The professor of English, director of the MFA program in creative writing and acclaimed novelist spoke with President John Fry about the intersections of storytelling, scholarship and community. 

Liz Moore told the crowd of nearly 100 faculty and staff gathered in Morgan Hall that she types on an “ancient” iPad using an attached keyboard when writing her latest work in progress, emphasizing the machine is disconnected from the internet.

“That’s how I have to control my otherwise uncontrollable urge to go online,” she said. “As technology has increasingly become invasive in all our lives, I find it more difficult to do research and write simultaneously.” 

This was one of many insights she shared during her discussion with President John Fry at the Exploring the Power of Story: A Conversation with Liz Moore event on Dec. 8. The program was part of the Innovation with Impact series, which was introduced during President Fry’s investiture celebration last April.  

Although she can’t spoil her latest novel in progress, which remains a secret even to her closest family, Moore elaborated on her process. 

“I’m inventing wildly and inaccurately,” said Moore, professor of English and director of the MFA program in creative writing at Temple. “Anything I know that needs to be researched later I put in bold and think ‘it’s not my problem now; this is present me writing, so I’m going to invent things that I know are wrong.’ I’ll go back later or in subsequent drafts and correct what needs correcting.” 

The goal of the Innovation with Impact series is to celebrate the creativity, collaboration and discovery that define Temple. The program launched last spring with a series of panel discussions and presentations showcasing the important work of faculty and students from a range of disciplines including the arts, medicine, education, communications and more. 

“When we bring together the talent and imagination of our Temple community, we don’t just reflect on what we’ve accomplished; we shape what comes next. Innovation with Impact is our way of continuing that momentum,” said interim Provost David Boardman in his opening remarks.  

President Fry began the discussion by expressing his admiration of Moore’s work. 

“I confess I’m nervous. I’m a huge fan and read The God of the Woods before starting as president here,” he said. “I couldn’t put it down because it was so riveting. I felt pulled into the characters and setting.” 

Moore responded by explaining how she produces a page-turner. “I begin writing my novels only knowing three things: The first is place, followed by the characters and finally the problem the characters have to solve,” she said. “Place comes first because it’s out of place that everything else flows.” 

She also revealed that it takes her four years to write a novel and that she sets aside a specific time of day to work on it—between 5:30 and 7:30 a.m. Persistence and self-motivation are key. 

“I basically don’t return to it at another time because psychologically if I think all I have to do is write for those two hours then I’m off the hook for the rest of the day,” said Moore. “The act of writing has to be the reward. You can’t focus on publication or readership because you’d quickly burn out if that was your only source of satisfaction.” 

In terms of researching subject matter, Moore draws from her own lived experiences and personal interests. For example, her family and community service in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia inspired the international bestseller Long Bright River, which was adapted into a TV series on Peacock starring Amanda Seyfried in March 2025. 

Before writing The God of the Woods—a New York Times bestseller that also landed on Barack Obama’s Summer Reading list and won the 2024 Fallon Summer Reads—Moore fell into reading about the history of the Adirondack Park and the dynastic American families within it as well as conservationism. She also learned about serial killer Robert Garrow, who haunted the Adirondacks in the 1970s and became the basis of a secondary character in the novel. 

“Rather than proactively researching something, it’s more like, ‘I’ve been reading about this for a very long time; oh no, I’m about to write a novel,’” Moore said. 

Additionally, Moore explained how her upbringing has shaped her perspective, including her experience in a large public school system in her hometown of Framingham, Massachusetts. “I had the privilege of going to school with every kind of person I can imagine, and that’s a gift that’s served me well as a writer because it’s given me access to a lot of different imaginations,” she said. “It’s another reason I feel that Temple is a good fit for me because I feel most comfortable with students from all walks of life.” 

When Moore moved to Philadelphia as an adult, she heard a lot about Temple and felt drawn to the university’s community-driven mission and commitment to providing an accessible education. After teaching at other colleges and universities in Philadelphia, she accepted a writer-in-residence position at Temple in 2017 before becoming professor of English and directing the MFA in creative writing program. “I’ve been invigorated by the community and have made a lot of connections with people across the university,” she said. 

She also appreciates learning from her students. “I feel constantly kept on my toes by undergraduate and graduate students in terms of what they’re reading, watching, buying, thinking and the words they’re using that I otherwise might not know. And I love that the MFA students are well-read and keep up with contemporary literature. They make reading recommendations to me as much as I make to them. That’s incredibly helpful as a creative person.” 

Another point of discussion included Moore’s journey from novelist to TV writer and producer for the Long Bright River series in which she served as co-creator and executive producer. 

“It’s both the most rewarding work I’ve ever done and the most challenging,” she said. “It’s a true group effort, which comes with incredible upsides like a feeling of teamwork and camaraderie like I’ve never felt before. What I’m most proud of is the way that we fought to include representatives from the community of Kensington, many of whom appeared in small and larger speaking roles and worked as background actors, musicians, set decorators and on-set consultants.”  

Series adaptations of Moore’s novels The God of the Woods and The Unseen World are currently in the works as both have been optioned by Sony. She will again serve as an executive producer and writer. 

Moore is ultimately grateful to Philadelphia and Temple for inspiring her.  

“It’s incredibly important for any working artist to not cloister themselves away in an ivory tower and instead to remain engaged with people they’re writing about and with,” she said. "That’s a gift my students give to me.”

If you couldn't make it, watch the entire conversation.