DIY MFA Radio

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Diane Zinna. Originally from Long Island, Diane received her MFA from the University of Florida and went on to teach creative writing for ten years. She formerly worked at AWP—the Association of Writers & Writing Programs—which hosts the largest literary conference in North America each year. In 2014, Diane created the AWP Writer to Writer Mentorship Program, helping to match more than six hundred writers over twelve seasons. Diane lives in Fairfax, Virginia, with her husband and daughter, and The All-Night Sun is her debut novel. In this episode Diane and I discuss: How a dream she had, her experience with grief, and her memories of Sweden inspired the premise of her novel. Why she started the story where she did and why she almost wrote Lauren a completely different ending. What kind of heartfelt teaching Diane feels is imperative to the workshop experience. Plus, their #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/335

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Veena Rao. Veena Rao is the author of Purple Lotus: A Novel (She Writes Press), as well as founder, publisher and editor-in-chief of NRI Pulse, a popular Atlanta-based Indian-American news publication. She is in the Limca Book of Records as the first Indian-origin woman to edit and publish a newspaper outside India. Veena Rao has a background in print journalism, having worked on the news desk of The Indian Express in India, and a couple of community publications in Atlanta as editor. She has a Masters’ Diploma in Journalism and Communication from Symbiosis International University and a Masters’ in Economics from Fergusson College, India.  She has been featured in several major Asian print publications including the BBC Telugu, the Hindu, Indian Express, Gulf News, the Khaleej Times, India Review etc. She currently lives in Tucker, GA. In this episode Veena and I discuss: How her life circumstances forced her creative writing to take a backseat and how she got her writing life back. What skills her journalism background afforded her when approaching difficult topics such as domestic abuse and mental illness. Why She Writes Press was a great fit for the kind of book Veena wanted to write. Plus, their #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/334

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sara Schaff. Sara is the author of two short story collections The Invention of Love and Say Something Nice About Me. She is a CLMP Firecracker Award Finalist in fiction and a finalist for the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Award for short fiction. Her writing has appeared in Catapult, Kenyon Review Online, Yale Review Online, The Belladonna, Michigan Quarterly Review, LitHub, and others.  A graduate of Brown University and the MFA program at the University of Michigan, Sara has taught at Oberlin College, the University of Michigan, and St. Lawrence University, as well as in China, Colombia, and Northern Ireland, where she also studied storytelling. She lives in the North Country and is an assistant professor of English at the SUNY Plattsburgh. In this episode Sara and I discuss: How approaching her characters emotions more authentically created a significant change in her writing style. What a writer can do to best bring a reader into the story, and help a reader fully get to know their characters. Why feedback from other writers isn’t always helpful if it relies too much on suggestions for fixes and harsh criticisms, and not enough on building community. Plus, their #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/333

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Andi Cumbo-Floyd. Andi is a writer of both magical realism and nonfiction, but in the last year, she has taken on a new persona as ACF Bookens, author of cozy mysteries. Today we’ll be talking about her process and strategy in crafting this series. When she’s not writing, Andi is also an editor and writing coach, and she runs a beautiful, supportive online community. She lives in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains with a number of animals who cannot possibly coordinate their veterinary needs. In this episode Andi and I discuss: Why Andi cautions against writing for the market, but encourages writing in a particular niche that you love. What Cozy mystery tropes readers tend to expect, find funny, and appreciate. How writers of the Cozy mystery genre tend to market themselves, including newsletter writing tips. Plus, their #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/332

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Meg LaTorre. Meg is a sci-fi/fantasy author, YouTube darling, and founder of iWriterly. She is also the creator of the free query critique platform, Query Hack, co-host of the Publishable show, and blogger for websites: Writer’s Digest, Savvy Authors, Writers Helping Writers, and so forth. Formerly, she worked at a literary agency, and she has a background in magazine publishing, medical and technical writing, as well as journalism. For more information about Meg, subscribe to her YouTube channel or follow her on social media. You’ll find all her links on the show notes page. Today we’ll be talking about her latest book, The Cyborg Tinkerer. In this episode Meg and I discuss: How having a rebellious nature allowed her to write the kind of Steampunk novel she wanted to read. What aesthetic elements of the novel help portray issues of “otherness” and discrimination which are integral parts of the narrative. Why she chose the indie publishing route and how other authors can learn from her experience. Plus, their #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/331

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing the author, swordswoman, and falconer, Essa Hansen. Essa is a sound designer for sci-fi and fantasy films at Skywalker Sound, with credits in movies such as Doctor Strange and Avengers: Endgame.  Today we’ll be discussing her debut novel, Nophek Gloss. In this episode Essa and I discuss: What Essa does to develop her story’s language using etymology and words with multiple meanings. Why lead characters like Caiden need agency in their own story. How her experiences as a sound designer helped her create an audibly visceral world, and think outside the box creatively. Plus, their #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/330

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Laura Jamison. Laura Jamison is an attorney from Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, where she lives with her husband and their four children. When she is not practicing law or writing, she is driving her kids to one of their many activities in her minivan. Laura is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Michigan Law School. All the Right Mistakes is her debut novel and what we will be talking about today. In this episode Laura Jamison and I discuss: How the pressure to compete on social media inspired a character in her book All the Right Mistakes Why having a clear, mathematical structure to her multiple POV story was refreshing to her readers and keeps her on track as a writer. What she did to land an agent and her journey to being published through She Writes Press. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/329

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Carol VanDenHende. Carol is an award-winning author who pens stories of resilience and hope. Her debut novel Goodbye Orchid recently won the American Fiction Award for urban fiction, the Pinnacle Book Award for multicultural fiction, and was listed by Buzzfeed as one of its 12 Most Anticipated books this fall. Carol is also a speaker (as well as one of my writing conference buddies) and she often speaks on author brand, visual identity, and marketing plans. With an MBA with 20+ years' experience in marketing and strategy, Carol knows what it takes to market your book (even if you’re a busy author) and she has applied many of these strategies to the launch of Goodbye Orchid. One secret to Carol’s good fortune? Her humorous husband, fun-loving twins, and rescue cat, who prove that love really does conquer all. In this episode Carol and I discuss: How her book Goodbye Orchid is really about hope and resilience.  Why focusing on your message as a writer is the best way to self-promote, even when self-promotion might feel inauthentic. What people often miss about the hard work it takes to be a successful author. Plus, their #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/328

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Fish. Dwayne Booth has been a freelance writer and cartoonist for twenty-five years, publishing under both his real name and the pen name of Mr. Fish with the Los Angeles Times, the LA Weekly, the Village Voice, the Atlantic, The Nation, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Magazine, MSNBC, Truthdig, HuffingtonPost, ScheerPost and others. He was the subject of a 2017 award-winning documentary by Pablo Bryant called Mr. Fish: Cartooning from the Deep End. In this episode Mr. Fish and I discuss: What ambitious idea was the inspiration for Long Story Short. Why he enlisted the help of colleagues to help him accomplish his project. How visual art has a truth that resonates both emotionally and intellectually. Plus, their #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/327

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Amy Alznauer. Amy lives in Chicago with her husband, two children, a dog and her four puppies, a parakeet, sometimes chicks and a part-time fish, but, as of today, no elephants or peacocks. Check back. Her writing has won the Annie Dillard Award for Creative Nonfiction, the Christopher Award, and the SCBWI-Illinois Laura Crawford Memorial Mentorship, and her essays and poetry have appeared in collections and literary journals including The Bellingham Review, Creative Nonfiction and River Teeth. She has an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. She teaches calculus and number theory classes at Northwestern University. She is the managing editor for the SCBWI-IL Prairie Wind. And she is the writer-in-residence at St. Gregory the Great, where she has a little office in a big building with a bad internet connection, where she tries to get work done (in theory). In this episode Amy and I discuss: How the relationship between the Zhou brothers inspired her book. What Amy had to do to find the perfect illustrator for her book. Why Amy believes it is important to get the blessing from the real-life figures that inspire your writing.  Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes diymfa.com/326