DIY MFA Radio

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. Plus, Joan's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/181

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have author D.P. Lyle on the show! In his writing career, Doug has received a Macavity and Benjamin Franklin Silver Award and has been nominated for a gazillion others including, but nowhere near limited to, the Edgar, Agatha, and Silver Falchion. He is the author of 17 books, including the thriller series of Samantha Cody, Dub Walker, and Jake Longly (which is the one highlighted on the show!). He has also worked with writers of numerous popular T.V. shows like, Law & Order, CSI: Miami, Monk, and the list goes on. As if all that wasn't impressive enough, Doug is also the VP of Education for International Thriller Writers. This means he is in charge of CraftFest, Master CraftFest, and ITW's online Thriller School. Listen in as we discuss his latest Jake Longly thriller, and the art of crafting a thriller series to keep all your readers, both new and super fans, coming back for more. In this episode Doug and I discuss: The importance of settings, and how to use them right. What the two types of series are, and how to write them both. Tips to overcome the challenges of the thriller series character. Less is more, knowing what to leave in and what to leave out. An inside look at ITW's educational programs, and ThrillerFest 2018. Plus, Doug's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/180

Happy Holidays word nerds! To help you enjoy this special week between Christmas and New Year's, we've got an awesome show for featuring author Stephen Morris! Stephen holds degrees in medieval history and theology from Yale and St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Academy. He is also a former priest of the Russian Orthodox Church. He has written several historical and contemporary fantasy books as well as the nonfiction book When Brothers Dwell in Unity: Byzantine Christianity and Homosexuality. What drew me to this book in particular is how Stephen approached his research through close reading. Listen in as we talk about Stephen's research methods, and how to dissect and truly understand texts. In this episode Stephen and I discuss: What do these words mean? Understanding the context and time period of texts. Stephen's research methods: The art of index cards. What to do when faced with contradictions and a lack of answers to your questions. Battling confirmation bias and how to safeguard against it. Dealing with push back when writing and publishing a controversial topic. Plus, Stephen's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/179

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of talking with author Ada Palmer on the show! Ada is an intellectual historian and the author of the four part science fiction series Terra Ignota. The first book in the series (also Ada's first science fiction novel), Too Like the Lightning, was a Hugo Best Novel Finalist in 2017 and is followed by Seven Surrenders and The Will to Battle which just released this month. In addition to writing these awesome books, Ada composes fantasy, Sci-Fi, and mythology-themed music, performs at conventions with her vocal group Sassafrass, researches anime and manga, and blogs about philosophy and travel. Listen in as we chat about Ada's epic series, and the art of world building in speculative fiction. In this episode Ada and I discuss: How to avoid being pigeonholed by your books and your brand. Why thinking like a historian aids world building. Ada's personal techniques for building multiple worlds at once. Avoiding the info. dump, crafting an opening scene of speculative fiction the right way. Fiction burn, what it is and how to avoid it in your novel. Plus, Ada's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/178

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have author Ayobami Adebayo on the show! Ayobami's stories have appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies. She holds BA and MA degrees in literature in English as well as an MA in creative writing, and has received numerous fellowships and residencies. Her debut novel, Stay With Me, is set in her home country of Nigeria and was one of the Buzz Books at Book Expo 2017. Listen in as we discuss Ayobami's debut novel, and how to find the right narration for your story. In this episode Ayobami and I discuss: Writing alternating first person POV, and how to do it right. How to discover your characters' reasons for their actions. Tips and techniques to keep from breaking your novel. Ways to shift your reader's perspective with your story's framework. Deciding what to leave unsaid in your novel. Plus, Ayobami's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/177

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of chatting with author Danya Kukafka on the show! Danya's stunning debut novel, Girl in Snow, received rave reviews right out of the gate from masters of the thriller genre like Paula Hawkins and Lee Child. This achievement is made even more remarkable when you consider that Danya is only 25 years old! After reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Virgin Suicides, Danya became fascinated by unstable teens in voyeuristic communities. She set out to explore the idea of what would happen if you had a teenage boy who truly doesn't know if he's killed someone. How could the reader find empathy for him? Listen in as we tackle this question and the even bigger question of deciding where the line between YA and adult lies as we discuss Girl in Snow. In this episode Danya and I discuss: Adult or YA? Deciding which way is right for your story. Writing teenage characters that feel real. Knowing when to choose a multiple point of view and how to do it right. Dealing with the publishing world as an editor and an author. How to win the comparison game by sticking to your own writing path. Plus, Danya's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/176

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have doctor and writer Robin Cook on the show! Robin started his medical career as a general surgical resident and finished with an ophthalmology residency at Harvard. His literary career, however, began as he wrote his debut novel, The Year of the Intern, underwater inside a nuclear submarine. He followed this up with his novel Coma, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and created the medical thriller genre. Robin is the author of thirty-four previous international bestselling novels, and is now back with his latest work Charlatans. Listen in as we dive into Robin's latest medical thriller, the genre itself, and get an inside look at how to turn firmly held beliefs of the medical profession on their heads. In this episode Robin and I discuss: What makes a medical thriller. How to balance keeping an issue present without creating an issue-driven book. Why fiction is better at influencing public policy than nonfiction. Using little details to drag readers into the story from page one. Prologues, when you should use them and the reasons why. Plus, Robin's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/175

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have Jarett Kobek on the show! Jarett published his first novel, I Hate the Internet, last year with a small indie publisher and it immediately took on cult status and received rave reviews. His new book, The Future Won't Be Long, centers on one of the characters (Adeline) featured in I Hate the Internet and is set in my favorite city, New York! Listen in as we discuss Jarett's latest novel and his techniques to keep a book based around technology relevant even when the tech in the story becomes obsolete. In this episode Jarett and I discuss: The art of explaining everything, and why you should use the technique. His tips and tricks for keeping the technology in a book relevant for future generations. When to set a project aside and how to go back and edit it later. How to grow your characters through multiple books as well as in a single book. Why readers want to read multivolume stories. Plus, Jarett's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/174

Hey there word nerds! I am having the biggest fangirl moment of all time because today I have author A.J. Jacobs on the show! I was first introduced to A.J.'s work back when I was just an itty-bitty baby writer, and heard him give a talk on "faking it until you make it." DIY MFA was barely a twinkle in my eye at that point, so to say I hadn't yet made is a massive understatement. His talk was a lightbulb moment for me, and from there on "fake it until you make it" became my mantra. The rest, as they say, is history. Now A.J. is here to talk about his latest book It's All Relative, which follows the same vein of experimental journalism as his other works showing in great detail his quest for "self-improvement" in the most hilarious of ways. Listen in as we chat about his books, the structure he uses to write them, and maybe you'll get your own lightbulb moment from A.J.! In this episode A.J. and I discuss: Nailing down your hook, and how to structure your book around a concrete goal. A.J.' personal techniques for brainstorming and finding the "sticky ideas." How to find your writing groove to get through the daily grind. Tips on preparing for a speaking presentation vs. writing something on the page. Ways to balance writing about your own life and other people's (without annoying anyone or getting yourself in trouble). Plus, A.J.'s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/173

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting author Kathleen Hill on the show! Kathleen teaches in the MFA program at Sarah Lawrence College, and has also taught and lived in the country of Niger which is also where her debut novel Still Waters in Niger is set. Her debut received many accolades including being named a notable book by the New York and Los Angeles Times. Kathleen is also the author of the novel Who Occupies This House, and now of the memoir She Read to us in the Late Afternoons: A Life in Novels. Listen in as we discuss Kathleen's latest book and how to make the shift from fiction to memoir. In this episode Kathleen and I discuss: Writing literal truth versus emotional truth and when to use both. How to work around constraints of reality in fiction vs. memoir. Ways to tackle "blind spots" of your characters when using an "I" narrator. How to use certain language to make your memoir feel like a novel. Tips on finding your memoir's hook, and weaving a narrative through your life. Plus, Kathleen's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/172