by Natasha Lester | Jun 19, 2018 | Diary, Writing Historical Fiction
Something strange and alchemical happens when I have an idea for a book and I start writing; it’s as if the universe gets behind me and wants me to keep writing. It puts things in my path that I can’t help but discover, and which never fail to make my...
by Natasha Lester | Jun 12, 2018 | Diary, Writing Historical Fiction
One of the most common questions I get asked at author talks is about the research I do for my books. It always gives me quite a thrill when readers and reviewers praise the research in my books; it’s so important to me that the characters and the story and...
by Natasha Lester | May 8, 2018 | Diary, For Writers: Writing Tips, Writing Historical Fiction
Besides the structural edit, which is a process that adds new meaning to the word difficult, the hardest part of the writing process for me is writing the first draft of a novel. Other writers I know love the first draft and hate the redrafting. We’re all different....
by Natasha Lester | Nov 16, 2017 | Diary, For Writers: Writing Tips, Writing Historical Fiction
I was asked this question during the week. And I laughed. The other alternative was to cry. Because I am not yet the kind of writer who can turn in my first draft to my publisher. I know some writers do this. How I envy them, that they can produce a first draft that...
by Natasha Lester | Oct 25, 2017 | Diary, For Writers: Writing Tips, Writing Historical Fiction
Because I’ve been blathering on so much about my recent research trip, I’ve had quite a few people get in touch to ask how to go about their own research: where to start when researching a novel just seems so overwhelming. Here are my tips. Daily Life in...
by Natasha Lester | Oct 17, 2017 | Diary, The French Photographer / The Paris Orphan, Writing Historical Fiction
For anyone interested, here’s a rundown of what I did on my recent research trip to Europe. I was finishing up a last bit of research for The French Photographer (2019 book) and researching the seed of an idea I had for a 2020 book, which has now grown into much...
