Victoria Hislop, international bestselling author known for her historical fiction like 'The Island,' shares her journey from journalism to novel writing. She discusses how travel and history inspire her storytelling, along with the meticulous research behind her work. Hislop emphasizes creating a sense of place and character depth, and explains her approach of starting with a synopsis. She also reveals insights on writing routines, the emotional challenges of historical topics, and the balance of critique and praise in shaping her craft.