Ask the Author: Gillian Thomas
Answered Questions (6)
Gillian Thomas
I'm an employment lawyer, and I cite the cases in my book practically every day in my work. They're that embedded in the existing law that applies to women at work. And I realized that as often as I cited these case names, I knew next to nothing about how those cases came to be decided, and who the women were who brought them. I wanted to celebrate these unsung heroines, and teach a little employment law along the way.
Gillian Thomas
I'm lucky to have a perch from which I can tell stories I love about people, the law, and the intersection of the two. So when I remember that the writing is about getting those stories a life outside my own head, it inspires me.
Gillian Thomas
A piece for a special issue of a magazine about feminist movements, and strategies for moving feminist causes forward. As a litigator, I spend most of my time thinking about using lawsuits to effect change, but this project is challenging me to think about diverse strategies, and what works and what doesn't.
Gillian Thomas
Write, write, write. And get feedback. I was so self-conscious as a writer for the first several months I worked on the book that I didn't really show my work to anyone, even (especially!) my most trusted friends. But once I did, they not only validated the work I was doing, which energized me to keep going, but they had constructive criticism that only made the book better.
Gillian Thomas
It's such a luxury, to get to tell stories of people I admire. Knowing that a reader will connect with someone they otherwise never would have met or understood is immensely rewarding.
Gillian Thomas
Taking a break -- to take a walk, go for a run, listen to music -- always works wonders. Setting a timer and forcing myself to just write ANYTHING, quality be damned, for 30 minutes usually gets me going. When the timer goes off, I've usually pushed my way through.
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