The History Quill Podcast

The History Quill Podcast zeroes in on a single genre — historical fiction — and covers it with the depth and specificity that a general writing podcast never could. Hosts Julia Kelly and Theodore Brun are both published historical fiction authors. Kelly writes World War II fiction and has recently branched into historical mystery, while Brun works in the deep dark ages of the eighth century, focusing on the old Norse world and early medieval period. That range between them means conversations span the full timeline of historical settings. The format is interview-based, with each of the 13 episodes featuring a guest expert. Recent conversations have covered writing and self-publishing children's historical fiction, using archives to enhance your research, writing dual timelines, co-authoring historical novels, and crafting historical crime fiction. Episodes run 47 to 59 minutes, long enough to get into real substance but tight enough to stay focused. The show has a 4.7-star rating from 14 reviews, and listeners specifically call out the hosts' thoughtful questioning style and the production quality. Kelly and Brun clearly prepare for each interview, and the conversational dynamic between them and their guests feels natural rather than scripted. With only 13 episodes, the catalog is small but highly targeted. Every episode is relevant if you write or want to write historical fiction, covering everything from period-appropriate language choices to marketing strategies specific to the genre. If you write in this space, The History Quill Podcast is one of the few shows that speaks directly to your challenges rather than asking you to adapt general advice to your genre.