DIY MFA Radio 181: Getting to Know Your Characters - Interview with Joan Dempsey
Hey there word nerds!
Today I am delighted to have award-winning author Joan Dempsey on the show!
Joan’s writing has been published in numerous places including The Adirondack Review and Alligator Juniper, and she is the author of This is How it Begins.
For this fascinating novel, that is a mix of literary fiction and mystery, she received a significant research grant from the Elizabeth George Foundation which took her to Warsaw for a month (no, she doesn't speak Polish), and to Washington, D.C. for ten days, to study in the archives at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Listen in as we discuss the multiple layers of This is How is Begins, and get some of Joan’s best writing techniques for juggling plot and characters.
In this episode Joan and I discuss:- Avoiding the caricature, finding your way into every character’s head.
- Using omniscient POV in contemporary fiction the right way.
- Staying neutral, how to keep from steering your readers to any one opinion.
- Balancing the interplay between characters and plot.
- Method writing, and other craft techniques from Joan to get to the heart of your story.
For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/181