Podcast #255 – “Four Paths, One Impossible Dream,” Part VI: Still Writing
From Biographers International Organization by Biographers International Organization
April 17, 2026 · 17 min
About this episode
In the finale of a six-part miniseries, four authors share their ongoing writing journeys and challenges.
In this final episode of our six-part miniseries, we’re in January 2026. Kate’s already researching her next book, and it turns out it connects everything she’s ever written. Kevin has one goal: to finish first. Katie Rose has a draft proposal, three kids under five, and no intention of stopping. And Sara has a message for anyone who’s ever thought about writing a book. BIO Podcast producer Jenny Skoog guides listeners through this series’ finale. “Four Paths, One Impossible Dream” follows four authors navigating the challenges of writing biography. Over eight months in 2025, BIO Podcast producer Jenny Skoog spoke with comedian Sara Benincasa, tackling Abraham Lincoln; professor Kate Culkin, working on a book about Ralph Waldo Emerson’s daughters; historian Kevin McGruder, who has spent decades researching Harlem Renaissance writer Rudolph Fisher; and journalist Katie Rose Quandt, on the challenges of completing a book proposal while pregnant.
People in this episode
Host: Jenny Skoog
Guests: Kate Culkin, Kevin McGruder, Katie Rose Quandt, Sara Benincasa
Topics covered
- biography
- writing challenges
- author journeys
- book proposals
- creative process
Keywords
- biography
- writing
- authors
- book proposal
- creative writing
- Sara Benincasa
- Kate Culkin
- Kevin McGruder
- Katie Rose Quandt
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: BIO Podcast
Books & works: Four Paths, One Impossible Dream, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s daughters, Harlem Renaissance, Rudolph Fisher
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- Podcast #254 – “Four Paths, One Impossible Dream,” Part V: Community and Solitude · April 10, 2026 · 19 min
- Podcast #253 – “Four Paths, One Impossible Dream,” Part IV: Challenging the Canon · April 3, 2026 · 18 min
- Podcast #252 – “Four Paths, One Impossible Dream,” Part III: The Business of Biography · March 27, 2026 · 17 min
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