Finding the Magic in Everyday Moments: Isabel Allende’s Guide to Storytelling

This article is sponsored content created in partnership with BBC Maestro to spotlight their course Magical Storytelling with Isabel Allende.

“If you wish to be a writer, write.”

These words are attributed to ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus, born in the year 50 AD.

The advice still stands: if your goal is to write a book, you’re going to have to sit down and write it.

As every aspiring writer knows, however, this is easier said than done.

Countless would-be writers feel passionately that they have a story to share with the world.

They’re just not sure how to get started… or how to keep going… or how to reach the end.

This is where BBC Maestro’s latest course, “Magical Storytelling with Isabel Allende,” can serve as a powerful guiding light.

The esteemed (and prolific) Isabel Allende leads this twenty-one lesson course designed to take you from your very first sentence, all the way down to the process of publication.

If you’re a hopeful writer (or are close to one), this review is for you.

We’ll go in-depth about who’s behind this course, how it works, and what exactly you’ll learn from Isabel Allende’s unique guide to the art of storytelling.

Let’s get started!

Who is Isabel Allende?

If you’ve never heard of Isabel Allende, chances are you know someone who has.

Touted as “the world’s most widely read Spanish-language author,” Isabel Allende is the author of dozens of bestselling fiction and nonfiction novels.

She is the recipient of such prestigious honors as the US Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Literature Prize from her native Chile.

Isabel Allende was even inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, based on her powerful contributions to modern literature.

In her writing, Isabel frequently draws on her personal history, as well as the historical events that shaped her life.

When a government coup forced Isabel Allende and her family to flee Chile for Venezuela in 1973, she experienced an abrupt loss of security and belonging as she struggled to start over in a new country.

This traumatic event prompted her to write her first book, “The House of the Spirits,” ten years later, in order to share everything she had lost.

“The House of the Spirits” became an instant bestseller and was named “Best Novel of the Year” in Chile in 1982.  It has since been translated into over 20 languages.

The success of her first book catapulted Isabel Allende to literary fame, with many critics wondering if she could maintain the magic with a second book.

Over twenty bestselling books later, Isabel has certainly proved that she can.

Some of Isabel Allende’s books are sheerly autobiographical, while others contain elements of magical realism.  Many of her stories feature powerful female characters, but no two storylines are the same.

One common denominator remains, however: Isabel Allende writes from the heart, with such a passionate vision that readers are hooked from the very first page.

Is it possible to teach a skill like this?  Perhaps not entirely.

Yet in her twenty-one lesson course, Isabel imparts her wisdom, provides valuable writing and thinking exercises, and lends her strength and encouragement to aspiring writers.

All of this goes a long way in getting a stuck novel or a daydreamed story off the ground… and onto the page.

What is BBC Maestro?

So, where exactly does this course come from?

“Magical Storytelling With Isabel Allende” is one of dozens of online courses offered through BBC Maestro.

This online platform is aimed at allowing users to learn from the pros, whether it’s business lessons from Trinny Woodall or cooking lessons with Marco Pierre White.

Each course is divided into short video-style lessons, most around fifteen minutes long, with additional notes and articles provided to supplement the content.

Lessons play in a convenient in-browser window, and users can pause, restart, or skip around in the sequence as desired.

With so many topics to choose from, a subscription to BBC Maestro opens the door for a world of new skills and intriguing instructors.

Who is This Course Meant For?

“Magical Storytelling With Isabel Allende” is meant for anyone who feels like they want to tell their story.

Maybe you have dozens of ideas in mind, but have yet to write that all-important first sentence.

Maybe you already have a novel started and can’t figure out how to end it.  

Maybe you’ve even completed a manuscript, but don’t know how to take the next steps to move forward.

This course will serve as a glimpse into an expert writer’s routine, with a close look at her process and the way she takes what she calls “seeds” (ideas) and grows them into powerful novels.

It’s ideal for anyone who is committed to the idea of sitting down and writing a book, but needs a little bit of inspiration and instruction from a master.

What Can This Course Teach You?

In “Magical Storytelling With Isabel Allende,” Isabel narrates twenty-one video lessons, each designed to help you become a better and more confident writer and storyteller.

From finding your narrative voice to creating your characters to writing dialogue and more, Isabel shares her extensive experience and helps hopeful writers stay on track to meet their goals.

As someone who found literary success at age 40 (and wrote her first book while working 12-hour shifts, in addition to being a wife and mother), Isabel’s advice is empowering.

She reminds us to write from the heart, about the issues and ideas that move and fascinate us on a personal level.

Isabel encourages writers to delve into family history, explore the past, and discover what they really wish to express and share with the world.

Her advice is also practical: she’s full of strategies on fashioning your writing routine, conducting meaningful research, editing your content, and developing your own unique style.

She explains how to “massage” sentences from first draft to final draft quality, as well as how to build tension between characters and craft compelling scenes.

Isabel also encourages writers not to let the fear of failure overcome them.

Being flexible, making changes, going back and fixing passages that don’t work – all of this is a necessary and freeing part of the writing process, she explains.

From writing a riveting first sentence to finding an ending that will satisfy your readers (and yourself), these lessons are rich with writerly tidbits and thought-provoking wisdom.

Isabel’s lectures are warm and pleasant to listen to, peppered with great quotes and funny asides.

The accompanying notes, meanwhile, are designed to give you a chance to hone your writing skills and practice what you’ve learned.

Aspiring writers can find in Isabel Allende’s lessons a guide, someone to jumpstart their momentum as they work to tell their stories.

Final Thoughts on Finding the Magic in Everyday Moments with Isabel Allende

There’s no one special method to become a bestselling author, unfortunately.

What works perfectly for one person may not ultimately work for you.

In fact, even if you follow this course religiously, there’s no guarantee your book is going to become the next international bestseller.

That said, in her BBC Maestro course, Isabel Allende offers a message of incredible hope and power: that there is magic in the everyday, and that the stories we yearn to tell have value.

Her practical advice on style, syntax, editing, and publishing are all extremely useful to hopeful writers.

Yet the most powerful takeaway offered here is the idea that we can find meaning in the everyday happenings of our lives, in our histories, and in the world around us, if we only take the time to pay attention.

This course may not turn you into a Pultizer Prizewinner, but it will build your confidence, stretch your imagination, and help you fall in love with writing.

That may be reward enough.

Are you an aspiring writer or a fan of Isabel Allende’s work?  Do you have experience with other courses on BBC Maestro?  We’d love to hear your questions and comments below!