DIY MFA Radio

Welcome, today is DIY MFA’s monthly Craft Jam. Once a month, Christa and I jam about the craft. In these episodes, we do a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to craft the perfect book ending. In this episode Christa and I discuss: The three major components of an ending Types of endings for your story My top tip when choosing the the right ending For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/475

Welcome, today is DIY MFA’s monthly Craft Jam. Once a month, Christa and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to Nail Your Narration. In this episode Christa and I discuss: Why narration is so important in your writing What to keep in mind when choosing a point of view and narrative voice Gabriela’s top tip on how to nail your narration For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/474

Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Christa and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building, and more. In this episode, Christa and I discuss: Key aspects and methods to focus on during the revision process. The importance of feedback from others during revision. A helpful type of mindset to keep throughout your progress. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/473

Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Christa and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into Conferences. In this episode Christa and I discuss: Should one attend a conference as a beginner writer? How to choose the right conference to attend. The nuts and bolts on how to prepare for a conference. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/472

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Kathy Reichs. We’ll be talking about her book The Bone Hacker and how to craft a bestselling thriller series. Kathy Reichs’ first novel Déjà Dead, published in 1997, won the Ellis Award for Best First Novel and was an international bestseller. To date, she has written twenty-two novels featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. Kathy was also a producer of Fox Television’s longest running scripted drama, Bones, which was based on her work and her novels. One of very few forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, Kathy divides her time between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Montreal, Québec. You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter and Instagram. In this episode Kathy Reichs and I discuss: How to write each book in a series with different aspects while keeping it entertaining. Keeping the main character consistent but also allowing room for them to grow and change throughout a series. Adapting a series to television, the differences and challenges of writing a television script vs. a novel. Plus, Kathy’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/471

Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Lori and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building, and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into Draft Zero. In this episode Lori and I discuss: What exactly Draft Zero is and what comes next. Finding a routine that works for you and how to keep it from getting stale. Why you need to practice finishing and what to do when you get stuck. Plus, our #1 reading recommendation on craft books. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/470

We’re back for another episode of our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Lori and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to weave your story’s world through world building. In this episode Lori and I discuss: How character, plot, and world are all connected. Using the iceberg technique as your write. Creating a setting that can take on a life of its own. Plus, our #1 reading recommendation on how to weave your story’s world. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/469

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing MT Anderson. We’ll be talking about his book, Elf Dog and Owl Head, and raising your story’s stakes. M. T. Anderson has written stories for adults, picture books for children, adventure novels for young readers, graphic novel adaptations of ancient French tales, and several books for older readers (both teens and adults). His satirical book Feed was a Finalist for the National Book Award and was the winner of the L.A. Times Book Prize. Both Time Magazine and National Public Radio have included it on their lists of the best 100 YA novels of all time. Another satirical science fiction novel, Landscape with Invisible Hand, has been turned into a movie starring Tiffany Haddish and Asante Blackk. The first volume of Anderson’s Octavian Nothing saga, The Pox Party, won the National Book Award and the Boston Globe / Horn Book Prize. The second volume, The Kingdom on the Waves, was a New York Times best-seller. The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge, a tragicomic spy story for young goblins written with Newbery-Honor winner Eugene Yelchin, was a Finalist for the National Book Award in 2018. Anderson’s nonfiction book Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad was long-listed for the National Book Award. He has published stories for adults in literary journals like The Northwest Review, The Colorado Review, and Conjunctions. Several of his stories have appeared in the Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror collections. His nonfiction articles and reviews have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Slate, and Salon. He has curated concerts that bring together text and classical music all over New England. You can find him on his website or follow him on Twitter. In this episode MT Anderson and I discuss: Weaving events from your real life into a fantastical story Why you need to have rules for the magic you create in order for it to be fun. How to reverse engineer and perfect the opening of your novel. Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/468

Today we have another monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Lori and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to perfect your plot. In this episode Lori and I discuss: Starting with plot versus starting with a character What an outline really is and how to use it Making sure your plot twist is actually a twist Plus, our #1 reading recommendation on books with great plots. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/467

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Bianca Marais, CeCe Lyra, and Carly Watters. We’ll be taking an inside look at the publishing industry. Before diving in, I wanted to make a quick note. Our wonderful guests are the co-hosts of a fantastic podcast that has a particular word in its title. It would be impossible to talk about their show without saying this particular word, so consider this a heads up that there will be salty language in this episode. If you’re listening in public or have little ones around, now would be the time to put on some headphones. Bianca Marais is the author of the bestselling The Witches of Moonshyne Manor, as well as the beloved Hum If You Don't Know the Words and If You Want to Make God Laugh, and the Audible Original, The Prynne Viper. She taught at the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies where she was awarded an Excellence in Teaching Award for Creative Writing in 2021. She is the co-host of the popular podcast, The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, which is aimed at helping emerging writers become published. You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram. Cecilia (“CeCe”) Lyra is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, representing adult fiction and non-fiction. A long-term strategic thinker, CeCe prioritizes the creative reach and sustainable longevity of her authors’ careers, and she is actively looking for clients with whom she can build fruitful, lasting relationships. As a mixed race Latinx immigrant, CeCe understands the power of seeing oneself reflected in books, hence her passion for championing under or misrepresented voices and narratives that contribute to a larger cultural conversation. The popular podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, for which CeCe is a co-host, has over one million downloads. You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Carly Watters is a SVP and Senior Literary Agent at P.S. Literary and the sitting VP of PACLA, the Professional Association of Canadian Literary Agents. Carly Watters has a BA in English Literature from Queen’s University and a MA in Publishing Studies from City University London. Her masters thesis was on the social, political, and economic impact of literary prizes on trade publishing. She began her publishing career in London as an assistant at the Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency. Carly joined Toronto-based P.S. Literary Agency in 2010 and has sold over 100 books during her career. She represents award-winning and bestselling authors in the adult fiction and non-fiction categories, and select children’s books. She is known for her long-term vision for her authors and being an excellent collaborator with a nose for commercial success. She has close ties to publishers in the major markets, is a member of the AALA, and works directly with film agents to option film and TV rights to leading networks and production companies. Her clients’ books have been translated into 40 languages, optioned for TV and film, adapted into podcasts, and have been on every bestseller list from coast to coast, including the New York Times, USA Today, the LA Times, the Washington Post, the Toronto Star, and the Globe and Mail. Carly is also an annual judge for the Women’s Fiction Writing Association Rising Star Award. The popular writing podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, for which Carly is the co-host, has over one million downloads. You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter and Instagram. In this episode Bianca Marais, CeCe Lyra, Carly Watters, and I discuss: Common myths about writing and publishing and what’s actually true Writing groups, beta readers, and how to find them What happens after you sign on the dotted line Plus, their #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/466

Today, Lori is interviewing Mary Pascual. They’ll be talking about her debut novel, The Byways, and creating multi-dimensional characters. Mary Pascual is a writer and artist who believes finding magic is only a matter of perspective. She loves stories about characters with heart and fantastical settings that are more than meets the eye. She grew up in California and enjoys reading, art, traveling, exploring outside, and building elaborate stage sets for Halloween. Writing has taken her on a number of unexpected adventures, including working in high tech, meeting psychics, interviewing rock bands, and even once attending a press conference for Bigfoot. She got hooked on reading adult science fiction and fantasy in the fifth grade—so in retrospect, much of her reading material was completely inappropriate (which probably explains a few things). She lives with her husband, son, and assorted demanding cats in San Jose, California. In this episode, Mary Pascual and Lori discuss: Finding the inspiration for a retelling and adding a fresh spin. Why she used an urban setting to tell a grittier tale. The importance of avoiding labels and creating multi-dimensional characters. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/465

Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Lori and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to create compelling characters. In this episode Lori and I discuss: Using method writing to get inside your characters’ heads. How to create balanced scenes using the TADA! method. The different types of voice and how to use each. Plus, our #1 reading recommendation on compelling characters. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/464

Today, Lori is interviewing Daniel Weizmann. They’ll be talking about his neo-noir mystery, The Last Songbird. Daniel Weizmann got his start at 13 under the nom de plume Shredder, writing for the legendary Flipside Fanzine. He went on to write for the LA Weekly, LA Times, Billboard, the Guardian, and others. He contributed to several books, including Drinking with Bukowski, Hardcore California, Too Cool, Timothy Leary's last work, and DeeDee Ramone's autobio. He has also written volumes for Def Jam rappers, standup comics, Mad Libs, and more. The Last Songbird is his debut mystery. You can find him on his website or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. In this episode Daniel Weizmann and Lori discuss: Why you should resist the urge to explain yourself in your writing. How to use the negative space to maximum effect. The role of music in his process and its impact in his novel. Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/463

Today, Lori is interviewing Jolene Mcilwain. They’ll be talking about Sidle Creek and centering a short story collection around a place. Jolene McIlwain’s fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and appears in West Branch, Florida Review, Cincinnati Review, New Orleans Review, Northern Appalachia Review, and 2019's Best Small Fictions Anthology. Her work was named finalist for 2018’s Best of the Net, Glimmer Train’s and River Styx’s contests, and semifinalist in Nimrod’s Katherine Anne Porter Prize and two American Short Fiction's contests. She’s received a Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council grant, the Georgia Court Chautauqua faculty scholarship, and Tinker Mountain’s merit scholarship. She taught literary theory/analysis at Duquesne and Chatham Universities and she worked as a radiologic technologist before attending college (BS English, minor in sculpture, MA Literature). She was born, raised, and currently lives in a small town in the Appalachian plateau of Western Pennsylvania. You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter and Instagram. In this episode Jolene Mcilwain and Lori discuss: Why the length of a story doesn’t equate its emotional impact. How to center a collection around a place and add enough grounding details. Taking on stereotypes and going deeper in your writing. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/462

Today, Lori is interviewing Ginny Kubitz Moyer. They’ll be talking about how she started writing her debut novel, The Seeing Garden, with the setting. Ginny Kubitz Moyer is a California native with a love of local history. A graduate of Pomona College and Stanford University, she’s an English instructor and avid weekend gardener. Her articles have appeared in a variety of publications, including Bella Grace and America Magazine, and she is the author of several books on women's spirituality. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two sons, and one adorable rescue dog. The Seeing Garden is her first novel. You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram. In this episode Ginny Kubitz Moyer and Lori discuss: Why she prefers the term “discovery writer” instead of “pantser.” The importance of reading widely and re-reading books. How she picked up the tone of her novel, The Seeing Garden. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/461

Today, Lori is interviewing Neely Tubati Alexander. They’ll be talking about Love Buzz and the importance of listening to your intuition when crafting a novel. Neely Tubati Alexander is a first-generation Indian American mother of two. Originally from the Seattle area where Love Buzz, her debut novel, is largely set, she seeks to tell lighthearted, female-driven stories with diverse characters and strong women who pursue both love and careers. If she's not tucked away at the little desk in her bedroom writing, you can find her at some kiddo activity, drinking wine, or watching reality TV, usually the last two together. She lives in sunny Arizona with her family. You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads. In this episode Neely Tubati Alexander and Lori discuss: Pansing your way through drafts to gain a deeper understanding of your characters. How to tease out secrets and set pacing based on your intuition. Creating a rich cast to support your main character with purpose. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/460

Today, Lori is interviewing Anne Marie Wells. They’ll be talking about her poetry collection, Survived By: A Memoir in Verse, and using poetry as a method of dealing with heavy emotions. Anne Marie Wells (She | They) is an award-winning Queer poet, playwright, memoirist, and storyteller navigating the world with a chronic illness. She is a faculty member for The Community Literature Initiative through the Sims Library of Poetry and Strategic Partnership Fellow for The Poetry Lab. She earned the 2021 Peter K. Hixson Memorial Award in Poetry, the 2020 Wyoming Writers Milestone Award, and was a 2021 Wyoming Woman of Influence nominee in the arts for amplifying the voices of the LGBTQ and disabled communities with her writing. Her first full-length collection of poetry, Survived By: A Memoir in Verse + Other Poems, debuts with Curious Corvid Publishing on April 30, 2023. You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook and Instagram. In this episode Anne Marie and Lori discuss: Choosing poems for a collection and deciding on their chronology. Using poetry as a way to deal with grief and its power to heal. The significance and symbolism behind white space. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/459

Today, Lori is interviewing Donnaldson Brown. They’ll be talking about Because I Loved You, and about how her background in screenwriting has influenced her prose. Donnaldson 's debut novel, Because I Loved You, is due out in April 2023 with She Writes Press. An attorney and former screenwriter, she worked with Robert Redford’s film development company for several years. Her spoken word pieces have been featured in The Deep Listening Institute’s Writers in Performance and Women & Identity Festivals, and in the Made in the Berkshires Theatre Festival in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. She’s been awarded several residencies. A longtime resident of both Brooklyn, New York and western Massachusetts, Ms. Brown grew up riding horses on a family ranch in East Texas as well as in her native Connecticut. She is a facilitator and trainer with The Equus Effect, offering somatic based experiential learning with horses for veterans, first responders and others struggling with ptsd, and is also certified to teach meditation and several forms of yoga. She is a proud mother, and loves to sing, cycle, and hike with her dogs. You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook and Instagram. In this episode Donnaldson and Lori discuss: The impact of secrets on multiple generations. Starting a project with an image and painting it into prose. Directing a reader’s imagination through clues and cues. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/458

Today, Lori is interviewing Leslie Karst. They’ll be talking about weaving past experiences into your writing and her new book Justice is Served. The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst waited tables and sang in a new wave rock band before deciding she was ready for a “real” job and ending up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as a research and appellate attorney in Santa Cruz, California, that she rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking, at which point she once again returned to school—this time to earn a degree in culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie spends her days penning the Sally Solari culinary mystery series, as well as cooking, gardening, cycling, and singing alto in her local community chorus. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai’i. You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. In this episode Leslie Karst and Lori discuss: Letting go of ego in order to follow your dreams. The importance of perseverance How the writing mindset for memoir is different from that of mystery. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/457

Today, Lori is interviewing Danielle Mitchell. They’ll be talking about the methodology of writing and reading poetry. Danielle Mitchell (she/her) is an intersectional feminist, poet, and teaching artist. She is the Founding Director of The Poetry Lab, an online learning platform that rallies in service of working-class writers around the globe. Danielle is the author of Makes the Daughter-in-Law Cry, winner of the Clockwise Chapbook Prize (Tebot Bach, 2017). Her poems have appeared in Hayden’s Ferry Review, Vinyl, Four Way Review, Transom, New Orleans Review, Nailed Magazine and others. Danielle has received scholarships to travel to Patmos Island, Greece to study poetry, as well as grants from Poets & Writers and the Ashaki M. Jackson No Barriers Grant from the Women Who Submit. She is the inaugural winner of the Editor’s Prize from Mary Magazine and the Editor’s Choice Award from The Mas Tequila Review. She has performed on stages all over Southern California including the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Danielle holds bachelor’s degrees in Women’s and Gender Studies and Creative Writing from the University of Redlands and is an alumna of the Community of Writers. She is currently working on a manuscript of poems about misogyny and the Internet. You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram, Tiktok, and LinkedIn. Also, check out The Poetry Lab website or follow The Poetry Lab Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Goodreads. In this episode Danielle Mitchell and Lori discuss: Adding emotional stakes to poems to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. The magic of tapping into things you don’t understand. Her annotative document process. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/456