DIY MFA Radio

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

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have author Gin Phillips on the show! When I received the pitch for Gin’s most recent book, Fierce Kingdom, it took my breath away. Not “oh this is cool” kind of take your breath away but punched-in-the-gut, heart-wrenching, “I don’t think I can put this book down” kind of take your breath away. Fierce Kingdom is a book about a mother and her son, trapped in a zoo that has been taken over by armed gunmen, and the lengths this mother will go to protect her child. Hooked yet? Listen in as Gin and I chat about her novel, and how to balance a fast paced plot with a strong and realistic mother-son bond. In this episode Gin and I discuss: How to bring a realistic mother-son relationship to the page. What nuances to use to create a three dimensional child character. Why you should use specific details instead of generalities to connect with your readers. How to bing plot and character development together in every single scene. When to speed up and when to slow down: Gin’s techniques to balance pacing in the tightest story timeframe. Plus, Gin’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/171

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking to middle grade author William Meyer! From the Indus River to the Italian Renaissance, no topic has piqued the imagination of this high school history teacher’s students as intensely as the study of Ancient Egypt. As a result of both their interest and his own childhood curiosity about the mysteries of that era, he wrote the Horace j. Edwards and the Time Keepers series. Listen in as we chat about his fantastic series and how to keep consistency and momentum going in a story. In this episode Bill and I discuss: How to keep your momentum going to write your second book. Tips and tricks to write a novel under a deadline. Why middle grade readers want the same but different story, and how to write it  for them. The nuts and bolts of worldbuilding in historical fiction with magic, and how to create and stick to your own rules. How to balance giving children characters agency to be the hero and grounding them in the reality of our world. Plus, Bill’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/170

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have executive director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and cofounder of 100 Word Story, Grant Faulkner, on the show! His stories have appeared in dozens of literary magazines, like Tin House and The Southwest Review, plus his essays on creativity have been published in places like the New York Times and Writer’s Digest. Grant’s latest collection of essays, Pep Talks for Writers: 52 Insights and Actions to Boost Your Creative Mojo, is now available and none too soon with NaNoWriMo just around the corner. Listen in as we discuss Grant’s book and get some tips on how to push through your blocks to reach your writing goals using the NaNoWriMo philosophy. In this episode Grant and I discuss: NaNoWriMo: what it is, why you should take part, and how to rise to the challenge. Why you should adopt a “beginner” mindset no matter the stage of your writing career. Failing better, and how to bounce back when you stumble and fall. Why you need to avoid perfection to discover your creative process. What three of the biggest creative blocks are, and how to smash through them. Plus, Grant’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/169

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting novelist and screenwriter Augustus Rose on the show! Augustus has a strong passion for numerous weird, esoteric, and fringe concepts, and found a way to thread them all together in his stunning debut novel, The Readymade Thief. Listen in as we pick apart the many layers of Augustus’s strange yet relatable novel, and learn how weave together different points of view to create one compelling narrative. In this episode Augustus and I discuss: How to transform high concept and strange ideas into a relatable story. Why starting with a prologue is necessary in some scenarios. What narrative distance is, and how to manipulate it. When to break the “rules” intentionally, in order to jar your reader in the right way. World building, and how to create a world based on different ideas instead of different landscapes. Plus, Augustus’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/168

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the absolute joy of hosting my dear friend, Jodi Kendall, on the show! Jodi and I go way back, to those days when DIY MFA was just the glimmer of an idea tickling the back of my brain. Jodi has nurtured a lifelong passion for animals, and has now turned that passion into a beautiful middle grade novel. I am so excited to share Jodi’s debut, The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City, and her inspiring story of a tough road to publication with you. Listen in as we geek about animals and middle grade fiction, and hear some of Jodi’s tips on growing through rejection to reach your publishing goals. In this episode Jodi and I discuss: How funneling your passion into your writing helps you find your voice. Outlining for pantsers, what Jodi’s techniques are. Why making a simple matter feel like life and death stakes for your character creates a page turning experience. How Jodi battles through years of rejection on her road to publication, and why you can do it. How to tap into your own emotions to create characters and themes that impact middle grade readers. Plus, Jodi’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/167

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting author and illustrator Trinka Hakes Noble on the show! Trinka is the award-winning author of over thirty picture books, and has been hailed as the champion of the picture book genre. Her latest book, Rettie and the Ragamuffin Parade, is a historical fiction starring a young girl named Rettie in 1918 America during the deadly influenza pandemic. Listen in as we get the inside scoop on how Rettie’s world was created, and geek out about the picture book genre.   In this episode Trinka and I discuss: Crafting historical fiction that places children in the shoes of the characters. How to use big moments in history to anchor your story. Why it’s so important—both in general, but most especially in children’s books—that the main character not come across as a victim. The important differences between a “story book” and a “picture book” and distinguishing features in each of these forms. Why it’s so important to trust your illustrator when you write picture books, and how your art director and illustrator can elevate your book to new heights. Plus, Trinka’s #1 tip for writers.   For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/166