In this special episode, we bring you an edited version of the recent webinar featuring bestselling author Kate Forsyth. The episode is jam-packed with insights, focusing on five essential lessons from different genres that can improve your writing. Kate Forsyth delves into historical fiction, crime and mystery, romance, fantasy, and magic realism, sharing her top tips for writing compelling and immersive narratives. Additionally, the episode features a Q&A session where Kate answers questions on writing routines, character development, publishing, and more. The episode offers practical advice and inspirational insights for aspiring and established writers.
00:00 Introduction and welcome 00:16 Special episode announcement 01:04 Competition announcement 02:39 Word of the week 03:18 Webinar introduction 05:20 Kate Forsyth's writing journey 08:59 Lessons from historical fiction 11:30 Lessons from crime and mystery 14:44 Lessons from romance 16:46 Lessons from fantasy 19:28 Lessons from magic realism 24:30 Q&A session 31:37 Exploring new writing territories 32:15 Top magic realism books 32:39 Advice for unpublished authors 33:51 Creating memorable characters 34:41 Understanding Psyche's motif 35:13 Knowing when editing is done 35:52 Starting your writing journey 36:40 Musicality in writing 37:42 Balancing originality and familiarity 38:36 Imagining your protagonists 40:02 Publishing your first book 40:42 Inspiration from lyrical authors 41:31 Setting your novel apart 42:27 Establishing a writing routine 44:08 Crafting the perfect ending 46:13 Incorporating writing tips 48:26 Maintaining writing motivation 49:43 Finding time to read 50:27 Defining historical fiction 51:14 Choosing character names 51:59 Condensing your story 52:46 Crafting satisfying endings 53:41 Final thoughts
Dr Kate Forsyth is an award-winning author, poet, and storyteller. Her most recent books are Psykhe, a new telling of the classic myth, Kate Forsyth’s Long-Lost Fairy Tales, a collection of lost fairy tales from around the world, and The Crimson Thread, a reimagining of ‘The Minotaur in the Labyrinth’ myth, set in Crete during the Nazi invasion and occupation of World War II.
Kate’s other historical novels include The Blue Rose, set during the French Revolution and the first British embassy to Imperial China; Beauty in Thorns, a reimagining of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ told in the voices of four women of the Pre-Raphaelite circle of artists and poets; The Wild Girl, the story of the forbidden romance behind the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales which was named Most Memorable Love Story of 2013; and Bitter Greens, a retelling of ‘Rapunzel’ which won the 2015 American Library Association award for Best Historical Fiction.
Kate’s non-fiction books include Searching for Charlotte: The Fascinating Story of Australia’s First Children’s Author, co-written with her sister Belinda Murrell, with the assistance of the Nancy Keesing Fellowship. It was longlisted for the 2021 Readings Non-Fiction Prize. Her collection of essays, The Rebirth of Rapunzel: A Mythic Biography of the Maiden in the Tower, won the William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism in 2017.
Kate has also written books for children, including the Long-Lost Fairy-Tales collection, illustrated by Lorena Carrington. The first in the series, Vasilisa the Wise & Other Tales of Brave Young Women, won a silver medal in the 2018 US Readers Favorite Book awards. Other titles in the series are The Buried Moon & Other Tales of Bright Young Women; Snow White, Rose Red & Other Tales of Kind Young Women; and The Gardener’s Son & the Golden Bird & Other Tales of Gentle Young Men.
Kate has a Doctorate of Creative Arts in fairy tale studies, and is also an accredited master storyteller with the Australian Guild of Storytellers. She has taught writing retreats in Australia, Fiji, Greece, and the United Kingdom.
