Thank you @timeshighered.bsky.social for publishing my essay advocating for the value of developmental editing in scholarly writing & publishing! Takeaway for authors: learning to edit your own work in this way will help you get published better (and faster)

A delight to host @renatakeller.bsky.social for ep 83! We talked her book The Fate of the Americas (@uncpress.bsky.social), including how she wrangled 20 countries' stories. She also let me pry about the challenges of writing thru the loneliness of new parenthood draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...

Season 5 kicked off last week, and Jeff Roche shows us how you can imagine exactly who your audience is. buttondown.com/draftingthep...

Headed to #AHA26 today, recorder and mic in hand! If you see me in the book exhibit, come say hi and tell me the most influential writing advice you know!

The first ep of 2026 (and season 5) is here! I chatted with Jeff Roche about his book THE CONSERVATIVE FRONTIER (@utexaspress.bsky.social). We talked about his excellent writing voice, how music shapes his process, and his intriguing note organizing method. draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis... 🗃️

So pleased that Unrooted got a shout-out as one of listeners’ favourite history reads of 2025! If you’re interested in the history of women in botany, check it out! 🌿🌾

getting myself out of holiday mode and back to book writing mode by catching up on @katecarp.bsky.social brilliant @draftingthepast.bsky.social

It was a pleasure to share a few words about my favorite read of the year with one of my favorite podcasts, though fitting all my thoughts into 90 seconds felt like an impossible challenge. Looking forward to reading some of the books shared by others!

I started with the OpEd Project, then listened to a lot of the Longform podcast (since @draftingthepast.bsky.social wasn’t around yet!). Took a few nonfiction writing workshops but felt awkwardly jammed in with memoirs. Also continue to find web.archive.org/web/20230201... very helpful!

I’m already seeing subscribers tick up for my newsletter about writing, literary agents, and publishing ahead of the “I’m going to write a book this year!” crowd. Welcome! Sign up here: www.agentsandbooks.com

It's here! Listeners shared some of their favorite history reads from 2025--inclusing one book published 90 years ago! draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...

How do you practice writing? What's your version of running through your scales or doing mile repeats? buttondown.com/draftingthep...

New episode with Amy Farrell (@amyefarrell.bsky.social)! We talked about incorporating her story in her history of the Girl Scouts, INTREPID GIRLS (@uncpress.bsky.social). Plus, getting an agent, wrangling sources, developing an accessible voice, & more. Listen: draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...

Last call to tell me your favorite history book that you read this year!

Some wise words from documentary filmmaker Penny Lane: open.substack.com/pub/lennypan... May the proliferation of AI challenge us to write with verve.

Reupping this as it may be helpful!

Out now! My convo with the inimitable @wellerstein.bsky.social about his new book, THE MOST AWFUL RESPONSIBILITY. I loved going deep with Alex on the challenges of document management and the very practical things (post on reddit!) he does to hone his craft. draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis... 🗃️

In my academic writing group, we've been talking about the value of having a method: when you need to revise a draft, you sit down and do this thing first. Then you do the next thing, and you keep going down the list of tasks until voilà, you've revised your draft.

Out now! My convo with the inimitable @wellerstein.bsky.social about his new book, THE MOST AWFUL RESPONSIBILITY. I loved going deep with Alex on the challenges of document management and the very practical things (post on reddit!) he does to hone his craft. draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis... 🗃️

An overdue newsletter post with some updates and reminders: buttondown.com/draftingthep...

I need your help! I want to put together a year-end episode, and I want to know what you read this year. Go here: www.speakpipe.com/DraftingtheP... and record a short message telling me who you are and the best history book you read this year. Doesn't have to be published this year!

Bingeing @draftingthepast.bsky.social as preparation to revise my “The Historian’s Craft” syllabus. Definitely going to recommend it to students! Great interviews with @mkn.bsky.social, @zacharyschrag.bsky.social, @kidadaewilliams.com, @sethrockman.bsky.social, @kawulf.bsky.social, and many more.

We light the first Hanukkah candle this evening, but we could all use some light right now, so here’s my 254th #ScholarSunday thread of public scholarly writing, podcasts, new & forthcoming books from last week. Add more below, share widely, & solidarity, all.🗃️ blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...

In addition to ad-free episodes, Patreon supporters have some bonus audio from this week's episode with Edward Watts. Hear his response when I posed the question: truffle hunter or parachutist? www.patreon.com/draftingthep...

My interview with Edward Watts, author of THE ROMANS (@basicbooksgroup.bsky.social) is out! draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis... This was a particularly fun interview. I loved to hear how Ed thinks about style right down to sentence structure, and how his work on ancient history draws on his life.

My interview with Edward Watts, author of THE ROMANS (@basicbooksgroup.bsky.social) is out! draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis... This was a particularly fun interview. I loved to hear how Ed thinks about style right down to sentence structure, and how his work on ancient history draws on his life.

Drafting the Past Episode 1 guest @mkn.bsky.social has a new book coming in March, PLUS this exciting announcement, and we are planning a Very Special Episode to talk about all this and more in a few months!

Did you know? Patreon supporters of Drafting the Past at any level now get access to an ad-free version of the podcast. www.patreon.com/draftingthep...

New! I interviewed Marc James Carpenter about The War on Illahee (@yalepress.bsky.social), a staggering account of settler violence in the PNW and the work of many--including historians--to hide it. We talked lying sources, role playing games, and more! #writing draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...

Want to take advantage of @bookshop.org's free shipping today? Don't forget that you can find lists of books by Drafting the Past guests, books mentioned on the show, and craft books in our shop: bookshop.org/shop/draftin...

I’ve been looking forward to this episode all day, & it’s worth the wait @kawulf.bsky.social @katecarp.bsky.social @draftingthepast.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...

Great listen - bonus pen chat was an unexpected delight!

What a pleasure to talk with @kawulf.bsky.social about her love of all aspects of her work for this episode! You'll hear about the making of her new book, Lineage (@oxfordunipress.bsky.social), and how she keeps writing as director of the @jcblibrary.bsky.social. draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...

You can now find Drafting the Past on Pandora, if you're into that sort of thing! www.pandora.com/podcast/draf...

I rounded up some of this week's newly released history books for your perusing pleasure: draftingthepast.com/new-releases/this-weeks-new-history-books-nov-18-2025/

It was such a joy to talk with Kate about history writing, teaching, publishing, and so much more. As a long-time listener and first-time talker, it was a dream come true! Thank you @draftingthepast.bsky.social! 🗃️ @uncpress.bsky.social

Ep 75! I talked with @jlepler.bsky.social about her new book, CANAL DREAMERS, from (@uncpress.bsky.social). I loved hearing how she first started researching this book alongside her dissertation, and how she has supported other academics writing second books! draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...

DTP guests are the greatest!

Good news for Patreon supporters! You can now access ad-free versions of Drafting the Past episodes: www.patreon.com/posts/new-fe... (It'll take me a while to get all the back episodes listed there, please be patient!)

This week's history book releases, via @draftingthepast.bsky.social. #nonfiction #history

New! Listen to my interview w/ Mary Frances Phillips about her book BLACK PANTHER WOMAN (@nyupress.bsky.social), how the dissertation and book dramatically differ, and the tools she uses, from tech to office supplies. I love how she thinks about play in her process. draftingthepast.com?p=2789

For your perusing pleasure, a roundup of some of the new history books out this week! draftingthepast.com/new-releases...

New! Listen to my interview w/ Mary Frances Phillips about her book BLACK PANTHER WOMAN (@nyupress.bsky.social), how the dissertation and book dramatically differ, and the tools she uses, from tech to office supplies. I love how she thinks about play in her process. draftingthepast.com?p=2789

Thank you, @draftingthepast.bsky.social! Kate Carpenter interviews #historians about how--and why--we do what we do. I loved talking with her about what I call the "disco ball of integrity." draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis... And now she's sent me this awesome swag! Thanks for this awesome podcast.

Very much enjoying listening to the lovely @drjoannepaul.bsky.social with @katecarp.bsky.social on @draftingthepast.bsky.social. And now I want to know what the best books were that she read on life-writing and writing biographies! 😊 🗃️

This is really good. Gets you thinking about writing as art.

If you’re thinking about doing public writing, this is a must listen.

Excellent advice!

New! I talked with Tyler Anbinder about his approach to writing and revising--plus, you'll learn about the person who told this celebrated historian he would never write trade book! We dug into his newest book, PLENTIFUL COUNTRY (@littlebrown.bsky.social). Listen: draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...

I'm experimenting with more ways of putting history writing in the spotlight. To that end, I founded up some of the history books out this week that caught my eye: draftingthepast.com/new-releases... Are you planning to read any of these?