DIY MFA Radio

  Hey there word nerds! I’m so excited to share today’s episode with you. It’s not often that I have an author on the show where I’ve read almost their entire body of work. Carolyn Mackler is one of those rare authors. As an MFA student, I wrote a term paper for my YALit class examining the mother-daughter relationships in her first four novels. Since then I’ve been an avid reader of her work and have eagerly awaited her subsequent novels. Usually, when I interview authors on the show, we focus our discussion on that author’s latest work. This is often a pragmatic consideration because I don’t often have the opportunity to read every book that author has written. But before we dive into today’s interview I want to pose a challenge to my word nerd listeners. The Challenge We can’t all read every single book by every single author on the planet, but I want you to try doing this with one or two authors whose work you love. The insights and benefits you'll get from this practice will amaze you. When you read an author’s body of work, you not only get to enjoy great stories from an author you love, but you get to see that author’s process and creative growth over time. As I interview Carolyn today, we’re not just going to talk about her latest book, but also how different themes and elements of craft have developed in her writing over the course of various books. But first, a quick intro about today’s guest. Carolyn Macker is the author of several highly-acclaimed YA novels, one new middle grade novel, and a collaborative novel with bestselling author Jay Asher. Her second book: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things received the Printz Honor and her latest book Infinite In Between has already garnered starred reviews. A fellow New Yorker, Carolyn lives in NYC with her husband and two young sons. In this episode Carolyn and I discuss: Taking the leap into YA, even though the “market” wasn’t great. Writing your second book. Trying something new. Characterization and craft from one novel to the next. The importance of knowing your protagonists. Diversity in characterization. Plus, Carolyn’s #1 tip for writers. More About Carolyn Mackler Carolyn Mackler’s latest novel for teens, Infinite in Between, has already garnered several starred reviews. She is also the author of the popular YA novels, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (A Michael L. Printz Honor Book), Tangled, Guyaholic, Vegan Virgin Valentine, and Love and Other Four-Letter Words. Carolyn’s novel, The Future of Us, co-written with bestselling author Jay Asher, received starred reviews and appeared on bestseller lists. Her first middle grade novel, Best Friend Next Door, came out in May 2015.  Carolyn’s books have been published in more than twenty countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Korea, the Netherlands, Denmark, Israel, and Indonesia.Carolyn lives in New York City with her husband and two young sons. To learn more about Carolyn and her books, follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or visit her website. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/085  

Hey there word nerds, I’m so glad you’re here! We’re doing something different for this episode of DIY MFA Radio. This week I'm speaking with Steve Berry and Raymond Khoury about the art of collaboration. As you may remember, Steve Berry has appeared on this show before, and this time I'm thrilled to welcome him back with a twist. Today I’m talking both with him and with fellow thriller author Raymond Khoury, about their recent ebook collaboration: Shadow Tag. In case you've been off the grid and don't know who these two awesome authors are... Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of several history-driven thrillers and his latest book The 14th Colony which will be out on April 5. Raymond Khoury is a former screenwriter and now the author of five consecutive New York Times and #1 international bestsellers. His latest book The End Game will be out on March 10. Their collaborative eBook is a phenomenal example of how two authors can work together to increase both their platforms and reach new readers. In this episode Steve, Raymond, and I discuss: The myth of “original” material The logistics of collaboration Cross-pollinating reader bases as a marketing strategy How to find a collaboration partner Plus, Steve’s and Raymond’s #1 tip for writers. Resources: Shadow Tag is out now, and you can pre-order Raymond Khoury's The End Game and Steve Berry's The 14th Colony. If you decide to purchase, we hope you'll consider doing so via these amazon affiliate links, where DIY MFA gets a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting this podcast! Steve Berry: History lies at the heart of every Steve Berry novel. It’s his passion, one he shares with his wife, Elizabeth, which led them to create History Matters, a foundation dedicated to historic preservation. Since 2009 Steve and Elizabeth have crossed the country to save endangered historic treasures, raising money via lectures, receptions, galas, luncheons, dinners and their popular writers workshops. To date, over 2,500 students have attended those workshops. In 2012 and 2013 Steve’s devotion to historic preservation was recognized by the American Library Association, which named Steve it’s spokesperson for National Preservation Week. Among his other honors is the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award; the 2013 Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award given by Poets & Writers; the 2013 Anne Frank Human Writes Award; and the Silver Bullet, bestowed in 2013 by International Thriller Writers for his philanthropic work. A 2010 NPR survey named The Templar Legacy one of the top 100 thrillers ever written. Steve was born and raised in Georgia, graduating from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. He was a trial lawyer for 30 years and held elective office for 14 of those years. He is a founding member of International Thriller Writers—a group of more than 2,600 thriller writers from around the world—and served three years as its co-president. To learn more about Steve, you can visit www.steveberry.org, or follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Youtube. His new book The 14th Colony will be out on April 5. Raymond Khoury: Raymond came to writing thrillers from a career in screenwriting, which includes the BAFTA award winning BBC series SPOOKS (aka MI:5 in the US). THE LAST TEMPLAR began its journey to print as an original screenplay written in 1996. At the time, a book agent suggested turning it into a novel, and a major NY publisher, the first to read it, offered Raymond a $500,000 advance for the as-yet-unwritten novel, with one condition: "Lose the religion. It's boring. Change the Templars' secret to gold, diamonds, something people get excited about." After much tortured consideration, Raymond turned the offer down, his first potential paycheck from writing. Almost exactly ten years later, his novel, based on that screenplay--religion included--became a global bestseller, hitting #1 in multiple countries and getting adapted into an NBC miniseries. Raymond's thrillers are based on big themes that interest him such as international politics and conspiracies, fact vs faith, why we age and die, what do we really know about reincarnation, about mind control. He explores these themes in depth, with heavy emphasis on research, and often combines a historical angle to his stories. As such, some of his novels feature dual timelines: the bulk of the stories are set in the present day, interspersed with chapters that take place in the distant past. As Booklist puts it, "Khoury's thrillers engage the reader's mind, even as they move at a breakneck pace. Readers who like their thrillers to have a solid intellectual component will enjoy Khoury's books very much." Raymond's 7th novel, THE END GAME, is released on March 10, 2016. To learn more about Raymond visit his website, or follow him on Facebook. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/084  

  Hey there Word Nerds! Today I’m talking to Nicholas Petrie, author of the stunning debut THE DRIFTER, an explosive thriller written with a strong literary sensibility. In our conversation, we tackle a topic that many authors often struggle with: how do we write about something when we have no first-hand experience with it? This question goes deeper than "how do you write what you don't know?" After all, it's one thing to write historical fiction about a time period long ago and fill in those gaps using library research. But how do you write about characters whose experiences and backgrounds are different from your own without crossing the line and appropriating that experience in some way. We all know we should include diverse characters in our stories, but how does a writer actually do that without appropriating those experiences? In this episode, Nick opens up about his process, and talks about how he portrayed the experiences of war veterans on the page even he has never been in the military himself. If you've ever worried about this question of appropriation, this podcast interview is a must-listen! In this episode Nicholas and I discuss: The winding road to getting published. The importance of research in nailing your plot. The importance of language in nailing your prose. Writing characters who are different from you. Plus, Nicholas’s  #1 tip for writers. About THE DRIFTER: THE DRIFTER draws its considerable strength from Petrie’s uncompromising portrayal of shattered war veterans, returned home and trying to reintegrate into the civilian world they left behind. The unforgettable protagonist, Peter Ash, came home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with only one souvenir: what he calls his “white static,” buzzing claustrophobia due to post-traumatic stress. Ash is drawn back to the past when an old friend from the Marines commits suicide. When he goes to Milwaukee to help the man’s widow, Ash makes a discovery—a suitcase filled with money and explosives—that leads him into an investigation of his friend’s death, which may take him back to the world he thought he’d left behind. Suspenseful and thrilling, and featuring a compelling new hero, THE DRIFTER is an exciting debut from a fresh voice in crime fiction. This is a gorgeous book, and if you're into crime fiction with a strong literary bent, this one will be right up your alley. If you choose to buy this book, we hope you'll consider doing so via this affiliate link (which gives DIY MFA a small commission at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting DIY MFA! About Nicholas Petrie: “I was never in the armed forces, but I swung a hammer for a living for many years,” Petrie writes in talking about the genesis of Peter Ash and THE DRIFTER. As part of his extensive research, Petrie says he “talked with a number of veterans about their experiences. In the course of these conversations, I felt like I came to understand these men and women in a way that I hadn’t before, and to truly admire them. Over and over, I encountered that extraordinary quality of character I tried to capture in Peter Ash—a happy warrior who sees every difficulty as a challenge to be overcome, and every challenge as an adventure. The more research I did, the more interested I became in the idea of what to do after your war is over. After the largest set of sustained military operations in decades, this is one of the singular challenges of our time. Many veterans come home and overcome these challenges, but some veterans have more difficulty, some due to physical injuries, some with the less tangible but no less real injuries of PTSD. I’ve tried to find both sides in this book.” A debut author, Nicholas received his MFA in fiction from the University of Washington and won Hopwood Award for short fiction while an undergraduate at the University of Michigan. His short story “At the Laundromat” won the 2006 Short Story Contest in the Seattle Review. A husband and father, he runs a home appraisal business in Milwaukee. To learn more about Nicholas read his blog here, follow him on Facebook, or visit his website. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/083

  Hey there Word Nerds! I’m so glad you’re here with me today. I am so excited to talk to you about this topic today, about the power of starting small and embracing the power of zero. A lot of people resist starting at all because we have to start and zero. There are so many mental blocks that get in the way of starting small, and for good reason. Going from small to big, from rough to polished, from amateur to professional, is not as hard as you might think. As Austin Kleon says in his book Show Your Work, technically it’s all on the same creative spectrum. Going from nothing to something is WAY more difficult. In a way, that’s good news. it means that whatever that very first step is that you have to take, it’s the hardest one. Still, taking the hardest step first is really rough, when you don’t have a support network yet, when you don’t have a track record of success to help you stand up to the negative self-talk that is filling your head. Today we’re going to talk about a few of the myths about starting small that might be keeping you from getting started. 3 Myths About Starting Something I have to wait for the right time. I can’t do it. Something (or someone) else is blocking me from getting started. One thing that’s important to defeating these mindset blocks is understanding the difference between resistance and blocks. I personally believe that blocks don’t actually exist. If I’m having a hard time getting myself to sit down and work on something, I either trick my brain into working on it or I take away any other options until I get through it. But resistance is different. Resistance is much deeper. It’s based on fear or some other emotion deep in you that is causing you not to want to address a certain project. Resistance always exists for a reason. It’s up to you to discover where it’s coming from and then use that resistance as a compass to show you which way to go. When you have a project and you are feeling the pain of having to take the leap from not being on the spectrum of creative progress to finally being on that spectrum, you need to be able to tell the difference between a block that you can blast through and resistance that you need to be mindful of and press into. The Power of Zero All of these myths are things we tell ourselves when we are trying to step onto the creative spectrum at the zero point. We have no words. We have no followers. It’s easy to give in to the fear of being at zero. The zero moment, that first glimmer of an idea that you have, it’s the power of potential energy. But most of us don’t realize when we’re in it. When you’re at zero you can do anything. You have nothing but uncharted territory ahead of you. The more people you have watching your creative process, the more aware you are of being watched. Remember, zero is the great equalizer. So I challenge you to embrace your zero moment! Head over to Twitter and tweet out what you did to celebrate your zero moment, or what you plan to do if you haven’t gotten there yet! Make sure to include the hashtag #zeromoment so that I can follow and celebrate with you. And keep an eye out. There’s awesome stuff coming, guys. Keep an eye on your inbox for more details. If you’re not on the list yet, you can sign up here. Also, don’t forget to leave a review on iTunes! If you need a tutorial on how to leave a review (it’s ridiculously complicated, folks) I’ve made one for you here. And thanks in advance! The more good reviews I get, the better my chances of getting more amazing people to come on the show. Great reviews means I can bring you even more awesome episodes. OMG, everybody wins! For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/082

  Hi there Word Nerds! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode of DIY MFA Radio. Today I’m talking to Meredith Maran about her latest book: Why We Write About Ourselves. Following up on her previous collection: Why We Write, Meredith's most recent book is a collection of essays from memoirists, talking about why they write memoir in the first place. The lineup of authors featured in this book is a veritable who’s who of the memoir world, and the insights they share are no less awesome. Today I’m delighted to speak with Meredith and hear her take about writers love to write (and read) memoirs. In this episode Meredith and I discuss: Writing memoir and embellishing the truth How our perspective changes over the course of our lives, but our writing stays constant Pros and cons of being truly authentic in your writing The writer’s responsibility to protect the innocent (or the guilty) in their writing Plus, Meredith #1 tip for writers. About Meredith Maran: Meredith Maran is  a passionate reader and writer of memoirs, and the author of thirteen nonfiction books and the acclaimed 2012 novel, A Theory Of Small Earthquakes. Meredith writes book reviews, essays, and features for newspapers and magazines including People, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, Salon.com, and More. A member of the National Book Critics Circle, Meredith lives in a restored historic bungalow in Los Angeles. Her next memoir, about starting over in Los Angeles, will be out from Blue Rider Press in 2017. To learn more about Meredith and her work, follow her on Facebook and Twitter or visit her website. Why We Write About Ourselves: Twenty Memoirists on Why They Expose Themselves (and Others) in the Name of Literature is the follow-up to editor Meredith Maran’s last collection, Why We Write, this new book tackles one of the most popular literary genres: memoir. Meredith's new book features some of its most-read authors, including Cheryl Strayed, Anne Lamott, Nick Flynn, Sue Monk Kidd, and James McBride. Contributors candidly disclose the origins of their memoirs: a traumatic experience, like Darin Strauss or Ishmael Beah; family relationships, like Sue Monk Kidd, Edwidge Danticat, or Pat Conroy; or simply a knack for personal storytelling, like Sandra Tsing Loh or Anne Lamott. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/081

Hey there Word Nerds! I’m so happy you’re here! Today I’m talking to Rachel Hulin, photographer and writer. Her photographs have been shown at Jen Bekman Gallery, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Wallspace Gallery, The New York Photo Festival, and ClampArt Gallery, by which she is represented. She’s also worked as a photo editor in New York for many years at places like Rolling Stone, Radar Magazine, and Nerve.com. Her personal essays and art writing have appeared in The Daily Beast, Huffington Post, PDN, and The Photography Post, which she co-founded.  She has lectured about her own work, professional practices, and about the role of social media in photography at ICP, SVA, Parsons, Brown University, RISD, and MIAD. Rachel's Flying Henry photograph series is also a children’s book of the same name, released by PowerHouse Books in 2013. She has a BA from Brown University and an MA from NYU, and her new project is a novel, Hey Harry Hey Matilda. You can follow the escapades the story of Harry and Matilda on instagram (@HeyHarryHeyMatilda).   In this episode Rachel and I discuss: The birth of a new idea. Refining an idea and the process of platform building. Crafting a narrative on social media. Marketing your book. Plus, Rachel’s #1 tip for writers. Resources: If you want to know more about Rachel’s work you can visit her website. And don’t forget, we’ve got some really exciting things brewing at DIY MFA as we gear up for the book release this summer. If you want to be “in the know” hop on over to DIYMFA.com/join and sign up for our email list. You’ll get a free starter kit, a subscription to our free “sort-of weekly newsletter,” plus you’ll be among the first to hear about any awesome new things we’ve got in the works. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/080

  Hey there, Word Nerds! So excited to have you here for a new episode of DIY MFA Radio. Today I’m interviewing the New York Times bestselling thriller author, Brad Taylor. We'll be talking about the fiction vs. reality. As writers, we've all been told to "write what you know" but as with everything, there are pros and cons to incorporating our real-life experiences into our stories and novels. Brad Taylor's novels are a great example of finding that balance between fact and fiction. A former member of the Special Forces and now a security consultant, Brad uses his knowledge both of the military world and obscure international news, to craft thrillers that seem almost to anticipate real-world events. In this episode, he shares insights about his process: how he gets inside the skin of his characters and brings readers into the world of stories, making that world feel totally real.   In this episode Brad and I discuss: Writing what you know and balancing fiction and reality. How to get into the shoes of your character. Deciding which details and information to unpack for the reader. Plotting versus pantsing. Plus, Brad’s #1 tip for writers. About Brad Taylor: Brad Taylor served for more than twenty years in the US Army, including eight years in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, commonly known as Delta Force. He also holds a Master’s of Science in Defense Analysis and, in addition to his writing, he serves as a security consultant on asymmetric threats. Brad pays close attention to obscure international news stories before mainstream media picks them up, so his books can read like prophecies, almost anticipating real-world events. He is a trusted and mediagenic expert who has been called to comment on breaking news for FOX, CNN, MSNBC, Al Jazeera America, and Newsmax on stories as diverse as the Charlie Hebdo attack, ISIS, the Sony hack, the death of Osama Bin Laden, and Tom Clancy. Brad is the New York Times bestselling author of eight previous Pike Logan novels. His latest book The Forgotten Soldier, is a fascinating departure from this series, where the characters (a close-knit group in a military Taskforce) face their most emotional challenge yet—hunting one of their own. If you want to know more about Brad you can follow him on Facebook and Twitter or visit his website. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/079

Hey there Word Nerds! Welcome back to DIY MFA Radio. Today I’m talking to Kirsten Oliphant, a writer with an MFA in fiction from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has been blogging for eight years and has a lifestyle blog focusing on food and parenting. This year she launched the Create If Writing blog and podcast, which provide inspiration and authentic platform building tools for writers and bloggers. She also shares interviews with bloggers, writers, social media experts, and publishing insiders.  Kirsten is the mastermind behind the Free Email Course, where she helps demystify email lists for writers and bloggers, along with her signature course (Own Your List) that helps people grow, monetize, and manage their lists.When she’s not busy taking the email list world by story, Kirsten lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and four kids. In this episode Kirsten and I discuss: Why an email list is your most important communication option in a world full of options. The personal touch of email versus other social media. 15 Step Intensive List Growth Checklist Finding the email tech that’s right for you. Do's and Don't's to help keep your subscribers happy and engaged once you have an email list. Plus, Kirsten’s #1 tip for writers. Resources: If you want to know more about Kirsten, you can follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter or visit her website and join her email list! Email client options for you to consider when building your list (in alphabetical order): Aweber Convert Kit Mad Mimi Mailchimp Other awesome resources include The Persistence of Email Marketing for Book Publishers and the Creative Profitability Course. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/078

Hello there Word Nerds! Today I’m interviewing the awesome Zachary Petit. Zac is the editor of the National Magazine Award-winning publication PRINT. He is also a freelance journalist, a lifelong literary and design nerd, and a friend. Formerly, he was the senior managing editor of HOW magazine and PRINT, the longtime managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine, and executive editor of the newsstand magazines Writer’s Workbook, Writer’s Yearbook and Writing Basics. Alongside the thousands of articles he has penned as a staff writer and editor, covering everything from the secret lives of mall Santas to creative legends, his words regularly appear in National Geographic Kids, and have also popped up in the pages of National Geographic, Melissa Rossi’s What Every American Should Know book series, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency and many other outlets. Zac is the author of The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing: How to Write, Work and Thrive On Your Own Terms (which is out now) and co-author of A Year of Writing Prompts: 366 Story Ideas for Honing Your Craft and Eliminating Writer’s Block. He is obsessed with all things writerly (even down to his nerdy tattoos), and is a firm believer that anyone can break into any facet of the writing world—they just need to know the appropriate way in. Once that has been demystified, anything is possible. In this episode Zac and I discuss: Why a writer would want to freelance. How and why to adapt your voice when freelancing. How to break into freelancing. Debunking major myths about freelance writing. How to expand your professional network. The pros and cons of pitching an idea versus pitching an article on spec.   Plus, Zac’s #1 tip for writers. To learn more about Zachary Petit, follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter or visit his website. Also, if you're interested in building your freelance writing career, check out his latest book. Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/077

Hey there Word Nerds! So glad you could be here with me for this awesome episode of DIY MFA Radio! Today we’re here with pop culture and sci-fi guru, Ryan Britt, talking about his new book Luke Skywalker Can’t Read, And Other Geeky Truths. This book is a blend of nerd-ilicious, mind-bending awesomeness, and fall-out-of-your-chair hilarity and as soon as I heard about it I just knew I had to have Ryan on the show. Listen in to hear us geek out about life, literature, and all things nerdy.  In this episode Ryan and I discuss: The differences between writing for and reading online vs. writing and reading a book What it actually means to be a geek now What benefits there are to being a geek now as a writer Plus, Ryan’s #1 tip for writers. Don’t forget, if you want to dig deeper, join me for a "Stop Dreaming, Start Doing" workshop on January 12 at 8pm ET. You can find more information at DIYMFA.com/openhouse. Also, DIY MFA 101 is open for enrollment. Learn more at DIYMFA.com/DIYMFA101 About Ryan Britt If the ghost of Marshall McLuhan were to merge with Chuck Klosterman, you’d have essayist Ryan Britt. Ryan has never met a monster, alien, wizard or superhero that didn’t require further discussion, and in his book he answers questions you’ve probably never thought to ask (but now that he’s brought them up, you’re probably wondering about them too). In his book, he tackles topics like: Does anyone in the Star Wars universe read books? Is Pete Best the Bilbo to Ringo Starr’s Frodo? And, what ever happened to Biff Tannen’s parents? If you’re a geek like me (and even if you’re not) you’re going to get a kick out of this entertaining manifesto for modern geekdom. But seriously, Ryan has written for The New York Times, Electric Literature, The Awl, VICE and The Morning News and is a consulting editor for Story. He was the staff writer for the Hugo Award-winning web magazine Tor.com, where he remains a contributor. About LUKE SKYWALKER CAN'T READ Britt recounts personal stories of coming of age amid the influence of 80s and 90s pop culture; how he learned to take his interests seriously from a big box store manager he nicknames Captain Space Pirate because of he was reminiscent of Harrison Ford; how his first “the birds and the bees” conversation came from asking his father about the pictures in an Omni magazine article entitled “Tyrannosaurus Sex: A Love Tail”; and how his next lesson in sex was from watching Jane Fonda in Barbarella, which quickly evolved into a life-changing epiphany. Britt’s thoughtful and fun meditations on everything sci-fi and pop culture spins insights on what many of us have not known about our favorite stuff. He shows us how monster movies are just romantic comedies with commitment issues, claims nobody should get mad about super hero remakes, and argues that killer robots are probably harmless authenticity-seeking hipsters. Luke Skywalker Can't Read tears down the wall between hardcore sci-fi readers and the mainstream, making it perfect both for cosplayers, or those who haven’t worn a costume since grade school. If you want to learn more about Ryan, follow him on Facebook and Twitter or visit his website.   Also, if you liked this episode… Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share! For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/076 Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.