DIY MFA Radio

Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Karen Dionne on the show.

Karen was the first author I ever interviewed on DIY MFA Radio, and is now the first author that I've brought back for a second solo interview because she's just that awesome.

In this episode we discuss Karen's novel The Marsh King's Daughter, the very book she was working on way back in 2014 when I first interviewed her, and I have a feeling this book will be one of the summer's biggest hits.

• How to write the book that's in you by mining what you know, and why this can make a bizarre setting not only unique but memorable.
• How to write complex characters that will jump off the page for readers.
• How to write a relatable villain, and why showing that your bad guy isn't all bad makes the story more engaging and keeps readers flipping pages.
• How to hit your reader with a major shift in chapter one.
• How switching gears in what you write can help you reach your writing goals.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/153

Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Karen Dionne on the show.

Karen was the first author I ever interviewed on DIY MFA Radio, and is now the first author that I've brought back for a second solo interview because she’s just that awesome.

In this episode we discuss Karen’s novel The Marsh King’s Daughter, the very book she was working on way back in 2014 when I first interviewed her, and I have a feeling this book will be one of the summer’s biggest hits.  

• How to write the book that’s in you by mining what you know, and why this can make a bizarre setting not only unique but memorable.
• How to write complex characters that will jump off the page for readers.
• How to write a relatable villain, and why showing that your bad guy isn’t all bad makes the story more engaging and keeps readers flipping pages.
• How to hit your reader with a major shift in chapter one.
• How switching gears in what you write can help you reach your writing goals.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/153

Hey there word nerds!

Today I'm so excited to have middle grade author and fellow New School alumni, Lisa Preziosi on the show. In our interview, Lisa and I talk about nesting stories within stories, and the various craft elements—such as setting and theme—that make up the fairy tale framework. Listen in to hear us geek out over how to craft a fairy tale for modern middle grade readers.

• What defines a character as the protagonist, and how viewing a story through different angles can change the character's role.
• How to use setting as metaphor for your story's theme or your characters' arcs.
• Why having older characters in a middle grade book can work in a fairy tale framework.
• How to modulate voice during transitions in a nested story so readers are never jolted out of the story's world.
• How to pick a title for your book so it connects with all the different layers of your story.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/152

Hey there word nerds!

Today I’m so excited to have middle grade author and fellow New School alumni, Lisa Preziosi on the show.

In our interview, Lisa and I talk about nesting stories within stories, and the various craft elements—such as setting and theme—that make up the fairy tale framework. Listen in to hear us geek out over how to craft a fairy tale for modern middle grade readers.

• What defines a character as the protagonist, and how viewing a story through different angles can change the character’s role.
• How to use setting as metaphor for your story’s theme or your characters’ arcs.
• Why having older characters in a middle grade book can work in a fairy tale framework.
• How to modulate voice during transitions in a nested story so readers are never jolted out of the story’s world.
• How to pick a title for your book so it connects with all the different layers of your story.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/152

Hey there word nerds!

Today we're doing something a little different. I have here with me in person, author and DIY MFA Romance columnist, Robin Lovett!

Robin is the author of two dark, sexy, romance novels, and is a super advocate for the romance genre. Her next series, of three dark stalker suspense romances, releases this summer through St. Martin's Press Swerve, beginning with Stranger.

In our interview, Robin and I dive into the rarely spoken of domain of sex in romance writing, and tease apart the numerous craft elements of this complex and often overlooked genre.

• Why sex should or should not be included a romance novel, and how to craft sex scenes the right way.
• How to create tension and faster pacing by switching back and forth between the hero and the heroine.
• How to craft a sympathetic anti-hero your readers will want a happy ending for.
• How to use the inner conflict within a character—the wanting and not wanting—to create steamier love scenes.
• What the business and legal aspects of romance writing entail, and how organizations like the Romance Writers of America (RWA) champions the genre.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/151

Hey there word nerds!

Today we’re doing something a little different.  I have here with me in person, author and DIY MFA Romance columnist, Robin Lovett!

Robin is the author of two dark, sexy, romance novels, and is a super advocate for the romance genre.  Her next series, of three dark stalker suspense romances,  releases this summer through St. Martin's Press Swerve, beginning with Stranger.

In our interview, Robin and I dive into the rarely spoken of domain of sex in romance writing, and tease apart the numerous craft elements of this complex and often overlooked genre.

• Why sex should or should not be included  a romance novel, and how to craft sex scenes the right way.
• How to create tension and faster pacing by switching back and forth between the hero and the heroine.
• How to craft a sympathetic anti-hero your readers will want a happy ending for.
• How to use the inner conflict within a character—the wanting and not wanting—to create steamier love scenes.
• What the business and legal aspects of romance writing entail, and how organizations like the Romance Writers of America (RWA) champions the genre.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/151

Hey there word nerds!

Welcome to the 2017 Epic BookExpo Recap episode. If you don't already what BookExpo is, it's the big industry trade show that takes place in the United States every year. This year, things at BookExpo were a little bit new and different so I wanted to give you a rundown of what's new, what's still the same, and what I think all these things say about the book industry as a whole.

• The new vibe at BookExpo, and why I'm really digging the new, smaller, industry focus.
• What really happens at BookExpo and what this trade show is all about.
• Why I attend BookExpo, and what I look for as I walk the show.

For more info and show notes, head to DIYMFA.com/150

Hey there word nerds!

Welcome to the 2017 Epic BookExpo Recap episode. If you don’t already what BookExpo is, it’s the big industry trade show that takes place in the United States every year. This year, things at BookExpo were a little bit new and different so I wanted to give you a rundown of what’s new, what’s still the same, and what I think all these things say about the book industry as a whole.

• The new vibe at BookExpo, and why I’m really digging the new, smaller, industry focus.
• What really happens at BookExpo and what this trade show is all about.
• Why I attend BookExpo, and what I look for as I walk the show.

For more info and show notes, head to DIYMFA.com/150

Hey there word nerds!

Today I'm delighted to have literary agent Mark Gottlieb on the show!

Mark is an agent at Trident Media Group, where he has worked with the agency's chairman. He is now working on building his own client list because he wants to help manage and grow authors' careers using the amazing resources Trident has available.

In our interview, Mark and I discuss the topic that both excites and terrifies writers--- The Pitch. Mark gives us the inside scoop on how to work the Pitch Slam and what makes or breaks a spoken pitch.

• What the dos and don'ts of a spoken pitch are, and how writers can use a Pitch Slam to their best advantage.
• What the framework of a query letter includes, and how to craft a creative hook and strong pitch that will make agent's want to read more.
• Why using comp titles can strengthen your pitch, and how to weave them together with your book's details, with example pitches from Mark!
• How studying current titles in the marketplace can place your query a step above the crowd.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/149

Hey there word nerds!

Today I’m delighted to have literary agent Mark Gottlieb on the show!   

Mark is an agent at Trident Media Group, where he has worked with the agency’s chairman.  He is now working on building his own client list because he wants to help manage and grow authors’ careers using the amazing resources Trident has available.

In our interview, Mark and I discuss the topic that both excites and terrifies writers--- The Pitch.  Mark gives us the inside scoop on how to work the Pitch Slam and what makes or breaks a spoken pitch.

• What the dos and don’ts of a spoken pitch are, and how writers can use a Pitch Slam to their best advantage.
• What the framework of a query letter includes, and how to craft a creative hook and strong pitch that will make agent’s want to read more.
• Why using comp titles can strengthen your pitch, and how to weave them together with your book’s details, with example pitches from Mark!
• How studying current titles in the marketplace can place your query a step above the crowd.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/149