Mon. June 8, 2026
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM PT
Free

Fact to Fiction: Researching for Narrative Storytelling

A hand pulls a card from a card catalog drawer. Text reads: “FACT TO FICTION—Researching for Narrative Storytelling.” PEN America logo appears in the bottom right corner. The image has a colorful, surreal filter.

How do writers use research to build believable worlds and emotionally resonant stories? When does research begin to shape character, plot, or voice in unexpected ways? This conversation explores the relationship between factual inquiry and imaginative invention, and the many ways research can contribute not only to accuracy, but also the act of writing the story itself. Join us as we consider the creative tension between fidelity to fact and the freedoms of fiction.