UK 
Agatha Christie on Writing
Learn From the Best
What if Agatha Christie could teach you how to craft the perfect crime novel? BBC Maestro is making the impossible possible. In a world-first, Agatha Christie will offer aspiring writers an unparalleled opportunity to learn the secrets behind her writing, in her own words.
The course has been curated by leading Christie scholars Dr Mark Aldridge, Michelle Kazmer, Gray Robert Brown, and Jamie Bernthal-Hooker, who have painstakingly reconstructed Agatha’s philosophy on writing, using her own words.
Using meticulously restored archival interviews, private letters, and writings researched by a team of Christie experts, this pioneering course reconstructs Christie’s own voice and insights, guiding students through the art of suspense, plot twists, and unforgettable characters. For the first time, audiences will hear Agatha Christie impart her insights on story structure, cast creation, plot twists, red herrings, and the art of suspense, drawn directly from her own writings and archival interviews.
Bringing Agatha Christie’s presence to life, BBC Maestro has collaborated with a professional actress, Vivien Keene, and expert visual effects artists to create a faithful representation of her voice and likeness. Using the latest audio and visual enhancement technology, licensed images, and carefully restored audio recordings, this pioneering course captures the essence of Agatha Christie’s presence and voice, complemented by a script created by academics from Christie’s own words and teachings, delivering an experience that feels as though she is speaking directly to the audience.
Watch the Trailer
The Course
Agatha Christie: Writing from BBC Maestro
Over one hundred years ago, Agatha Christie published her first novel. And now, in her own words, Agatha shares her writing philosophy and the detail of her distinct approach to structure, plot and character.
Learn to:• Structure an airtight plot
• Build compelling characters
• Craft twists, red herrings and subversions
• Build suspense
• Start with confidence
• And finish your novel
Course Duration: 11 lessons, 2.5 hours of learning and 12 exercises
The Writer's Workbook
The course includes an 100 page PDF Writer's Workbook packed full of writing advice and exercises to download and print. To give you a taste of the course, we have provided some of the initial writing activities for you to print off and try at home.
The Making Of...
Discover the expert collaboration behind the Agatha Christie Writing Course. Developed with her family and a team of over 100 creatives and scholars, every detail has been carefully shaped to honour Christie's legacy. Find out more in this behind-the-scenes exploration of the course.
FAQs
Where is BBC Maestro available?
BBC Maestro is available in the following territories: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Guernsey, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Isle of Mann, Italy, Jersey, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, United Kingdom and United States.
How do I purchase the Agatha Christie Writing course?
You can choose between buying a single course as a one-off purchase, or you can sign up for an annual subscription which gives you access to all BBC Maestro courses for one year.
If you buy a single course, then you can access it for one year. You can watch the course as many times as you like, whenever you like. Our single courses include downloadable course notes to complement the video lessons. Your access to the course will expire after one year from the date of purchase.
Alternatively, if you buy an annual subscription to BBC Maestro, you can access every course for one year. You can watch each course as many times as you like within the year, and you’ll also be able to download the course notes for each course.
More on Writing
On Writing: Agatha Christie's Advice
An examination of how Agatha Christie wrote, taken from the Queen of Crime's autobiography.
Agatha Christie, Playwright
Author Peter Swanson shares his appreciation of Christie's plays
A Life in Numbers: 1890 - 1976
A celebration of Agatha Christie's life and career in numbers
