Kauai Writers Conference

Master Class: Bringing the Past Alive with Whitney Scharer & Priya Parmar
This class with Priya and Whitney is an exceptional opportunity for writers of historical fiction to hone their craft. It is designed for writers of this genre at all levels of accomplishment. Historical fiction presents unique challenges. It is neither biography nor pure fiction. Subjects’ lives must be meticulously researched, and the knowledge gained has to inspire rather than merely be reported upon. Achieving a distinctive voice for each character is nowhere more important than in historical fiction. Each must come alive on the page with authenticity, remaining always true to their personality. Both Priya and Whitney will inspire their students with accounts of their fascination in immersing themselves in the lives of real people, and extrapolating narratives as plausible as if they were purely factual.

Historical fiction presents its own challenges of point of view, character development, and story arc. Priya and Whitney each deal with these issues in unique ways. You will learn not merely to imitate them, but to adapt the lessons they have learned to tell your story in the way that rings most true to you and your characters.