First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing

Lori Ostlund, an acclaimed author known for her thought-provoking works like Are You Happy?, engages in rich discussions about the intersection of personal truth and fiction. She delves into how unresolved family histories shape character identity and narratives. The talk highlights the emotional layers of storytelling, particularly in exploring trauma and class dynamics. Ostlund also emphasizes the significance of vulnerability in writing and the power of personal experiences to foster self-discovery, making the conversation a heartfelt journey into the craft of literature.

In this engaging dialogue, Ethan Rutherford, author and creative writing instructor at Trinity College, dives into the depths of his novel 'North Sun.' He explores the adventurous world of whaling, intertwining mythology with personal reflection. Rutherford discusses the musicality in writing, the transformative power of storytelling, and how his father's memory influences his creative process. The conversation spills into class dynamics, examining privilege and survival amidst capitalism, all enriched by humor and introspection.

Shelley Read’s debut novel, Go as a River, is an international bestseller that has been translated into thirty-four languages and is in development for film with the Mazur Kaplan Company. Winner of the High Plains Book Award for Fiction, the Reading the West Book Award for Debut Fiction, and le Prix de l’Union Interalliée, Go as a River is also a Sunday Times bestseller, Goodreads Choice Award finalist, Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Debut Fiction, Indie Next Pick, and a Colorado Public Radio Books We Love selection, among other national and international accolades. Go As A River has been highlighted in the New York Times Book Review, Sunday Times, Scientific American, Real Simple, Kirkus Reviews (starred review), Denver Post, London Independent, Alta Magazine, 5280, Zibby Mag, and many more publications around the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Madeleine Thien is the author of four books, including Do Not Say We Have Nothing, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Granta, The New York Review of Books, and elsewhere. She lives in Montreal.  Her new novel is The Book of Records. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lauren Groff is a three-time National Book Award finalist and The New YorkTimes–bestselling author of the novels The Monsters of Templeton, Arcadia, Fates and Furies, Matrix, and The Vaster Wilds, and the celebrated short story collections Delicate Edible Birds and Florida. She has won The Story Prize, the ABA Indies’ Choice Award, France’s Grand Prix de l’Héroïne, and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and has been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her work regularly appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Her work has been translated into thirty-six languages. She lives in Gainesville, Florida.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate Folk is the author of the novel Sky Daddy and the short story collection Out There. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in the New Yorker, n+1, the New York Times, Granta, and The Baffler, among other venues. A former Stegner Fellow, she’s also received fellowships and residencies from MacDowell, the Headlands Center for the Arts, and Willapa Bay AiR. She lives in San Francisco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob Johnson is an award-winning short story writer and graduate of the lowa Writers’ Workshop. His work has been published by The Common, Philadelphia Stories, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, The Barcelona Review, and elsewhere. His story "The Continental Divide" was named Short Story of the Year in The Hudson Review. He lives in South Bend, Indiana. His collection is called The Continental Divide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lynn Steger Strong is the author of the novels Hold Still, Want, Flight and The Float Test. Her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, New York, The Paris Review, Time, and elsewhere. She has taught writing at The Pratt Institute, Fairfield University, Catapult, and Columbia University. She was born and raised in South Florida. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vauhini Vara has been a reporter and editor for The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and the New York Times Magazine, and is the prize-winning author of The Immortal King Rao and This is Salvaged. She lives in Fort Collins, Colorado. Her new nonfiction book is called Searches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda is a literary translator.  Born in Tokyo, and raised in Texas, she is the co-translator of Ryke Akutagawa’s Kappa and the translator for Yuko Tsushima’s Wildcat Dome.  She lives in New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices