So far this one has been the best of the Masterclass instructors. Even though this focuses on writing scary books for kids, what he talks about extends to adult books as well. he makes a point of differentiating when it is important.

The production values of all of the Masterclass courses are all top notch. This one is no exception. R.L. Stine is comfortable in front of the camera and comfortable teaching. I get the impression that he has done this for audiences of all ages for a long time. He’s polished, orderly, and entertaining with a good sense of humor.

The course is one of the longer ones with 28 chapters covering everything from ideas to revisions to writing as a career. He demonstrates how he does things like writing monsters or creating twists. He describes the tricks he uses. Each section includes examples from his own books.

The written materials are also helpful. He provides outlines from one of his books, a workbook, and a character cheat sheet. The workbook basically summarizes the course and provides writing exercises. It’s as if a friend took notes for you.

This one is a course that I will go back to. There was so much substance and so many good ideas that I’m sure I didn’t get everything on a first run-through. I highly recommend this even if you aren’t writing for younger audiences.