All the arts we practice are apprenticeship. The big art is our life.
M.C. Richards
Ethics Workshop
How to Portray the Past Truthfully Without Harm
Ideal for writers, educators, historians, and reading groups
Behind every compelling historical narrative is a responsibility to tell the truth with care. In this interactive, thought-provoking session, Joan Fernandez shares strategies to write and teach history authentically—without reinforcing outdated tropes or silencing marginalized voices. Whether you’re a writer researching outside your lived experience or an educator curating inclusive curriculum, this session offers tools to help you engage with the past ethically and with integrity. A thoughtful choice for writers conferences, history departments, DEI committees, and book clubs discussing complex historical fiction. Can also be presented as an author panel with other historical fiction writers.
Ethics Workshop Testimonials:
“Joan Fernandez delivered an engaging talk. . .She highlighted the importance of historical accuracy and thorough research in writing. Her insights on how to represent different cultures accurately and respectfully was of great value, offering practical advice for writers aiming to create authentic and responsible historical fiction. Her talk was both informative and thought-provoking, providing me with useful strategies for my own historical fiction.”
—Kim Taylor Blakemore,
Author of After Alice Fell, The Companion, and The Deception
“Joan Fernandez reminds us that writing with integrity means honoring the truth about a character, even when the facts are spotty or missing. It is letting a character’s “innate superpowers” help guide our understanding of what drives or defines them and staying focused on the historical context in which they lived.”
—Suzanne Uttaro Samuels,
Author of Seeds of the Pomegranate