DIY MFA Radio

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have Ashley and Leslie Saunders on the show! Ashley and Leslie are award-winning filmmakers, twin sisters, and authors. Hailing from the suburbs of Dallas these two honed their love of storytelling at The University of Texas at Austin. While researching their debut novel, The Rule of One, Ashley and Leslie fell in love with America's national parks, as they traveled the path of their main characters (also twin sisters) Ava and Mira. I’m reading The Rule of One right now, and OMG it is soooooo good! I was delighted to learn that this book will be followed by a sequel, The Rule Of Many, releasing in spring of 2019. So listen in as Ashley, Leslie, and I chat about this awesome book, and crafting a visually stunning near-fi dystopia on the page. In this episode Ashley, Leslie, and I discuss: Crafting a realistic twin sister relationship. Worldbuilding techniques for “near-fi” stories. The challenges of writing a novel vs. a screenplay. How to build a visual story on the page. Why connecting with other writers can motivate you to keep writing. Plus, Ashley’s and Leslie’s #1 tips for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/235

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting David Corbett on the show! I know David as a highly sought-after instructor at ITW’s Master CraftFest and CraftFest, and it’s easy to see why as he is the award-winning author of six novels, the story collection Thirteen Confessions, and the writing guide The Art of Character which has been called “A writer’s bible.” His short fiction has been selected twice for Best American Mystery Stories, and his non-fiction has appeared in several places including Writer’s Digest magazine where he is a contributing editor. David’s latest novel The Long-Lost Love Letters of Doc Holliday (OMG best alliterative title EVER!) about the possible discovery of the most notorious love letters in American history was released in 2018. So listen in as David and I discuss this awesome book and how to ratchet up the realness of your story’s world through its characters. In this episode David and I discuss: Choosing the right details to include that will pull your readers in. How to inject verisimilitude into your story. Why you should use real people as the basis for character creation. Crafting deeply flawed and relatable characters. Weaknesses, wounds and flaws, what they are and how to use them right. Plus, David’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA/com/234

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure and honor of hosting David Morrell on the show! David is the bestselling author of numerous books including First Blood, the award-winning novel in which Rambo was created, and the classic spy novel, The Brotherhood of the Rose, which was the basis for the only television mini-series to be broadcast after a Super Bowl. In his over forty years of writing experience David has received many well deserved awards and honors, including the Thriller Master award from the International Thriller Writers organization and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Bouchercon, the world’s largest convention of mystery and thriller enthusiasts. He holds a Ph.D. in American literature from Penn State and was a professor in the English department at the University of Iowa. He is truly a phenomenal teacher of writing and every time I hear him teach or speak on a subject, I learn something new and different. And today he’s here to talk with us about his latest novels, the Thomas De Quincey Victorian Mysteries triad Murder as a Fine Art, Inspector of the Dead, and Ruler of the Night. So listen in as David and I chat about these awesome books, and how to craft a novel with just enough detail to keep your readers enthralled in the story. In this episode David and I discuss: How to avoid the info dump, while still keeping your readers in the story. Framing details around the characters to bring them to life on the page. How to play with point of view to create verisimilitude in your story. Becoming the omniscient narrator. Why inserting journal entries can enhance your story, and how to do it right. Plus, David’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/233

Hey there word nerds! Today’s show is our last episode of 2018 so Happy New Year everybody! And this episode is an especially awesome one because it features three members of my awesome DIY MFA team. I am so excited to have DIY MFA columnists Melanie Marttila, Brenda Joyce Patterson, and Stacy Woodson on the show! I also want to take a moment to mention that these three amazing women are only a tiny sample of the awesome members of DIY MFA. We currently have 21 members on our team, from columnists who contribute articles to people who work their magic maintaining our archives and helping to curate all the voices we feature on our site. So a big thank you to all the members of the team for another awesome year! Now, let me introduce the three amazing ladies I’ll be chatting with in this interview. Melanie Marttila is a certified corporate trainer by day and fantasy writer by night. She writes the DIY MFA column Speculations, which is all about science fiction and fantasy. Her own works of scifi and fantasy have appeared in several places such as Bastion Science Fiction Magazine and On Spec Magazine. Brenda Joyce Patterson is a poet, writer, librarian, and lover of short writing forms. Her column at DIY MFA, Writing Small, focuses on the various different short forms of writing such as short stories, poetry, and essays. She is a mentee in the Association of Writers & Writing Programs' Writer to Writer Mentorship Program for Fall 2018—which is a very prestigious and selective mentoring program—and her poetry and flash fiction have been published in numerous literary magazines such as Vayavya. She has also had a travel essay published (along with works by Maya Angelou and Gwendolyn Brooks) in the anthology Go Girl: The Black Woman's Guide to Travel and Adventure. Stacy Woodson writes crime fiction and is the columnist behind Hook, Line, and Dagger, which dives into all things thriller and mystery. She is a U.S. Army veteran and memories of her time in the military are a source of inspiration for her writing. Stacy is a Daphne du Maurier winner and a Killer Nashville Claymore finalist. She also has several short fiction pieces forthcoming in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Malice Domestic’s Mystery Most Edible, and Chesapeake Crimes: Invitation to Murder. Didn’t I tell you my team was amazing?!?! But I’ll stop gushing and let you hear from these fabulous women themselves. So listen in as Melanie, Brenda, Stacy and I chat about the aspects of genre writing and give you a sneak peek at the behind-the-scenes of DIY MFA. In this episode Melanie, Brenda, Stacy and I discuss: An inside look at the Speculations, Writing Small, and Hook, Line, and Dagger columns. The different conventions within genres and writing forms. Why reading with purpose in your genre is so important. Pitfalls to avoid when writing thriller, scifi/fantasy, and short forms. Book recommendations to help you dive into each of their genres. Plus, all these lovely ladies’ #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/232

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Caroline Donahue on the show! Caroline is an American writer living in Berlin, and the host of The Secret Library Podcast (where I’ve had the good fortune of being a guest!). She is also the co-editor, with Dal Kular, of the essay anthology I Wrote it Anyway, which is all about writers overcoming obstacles in order to do the work they love. Proceeds from this anthology benefits Arts Emergency in the UK and 826 LA in the US. I happen to be a huge fan of 826, having volunteered for several years at the NYC branch, so when Caroline put out a call for submissions, I immediately raised my hand. Now listen in as Caroline and I chat about this amazing project, and do a deep dive into the process of crafting an anthology from beginning to end. In this episode Caroline and I discuss: A step-by-step process of putting an anthology together. The importance of choosing your editorial stance early on. How to handle the submission process. The biggest hurdles to look out for when crafting an anthology. Tricks to help you overcome blocks and write anyway. Plus, Caroline’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/231

Hey there word nerds! I have to admit that today I’m having a major fangirl moment because I’m interviewing Orson Scott Card on the show! Orson Scott Card is the author of the New York Times bestseller Ender’s Game and has won several Hugo and Nebula awards for his works of speculative fiction. In fact, his Ender novels are read widely by adults and young readers alike, and are increasingly used in schools. However his latest work of fiction, A Town Divided by Christmas, reads more like a Hallmark Christmas  movie than the science fiction and fantasy work he has become known for.  This novel is about a small, rural town divided by a decades-long feud over which newborn baby should be the baby Jesus in the Christmas pageant. But at its core is a Christmas time romance. So listen in as we chat about this awesome book, and how to craft a well told story for Christmas or any time of the year. In this episode Orson and I discuss: What makes a good Christmas story. Why writing within a formula can help you focus in on the heart of your novel. The importance of good dialogue. How to get readers emotionally invested in your characters. Worldbuilding techniques, large and small. Plus, Orson’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/230

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Traci Lambrecht, of the mother-daughter writing team P.J. Tracy, perhaps most well-known for their Monkeewrench thriller series. Traci spent most of her childhood riding and showing horses, then graduated with a Russian Studies major from St. Olaf College in Minnesota. She then began writing in order to finance her propensity for travel and, much to her mother’s relief, found that writing was her true calling. Traci and her mother P.J. wrote several books together and had a long, prolific career as a team. Sadly, P.J. passed away in December 2016, but Traci continues to write and carry on this amazing legacy. So listen in as we chat about the newly released ninth volume in their Monkeewrench series, The Guilty Dead, and how to ratchet up suspense throughout a story to keep readers on the edge of their seats.   In this episode Traci and I discuss: Multiple protagonists vs. a single protagonist How to pull off a killer prologue. Creating vivid descriptions without slowing down your plot. How to use reading to inform your writing. Dealing with the “muggles” in your life. Plus, Traci’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/229

Hey there word nerds! Today I am pleased to have Kallie Falandays on the show! Kallie is a poet and the founder of Tell Tell Poetry, a poetry resource site and editing company that helps poets get published.   Her own poetry has appeared in numerous places such as Black Warrior Review and The Journal. She is also the author of the poetry collection Dovetail Down the House available now from Burnside Review Books. Listen in as Kallie and I chat about crafting a poetry collection that will keep readers flipping pages, and the specific of the poetry publishing process. In this episode Kallie and I discuss: Using titleless poems to immerse your readers in the heart of your collection. How to combine three different poetic formats in one book. Why there is no right or wrong way to read poetry. Characters and narrative arcs in poems. The specific details of publishing in the poetry world. Plus, Kallie’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/228

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited—and I’ll admit I’m also having a bit of a fangirl moment—because I’m interviewing Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, and Giovanni Rigano on the show! Together, they comprise the powerhouse team behind the heart-wrenching and powerful graphic novel Illegal. You probably already know Eoin Colfer as the bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series (one of my favorite middle grade series of all time!). What you might not know about him is that before becoming a full-time writer he worked as a primary school teacher and he spent four years working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Italy. Eoin’s co-author, Andrew Donkin, has written more than sixty books and graphic novels for children and adults, including collaborating with Eoin on the Artemis Fowl graphic novels. His books have been translated into thirty languages around the world and have sold more than eight million copies in the last decade. And the master behind the artwork of Illegal,Giovanni Rigano, is an Italian artist and illustrator, who may be most well known for his role in the creation of the Artemis Fowl graphic novels. He has also created graphic novels for Disney books, including The Incredibles. Now listen in as we all chat about their latest and amazing graphic novel, and how the comic format offers ways to draw readers in unlike any other media. In this episode Eoin, Andrew, Giovanni and I discuss: The different steps in creating and completing a graphic novel. Combining words and pictures to create a greater emotional response in readers. Structuring a story with alternating timelines, and how to do it right. Why it is necessary to represent the perspective of children in books. How to use the graphic novel layout to control the pace of your story. Plus, each of their #1 tips for writers and artists. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/227

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have Camille Perri on the show! Camille is an author who has also worked in numerous book related fields. She has been a books editor for both Cosmopolitan and Esquire, a ghostwriter, and a reference librarian. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, The Assistants, was released in May of 2016 and was said to have captured the spirit of a generation: Millennials encumbered by student debt, struggling to rise through the ranks of their chosen careers, and completely fed up with the system. Camille’s newly released second novel, When Katie Met Cassidy, is a bit of a divergence from her first, but still holds the same wry humor and discerning eye she has become known for. This time she turns those talents to questions of gender, representation, and sexuality in an exhilarating romantic comedy with a twist: A “girl meets girl” love story between two very different women. So listen in as Camille and I chat about this awesome book, and how writing a fun read can be the greatest act of resistance. In this episode Camille and I discuss: Using alternating point of view to get readers inside all of your characters’ heads. The importance of worldbuilding in contemporary fiction. Showing the fun side of the queer community. Subtle activism in romantic comedies. Why you can make a difference with your writing without being political. Plus, Camille’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/226