Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here! --------------------------------------- Curious to know how you can draw inspiration for your story during your research process? Or how to not let setbacks in your writing process create writer's block? How about strategies to help you craft smooth transitions in your story? We talk about it all and much more with Madeline Miller! Madeline is the New York Times bestselling author of The Song of Achilles and her most recent, critically-acclaimed novel, Circe, which is currently being adapted for an 8-episode series for HBO Max.  In our conversation, we dive deep into how Madeline fell in love with Greek mythology and found her passion to craft strong female characters in classical settings. We discuss how crucial it is to change the narrative by creating the core of strong female characters, what to do when facing setbacks in your writing process, and strategies to lure out new ideas for your stories. Madeline also shares advice on crafting a seamless narrative when the plot has gaps, and how leaning on your characters can help you create smooth transitions. Further into our conversation, we discuss the importance of finding your support system and creating a research process that works best for your voice.  Say 'Hi' to Madeline Miller on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeline.e.miller Head over to Madeline's shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/podcast/madeline-miller/ to download the first 1,000 words of her newest novel Circe! You’ll also find the resources and books mentioned in her episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation. --- If you enjoyed this episode and would love to support our show, Patreon is the best way! Patrons at certain tiers get early access to our full, uncut interview with Rachel Hawkins and early access to author Madeline Miller's episode this month along with a collection of fantastic extended interviews from previous podcast episodes! If you’re not yet a Patron and you’d love early access to these interviews in addition to other cool benefits (snailmail, Storyteller Welcome Box, livestream hangouts with bookhaul and mystery box giveaways, etc.) head on over to patreon.com/88cupsoftea to sign up!