Kate Carpenter
@katecarp.bsky.social
Historian/writer. Creator, @draftingthepast.bsky.social podcast. History of science PhD candidate at Princeton, based in KCMO. Working on a history of storm chasing.
https://draftingthepast.com/
http://kathrynbcarpenter.com/
https://draftingthepast.com/
http://kathrynbcarpenter.com/
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
The first ep of 2026 (and season 5) is here! I chatted with Jeff Roche about his book THE CONSERVATIVE FRONTIER (@utexaspress.bsky.social). We talked about his excellent writing voice, how music shapes his process, and his intriguing note organizing method. draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...
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Episode 82: Jeff Roche Knows Exactly Who His Reader Is
Jeff Roche and Kate Carpenter discuss the writing process for The Conservative Frontier, including how Jeff develops his voice and organizes sources.
draftingthepast.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:56 PM
The first ep of 2026 (and season 5) is here! I chatted with Jeff Roche about his book THE CONSERVATIVE FRONTIER (@utexaspress.bsky.social). We talked about his excellent writing voice, how music shapes his process, and his intriguing note organizing method. draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...
🗃️
🗃️
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
SEEKING PARTICIPANTS
For their MA thesis, my advisee is conducting an oral history on family members of people living with HIV/AIDS in the 1980s-90s. They are seeking folks to interview. See the flyer for details.
Wondering if folks can share this with their networks. Thank you!
For their MA thesis, my advisee is conducting an oral history on family members of people living with HIV/AIDS in the 1980s-90s. They are seeking folks to interview. See the flyer for details.
Wondering if folks can share this with their networks. Thank you!
January 5, 2026 at 12:36 PM
SEEKING PARTICIPANTS
For their MA thesis, my advisee is conducting an oral history on family members of people living with HIV/AIDS in the 1980s-90s. They are seeking folks to interview. See the flyer for details.
Wondering if folks can share this with their networks. Thank you!
For their MA thesis, my advisee is conducting an oral history on family members of people living with HIV/AIDS in the 1980s-90s. They are seeking folks to interview. See the flyer for details.
Wondering if folks can share this with their networks. Thank you!
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
Random Sunday night question for my writer Blueskis who publish book reviews in newspapers / magazines:
What is the going rate these days, for each review?
What is the going rate these days, for each review?
January 5, 2026 at 2:43 AM
Random Sunday night question for my writer Blueskis who publish book reviews in newspapers / magazines:
What is the going rate these days, for each review?
What is the going rate these days, for each review?
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
NEW TGS EPISODE: Brooke Newman @brookenewman.bsky.social and I dig up some dirt on James II and remind everybody that our modern monarchs have inherited a lot more than goodwill.
January 2, 2026 at 4:15 PM
NEW TGS EPISODE: Brooke Newman @brookenewman.bsky.social and I dig up some dirt on James II and remind everybody that our modern monarchs have inherited a lot more than goodwill.
Celebrating the new year with our family's traditional litany of complaints about how the Rose Parade used to be about the floats.
January 1, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Celebrating the new year with our family's traditional litany of complaints about how the Rose Parade used to be about the floats.
After an especially crappy travel and sickness week, we have come home to a broken furnace. 2025 can get bent.
December 30, 2025 at 11:36 PM
After an especially crappy travel and sickness week, we have come home to a broken furnace. 2025 can get bent.
I would like you to know that I overheard the three teens/preteens I was with this week tell their parents last night that they had decided together to take a screen break for three hours, unprompted
December 30, 2025 at 10:20 PM
I would like you to know that I overheard the three teens/preteens I was with this week tell their parents last night that they had decided together to take a screen break for three hours, unprompted
I know everyone needs funding and we are all spread way, way too thin trying to support work we love, but I also need you to know that when you become a Patreon/give a tip/financially support an independent creator you value, it means so, so much to an actual person on the other end of the screen.
December 30, 2025 at 9:27 PM
I know everyone needs funding and we are all spread way, way too thin trying to support work we love, but I also need you to know that when you become a Patreon/give a tip/financially support an independent creator you value, it means so, so much to an actual person on the other end of the screen.
As a reminder (why?) I set myself a truly stupid goal, so if you want to see how quickly it goes off the rails you can subscribe to my thus-far dormant personal newsletter.
I've decided, to have some more fun with writing, I'm going to try writing a daily newsletter in January. I have no idea why you would want to subscribe, but in case you're a real weirdo, here's a subscription link: buttondown.com/dancing-anim.... See? It doesn't even have a logo or anything.
Dancing Animals
An experimental newsletter from historian and writer Kate Carpenter.
buttondown.com
December 30, 2025 at 6:44 PM
As a reminder (why?) I set myself a truly stupid goal, so if you want to see how quickly it goes off the rails you can subscribe to my thus-far dormant personal newsletter.
Ah, the two genders.
December 30, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Ah, the two genders.
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
It's here! Listeners shared some of their favorite history reads from 2025--inclusing one book published 90 years ago! draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...
Episode 81: The Best History Books You Read This Year
Listeners call in to Drafting the Past to tell host Kate Carpenter about the best history books they read in 2025.
draftingthepast.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:10 PM
It's here! Listeners shared some of their favorite history reads from 2025--inclusing one book published 90 years ago! draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...
I shipped a package via USPS on Dec. 13, from Kansas City to St. Louis. Since then, it has gone to San Jose, CA, then onto San Francisco, CA, and is now back in Olathe, KS, and will not arrive for Christmas.
I have questions.
I have questions.
December 25, 2025 at 4:06 AM
I shipped a package via USPS on Dec. 13, from Kansas City to St. Louis. Since then, it has gone to San Jose, CA, then onto San Francisco, CA, and is now back in Olathe, KS, and will not arrive for Christmas.
I have questions.
I have questions.
Editing this year-end episode right now, and it makes me so happy. What a delight to have such smart, thoughtful listeners who love talking about great history books!
I need your help! I want to put together a year-end episode, and I want to know what you read this year. Go here: www.speakpipe.com/DraftingtheP... and record a short message telling me who you are and the best history book you read this year. Doesn't have to be published this year!
Send a voice message to
DraftingthePast
A podcast devoted to the craft of writing history.
www.speakpipe.com
December 23, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Editing this year-end episode right now, and it makes me so happy. What a delight to have such smart, thoughtful listeners who love talking about great history books!
Need something to listen to while you wrap gifts, cook, drive, or dissociate? I've got you:
New episode with Amy Farrell (@amyefarrell.bsky.social)! We talked about incorporating her story in her history of the Girl Scouts, INTREPID GIRLS (@uncpress.bsky.social). Plus, getting an agent, wrangling sources, developing an accessible voice, & more. Listen: draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...
Episode 80: Amy Erdman Farrell Leaps Into Something New
Kate Carpenter interviews Amy Erdman Farrell about researching and writing her new book about the history of the Girl Scouts, Intrepid Girls.
draftingthepast.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Need something to listen to while you wrap gifts, cook, drive, or dissociate? I've got you:
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
Last call to tell me your favorite history book that you read this year!
I need your help! I want to put together a year-end episode, and I want to know what you read this year. Go here: www.speakpipe.com/DraftingtheP... and record a short message telling me who you are and the best history book you read this year. Doesn't have to be published this year!
Send a voice message to
DraftingthePast
A podcast devoted to the craft of writing history.
www.speakpipe.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Last call to tell me your favorite history book that you read this year!
People who are American Studies PhDs, I'm curious about something: do you identify yourself by regional and temporal focus, like many historians do (ie, I'm an Americanist, I'm a 19th century historian, etc)?
December 22, 2025 at 8:01 PM
People who are American Studies PhDs, I'm curious about something: do you identify yourself by regional and temporal focus, like many historians do (ie, I'm an Americanist, I'm a 19th century historian, etc)?
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
Some wise words from documentary filmmaker Penny Lane: open.substack.com/pub/lennypan...
May the proliferation of AI challenge us to write with verve.
May the proliferation of AI challenge us to write with verve.
My only writing advice is please, please try to sound like a human being
Everywhere I look people are complaining about A.I. slop. Here is how I use the fear of sounding like ChatGPT as a motivational tool to level up my writing.
open.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Some wise words from documentary filmmaker Penny Lane: open.substack.com/pub/lennypan...
May the proliferation of AI challenge us to write with verve.
May the proliferation of AI challenge us to write with verve.
For the midday crowd:
Serious q: how are we feeling about newsletters vs websites going into 2026?
December 19, 2025 at 7:12 PM
For the midday crowd:
Historians! I'm going to be at AHA, and I'm bringing my recorder. Find me and tell me the most influential writing advice you've ever gotten.
December 19, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Historians! I'm going to be at AHA, and I'm bringing my recorder. Find me and tell me the most influential writing advice you've ever gotten.
Serious q: how are we feeling about newsletters vs websites going into 2026?
December 19, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Serious q: how are we feeling about newsletters vs websites going into 2026?
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
Forget about the best Scrooge on film---who was the best "Christmas Carol" ghost? I think it's either Edward Woodward (Christmas Present in the George C. Scott version) or Statler and Waldorf (Marley/Muppets).
December 19, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Forget about the best Scrooge on film---who was the best "Christmas Carol" ghost? I think it's either Edward Woodward (Christmas Present in the George C. Scott version) or Statler and Waldorf (Marley/Muppets).
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
In a real gonna burn it all down/gonna build something cool frame of mind today, apologies to anyone I encounter.
December 18, 2025 at 7:11 PM
In a real gonna burn it all down/gonna build something cool frame of mind today, apologies to anyone I encounter.
Thinking about a newsletter post that dives deep into @draftingthepast.bsky.social's stats this year -- downloads, income, costs, etc. Is this a terrible idea? I would love to read something like this from other podcasters, but I'm trying to figure out if there's a reason no one shares this.
December 18, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Thinking about a newsletter post that dives deep into @draftingthepast.bsky.social's stats this year -- downloads, income, costs, etc. Is this a terrible idea? I would love to read something like this from other podcasters, but I'm trying to figure out if there's a reason no one shares this.