How to write health conditions in...

How to write health conditions in fiction with sensitivity.

The Better Writer Podcast by Olivia Bedford
E44
Oct 6, 2026
41:59

Episode notes

For our 44th episode, I’m doing something special - my first interview episode!!

This week, I’m sharing a great conversation with Barbra Rodriguez an editor, book coach, and experienced health writer.

We talked all about writing fictional characters who have diverse health statuses, especially for those of us who write or work with historical fiction.

You’ll learn how to approach the research phase, how to be sensitive to modern understandings of medical conditions while writing accurate historical fiction, and more!

If you enjoyed this interview and want to hear more from Barbra you can check out her website here.

Want to learn more about writing characters with varied health conditions? You can check out Barbra’s free guide to selecting trustworthy online and other health-information resources here!

Thanks for listening, keep writing, and keep getting better one word at a time!

For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/44

Keywords

fiction writing
writing tips
writing process
writing coach
book coach