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Online Community
Join Valerie, Melanie, and authors from around the world, as we nerd out about all things storytelling, because when you're around better, you do better!
Monthly Q&A
As you work through the lessons you'll naturally have questions. We want you to get the most out of this training, so each month we'll hop on a call and help you any way we can.
Learn at Your Own Pace
Fitting your writing in around an already hectic schedule? We understand. That's why we've made the entire program available to you right away. Whether you want to binge study or take it at a more leisurely pace, we've got you covered.
Why You Need This Course
If you're writing a mystery, spy story or crime thriller, your job is to outsmart your reader. And that's tough because they've read a lot of books. They've come across hundreds of literary puzzles and they know how to solve them. So how do you do it? How do you craft an unsolvable mystery? How do you engineer the perfect crime? How do you weave a tale of intrigue and espionage so thrilling that a reader can't put your book down? Understanding story theory is obviously going to help you, but in these kinds of "left-brained" stories, the fundamentals are applied a little differently. That's why we've created this course. Using Agatha Christie's THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD as an example, we teach you the storytelling tools that every writer, every mastermind of literary puzzles, needs to know. (Spoiler Alert! We reveal the killer in THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD.)
Meet Your Instructors
Valerie Francis is a bestselling author, story editor and co-host of the Story Nerd podcast. Valerie helps women, who write in all genres, learn how stories work so they can finish their books faster and without frustration. Her mission is to show writers that story theory is a valuable tool that can — and will — help them write more, not less. Melanie Hill is an Australian author, poet, and editor. She reads voraciously across genres and loves book recommendations across cultures. Melanie is passionate about middle-grade and young-adult stories, spy stories, mysteries and fairy tales. She combines her planning skills from a career as a logistics planner with story theory to help authors discover solutions to their story problems so they can finish their novels.
Curriculum
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1
They're a HUGE deal. Here's why.
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(Included in full purchase)
What is a left-brained story?
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Why are left-brained stories so popular?
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(Included in full purchase)
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2
The Big Picture (Macro View)
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(Included in full purchase)
Archplot Structure
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The Protagonist
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Cast Design
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Exposition
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(Included in full purchase)
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3
The Devil's in the Details (Micro View)
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(Included in full purchase)
Character Motive
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(Included in full purchase)
Red Herrings
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(Included in full purchase)
The Investigation
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The Illusion of Fair Play
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(Included in full purchase)
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4
Best Advice
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(Included in full purchase)
Overwhelmed? Here's what to do.
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(Included in full purchase)
This is why we do what we do.
We explain story theory in a way that's easy to understand and use because for us, there's no greater buzz than seeing authors finally writing the books of their dreams.
Working with Valerie has been the BEST decision and investment with respect to writing my first book. From the very beginning, she not only ignited a spark in my manuscript, but she reignited the spark within myself.
Author
I just wish I had discovered Valerie years ago. I think a lot of the mistakes I made along the way and just getting that first draft down I mean, I think I had to do that just to get it out. But I think if I understood story well a little bit more as I was doing it, it would have saved me a lot of time. Valerie is the best.
Author
Valerie saw the problems with my manuscript but unlike me, she managed to work around them. What a relief! Some of these things I've been thinking about for years now.
Author
Valerie is a phenomenal person to learn from. She thinks very deeply about story.
Best Book Ever Podcast
Melanie gave me confidence that my book would be free of errors and look professional when published. I would highly recommend Melanie to anyone.
Author
I’ve known and have worked with Val for years, and I can honestly say, she knows more about how stories work than just about anyone I know. She's serious about the writing craft, and about explaining story theory in a way that writers can understand and use. Writers have a lot to learn from her.
founder of TheAuthorLife.com
I have learned about the craft of writing and the industry from attending Melanie’s classes. Her broad skills have been an asset to me.
Author
There is no one better at talking story theory in applicable and relevant terms than Valerie Francis.
Author
I'm so impressed with Valerie's work ethic and her dedication to the craft. It started with what she's invested in going to study in New York and L.A. to become a better writer, and then her years of honing her skill to help other writers. Having read her novel Masquerade, I can say her writing is not only solid, but her execution of a compelling and unputdownable read is impeccable. It's obvious she really knows story.
Stark Reflections Podcast
I have listened to many of the Story Nerd podcasts and I think Valerie and Melanie are superb. They are my go-to Story Guru Duo. Their stuff is exciting and entertaining but hits the sweet spot of useful information.
Author
Rewatching the recording of "Hook Your Reader in 10 Pages or less" by Valerie Francis today, I had a breakthrough on making the antagonists of my WIP more interesting.
Author
Melanie is one of my most trusted critique partners and I value her insights over anyone else’s.
Author
Ready to learn how to craft unsolvable puzzles and outsmart your reader?
Unlock the secret to writing mysteries, spy stories, and crime thrillers.
$97.00