Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Isaac Fellman. Isaac is the author of Dead Collections, as well as The Breath of the Sun (published under his pre-transition first name), which won the 2018 Lambda Literary Award for queer science fiction, fantasy, and horror. By day he is an archivist at the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco. Today we’re talking about his latest book, Dead Collections, which will be out on February 22 (so, in less than one week!).   In this episode Isaac Fellman and I discuss: How he used his day job as an archivist as a metaphor for his characters. Why you should consider writing fanfiction to develop your writing skills. His approach to exploring bigger topics in his writing and why he finds the challenge fun. Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/397

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397: Archives, Fandoms, and Committing Your Obsessions - Interview with Isaac Fellman

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ryan Dalton. Ryan is an author, singer, voiceover artist, amateur chef and lover of all things geek. He’s also the author of the young adult and middle-grade books including the time travel mystery series, the Time Shift trilogy. Today we’ll be discussing his latest novel, This Last Adventure, a middle-grade story about the bond between a teenage boy and his grandfather, how that boy copes with his grandfather’s memory loss, and what it means to live a life worth remembering.   In this episode Ryan Dalton and I discuss: Why he wrote This Last Adventure as a middle grade story, as opposed to YA. How he created a sense of hope when his amorphous antagonist was undefeatable.  Writing group scenes and what to include and what to leave out to make each character distinct.   Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/396

396: When Fantasy and Reality Intersect: Writing Contemporary Middle Grade Fiction - Interview with Ryan Dalton

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Alana Quintana Albertson. Alana is a Latina bestselling romance author whose books have hit the top of several different charts. She has written thirty books and landed a three-book deal for the Latinx romantic comedy series, Love and Tacos. The first book in the series, Ramón and Julieta, has just been released and it has been optioned for television. Like Ramón from her book, Alana has an impressive educational pedigree, with a Masters of Education from Harvard and a Bachelor degree from Stanford. And, like Julieta, she’s a natural leader who is passionate about the things she loves. She’s the former President of Romance Writers of America’s Contemporary Romance, Young Adult, and Chick Lit chapters and she founded the non-profit dog rescue, Pugs N Roses.™ Today we’re talking about her latest book, Ramón and Julieta, which happens to combine three of my favorite things: rom-coms, tacos (and other great food), and of course, Shakespeare references.   In this episode Alana Quintana Albertson and I discuss: What inspired her to turn Shakespeare’s tragedy into a rom-com and how she pulled it off. How she kept raising the stakes for her characters, while keeping it realistic. Using world building to convey deeper elements of culture and community in her story. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/395

395: The Many Levels of Character and World Building in a Rom-com - Interview with Alana Quintana Albertson

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sue Campbell. As founder of Pages & Platforms, Sue is the mindset and book marketing coach writers look to when they are ready to honor their dreams, share their work with the world, and maximize the impact of their words. She has helped hundreds of writers—from newbies to bestsellers—transform their mindset around marketing, and her clients have achieved some pretty epic goals. From exponentially increasing their email lists and book sales, to landing articles in prestigious publications or doing guest spots on popular podcasts, Sue has helped many writers realize their full potential as authors. Today, Sue and I will be talking about mindset, in particular the harmful stories we creative folks tell ourselves, so we can carve out the creative life we've always known we were meant to have.   In this episode Sue Campbell and I discuss: False stories writers tell themselves about marketing and why it isn’t as scary as you think. How to shift your thoughts about marketing—Sue shares some exercises to help! Why getting hard feedback early on is actually advantageous for you later on.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/394

394: What Stories Are You Telling Yourself? Marketing Mindset Shifts for Writers - Interview with Sue Campbell

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing William Germano Bill is professor of English at Cooper Union, where he served as dean of the faculty of humanities and social sciences for more than a decade. During an earlier career in publishing, he served as editor-in-chief at Columbia University Press and as vice-president and editorial director at Routledge.  His previous books on writing include Getting It Published: A Guide for Scholars and Anyone Else Serious about Serious Books (third edition, 2016) and From Dissertation to Book (second edition, 2013).  He has also written Eye Chart, a book about how we test vision, for Bloomsbury’s Object Lessons series (2017), and The Tales of Hoffmann, a study of Powell and Pressburger’s 1951 opera-film.   Most recently he has co-authored, with Kit Nicholls, Syllabus: The Remarkable, Unremarkable Document That Changes Everything (Princeton UP, 2020) and his latest book on writing, On Revision: The Only Writing That Counts, which we’ll be talking about today.   In this episode William Germano and I discuss: When you should start from scratch and why it’s a great technique for your writing. What skill all writers need to master and how it will improve your writing and revising. Why he believes that if something is worth writing, it’s worth revising as well.   Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/393

393: The Craft of Revision - Interview with William Germano

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Leslie Vedder. Leslie Vedder is a queer ace author who loves fairytale retellings with girl adventurers and heroes! She grew up on fantasy books, anime, fanfiction, and the Lord of the Rings movies and met her true love in high school choir. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.A. in creative writing and currently lives in Colorado with her wife and two spoiled house cats. When she's not reading or writing, you can find her watching anime and sci-fi shows, walking in the woods and pretending they're enchanted forests, or playing old video games. She always collects all the Skulltulas in Zelda and all the Dalmation puppies in Kingdom Hearts. Her debut YA novel The Bone Spindle released in January 2022.   In this episode Leslie Vedder and I discuss: What genre inspired her and helped her keep a fast pace throughout her novel. Why she loved blending science and magic and how her characters approached each. How she approached varying levels of character relationships—both romantic and friendship.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/392

392: World Building and Character Friendships in a YA Fairy Tale Retelling - Interview with Leslie Vedder

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ashanti Anderson. Ashanti Anderson (she/her) is a Black Queer Disabled poet, screenwriter, and playwright. Her debut short poetry collection, Black Under, is the winner of the Spring 2020 Black River Chapbook Competition at Black Lawrence Press. Her poems have appeared in World Literature Today, POETRY magazine, and elsewhere in print and on the web. In this episode Ashanti Anderson and I discuss: How being an overthinker influences her poetry and the messages she wants to share. Why setting clear boundaries helps her guide the conversation around her writing. When she turns to prose poetry and why she thinks it defies hard and fast craft rules. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/391

391: The Medium and the Message: How Poetry Communicates a Deeper Truth - Interview with Ashanti Anderson

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Charlie Jane Anders. Charlie Jane is the author of the essay collection Never Say You Can’t Survive along with the short story collection Even Greater Mistakes.  Her other books include The City in the Middle of the Night and All the Birds in the Sky. Her fiction and journalism have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Slate, McSweeney's, Mother Jones, the Boston Review, Tor.com, Tin House, Teen Vogue, Conjunctions, Wired Magazine, and other places.  Her TED Talk, "Go Ahead, Dream About the Future" got 700,000 views in its first week. With Annalee Newitz, she co-hosts the podcast Our Opinions Are Correct.   In this episode Charlie Jane Anders and I discuss: What makes something an “idea” versus a “story” and how to tell the difference. How to keep short stories contained while making them rich and deep. Why she believes endings are hard and what she does to cross the finish line. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/390

390: Idea to Premise to Story: Crafting a Dynamic Short Story - Interview with Charlie Jane Anders

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing J.L. Torres. J.L. is the author of a novel, The Accidental Native, as well as the short collection The Family Terrorist and Other Stories, a collection of poetry, Boricua Passport, and Migrations, a short story collection that won the inaugural Tomás Rivera Book Prize.  He has published stories and poems in numerous journals and magazines including The North American Review, Denver Quarterly, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Eckleburg Review, Puerto del Sol, Las Americas Review, and the anthology Growing Up Latino.  Born in Puerto Rico, raised in the South Bronx, he currently lives in Plattsburgh, New York. In addition to the Ph.D., he also holds an M.F.A. in creative writing from Columbia University.  He co-founded the Saranac Review and served as its Editor for many years. On a more personal note has no known hobbies, has never been in prison or any gangs, has never had quirky and funky jobs and is notoriously inept with tools.   In this episode J.L. Torres and I discuss: Writing for two audiences and how world building plays a major role in that process. What factors he considers when selecting the order of stories for a collection. His definition of “voice” and why it is so important in keeping readers engaged.   Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/389

389: A Master Class on Short Fiction, Voice, and Opening Lines - Interview with J.L. Torres

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sacha Black. Sacha is an author, rebel podcaster, and professional speaker. She has five obsessions; words, expensive shoes, conspiracy theories, self-improvement, and breaking the rules. Sacha writes books about people with magical powers and other books about the art of writing. When she’s not writing, she can be found laughing inappropriately loud, sniffing musty old books, fangirling about film and TV soundtracks, or thinking up new ways to break the rules. She lives in Cambridgeshire, England, with her wife and genius, giant of a son.   In this episode Sacha Black and I discuss: The main types of supporting characters and what you should do with each type. Why you need to create contrast between your supporting characters and your protagonist. How to balance giving supporting characters depth without letting them take over the story.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/388

388: How to Craft Your Supporting Characters - Interview with Sacha Black

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mark McGuinness. Mark is an award-winning poet, author, podcaster and host of The 21st Century Creative, as well as a coach for creative professionals. He is also someone I’ve had the pleasure of calling a colleague and friend for nearly a decade. When Mark told me about his latest project, a new podcast titled A Mouthful of Air, I knew I had to bring him on DIY MFA Radio to talk about it. The podcast centers around poetry, and episodes alternate in focus between contemporary works and the classics. For episodes featuring contemporary poets, Mark invites them to read a single poem and talk about the writing process behind it. In other episodes, he reads classic poems and talks about what we can learn from them as writers. This is an awesome podcast, and one that writers of all genres can learn from and enjoy. A Mouthful of Air has been awarded funding for the first 2 years of the show by Arts Council England, and I can’t wait to see where it goes!   In this episode Mark McGuinness and I discuss: What effects a good poem can have on the reader that transcend academic understanding. What method poetry is and the writing processes of contemporary poets. How reading poetry out loud—even just to yourself—enhances the experience.   Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/387

387: A Mouthful of Air: Poetry as a Spoken Artform - Interview with Mark McGuinness

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing someone very special. Aside from being an author of a hilarious romantic comedy, she is also a mainstay of the DIY MFA community. This person is, of course, Tammy Lough. Growing up, Tammy had dual-career goals, she wanted to be a nurse and a writer. When she was three she played nurse to her dolls when they got sick, fell off her bed, or broke their bones. She also began writing poems and stories and never stopped. In later years, when multiple sclerosis forced her to leave her career as an intensive care nurse-manager, she came back to her writing with the same passion and drive she brings to everything. This past year, Parallel Pathways published her first romantic comedy and debut novel, Lacey’s Deception. Tammy is a mom of two sons and grandma to three adorable grandchildren. She writes a monthly column, “On the Back Page with Tammy,” for Saturday Writers, a Chapter of the Missouri Writers Guild, and is an active member of the Romance Writers of America and South West Writers. She is also the Romance Columnist for DIY MFA.   In this episode Tammy Lough and I discuss: How mistaken identities can be a vehicle for humor, especially in a rom-com. Why she thinks the middle can be the best part of the writing process.  What role the rule of three plays in building the tension and humor in her novel.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/386

386: The Art and Craft of Writing a Romantic Comedy - Interview with Tammy Lough

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Amanda Polick. Amanda is a writer, book coach, and food writing columnist for DIY MFA. She began her career with acting and improv, she shifted focus to food writing which led to her being the first dedicated segment producer of Facebook Live for Time Inc. While in that role, she oversaw more than 300 live segments and created the company’s Food Media Junket, bringing in James Beard award-winning and Michelin-Starred chefs for over a dozen food and lifestyle brands. These days, she helps food folks through the book writing process, helping them craft a story only they can tell.  Her work has been featured by Cooking Light, Time, Southern Living, Food & Wine, and more.. She lives in Nashville, but a piece of her heart will always belong in California.   In this episode Amanda Polick and I discuss: Why food writing can encompass so much more than just the “how-to” element. How to find your own voice and discover what is unique about you in your writing. The importance of challenging yourself as a writer and what you can learn in the process.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/385

385: Life Lessons from Food Writing - Interview with Amanda Polick

Today, I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Marcus Harrison Green. Marcus is the publisher of the South Seattle Emerald, and a columnist with the Seattle Times.  Growing up in South Seattle, he experienced first-hand the impact of one-dimensional stories on marginalized communities, which taught him the value of authentic narratives. After an unfulfilling stint in the investment world during his twenties, Marcus returned to his community with a newfound purpose of telling stories with nuance, complexity, and multidimensionality with the hope of advancing social change. This led him to become a writer and to found the South Seattle Emerald. He was awarded the Seattle Human Rights Commissions’ Individual Human Rights Leader Award for 2020. On a more personal note, Marcus is a word nerd. He is part of our community, and when he reached out to share that he would be publishing his first collection of essays—Readying to Rise—I knew we had to have him on the show.   In this episode ​​Marcus Harrison Green and I discuss: How he achieved a unity of voice as he put together his debut essay collection. The importance of looking honestly at ourselves and how that can make society better. Why he loves living the life of the writer and what it allows him to do in the world.   Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/384

384: Writing Personal Essays with Honesty, Authenticity, and Hope - Interview with Marcus Harrison Green

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Catherine Baab-Muguira. Catherine is a writer and journalist who has contributed to many media outlets, including Slate, Quartz, CNBC and NBC News. She is a frequent podcast and radio guest, with appearances on NPR and Lifehacker’s Upgrade. Catherine currently lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and baby son. Today we’ll be discussing her first book, Poe for Your Problems: Uncommon Advice from History’s Least Likely Self-Help Guru, which came out this past September.   In this episode Catherine Baab-Muguira and I discuss: How Edgar Allan Poe unexpectedly inspired her to write a book about mental health. Why she keeps her day job and how it helps her avoid literary snobbery. The value of learning to write good copy and the art of marketing your book. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/383

383: The Mashup as a Model: Lessons for Your Writing Career from Edgar Allan Poe - Interview with Catherine Baab-Muguira

Take your writing from average to awesome, and learn tools of the trade from bestselling authors, master writing teachers, and publishing industry insiders. This podcast will give you tools and techniques to help you get those words on the page and your stories out into the world. Past guests include: Delia Ephron, John Sandford, Steve Berry, Jojo Moyes, Tana French, Guy Kawasaki, and more.

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