DIY MFA Radio

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.

Hey hey! Thanks for joining me for our very last episode in 2015. Today I'm talking about why I stopped making New Year's resolutions and what I do instead. It's been an amazing year here at DIY MFA. I've interviewed some awesome people this year and have gotten to share some major milestones with you, not the least of which is the DIY MFA book! OMG, word nerds, I wrote the book this year! How crazy-pants is that? But now down to business. Let's talk about goal setting and why I don't make New Year's resolutions anymore. Get all the deets by listening to this episode. OK, before I dive in, let me give you some backstory. Once upon a time I loved brainstorming. I would get a huge high from dreaming up new ideas. I had tons of projects I'd started and never finished. But over the years I've started to shift away from being a dreamer to being a doer. To get a full picture of then vs. now, check out this chart. I wish I could say there was a pivotal moment where I realized everything was different. But this shift was gradual. I don't think I'm finished yet, either. This is just the beginning of a much longer journey. What I've discovered, though, is that New Year's resolutions don't work for me. Here's what does work... Caveat: There are lots of gurus and experts on the internet spouting "best practices" and magic-bullet solutions. But you're a word nerd, so I'm guessing you see through all that B.S. At DIY MFA we believe that the only "best practice" is the one that actually works for you. So I'll share some strategies that have worked for me, but it's up to you to test them for yourself and decide if they work for you. And don't be shy about tweaking and adapting techniques to your own unique style. That's the DIY MFA way. Cool? Cool. My New Approach to Resolutions and Goal-Setting In my new approach, the huge leap no longer matters. There's no more "I'm going to write a book next year," or "I'm going to lose x pounds." Instead of making sweeping goals that seem enormous and unreachable, I now set goals to take small incremental steps and repeating that action over and over and over. Where before the giant goal was the focus, now the repeated action takes center stage. I've noticed after working with hundreds of writers, when you stop focusing on the end goal and start emphasizing the repeated action, that's when you make a breakthrough. Letting go of that end goal gives you the space and focus to do the work and actually reach that goal. As a writer, I find that irony kind of delicious. These days, I've stopped looking at writing as a short-term push and instead see it as a war of attrition. The truth is that the writers who want overnight success are not the ones who will stick with the process long enough to see it through. The writers who have the tenacity to stick with it the writing gets tough, those are the ones who succeed. You just have to survive long enough so you're the only one left standing on the battlefield. Writing and creativity might be a battle, but remember that we aren't fighting each other; we're all on the same side. In the end, the only person we're fighting against is ourselves. Our obstacles are internal and the battle is about trying to get out of our own way. So how do I do it? 7 Simple Steps: After working at this for a few years now, I have come up with a process for getting through my ideas and my goals as efficiently as possible. Again, this is just my own crazy process. Take in the ideas, test them out, then use what works for you and discard the rest. Figure out your big picture.Lots of people get stuck focusing all their energy on this step alone. While I concede it's important to know where you're headed, I only spend, like, 10 seconds here, then I move on to step 2. Take stock of recent progress.If you want to feel successful, you can't compare yourself to the big vision, to where you want to be. You have to compare yourself to where you've been. That way you always come out ahead. Not only does it help motivate you to move forward, it helps you build mastery. In order to succeed, you need to feel that mastery of your craft. Use concrete data here, too. Don't BS yourself over your accomplishments. How many words did you write last year? How many guest posts/blog posts/freelance articles? That's the number to beat. Iterate, iterate, iterate.I talked about iteration last year at this time, so I won't spend a lot of time here. Just remember that iteration is vital and basically boils down to these five things:V = variables. What will you measure to see your progress?I = information. Collect your data. Track how much you've done each session.T = tripwire. This is the signal for you to stop and take stock.A = analysis. Look at the data you've collected and find the overall pattern.L = learning. Take that information, figure out what it means, and then try something new. If something is not working for you, don't keep repeating it because someone told you it was a "best practice." Instead, make a small shift and try something a little different to see what works best for you. The key here is to (a) understand your baseline, how you operate in your natural state, and (b) shape your process within those constraints. Set your sights on a short-term target.What can you do in a 4 to 8 week period? Your "big vision" inspires this target goal, but it must be shorter term and more contained. Seriously, if you can't hit that target within 3 months (tops!) it's too big. Reverse engineer your action steps.The inspiration for this step came from Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want by Barbara Sher. Her process revolutionized the way I look at setting my goals. You need a plan to get from point A to point B, so take some time and work backwards from that goal.Don't start at the start, but with the goal, then figure out what you need to do just before you just before that. Keep working your way backwards until you've figured out your immediate next step. Remember to break your steps down to the smallest increments. Set your ground rules for success.This is another place you'll find "best practices" galore, but you need to figure out what works for you.F ind ways to make the most out of your writing time. Remember, your time is precious! Here are some things that work for me: I focus on one thing at a time. I set a time limit so I know when I can stop and move on to something new. I make everything else off limits until I reach my goal. I bribe myself with a reward for success. Keep future projects on the radar without letting them get in your way.You want to know what's coming next, but sometimes holding brain space to remember it can sap your mental energy. So make a space to write down your ideas and next projects and keep them for later. This will free up the brain space you need for what you're working on right now. And sometimes getting ideas out on paper will help you to recognize what is worth pursuing and what will ultimately be unproductive. Remember, where you want to be down the road is not nearly as important as the path you take to get there. These steps focus on the day to day process. Getting your head around what you need to do today is vital to helping you move toward your goal without being weighed down by it. As you look forward to 2016, I want to challenge you to stop dreaming and start doing. Don't worry so much about the big vision, but focus on one incremental action that you can repeat again and again until you reach your goal. No more dreaming. This year I am DOING this: [insert goal here] http://ctt.ec/51x8H+ #DIYMFA Tweet this. If you enjoyed this episode, I have included some links below to previous episodes that can help you with building your best practices. And 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. Resources It's been a great year for DIY MFA Radio and we've had some great episodes. If you want to check out some past episodes but don't know where to start, don't worry. Here are a few best-of-2015 solo shows that will help you get that book from dream to done. Episode 23: Make Writing Resolutions that Stick Episode 24: My Go-To Productivity Tool Episode 26: Write Your Book This Year Episode 31: Finding Your Focus in Writing Episode 47: Honor Your Reality For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/075

Hey there Word Nerds! It's the week before Christmas, and I wanted to do something a little bit different from the interviews we've had these many weeks. This week's topic is something I've been wanting to talk about for a while and then I received a question via email from one of our listeners and I decided it was time to dive in. Shout-out to Kayla for sharing a great question. I'll paraphrase it here, but it essentially came in three parts: How do I know if my writing is good? Is there a certain amount of "literary-ness" I need to include in my writing for it to be good? What are the people who judge my writing (editors, agents, critics, etc.) looking for? In the past I have wondered the same thing. What did the readers want me to say? What am I supposed to write? And what if people don't like what I have to say? Having a strong, authentic voice boils down to who you are. Remember, too, that you are not alone in wondering about this. At some point every writer asks themselves: Is my work any good? What do people want from me? This question isn't about getting published. It's about being true to yourself. Who are you as a writer? Is your author identity being authentic to who you are? You may hear a lot of advice from writing gurus telling you to "craft your authentic voice" as a way to promote your work, to better connect with people who will want to buy your book. Authenticity is not a marketing strategy. It's about being who you are. Authenticity at it's heart is being vulnerable, being honest with your readers. And it's scary! Every time I share anything remotely vulnerable with you all on the podcast or in my newsletter, I'm afraid that you will like me less for doing so. But it's never a marketing strategy for me. Vulnerability, authenticity, it's who I really am. And it should be who you really are, too. It's not a schtick. Should I put on a persona as my author voice? So should you put on a persona as you develop your author voice? Well, I have answers for both sides of this question. Mainly, don't try to fake your voice. You'll end up sounding phony, and that will come across to your readers. Who are you? What does your natural voice sound like? That is the voice that will sparkle. Share that voice. What happens if you "put on" a voice and it's actually successful? Are you prepared to stick with this voice forever? What if your agent or editor loves that persona that you've created? What if your readers love it? Are you going to leave them in the lurch? If you decide to drop this not-you voice, are you prepared to face the consequences? Suppose you "put on" a voice for a while, then you decide to flip the switch. Your readers might feel like you've pulled bait-and-switch on them and many might ditch you then and there. More importantly you will have to work hard to earn back the trust of those readers who decide to stick with you through the switch. When you try to be someone you're not, when you're not being true to your voice and your own goals, it will come back later to haunt you. You'll have to 'fess up eventually. So how do you "craft" your author brand then? "Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of someone else." Judy Garland The best version of yourself, that's what I call your author identity, your author brand. The person you put on the page is still you, but a more focused, more coherent, less wacky and hairbrained version of you. Your author identity is like a laser beam. A laser is focused light, and your author brand is focused, crafted, still you but the strongest version of you. Crafting the narrative of your author identity Can an "author identity" be truly authentic? The way you present yourself online will, of course, alway have some manner of crafting and shaping. The goal is to be as naturally you as possible. "To be natural is such a very difficult pose to keep up." Oscar Wilde As a writer, if you try to write in a voice that isn't really your own, you're going to become exhausted. But in beith authentic, you can't just let your voice and your focus be scattershot. You have to find your voice and your focus, the best version of yourself. That's the person that you put on the page. I'll be who I am. You be who you are. And we'll be authentic together. Have a wonderful holiday season. We'll see you soon! For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/074

Hey there, Word Nerds. Thanks for joining me for another installment of DIY MFA Radio. Today I'm talking to Drew Chapman. Drew is a thriller author. His debut novel, The Ascendant, was published in 2014 and the sequel The King of Fear is currently being released as a serialized eBook and will be out in paperback come February 2016. A fellow New Yorker, Drew grew up in NYC, got a BA in History from the University of Michigan, then eventually moved to LA to work in the movie business. He directed an indie film Stand Off, was a writer on the animated feature Pocahontas for Disney, and most recently wrote and co-executive produced the second season of Legends (a spy show for TNT). Now working mostly in television, he has been writing for networks like ABC, Fox, and TNT. Drew lives in Seattle with his wife and kids. In this episode Drew and I discuss: The difference between writing for TV and film and writing novels. What his process is like for writing his characters. How the craft of storytelling differs based on the medium you choose. Writing serial fiction. The art of the info-dump. When to use back story and when to leave it out. "The thing that writers need to worry about is finding their voice. Know what you want to say about the world." ~Drew Chapman Resources: If you want to know more about Drew you can follow him on Facebook and Twitter or visit his website. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/073

Hey there word nerds! Thanks for joining me today for DIY MFA Radio. I'm so excited to share this episode because I'm interviewing literary agent Janet Reid, AKA the Query Shark. *Cue shark music from Jaws in 3... 2... 1...* Janet is a literary agent at FinePrint Literary Management in NYC, where she represents mostly crime novels and thrillers, with some narrative non-fiction in history and biography as well. Her list of clients reads as a veritable who's-who of bestselling authors. When she's not doing busy being an agent, she blogs at JetReidLiterary.blogspot.com, and answers questions from writers, talks about what she loves about her job and the city, and (occasionally) rants about things that drive her crazy in publishing. Janet also runs the Query Shark blog, where she posts and critiques query letters submitted to "the shark" (with permission from the writers, of course). Writers have the opportunity to revise their queries based on her comments, and you can see the step-by-step revisions that took a query letter from meh to a resounding "YES." Want to know what an agent really thinks about a query letter? The Query Shark blog will give you that inside look. IMHO, this site is hands-down the most valuable query resource available to writers online. Most importantly, Janet is a kind, sensible human being who helped make the publishing world a slightly less scary place for me, when I was a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed newbie writer. It is truly an honor to have Janet Reid, AKA Mme. Shark, on DIY MFA Radio today. In this episode Janet and I discuss: What inspired the Query Shark blog. What a query letter is and why you need one. Query pitfalls and pointers so you can make yours shine. What happens after your query gets accepted. When persistence pays off and when it doesn't. Plus, Janet's #1 tip for writers. To learn about Janet, follow her on Facebook and Twitter, or visit her literary agency blog or her website. You can also find her query-related pearls of wisdom on her Query Shark blog. For more information about FinePrint Literary Management visit their website. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/072