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Elisabeth Dini Master Class Recording
In this master class, IWC teacher Elisabeth Dini talks craft, process, and the realities of publishing—centred on her debut novel Bearer of Bad News, published by Simon & Schuster.
The novel follows Lucy Rey, a down-on-her-luck hairdresser who accepts an unusual job delivering a confidential message in exchange for a much-needed payout. The assignment takes her to the Italian Dolomites, where she becomes entangled in decades-old secrets involving a missing woman, a vanished emerald necklace, and a family history she never expected to confront.
Publishers Weekly called Bearer of Bad News “wickedly entertaining” and Booklist praised its deft blend of humor, intergenerational tensions, and cinematic plotting. Witty and propulsive, with a surprising emotional heart, it has drawn comparisons to Where’d You Go, Bernadette and The Maid.
In conversation with fellow IWC teacher Jennifer van der Kwast, Elisabeth reflects on the challenges of writing a novel that straddles genres, her attempt to become a “plotter” when at heart she’s a “pantser”, her approach to research and historical accuracy, and how she kept writing even after her first novel failed to find a publisher. She also shares tips on querying and the one piece of advice she’d give to her younger writing self.
The class was recorded live in Amsterdam on 8 February 2026 and you’ll find some photos from the event in our Photo Gallery.
ABOUT THESE TEACHERS
Elisabeth Dini is an Italian-American writer living in The Hague. A lawyer by training, she previously worked as a Trial Lawyer at the International Criminal Court, which first brought her to the Netherlands. Through the International Writers’ Collective, she teaches writing courses in The Hague, where she is hard at work on her next novel.
Jennifer van der Kwast teaches Level II courses with the International Writers’ Collective. Her debut novel, Pounding the Pavement, was published by Doubleday in 2005. Before moving to the Netherlands in 2011, she lived in New York City, where she worked for the Harold Ober Literary Agency. Her travel writing and personal essays have appeared in New York Magazine, Time Out Amsterdam, and the Washington Post. Her first crime thriller, Kill Story, will be published by Canelo Crime/Penguin Random House in September 2026.
ABOUT OUR MASTER CLASS SERIES
In this series, working writers talk tips, tricks and techniques with a focus on a single novel or collection. The classes are conducted in an interview format with plenty of room for questions. Check out our podcast archive to listen to recordings of previous Master Classes with writers such as A.M. Homes, winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction; Kristen Roupenian, author of the viral short story “Cat Person”; Jennifer Clement, then PEN International president; and Lauren Groff, the author of Barack Obama’s favourite book of 2015.
Copyright © 2026 Elisabeth Dini & International Writers’ Collective
Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify
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By International Writers' CollectiveIn this master class, IWC teacher Elisabeth Dini talks craft, process, and the realities of publishing—centred on her debut novel Bearer of Bad News, published by Simon & Schuster.
The novel follows Lucy Rey, a down-on-her-luck hairdresser who accepts an unusual job delivering a confidential message in exchange for a much-needed payout. The assignment takes her to the Italian Dolomites, where she becomes entangled in decades-old secrets involving a missing woman, a vanished emerald necklace, and a family history she never expected to confront.
Publishers Weekly called Bearer of Bad News “wickedly entertaining” and Booklist praised its deft blend of humor, intergenerational tensions, and cinematic plotting. Witty and propulsive, with a surprising emotional heart, it has drawn comparisons to Where’d You Go, Bernadette and The Maid.
In conversation with fellow IWC teacher Jennifer van der Kwast, Elisabeth reflects on the challenges of writing a novel that straddles genres, her attempt to become a “plotter” when at heart she’s a “pantser”, her approach to research and historical accuracy, and how she kept writing even after her first novel failed to find a publisher. She also shares tips on querying and the one piece of advice she’d give to her younger writing self.
The class was recorded live in Amsterdam on 8 February 2026 and you’ll find some photos from the event in our Photo Gallery.
ABOUT THESE TEACHERS
Elisabeth Dini is an Italian-American writer living in The Hague. A lawyer by training, she previously worked as a Trial Lawyer at the International Criminal Court, which first brought her to the Netherlands. Through the International Writers’ Collective, she teaches writing courses in The Hague, where she is hard at work on her next novel.
Jennifer van der Kwast teaches Level II courses with the International Writers’ Collective. Her debut novel, Pounding the Pavement, was published by Doubleday in 2005. Before moving to the Netherlands in 2011, she lived in New York City, where she worked for the Harold Ober Literary Agency. Her travel writing and personal essays have appeared in New York Magazine, Time Out Amsterdam, and the Washington Post. Her first crime thriller, Kill Story, will be published by Canelo Crime/Penguin Random House in September 2026.
ABOUT OUR MASTER CLASS SERIES
In this series, working writers talk tips, tricks and techniques with a focus on a single novel or collection. The classes are conducted in an interview format with plenty of room for questions. Check out our podcast archive to listen to recordings of previous Master Classes with writers such as A.M. Homes, winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction; Kristen Roupenian, author of the viral short story “Cat Person”; Jennifer Clement, then PEN International president; and Lauren Groff, the author of Barack Obama’s favourite book of 2015.
Copyright © 2026 Elisabeth Dini & International Writers’ Collective
Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify
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