A Northern Gentleman | Lauren Epshteyn | Talks at Google

TL;DR

Lauren Epshteyn wrote “A Northern Gentleman” by drawing on a childhood passion for storytelling, extensive reading, writing guides, historical research, and a four-month Media Bistro class. She explains how “On Writing” helped her raise the stakes and “Save the Cat” helped transform protagonist Drucker May into a more empowered, likable character. Read on for practical insights into her writing process and influences.

Transcript

SEEMA VASHI: Thank you for coming. My name is Seema, and I am really, really excited to be hosting this panel today. All of you know why you're here. But the lovely Lauren Epshteyn has recently-- [CHEERING] [APPLAUSE] --recently published her first novel-- historical fiction-- called "A Northern Gentleman." For the first 25, we have books out there... Read More

Key Insights

• 🇲🇵 Epshteyn drew inspiration from her childhood dream and passion for writing to write "A Northern Gentleman."
• 🫠 Writing books and reading historical fiction helped shape Epshteyn's writing style and provided guidance in her storytelling.
• 🤳 The publishing process can involve collaboration and changes in creative decisions, but Epshteyn chose to self-publish to retain full control.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired Lauren Epshteyn to write “A Northern Gentleman”?

Epshteyn had loved writing stories since childhood and decided to try writing fiction as an adult when the story came to her. At a family reunion when she was 10, she wrote that her life goal was to become a “New York Times” best-selling author.

Q: How did Lauren Epshteyn learn how to write a novel?

She learned through extensive reading, several writing guides, and a four-month Media Bistro class. The class kept her accountable through weekly homework and allowed other participants to read her work and offer ideas.

Q: Which books influenced the writing of “A Northern Gentleman”?

Epshteyn identifies Sol Stein’s “On Writing” and the screenwriting guide “Save the Cat” as particularly useful. Jack Finney’s “Time and Again,” about a man traveling from New York in 1970 to New York in 1882, also influenced her historical research.

Q: What did Lauren Epshteyn learn from Sol Stein’s “On Writing”?

Her biggest takeaway was the need to raise the stakes so readers feel that something important is at risk. Although the guide’s example about an asteroid threatening Earth did not fit her story, she tried to heighten the stakes whenever possible.

Q: How did “Save the Cat” change the protagonist Drucker May?

The book taught Epshteyn to make a character likable early through small but appealing actions. She revised Drucker to stand up for himself and respond cleverly, making him more empowered and easier for readers to root for than his initially beaten-down version.

Q: How did Epshteyn research America in the 1890s?

She drew on her long-standing interest in American historical fiction and read works that depicted life in the 1800s. This helped her understand the words people used and the activities they pursued during the late 19th century.

Q: What did the writing class contribute to “A Northern Gentleman”?

The four-month Media Bistro class provided accountability by requiring homework every week. Feedback from other participants generated useful ideas and encouraged Epshteyn to explore the gap between what historical-fiction authors know and what their characters can know.

Q: How does “A Northern Gentleman” use dramatic irony about future inventions?

At one point, Drucker proposes something resembling a credit card, and the people around him dismiss it as a terrible idea that could never work. Epshteyn used the scene to play with the author’s knowledge of later events while keeping the characters grounded in the 1890s and their local merchant credit accounts.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Lauren Epshteyn recounts her passion for writing fiction and how her childhood dream of becoming a bestselling author led her to write "A Northern Gentleman."

• She explains the process of writing the book and the inspiration behind the story, which centers around a character named Drucker May and his journey of self-discovery.

• Epshteyn shares insights into her writing process and the research she conducted for the book, including reading historical fiction and exploring different time periods.

• She discusses the challenges she faced during the publishing process and her decision to self-publish, allowing for complete creative control.