Working: A Master Class in Character Description

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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to writer Emma Copley Eisenberg about her new novel Housemates, which features a burgeoning friendship between two artists who decide to road trip across Pennsylvania together. In the interview, Emma explains how her nonfiction writing and her interest in history influenced this new work of fiction. She also talks about her “feast or famine” approach to productivity, her desire to document her community, and her belief that physical descriptions of people are crucial to good fiction writing.

After the interview, Ronald and co-host June Thomas ponder why the most difficult projects can be the most exciting. They also talk about how rare it is to see good depictions of fat people in fiction.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Emma talks about a toxic mentor character in Housemates and why it’s so troubling when teachers of the arts abuse their positions of power.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [e-mail] or give us a call at [phone].

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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