How to set the mood and emotional context for your story

Learn how to use descriptive language to build the tone of your story with well-chosen adjectives and metaphors.

Watch the full BBC Maestro course here.

10 September 2025

BBC Maestro - Isabel Allende

Top Oscars picks chosen by BBC correspondents

From Iran's 'achingly beautiful' cinema to a stress‑busting horror hit, this is BBC correspondents' Oscars picks.

Film & TV

US shares lower as Middle East war goes on

Wall Street opens lower as Middle East war continues

JoAnne Feeney at Advisors Capital Management explains the impact of war on oil prices and the market.

Opening Bell

Wall Street opens down as oil prices climb

Expert says the Middle East conflict and rising oil prices could wreak havoc on the global economy.

Opening Bell

Who can afford an offline childhood?

Katty Kay with Róisín Lanigan discuss why some parents are pulling their kids off technology.

Katty Kay

NFTS: Inside one of the world's most elite film schools

The NFTS opens its doors to the BBC to share what it takes to shape and train award‑winning filmmakers.

Arts in Motion

Inside Finland’s Arctic icebreaker ship labs

The Finnish shipyard making the world's toughest icebreakers

Tech Now heads to Finland to meet the engineers designing icebreaker ships navigating through Arctic sea ice.

Tech Now

US stock market rebounds as oil prices stop spiking

Despite no clear indication of when the Middle East tensions may ease, Wall Street has shrugged off concerns.

Opening Bell

Markets turn south on Tuesday as Iran shock sinks in

Expert says Tuesday saw more dramatic price shifts on fears that the conflict could escalate.

Opening Bell

Inside a 12,000-year-old kitchen in Neolithic Anatolia

An ancient kitchen discovered in Turkey's Karahan Tepe offers a glimpse into prehistoric cooking and daily life.

Archaeology

Oil prices jump amid developing Middle East crisis

Oil prices jump as a range of assets are affected by the strikes on Iran and its military response.

Opening Bell

What does it take to run North America's largest ski resort?

The Travel Show heads to Whistler as it kicks off its 60th season to see the high‑speed world of its ski lifts.

The Travel Show

Are women with kids happier?

Katty Kay and Jean Twenge unpack a survey about the links between motherhood and happiness.

Katty Kay

Lego’s new smart brick

Tech Now experiences Lego's new Smart Brick, designed to bring physical play to next level.

Tech Now

US Stocks subdued despite Nvidia earnings

Ed Moya, Market Intelligence Strategist at AlphaSense, explains market's reaction to Nvidia results.

Opening Bell

Wall Street pays attention to Nvidia earnings

Anna Rathbun from Grenadilla Advisory says everyone is paying close attention to Nvidia's Q4 results.

Opening Bell

The largest seed in the plant kingdom

The peculiar shape of the coco de mer has inspired legends involving walking trees and aphrodisiac properties.

Discover the World

Wall Street nervous about AI market impact

Carol Schleif from BMO Private Wealth says Wall Street is overreacting to potential AI disruption.

Opening Bell

In search of the elusive snow leopard in Uzbekistan

The BBC visits Uzbekistan's remote mountains as the first international film crew searching for snow leopards.

Adventures

Wall Street opens amid fresh tariff turmoil

Katy Kaminski, from AlphaSimplex, says the new US tariffs are pushing the markets into 'risk off' mode.

Opening Bell

Inside the completion of Gaudi's Sagrada Família

A rare peek at La Sagrada Família's finishing details

A century after Gaudí's passing, his masterpiece La Sagrada Família is reaching its conclusion.

The Travel Show