DIY MFA Radio

Hello Hello Word Nerds!

I'm so excited to share my interview with author Elizabeth George. Today we'll be talking about writing psychological suspense and what it takes to build a great suspense novel with a lot of interesting psychological twists and turns. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

• Why it's important to know where your story needs to start.
• Writing deeply flawed yet deeply sympathetic characters.
• Writing complex female characters and their different attitude toward feminism and female-ness.
• How point-of-view helps strengthen the reader's understanding of and sympathy for characters.

Elizabeth George is the author of highly acclaimed novels of psychological suspense. She won the Anthony and Agatha Best First Novel awards in America and received the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere in France. In 1990 she was awarded the prestigious German prize for international mystery fiction, the MIMI.

Her novels have now been adapted for television by the BBC. An Edgar and Macavity Nominee as well as a New York Times and international bestselling author, Elizabeth George lives on Whidbey Island in the state of Washington. Her latest novel, A Banquet of Consequences, is out now.

To learn more about Elizabeth George and her fantastic books, you can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or visit her website.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/068

Hello Hello Word Nerds!

I’m so excited to share my interview with author Elizabeth George. Today we’ll be talking about writing psychological suspense and what it takes to build a great suspense novel with a lot of interesting psychological twists and turns. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

• Why it’s important to know where your story needs to start.
• Writing deeply flawed yet deeply sympathetic characters.
• Writing complex female characters and their different attitude toward feminism and female-ness.
• How point-of-view helps strengthen the reader's understanding of and sympathy for characters.

Elizabeth George is the author of highly acclaimed novels of psychological suspense. She won the Anthony and Agatha Best First Novel awards in America and received the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere in France. In 1990 she was awarded the prestigious German prize for international mystery fiction, the MIMI.

Her novels have now been adapted for television by the BBC. An Edgar and Macavity Nominee as well as a New York Times and international bestselling author, Elizabeth George lives on Whidbey Island in the state of Washington. Her latest novel, A Banquet of Consequences, is out now.

To learn more about Elizabeth George and her fantastic books, you can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or visit her website.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/068

Welcome, welcome Word Nerds! I am so excited to share today's interview with author Ken Murray with you all.

Ken Murray is a writer and creative writing teacher. He teaches multi-genre, using fiction, nonfiction and poetry to help students get started, listen to their work, and amplify the opportunities therein. Ken teaches at University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies and also at Haliburton School of the Arts. He is a graduate of the MFA program at The New School (like me!), and also the Teaching Artist program at Community Word Project. Ken writes mostly fiction and Eulogy is his first novel.

Originally from Vancouver, Ken grew up in Ottawa and has lived in various locations across Canada, and also New York City. He now divides his time between Prince Edward County and Haliburton Ontario, and teaching at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. Beyond reading and writing, he can most often be found dabbling in various sports, or doing broadcast work with 99.3 County FM in Prince Edward County.

• the impetus for Eulogy
• the process of going from writing shorter pieces to writing a book-length work
• teaching writing and writing workshops

"Get started and be open to whatever comes out of your pen." ~Ken Murray

If you want to know more about Ken Murray, you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or visit his website.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/067

Welcome, welcome Word Nerds! I am so excited to share today's interview with author Ken Murray with you all.

Ken Murray is a writer and creative writing teacher. He teaches multi-genre, using fiction, nonfiction and poetry to help students get started, listen to their work, and amplify the opportunities therein. Ken teaches at University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies and also at Haliburton School of the Arts. He is a graduate of the MFA program at The New School (like me!), and also the Teaching Artist program at Community Word Project. Ken writes mostly fiction and Eulogy is his first novel.

Originally from Vancouver, Ken grew up in Ottawa and has lived in various locations across Canada, and also New York City. He now divides his time between Prince Edward County and Haliburton Ontario, and teaching at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. Beyond reading and writing, he can most often be found dabbling in various sports, or doing broadcast work with 99.3 County FM in Prince Edward County.

• the impetus for Eulogy
• the process of going from writing shorter pieces to writing a book-length work
• teaching writing and writing workshops

"Get started and be open to whatever comes out of your pen."
~Ken Murray

If you want to know more about Ken Murray, you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or visit his website.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/067

Hey there word nerds!

Today's episode features one of my most favorite authors EVER: Austin Kleon. If you don't know who he is, Austin is the New York Times bestselling author of three illustrated books: Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, Newspaper Blackout, and Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered. His latest project is The Steal Like an Artist Journal: A Notebook for Creative Kleptomaniacs and it's in stores now.

If you haven't read Austin's books yet, go to it! Seriously, these books will change the way you think about creativity, writing, and--most importantly--life.

• Honoring your reality, both the world around you and your personal reality.
• Learning from your mistakes instead of focusing on your failures.
• Practicing by copying other people's work by hand.
• Different tools for different types of writing.
• How practicing "less is more" can help your craft.

Plus, Austin's #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/066

Hey there word nerds!

Today's episode features one of my most favorite authors EVER: Austin Kleon. If you don’t know who he is, Austin is the New York Times bestselling author of three illustrated books: Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, Newspaper Blackout, and Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered. His latest project is The Steal Like an Artist Journal: A Notebook for Creative Kleptomaniacs and it's in stores now.

If you haven't read Austin's books yet, go to it! Seriously, these books will change the way you think about creativity, writing, and--most importantly--life.

• Honoring your reality, both the world around you and your personal reality.
• Learning from your mistakes instead of focusing on your failures.
• Practicing by copying other people’s work by hand.
• Different tools for different types of writing.
• How practicing “less is more” can help your craft.

Plus, Austin’s #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/066

Hi there Word nerds! I'm so excited for today's interview with bestselling author JoJo Moyes on the art of the sequel.

Jojo Moyes is the New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You, One Plus One, The Girl You Left Behind, The Last Letter from Your Lover, Silver Bay, The Ship of Brides and Honeymoon in Paris. She lives with her husband and three children in Essex, England.Me Before You was truly a word-of-mouth sensation, launching Moyes to worldwide acclaim. It spent more than 65 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list and worldwide sales exceed five million copies. Reviewers, booksellers, and readers all raved about Me Before You for its unforgettable romance and emotional, challenging storyline. Moyes' books are now available in 36 foreign languages and have sold more than nine million copies in total. Her newest book, After You: A Novel, sequel to Me Before You, is out now.

• Sequels, and how they are not always planned.
• How to write that sequel that can stand alone.
• Writing grief in your characters.
• Switching point of view in your novel.
• The experience of working on the screen adaptation of her novel, Me Before You.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/065

Hi there Word nerds! I’m so excited for today’s interview with bestselling author JoJo Moyes on the art of the sequel.

Jojo Moyes is the New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You, One Plus One, The Girl You Left Behind, The Last Letter from Your Lover, Silver Bay, The Ship of Brides and Honeymoon in Paris. She lives with her husband and three children in Essex, England.

Me Before You was truly a word-of-mouth sensation, launching Moyes to worldwide acclaim. It spent more than 65 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list and worldwide sales exceed five million copies. Reviewers, booksellers, and readers all raved about Me Before You for its unforgettable romance and emotional, challenging storyline. Moyes’ books are now available in 36 foreign languages and have sold more than nine million copies in total. Her newest book, After You: A Novel, sequel to Me Before You, is out now.

• Sequels, and how they are not always planned.
• How to write that sequel that can stand alone.
• Writing grief in your characters.
• Switching point of view in your novel.
• The experience of working on the screen adaptation of her novel, Me Before You.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/065

Today's episode is all about the m-words of writing: marketing and money. These topics are often hard for writers to discuss, but I wanted to address them for a couple of reasons. First, they are super-important. And second, I believe that all writers can be awesome at both at the creative and the business sides of their work.

As writers, we tell ourselves a lot of lies. Sometimes these lies are just part of getting through what needs to be done, but sometimes they can hold us back. I've heard many authors say "I don't care if I make money, I just want to write," or "I don't want to sell out. I can't promote myself." It's as if we equate suffering and starvation with good art.

Finally, I hear some writers say "If I make something amazing it'll just sell itself."

What a lot of us don't realize is that we're living in a paradox. On the one hand we say "I don't wanna corrupt my art" but on the other hand we say "If only I could make money doing what I love…" How do we reconcile this contradiction? That's what this episode is all about.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/064

Today's episode is all about the m-words of writing: marketing and money. These topics are often hard for writers to discuss, but I wanted to address them for a couple of reasons. First, they are super-important. And second, I believe that all writers can be awesome at both at the creative and the business sides of their work.

As writers, we tell ourselves a lot of lies. Sometimes these lies are just part of getting through what needs to be done, but sometimes they can hold us back. I’ve heard many authors say “I don’t care if I make money, I just want to write,” or “I don’t want to sell out. I can’t promote myself.” It’s as if we equate suffering and starvation with good art.

Finally, I hear some writers say “If I make something amazing it’ll just sell itself.”

What a lot of us don’t realize is that we’re living in a paradox. On the one hand we say “I don’t wanna corrupt my art” but on the other hand we say “If only I could make money doing what I love…” How do we reconcile this contradiction? That's what this episode is all about.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/064