DIY MFA Radio

Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of talking with author Ada Palmer on the show!

Ada is an intellectual historian and the author of the four part science fiction series Terra Ignota. The first book in the series (also Ada's first science fiction novel), Too Like the Lightning, was a Hugo Best Novel Finalist in 2017 and is followed by Seven Surrenders and The Will to Battle which just released this month.

In addition to writing these awesome books, Ada composes fantasy, Sci-Fi, and mythology-themed music, performs at conventions with her vocal group Sassafrass, researches anime and manga, and blogs about philosophy and travel.

Listen in as we chat about Ada's epic series, and the art of world building in speculative fiction.

• How to avoid being pigeonholed by your books and your brand.
• Why thinking like a historian aids world building.
• Ada's personal techniques for building multiple worlds at once.
• Avoiding the info. dump, crafting an opening scene of speculative fiction the right way.
• Fiction burn, what it is and how to avoid it in your novel.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/178

Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of talking with author Ada Palmer on the show!

Ada is an intellectual historian and the author of the four part science fiction series Terra Ignota. The first book in the series (also Ada’s first science fiction novel), Too Like the Lightning, was a Hugo Best Novel Finalist in 2017 and is followed by Seven Surrenders and The Will to Battle which just released this month.

In addition to writing these awesome books, Ada composes fantasy, Sci-Fi, and mythology-themed music, performs at conventions with her vocal group Sassafrass, researches anime and manga, and blogs about philosophy and travel.

Listen in as we chat about Ada’s epic series, and the art of world building in speculative fiction.

• How to avoid being pigeonholed by your books and your brand.
• Why thinking like a historian aids world building.
• Ada’s personal techniques for building multiple worlds at once.
• Avoiding the info. dump, crafting an opening scene of speculative fiction the right way.
• Fiction burn, what it is and how to avoid it in your novel.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/178

Hey there word nerds!

Today I am so excited to have author Ayobami Adebayo on the show!

Ayobami's stories have appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies. She holds BA and MA degrees in literature in English as well as an MA in creative writing, and has received numerous fellowships and residencies.

Her debut novel, Stay With Me, is set in her home country of Nigeria and was one of the Buzz Books at Book Expo 2017.

Listen in as we discuss Ayobami's debut novel, and how to find the right narration for your story.

• Writing alternating first person POV, and how to do it right.
• How to discover your characters' reasons for their actions.
• Tips and techniques to keep from breaking your novel.
• Ways to shift your reader's perspective with your story's framework.
• Deciding what to leave unsaid in your novel.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/177

Hey there word nerds!

Today I am so excited to have author Ayobami Adebayo on the show!

Ayobami’s stories have appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies. She holds BA and MA degrees in literature in English as well as an MA in creative writing, and has received numerous fellowships and residencies.

Her debut novel, Stay With Me, is set in her home country of Nigeria and was one of the Buzz Books at Book Expo 2017.

Listen in as we discuss Ayobami’s debut novel, and how to find the right narration for your story.

• Writing alternating first person POV, and how to do it right.
• How to discover your characters’ reasons for their actions.
• Tips and techniques to keep from breaking your novel.
• Ways to shift your reader’s perspective with your story’s framework.
• Deciding what to leave unsaid in your novel.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/177

Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of chatting with author Danya Kukafka on the show!

Danya's stunning debut novel, Girl in Snow, received rave reviews right out of the gate from masters of the thriller genre like Paula Hawkins and Lee Child. This achievement is made even more remarkable when you consider that Danya is only 25 years old!

After reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Virgin Suicides, Danya became fascinated by unstable teens in voyeuristic communities. She set out to explore the idea of what would happen if you had a teenage boy who truly doesn't know if he's killed someone. How could the reader find empathy for him?

Listen in as we tackle this question and the even bigger question of deciding where the line between YA and adult lies as we discuss Girl in Snow.

• Adult or YA? Deciding which way is right for your story.
• Writing teenage characters that feel real.
• Knowing when to choose a multiple point of view and how to do it right.
• Dealing with the publishing world as an editor and an author.
• How to win the comparison game by sticking to your own writing path.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/176

Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of chatting with author Danya Kukafka on the show!

Danya’s stunning debut novel, Girl in Snow, received rave reviews right out of the gate from masters of the thriller genre like Paula Hawkins and Lee Child. This achievement is made even more remarkable when you consider that Danya is only 25 years old!

After reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Virgin Suicides, Danya became fascinated by unstable teens in voyeuristic communities. She set out to explore the idea of what would happen if you had a teenage boy who truly doesn’t know if he’s killed someone. How could the reader find empathy for him?

Listen in as we tackle this question and the even bigger question of deciding where the line between YA and adult lies as we discuss Girl in Snow.

• Adult or YA? Deciding which way is right for your story.
• Writing teenage characters that feel real.
• Knowing when to choose a multiple point of view and how to do it right.
• Dealing with the publishing world as an editor and an author.
• How to win the comparison game by sticking to your own writing path.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/176

Hey there word nerds!

Today I am so excited to have doctor and writer Robin Cook on the show!

Robin started his medical career as a general surgical resident and finished with an ophthalmology residency at Harvard. His literary career, however, began as he wrote his debut novel, The Year of the Intern, underwater inside a nuclear submarine.

He followed this up with his novel Coma, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and created the medical thriller genre.

Robin is the author of thirty-four previous international bestselling novels, and is now back with his latest work Charlatans.

Listen in as we dive into Robin's latest medical thriller, the genre itself, and get an inside look at how to turn firmly held beliefs of the medical profession on their heads.

• What makes a medical thriller.
• How to balance keeping an issue present without creating an issue-driven book.
• Why fiction is better at influencing public policy than nonfiction.
• Using little details to drag readers into the story from page one.
• Prologues, when you should use them and the reasons why.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/175

Hey there word nerds!

Today I am so excited to have doctor and writer Robin Cook on the show!

Robin started his medical career as a general surgical resident and finished with an ophthalmology residency at Harvard. His literary career, however, began as he wrote his debut novel, The Year of the Intern, underwater inside a nuclear submarine.

He followed this up with his novel Coma, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and created the medical thriller genre.

Robin is the author of thirty-four previous international bestselling novels, and is now back with his latest work Charlatans.

Listen in as we dive into Robin’s latest medical thriller, the genre itself, and get an inside look at how to turn firmly held beliefs of the medical profession on their heads.

• What makes a medical thriller.
• How to balance keeping an issue present without creating an issue-driven book.
• Why fiction is better at influencing public policy than nonfiction.
• Using little details to drag readers into the story from page one.
• Prologues, when you should use them and the reasons why.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/175

Hey there word nerds!

Today I am delighted to have Jarett Kobek on the show!

Jarett published his first novel, I Hate the Internet, last year with a small indie publisher and it immediately took on cult status and received rave reviews. His new book, The Future Won't Be Long, centers on one of the characters (Adeline) featured in I Hate the Internet and is set in my favorite city, New York!

Listen in as we discuss Jarett's latest novel and his techniques to keep a book based around technology relevant even when the tech in the story becomes obsolete.

• The art of explaining everything, and why you should use the technique.
• His tips and tricks for keeping the technology in a book relevant for future generations.
• When to set a project aside and how to go back and edit it later.
• How to grow your characters through multiple books as well as in a single book.
• Why readers want to read multivolume stories.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/174

Hey there word nerds!

Today I am delighted to have Jarett Kobek on the show!

Jarett published his first novel, I Hate the Internet, last year with a small indie publisher and it immediately took on cult status and received rave reviews. His new book, The Future Won’t Be Long, centers on one of the characters (Adeline) featured in I Hate the Internet and is set in my favorite city, New York!

Listen in as we discuss Jarett’s latest novel and his techniques to keep a book based around technology relevant even when the tech in the story becomes obsolete.

• The art of explaining everything, and why you should use the technique.
• His tips and tricks for keeping the technology in a book relevant for future generations.
• When to set a project aside and how to go back and edit it later.
• How to grow your characters through multiple books as well as in a single book.
• Why readers want to read multivolume stories.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/174