Interview with Author Bruce Holsinger

Finding the extraordinary story right in front of you.

In episode 36 of Working Title podcast, I chat with author and scholar Bruce Holsinger. We discuss his latest novel, The Gifted School, and all things research. How the idea for his previous novel sprang from his reviewing centuries-old inventory documents, where you can find allies in your own research, tips for reaching out to subject matter experts, ways to introduce your characters to the reader, and more.

Continue reading “Interview with Author Bruce Holsinger”

Writing Faster

Prior to the James River Writers conference a week ago, I attended Natasha Sass’s Master Class on “Writing Smarter, Faster, and to Market.” It was the first Master Class I had ever attended. Two hours with a short break went by fast. I wrote notes. I fail at notes. But this time, my notes were nearly eidetic. Sass knows her stuff, expertly fielding questions from attendees. If you have the opportunity to take one of her classes, do so.

It was the writing faster part of her presentation that I want to hone in on here. This is where I need work. I write slower than I would like. I read slower than I would like. She spoke on the Pomodoro Technique, which I thought pertained to making lasagna pasta at home. Actually it’s a way to build habit in writing faster and more concisely. I want to try it out for NaNoWriMo. My only goal will be to follow the method and track my progress as Sass suggested. I’ll begin at five minute increments. That should be do-able, even in a busy day, right?

Afterwards I will check in on myself and report here what I find.