by Sybil Johnson
I’ve been a big Agatha Christie fan ever since I discovered her books in junior high. So when I saw that BBC Maestro had a course featuring Christie “talking” about writing, I decided I would buy it as a Christmas present to myself. That was a year ago. Since then I’ve gone through the course and read through the notes and the workbook.
I felt a little uneasy about buying it. After all, she died in the 1970s so I knew the figure talking to me wasn’t really her and that AI had been used to simulate the appearance of Christie talking about her books and writing process.
I felt better when I read that all of the advice was her own words, taken from interviews, articles and books where she talked about her writing process. Plus the Agatha Christie estate had given their blessing to the project.
The AI part wasn’t as I expected either. It wasn’t a complete AI simulation, but an actress, Vivien Keene, who sat at a desk and spoke the words. AI was then used to put Christie’s face over hers. The effect was believable and not at all disconcerting
I found the course, consisting of 10 lessons on plot, characters, process etc., very interesting and useful. In some ways I think we are kindred spirits and that our attitudes toward writing are similar. Although, she was much more prolific than I am. Her thoughts on endings helped me finish the short story I was working on.
I also had the opportunity to sample some of the other BBC Maestro courses including a few lessons from Lee Child and Harlan Coben. BBC Maestro isn’t all writing courses. There are also ones on Art & Design, Food & Drink, Wellness and Lifestyle and more. Overall, the experience was fun and worth my time.
Have any of you watched any of the BBC Maestro courses? What did you think?
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