DIY MFA Radio

Hey there word nerds! Today I'm thrilled to have author Kiersi Burkhart on the show! Kiersi is an author and freelance writer living in windy, wild Wyoming. She is the co-author, along with Amber J. Keyser, of the middle grade series Quartz Creek Ranch; four stand alone stories all about a summer horse camp in her own home state of Colorado. She went to college at a small, and extremely remote school in Portland, Oregon, where she got really plugged into their literary community. The secluded campus and insular culture of this college inspired the setting in Kiersi's latest book and YA debut, Honor Code. Listen in as we chat about Kiersi's amazing book, and how to focus on characters in an issue driven book. In this episode Kiersi and I discuss: Crafting an issue-driven book that doesn't feel issue-driven. Flipping a known concept on its head to form a more interesting theme. How to use a blog as a device to layer your story with different perspectives. The wider world of writing, ways to get out of your writer's bubble and into the community. Tips to survive the introvert hangover after an in person event. Plus, Kiersi's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/191

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have author Chloe Benjamin on the show! Chloe received an MFA in fiction from the University of Wisconsin, and her first novel, The Anatomy of Dreams, received the Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award and was longlisted for the 2014 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Her latest novel, The Immortalists, received extraordinary pre-publication excitement and has already been optioned for a major U.S. television series. I myself have been buzzing about this book since May 2017 where it was featured in the BookExpo America Adult Buzz Panel. Listen in as we chat about Chloe's awesome new book, and crafting an overarching narrative in a story with shifting points of view. In this episode Chloe and I discuss: The art of the prologue, when to use one and how to do it right. Combining shifting character perspectives with a continuous narrative thread. Crafting a multiple protagonist story. Doing justice to your secondary characters while keeping them in a supporting role. How to hit the right emotional notes in your readers. Plus, Chloe's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/190

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the absolute pleasure of interviewing author Georgia Hunter on the show! Georgia's debut novel, We Were the Lucky Ones, is an emotional story about a Jewish family ripped away from each other at the start of the German and Russian occupation of Poland, and their extraordinary journey back to each other. And if that wasn't juicy enough, the novel is actually based on Georgia's grandfather's (Addy in the book) real Holocaust survival story. Readers from all over the country have embraced this incredible story, leading it to be nominated as a finalist for the Goodreads "Best Books of 2017 Choice Awards" for "Best Debut Goodreads Author." Listen in as we chat about Georgia's amazing book, and how to balance real family lore with historical fiction. In this episode Georgia and I discuss: Crafting suspense into a story when your readers already know the ending. Using the present tense to bring emotions to life in your characters. The distinction between nonfiction and historical fiction and when to draw the line. Flushing out snippets of oral history with believable transitions in your novel. Georgia's tips on where to start when writing your family's story. Plus, Georgia's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/189

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have Rodrigo Hasbún on the show! Rodrigo is a Bolivian novelist whose work has appeared in many top literary magazines such as Granta and Words Without Borders. In 2007, he was selected by the Hay Festival as one of the best Latin American writers under the age of thirty-nine for Bogotá39, and in 2010 he was named one of Granta's Best Young Spanish-Language Novelists. His latest novel, Affections, is his American publishing debut, received an English PEN Award, and has been published in twelve languages. Listen in as we chat about Rodrigo's amazing book, and how to find the way to your own best writing practice. In this episode Rodrigo and I discuss: Practicing mindfulness in your writing while not squashing your creative process. Using peripheral first person POV to give your protagonist greater impact. Keeping readers engaged and invested in your work. Translating your writer's instinct into a reliable editing process. Broader edits vs. fine tuning, how to use the logic of a film editor for both. Plus, Rodrigo's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/188

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have Dr. Eucabeth Odhiambo on the show! Eucabeth was born in Kenya and her gorgeous middle grade debut novel, Auma's Long Run,is inspired by her memories growing up there as well as her own work experiences with children and educators affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. I read a lot of books for this show and while I'm not supposed to pick any favorites, I have to say it's not often that a book gets me this excited about the story and the meaning behind it. Listen in as we tease apart the many elements of Auma's Long Run, and discuss the responsibility that comes along with writing an "own voices" novel. In this episode Eucabeth and I discuss: Crafting a strong female character young girls anywhere can relate to. Writing a sport centered middle grade novel with a female protagonist. Bringing life to a country and a culture through your characters. Dealing with the fear and responsibility of writing about things others have experienced. How fiction helps in getting over the hurdles of writing an "own voices" novel. Plus, Eucabeth's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/187

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have author Stef Penney on the show! Stef is a screenwriter and author. Her debut novel, The Tenderness of Wolves,was the winner of the Costa Prize for Book of the Year and the Theakston's Crime Novel of the Year, and was translated into thirty languages. Stef followed up this success with her next highly acclaimed novel The Invisible Ones, and her latest work Under a Pole Star which was the recipient of the 2017 Wilbur and Niso Smith Adventure Writing Prize. An epic tale of arctic exploration between two rival teams in the 1800's, writing Under a Pole Star became a journey of its own for Stef, as she mapped out her characters' lives and took readers across three continents in this amazing work. Listen in as we chat about the creation of Under a Pole Star, and how to best prepare yourself for your own writing exploration. In this episode Stef and I discuss: Using visual aids to add reality to a fictional setting. When to show your character's back story and how to do it right. Preparing yourself to navigate through your writing and what "tools" to take. Systems to keep track of and order your research into a novel. Dealing with gender roles in a novel without being political. Plus, Stef's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/186

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have bestselling co-authors Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi on the show! Angela and Becca co-founded the popular Writers Helping Writers site, a hub where authors can hone their craft, as well as One Stop for Writers, an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling. I happen to be part of their current cohort of Resident Writing Coaches on Writers Helping Writers and have been a longtime fan of their work. They are also both writing coaches and international speakers, and their books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Angela and Becca's popular Writer's Thesauruses series is now up to fourteen books in total with their latest edition, The Emotional Wound Thesaurus, which is available now. Listen in as we chat about their latest thesaurus, and dig deep into what an emotional wound is and how to use to create more believable characters. In this episode Angela, Becca, and I discuss: Tips to find and use a character's emotional wound to draw your readers in. Avoiding the research rabbit hole, finding what you need to know to write the story. What "show don't tell" really means and how to do it right. Backstory, when to use it and why. The want, the wound, and the desire,how to combine them in your characters. Plus, each of these ladies' #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/185

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have bestselling author Kat Martin on the show! Kat is the author of sixty-eight historical and contemporary romantic suspense novels, and with over sixteen million copies of her books in print in twenty countries outside the US, you could say Kat knows a thing or two about building a long-term career as an author. The first book of her most recent series The Texas Trilogy, also known as the Beyond— series, Beyond Reason, received a coveted starred review from Publisher's Weekly. The second installment, Beyond Danger, hit shelves on January 30, 2018, and the third, Beyond Control, is coming in June 2018. Listen in as we chat about not only Kat's latest series, but the strategic decisions she made on her career path to bestselling author. In this episode Kat and I discuss: How to keep yourself motivated in the early days of your writing career. Knowing when to say goodbye, how to change agents and publishers. Who owns the rights? What to look for in contracts. Matching your writing pace to the voracious romance reader without going crazy. Kat's tips for staying in control of your series. Plus, Kat's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/184

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have author and editor Joe Fassler on the show! Joe earned his MFA from the University of Iowa Writing Program and is a senior editor at The New Food Economy. His writing has appeared in many journals including The Boston Review, Electric Literature, and Creative Nonfiction, but he's probably most well-known for the author interviews he conducts as part of The Atlantic's "By Heart" series. Joe's latest work, Light the Dark: Writers on Creativity, Inspiration, and the Artistic Process, is a compilation of numerous authors' answers to one simple but profound question: What inspires you? Light the Dark is available now. I've been reading it and all I can say is if you're a writer, you must put this book on your To-Be-Read list for 2018! Listen in as we chat about this amazing book, and some of the best ways to keep inspired and motivated to write. In this episode Joe and I discuss: Learning to the draw the line, how to find your catch-all creative time. Why you need to celebrate your zero moment. Balancing what publicists want and what writers want in an interview. Techniques to help find that quiet place of creativity in your mind. The importance of the written word and the transformative power of books. Plus, Joe's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/183

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have author Howard Kaplan on the show! Howard is a native of Los Angeles, but he has lived in Israel and traveled to numerous places across the world, including Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. He also has had some incredible adventures in the former Soviet Union which, along with his time in Syria, inspired bestselling thriller The Damascus Cover. Published forty years ago to rave reviews, The Damascus Cover is finally coming to the big screen. The movie debuted in September 2017 at the Boston Film Festival, and is scheduled for release everywhere this spring. Listen in as we talk about this bestseller, the art of film, and how to take a story from page to screen. In this episode Howard and I discuss: The importance of endings, and how to do them right. How to use film to elevate your story. Kill your darlings, knowing what to cut on the page vs. the screen. When your characters come to life, what to expect when working with actors. Setting the right tone in scene one for a book and a movie. Plus, Howard's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/182