DIY MFA Radio

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Ann Kidd Taylor to the show! Ann first broke on to the literary scene in 2009 with the New York Times bestselling memoir Traveling with Pomegranates, co-written with her mother Sue Monk Kidd. She returns this summer with her debut novel, The Shark Club, which has received glowing early praise and is available in bookstores now!  Listen in as Ann and I tease apart The Shark Club and discuss both its unique characters and setting. In this episode Ann and I discuss How to write a character driven novel with a plot that will keep readers turning pages. Why writing an abnormal protagonist not only makes a story unique but adds tension. How to craft multisensory scenes that bring to life a setting, such as underwater, which differs so much from your own experience. How to write realistic animal characters without inferring human qualities on to them. How to prepare yourself to write something outside your area of expertise. Plus, Ann's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/155

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have bestselling author of contemporary YA, Sarah Dessen on the show! Sarah has twelve previous novels to her name, and discusses with us here her latest teen read, Once And For All. Listen in as we chat about the ins and outs of Sarah's writing process, and how she keeps her momentum going to create characters and stories that resonate with teens. In this episode Sarah and I discuss: How to craft a story with a balance of light and dark scenes. What challenges arise after you've published multiple books, and why some books are more challenging to write than others. How to use a "skeleton" of your story to draft a manuscript, and how this technique can let you know a book is not working. How to craft realistic and engaging stories that keep teens coming back for more. How to push through the bad writing times and forge ahead. Plus Sarah's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/154

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Karen Dionne on the show. Karen was the first author I ever interviewed on DIY MFA Radio, and is now the first author that I've brought back for a second solo interview because she’s just that awesome. In this episode we discuss Karen’s novel The Marsh King’s Daughter, the very book she was working on way back in 2014 when I first interviewed her, and I have a feeling this book will be one of the summer’s biggest hits.     In this episode Karen and I discuss: How to write the book that’s in you by mining what you know, and why this can make a bizarre setting not only unique but memorable. How to write complex characters that will jump off the page for readers. How to write a relatable villain, and why showing that your bad guy isn’t all bad makes the story more engaging and keeps readers flipping pages. How to hit your reader with a major shift in chapter one. How switching gears in what you write can help you reach your writing goals. Plus, Karen’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/153

Hey there word nerds! Today I’m so excited to have middle grade author and fellow New School alumni, Lisa Preziosi on the show. In our interview, Lisa and I talk about nesting stories within stories, and the various craft elements—such as setting and theme—that make up the fairy tale framework. Listen in to hear us geek out over how to craft a fairy tale for modern middle grade readers.   In this episode Lisa and I discuss: What defines a character as the protagonist, and how viewing a story through different angles can change the character’s role. How to use setting as metaphor for your story’s theme or your characters’ arcs. Why having older characters in a middle grade book can work in a fairy tale framework. How to modulate voice during transitions in a nested story so readers are never jolted out of the story’s world. How to pick a title for your book so it connects with all the different layers of your story. Plus, Lisa’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/152

Hey there word nerds! Today we’re doing something a little different.  I have here with me in person, author and DIY MFA Romance columnist, Robin Lovett! Robin is the author of two dark, sexy, romance novels, and is a super advocate for the romance genre.  Her next series, of three dark stalker suspense romances,  releases this summer through St. Martin's Press Swerve, beginning with Stranger. In our interview, Robin and I dive into the rarely spoken of domain of sex in romance writing, and tease apart the numerous craft elements of this complex and often overlooked genre.   In this episode Robin and I discuss: Why sex should or should not be included  a romance novel, and how to craft sex scenes the right way. How to create tension and faster pacing by switching back and forth between the hero and the heroine. How to craft a sympathetic anti-hero your readers will want a happy ending for. How to use the inner conflict within a character—the wanting and not wanting—to create steamier love scenes. What the business and legal aspects of romance writing entail, and how organizations like the Romance Writers of America (RWA) champions the genre. Plus, Robin’s  #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/151

Hey there word nerds! Welcome to the 2017 Epic BookExpo Recap episode. If you don’t already what BookExpo is, it’s the big industry trade show that takes place in the United States every year. This year, things at BookExpo were a little bit new and different so I wanted to give you a rundown of what’s new, what’s still the same, and what I think all these things say about the book industry as a whole.   In this episode, I give you an inside look at: The new vibe at BookExpo, and why I’m really digging the new, smaller, industry focus. What really happens at BookExpo and what this trade show is all about. Why I attend BookExpo, and what I look for as I walk the show. Plus I share a teaser about the types of books I was most excited to check out at the show, and why. For more info and show notes, head to DIYMFA.com/150

Hey there word nerds! Today I’m delighted to have literary agent Mark Gottlieb on the show!    Mark is an agent at Trident Media Group, where he has worked with the agency’s chairman.  He is now working on building his own client list because he wants to help manage and grow authors’ careers using the amazing resources Trident has available. In our interview, Mark and I discuss the topic that both excites and terrifies writers--- The Pitch.  Mark gives us the inside scoop on how to work the Pitch Slam and what makes or breaks a spoken pitch.   In this episode Mark and I discuss: What the dos and don’ts of a spoken pitch are, and how writers can use a Pitch Slam to their best advantage. What the framework of a query letter includes, and how to craft a creative hook and strong pitch that will make agent’s want to read more. Why using comp titles can strengthen your pitch, and how to weave them together with your book’s details, with example pitches from Mark! How studying current titles in the marketplace can place your query a step above the crowd. Plus, Mark’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/149

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have Jay Swanson on the show. Jay is the creator of the world's first real-time fantasy blog, Into the Nanten, and has written a handful of other fantasy and science-fiction novels along the way. He’s also a daily vlogger and has been posting a photo per day for the past six and half years! In our interview we dive into the creation of Into the Nanten, and the best ways to use different forms of media to craft a unique storytelling experience.   In this episode Jay and I discuss: How to craft an interactive storytelling experience for your readers. What the challenges of blogging a story in real time are, and how to stay ahead. How to use various forms of media to add an extra dimension to your story. Challenges that occur when creating a multimedia story, and why understanding how people read a blog versus a book can help keep more readers coming back. How to build your community on different platforms and across different media. Creative ways to raise money for your projects, and how these initiatives can make your story more real to readers. Plus, Jay’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/148

Hey there word nerds! Today we’re doing something a little bit different. I have the pleasure of interviewing both a debut author, Jenni Walsh, and the editor who helped bring the book to life, Bess Cozby!  Bess may be familiar to some of you in the word nerd community, since aside from being an editor at Tor/Forge Publishing Bess is also the web editor at DIY MFA. Today this awesome author-editor team gives us a window into the side of publishing we rarely get to see, as we discuss what went into bringing Jenni’s debut novel, Becoming Bonnie, to the shelves. In this episode Jenni, Bess, and I discuss: How to expand a concept to a broader audience, and how an editor can help you strategize for a long term career. How to use pieces of historical information as “guide posts” to shape your narrative and write a historical figure, like Bonnelyn Parker, who lacks a lot of historical documentation. How to create a strong author-editor relationship and why this can make your book even stronger. The less glamorous—but still important—parts of the publishing process, like what the editor does (aside from editing) to bring an awesome book to the shelves. How to juggle several writing projects, a full time job, and a family all at the same time. Plus, their #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/147

Hey there word nerds! Today I’m delighted to have K.M. Weiland on the show. K.M. Weiland is an award winning and internationally published author with a passion for helping writers become published authors. Through her award winning website, Helping Writers Become Authors, she has mentored numerous writers. She is also the author of several books on the craft of writing. In our interview, we dive into her book Creating Character Arcs, and the craft elements that make characters of all types pop off the page. In this episode K.M. Weiland and I discuss: How to create a strong character arc that works with your plot, and why there is danger in not structuring your characters. Why theme is an important element in your story, and how to use for maximum effect. What the three types of character arcs are, and how to recognize and craft each type. How change occurs in a flat arc, and why these characters resonate with readers. How to fix a story with no character arc, and why a no arc story can work. How to craft change in a story on both internal and external levels, and why the power of choice is important to all types of character arc. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/146