Historians Writing History: Drafting the Past

How do historians research and write their books? In this show, host Kate Carpenter interviews historians about the writing craft. They get into the nitty gritty of their writing habits, how they turn archival materials into fascinating materials, and how they bring voice and structure to historical narratives. The goal is to help historians think about and improve their craft, learn from other writers, and expand our sense of how history can be written. After all: friends don't let friends write boring history.

Since 2022, Kate has interviews more than 100 historians, including Pulitzer Prize and Bancroft Award winners, Guggenheim Fellows, academics, popular historians, public historians, and more. Once in a while, she even changes it up and talks to someone from the publishing side of the writing business for insights on editorial work, marketing, and getting an agent.

If you're a historian who wants to spend more time thinking about the writing craft — or if you're a fan of history books who wants to know more about how history gets made! — you're in the right place.