Ask the Author: Annette Kassis
Answered Questions (7)
Annette Kassis
I love this question! I'm actually outlining a coming project that hits that very target. Not to give too much away, the mystery in my own life revolves around what ultimately happened to my paternal grandmother and the search for wherever she might be buried. It's a story that involves genealogical research, history of asylums and social services in the United States, family lies and manipulation, and daily life in the South between the late Victorian era and the start of World War I.
Annette Kassis
As a historian I focus on the business, media, consumer and cultural aspects of U.S. history. I'm particularly fascinated with the time period after the Civil War, when advances in manufacturing and distribution began to change how Americans viewed and acquired consumer goods, through the U.S. entry into World War II. As a topic, not only does Prohibition fit into this time period, but it's a subject I wanted to pursue from the Sacramento angle because it was about more than alcohol--Prohibition was, in part, a reaction to the way American culture was changing thanks to immigration, growing urban populations, even concerns over relatively new cultural practices like dating. Writing about Prohibition wasn't so much an idea that popped into my head as it was a topic in the time period that I felt needed to be explored.
Annette Kassis
This isn't a very glamorous answer, but for me it's more about keeping to a schedule than about being inspired to write in the moment. Because I also have a full-time job (the day job everyone tells you to keep!) I have to write at those points in my day when I've set aside writing time. I can't afford to lose a Saturday, for example, because I don't feel inspired. If I'm having a tough day writing (and it does happen), then I try to use that time to do something else like edit parts of the draft I've already written or sort through research material for a particular time period. I find that just doing SOMETHING on the project helps me get out of a low spot and keep moving.
Annette Kassis
My next book, due out in late summer/early fall 2015, is a subject that's near and dear to my heart. My first research love is the history of media--particularly broadcast radio--and my current work is about the key role Sacramento's McClatchy family played in West Coast radio broadcasting.
Annette Kassis
That's a tough one! Writers write because they have something to say, so I think one of the best things about being a writer is when you've been working all alone on a project, and then one day someone comes up to you in a book store or sends you an email and tells you just how much what you wrote meant to them. I found that out with the Weinstock's book and the wonderful emails I received from Lubin and Weinstock family members.
Annette Kassis
This is hardly earth-shattering, but your reading is easily as important as your writing. Reading for pleasure and reading across a variety of genres make you a better writer. It's no surprise that I read a lot of history, both because the work of other historians is important as secondary sources for my own research and just for the sheer enjoyment of it. But I also like to have a good novel going, especially when I'm in the midst of the research phase of my work. Getting immersed in a good story is a wonderful way to reset your thinking, especially if you're grappling with a problem in your own work.
From a practical standpoint I offer this: do not wait for the perfect place or a perfect set of circumstances before you start writing. It would be nice to have a lovely, quiet study in which to work, but if you want to write, you can do it on a TV tray if you have to.
From a practical standpoint I offer this: do not wait for the perfect place or a perfect set of circumstances before you start writing. It would be nice to have a lovely, quiet study in which to work, but if you want to write, you can do it on a TV tray if you have to.
Annette Kassis
When I'm struggling with how to say something or how best to synthesize a complex series of events, I go for a run. I find I do some of my best thinking and problem solving when I run. Even when I'm not struggling, I find my morning run is the best time to organize my thoughts and set my writing goals for the day. I guess I'm a big believer in the power of sweat!
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more