Familia, I'd been there three times. I had actually written a scene at the end of "Origin." The scene was done. And I went back a fourth time to sort of check something, and I found a stairwell-- a very steep, spiral staircase that I'd never seen. And a light went off, and I said, oh, no. Somebody has got to die in there. And the funny thing about that moment is, I'd been having trouble with the end of the book. I had too many secrets to tell, too many promises to keep. And the big finale at the Supercomputing Center was going to include the death of Luis Avila, who'd been tracking Langdon. It was too much for the end. And I said, you know what? I need to kill Avila earlier. I need to make that promise, tie up that loose end so I can move on, and focus on the ending, which was a little unusual. Usually the killer doesn't die quite that early in most stories. But I saw that stairwell, and I thou...
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.
Reviews
I think "trust your taste" is excellent advice and to be excited about what you're writing. My head is spinning with great tools. Thank you!
Inspiring to hear Dan's story, his struggles, and his philosophy of writing. His Masterclass is rich with tips and guides to help an aspiring author communicate an entertaining story.
Dan is inspiring and a really good teacher. Loved his class. Thanks Dan. I am in IT, have been for many years. Gonna give writing (my dream) a shot
The app for tablet does not work properly. The lessons are all the time stopping with a message that says "unable to reproduce the class" or something like this.
Comments
Enjoyed this one very much. I like that Dan gets down to specifics, can show why and how a strategy works.
This lesson really got me excited about the book I am currently working on because it made me feel that I am on the right track with the location I chose for my story!
I understand his point. Several sci-fi TV shows I've watched over the years put emphasis on the technology at the expense of the characters and result was me changing the channel.
This class is giving me lots of ideas. The location as another character does not resonate with me. I am more of a science buff than a history enthusiast. The isea of looking at other elements as characters is inspiring.
Location is an element I had paid scant attention to in the past, but I can well see now how a setting can add colour to a scene.
I think he described one of his "signature" problem : Overwhelming descriptive information. I have not completed his last two books because I felt he was going in circles and over describing places and/or subjects. It was very clear in Angels and Demons movie and caused it to feel ... stale. However, he is a fantastic writer and a better teacher. Well, at least so far in my opinion.
So fascinating listening to Brown talking about the writing process of Origin. I got so invested in that book! Its settled then, I must go to Mars for location research!
Very interesting. I tend to leave out descriptions of place altogether. These days I'm trying to get better at that.
Locations are something I struggle with. I love Google street view, it's helped me a lot. One of my New Year's resolutions is to use local setting more. I've been told multiple times to place my stories in the US for marketing purposes. So I moved the location of The Family Man from British Columbia, Canada, (RCMP) to Portland, Oregon, USA, (FBI) In my novel I picked Oregon, because of the explosion of Tech Wealth that has moved in and corrupted the state and cities. I put my character in Portland because of an article about house prices climbing and tech money buying changes to entire areas. Do I upload my exercises here?
Lesson Plan
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I've taken a few of the writing courses, and thus far, I must admit, Dan Brown is the best in talking about strategy and plotting the novel. Really loving his energy and his classes.