In the second part of my conversation with Lisa See, author of Lady Tan's Circle of Women, The Island of Sea Women, and more, we talked about the interior side of writing–things like dealing with your inner critic and dealing with the parts of writing and of life you would really rather not do, including:
- The fascinating tidbit of information her research taught her about Los Angeles
- How the Chinese public discourse about the smallpox epidemic that occurred 500 years ago is eerily similar to the controversy over Covid vaccines
- The predictable emotional rollercoaster she rides each time during the revision process
- Why writers should start celebrating good sentences the way Olympians celebrate an important point
- The ninja trick of agreeing with your inner critic
- A potential peril of becoming an internationally bestselling author
- How the inevitable losses we experience with age can deepen your writing
- The things she says no to now that she’s the age that she is
- Some of the beliefs and attitudes passed down through the Chinese side of her family she really had to work to cast off (and how her mother, who is not Chinese, helped)
- Why reading fiction is her go-to personal development tool
This week’s episodes are a replay. Hope you enjoy the last couple weeks of official summer and come back September 1 when I have a new guest–another author who specializes in historical fiction and telling women’s stories that have been hidden or overlooked.
Connect with Lisa on Instagram @lisasee_writer.
For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.
Thank you for listening!
And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value).

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