Join our far-ranging, fun and fascinating conversation with Lucy Jane Bledsoe on the occasion of her brand new historical novel, A THIN BRIGHT LINE, based on the true-life story of her aunt. We cover shaping historical fiction, balancing research and writing, dealing with problems with historical dialog and voice, and chucking out parts of your book in revision. Lucy gives us line-editing techniques and research tips. We discuss risk and the market, creating meaningful events and readings, building a community of writers, and the trials and tribulations of staying quiet through your morning writing time. We also talk about queer history, transparency of language, and forms of humor as models for structure, and more.

LINKS:

Ann Bannon

The Price of Salt/Carol

Lillian Faderman

Juliana Delgado Lopera

Transparent

Micheal Krasny Let There Be Laughter

James Wedmore

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

Kirsty Starkey works as a producer at BBC Radio 4’s acclaimed show Woman’s Hour, “the programme that offers a female perspective on the world.” She researches and develops stories, finds and interviews potential subjects, prepares the presenters for live on-air interviews, and more. In this episode, we discuss the similarities and differences between Woman’s Hour stories and novels, films or narrative non-fiction. We look at the journalistic need for balance alongside the risks and vulnerability of interviewees, and the desire to present the human angle that is also relevant to now. We examined how to narrow, shape, and focus a story. We looked at what can go wrong, such as ways a story might die on the vine or a subject might freeze up live on air. We discussed who the protagonist might be in the radio stories: the human interest subjects, or perhaps even the listener. The conversation includes tips on interviewing from a BCC veteran, and the ways the ability to ask questions makes a massive difference in getting strong stories.

LINKS:

Mansfield Park

The Known World

On Directing Film

Desert Island Discs

Woman's Hour

Rose Remain

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.