DIY MFA Radio

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

29 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 w...

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

22 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 Fami...

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

15 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sacha Black. Sacha is an author, rebel podcaster, and professional speaker. She has five obsessions; words,...

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

08 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

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

01 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

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

24 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

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

17 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

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

10 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Catherine Baab-Muguira. Catherine is a writer and journalist who has contributed to many media outlets, inc...

382: Character, Setting, and Cinematic Storytelling in Short Stories - Interview with Khanh Ha

03 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Khanh Ha. Khanh is the author of Flesh and The Demon Who Peddled Longing.  He is a seven-time Pushcart nom...

381: Writing and Publishing a Christmas Novel - Interview with Debbie Macomber

27 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Debbie Macomber. Debbie is the author of many books including: It's Better This Way, A Walk Along the Beach...

380: World Building and the Fantasy YA Serial - Interview with Stephanie BwaBwa

20 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie BwaBwa. Stephanie is a Jesus-centered, young adult and fantasy author, writing in the universe of...

379: Bending Genres, Defying Expectations, and Crafting Characters in a Horror Novel - Interview with Andy Marino

13 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Andy Marino. Andy Marino was born in upstate New York, spent half his life in New York City, and now lives ...

378: The Inside Scoop on Book Reviews - Interview with Kiffer Brown

06 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Kiffer Brown. Kathryn (Kiffer) Brown is the CEO and co-founder of Chanticleer Reviews and Chanticleer Int'l...

377: The Art of the American Essay Anthology - Interview with Phillip Lopate

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Philip Lopate. Phillip is the author of over a dozen books:  4 personal essay collections (Bachelorhood, ...

376: Persistence and Publishing, a Debut Author's Story - Interview with Elizabeth Gonzalez James

22 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Gonzalez James. Elizabeth's stories and essays have appeared in The Idaho Review, The Rumpus, PAN...

375: Bringing Omitted BIPOC History to Light through Middle Grade Picture Books - Interview with Traci Sorell and Carole Boston Weatherford

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Traci Sorell and Carole Boston Weatherford. Traci is the author of the critically acclaimed book We Are Gra...

374: Historical Fiction, the Bronte Family, and the Original Mrs. Robinson - Interview with Finola Austin

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Finola Austin. Finola Austin, also known as the Secret Victorianist on her award-winning blog, is an Englan...

373: Hook and Tether: How to Draw Readers In and Keep Them Grounded in the Story - Interview with Marissa Levien

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Marissa Levien. Marissa is a writer and artist who hails from Washington State and now lives in New York wi...

372: The Magic of Math and the Art of Picture Books — Interview with Rajani LaRocca

25 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Rajani LaRocca. Rajani was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she p...

371: Women's Fiction vs. Romance: What's the Difference? — Interview with Kris Clink

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Kris Clink. Kris writes about relatable characters who rely on humor and tenderness to navigate complicated...

370: Behind the Cowriting Process of a Debut Author Duo — Interview with Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman

11 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman. Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman have been great friends for over 20 year...

370: Behind the Cowriting Process of a Debut Author Duo — Interview with Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman

11 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman. Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman have been great friends for over 20 year...

369: Writing Mystery as Series and Stand-Alone Books — Interview with Elly Griffiths

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Elly Griffiths. Elly is the author of the Ruth Galloway and Brighton mystery series and the stand-alone nov...

368: Intention, Agency, and Choice: How to Write Three-Dimensional Characters — Interview with Veronica G. Henry

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Veronica G. Henry. Veronica was born in Brooklyn, New York, and has been a bit of a rolling stone ever sinc...

367: Character Dynamics in a Fairytale Retelling — Interview with Brandie June

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Brandie June. Brandie spent most of her childhood onstage or reading, as both activities let her live in fa...

366: The Art and Craft of a Short Story Collection - Interview with Alexander Weinstein

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Alexander Weinstein. Alexander is the author of the collections Universal Love and Children of the New Worl...

365: Fantasy Inspired by Greek Mythology - Interview with Emily R. King

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Emily R. King. Emily is the author of the Hundredth Queen series, along with Before the Broken Star, Into t...

364: How Writing Is Like Walking a Tightrope — Interview with Ana Maria Spagna

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ana Maria Spagna. Ana Maria is the author of Uplake: Restless Essays of Coming and Going and several previo...

363: Dual Point of View in Historical Fiction — Interview with Denny S. Bryce

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing award-winning debut author Denny S. Bryce. Denny won the RWA Golden Heart® and was a three-time GH finalis...

362: A Deep Dive into the Supporting Cast — Interview with Leslie A. Rasmussen

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Leslie A. Rasmussen. Leslie was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She graduated with a bachelor's...

361: Villains and Villainy, Antagonists and Obstacles: Crafting Conflict in Epic Fantasy — Interview with Tasha Suri

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Tasha Suri. Tasha is an award-winning author, occasional librarian and cat owner. Her books include the Boo...

360: Unpacking Memories for a Memoir— Interview with Jas Rawlinson

02 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jas Rawlinson. Jas is a best-selling author, book coach, and resilience speaker who specialises in stories ...

359: Trust, Threat, and Truth: A Journey Through the Craft of Writing - Interview with Jeff Arch

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Arch. Jeff grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he spent two of his high school years at a board...

358: Find Your Community and Follow Your Passion - Interview with Thien-Kim Lam

19 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing my dear friend Thien-Kim Lam. Thien-Kim writes stories about Vietnamese characters who smash stereotypes an...

357: Layers of World Building in Epic Fantasy - Interview with Suyi Davies Okungbowa

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Suyi Davies Okungbowa. Suyi is a Nigerian author of fantasy, science fiction and other speculative works in...

356: Doodling for Writers - Interview with Rebecca Fish Ewan

05 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Rebecca Fish Ewan. Poet and cartoonist, Rebecca's passion is mingling text with visual art, primarily in in...

355: Weaving Together History, Folklore, and Fairy Tale - Interview with Rena Rossner

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Rena Rossner. Rena hails from Miami Beach, Florida. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University Writi...

354: Character, Conflict, and World Building in Fantasy - Interview with C.L. Clark

21 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing C.L. Clark. Cherae graduated from Indiana University's creative writing MFA and was a 2012 Lambda Literary ...

353: Making the Shift from YA Romance to Adult Thriller - Interview with David Yoon

14 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing David Yoon. David is the author of the New York Times bestseller Frankly In Love, as well as the upcoming Y...

352: You Can Do Anything, Magic Skeleton! - Interview with Chuck Wendig

07 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing someone I have the honor of considering both a colleague and friend, Chuck Wendig. Chuck is the New York Ti...

351: The Education of a Writer — Interview with Sophfronia Scott

31 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sophfronia Scott. Sophfronia is a novelist and essayist whose work has appeared in Time, People, O: The Opr...

350: Voice, Emotion, and Metastory in a "Mistopia" - Interview with Simon Stephenson

24 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Simon Stephenson. Originally from Edinburgh, Scotland, Simon is a writer and screenwriter now living in LA ...

349: When a Story Idea Won't Let a Writer Go - Interview with Jeremy Hance

17 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jeremy Hance. Jeremy is writer and freelance environmental journalist, who also happens to cohabitate with ...

348: Blending Genres in a Historical Series - Interview with Michelle Cox

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Michelle Cox. Michelle is the author of the multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series. S...

347: The Art and Business of Writing Serials— Interview with Leanna Renee Hieber

03 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing the award-winning author and my friend, Leanna Renee Hieber. Leanna is an actress, playwright and the autho...

346: Curating a Middle Grade Anthology of Intertribal Stories - Interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith

24 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

  Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Cynthia Leitich Smith. Cynthia is a New York Times bestselling author known for her award-winning childr...

345: Language as World Building in YA Fantasy - Interview with Ellie Cypher

17 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ellie Cypher. Ellie Cypher grew up in Northern California, received her B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavior f...

344: A Deep Dive into Point of View - Interview with Sharon Harrigan

10 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sharon Harrigan. Sharon is the author of the new novel Half, which has received accolades from places like ...

343: Writing in the Dark: How to Write Horror - Interview with Tim Waggoner

03 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Tim Waggoner. Tim is a critically-acclaimed author of over fifty novels and seven short story collections. ...

342: Multiple Timelines, Climate Fiction, and a Childhood Code of Honor - Interview with Julie Carrick Dalton

27 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Julie Carrick Dalton. As a journalist, Julie has published more than a thousand articles in The Boston Glob...

341: Live Life Colorfully: The Intersection Between Words and Art - Interview with Jason Naylor

20 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jason Naylor. Jason is an award-winning artist and designer based in NYC. He is known for his bright colors...

340: You Can Keep That To Yourself - Interview with Adam Smyer

13 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Adam Smyer. Adam Smyer is an attorney, martial artist, and mediocre bass player. His nonfiction has appeare...

339: The Many Perspectives of Grief - Interview with Rachel Beanland

06 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Rachel Beanland. Rachel Beanland writes fiction and essays, and has recently released her debut novel. Her ...

338: The Dystopian Superhero Story - Interview with Alexandra Monir

30 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Alexandra Monir. Alexandra is an Iranian-American author and recording artist who has published six popular...

337: The Intersection of Voice and Point of View in Literary Fiction— Interview with Brad Fox

23 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Brad Fox. Brad is a novelist, journalist, translator, and former relief worker currently quarantined in rur...

336: Realistic Middle Grade: Balancing the Light and Dark— Interview with Marcella Pixley

16 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Marcella Pixley, the author of four acclaimed books for young people. Her novel Freak was a Kirkus Best Boo...

335: The Art of Heartfelt Teaching (and Writing)— Interview with Diane Zinna

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Diane Zinna. Originally from Long Island, Diane received her MFA from the University ...

334: The Unexpected Female Protagonist — Interview with Veena Rao

02 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Veena Rao. Veena Rao is the author of Purple Lotus: A Novel (She Writes Press), as we...

333: Unpacking the Short Story Workshop — Interview with Sara Schaff

25 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sara Schaff. Sara is the author of two short story collections The Invention of Love ...

332: The Craft and Business of Cozy Mysteries — Interview with Andi Cumbo-Floyd

18 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Andi Cumbo-Floyd. Andi is a writer of both magical realism and nonfiction, but in the last year, she has ta...

331: Writing and Indie Publishing a Steampunk Novel— Interview with Meg LaTorre

11 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Meg LaTorre. Meg is a sci-fi/fantasy author, YouTube darling, and founder of iWriterl...

330: World Building in a Space Opera — Interview with Essa Hansen

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing the author, swordswoman, and falconer, Essa Hansen. Essa is a sound designer for sci-...

329: Writing the Ensemble Cast — Interview with Laura Jamison

28 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Laura Jamison. Laura Jamison is an attorney from Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, where she ...

328: Book Marketing for Busy Writers — Interview with Carol VanDenHende

21 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Carol VanDenHende. Carol is an award-winning author who pens stories of resilience an...

327: Cartoons and Visual Language - Interview with Mr. Fish

14 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Fish. Dwayne Booth has been a freelance writer and cartoonist for twenty-five yea...

326: Painting, Math, and Tiny Houses: Writing the Picture Book Biography - Interview with Amy Alznauer

07 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Amy Alznauer. Amy lives in Chicago with her husband, two children, a dog and her four puppies, a parakeet, ...

325: Reinventing a Legend — Interview with Nathan Makaryk

30 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Nathan Makaryk. Nathan is the author of Nottingham, which deconstructs the mythology ...

324: Story is Your Marketing Superpower - Conversation with Erica Wexler

22 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today we're doing something a little bit different. This is a special episode, created in partnership with INBOUND, one of my fa...

323: The Importance of Composting in the Writing Process — Interview with Helen Zuman

16 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Helen Zuman. Helen Zuman is the author of Mating in Captivity, a memoir of her five y...

322: Heroes, Villains, and Writing a Story That Matters — Interview with Ace Atkins

09 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ace Atkins. Ace Atkins is the author of twenty-six books, including ten Quinn Colson ...

321: From Feature Article to Book: The Art of Storytelling in Nonfiction — Interview with Matt Hongoltz-Hetling

02 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Matt Hongoltz-Hetling. Matt is a freelance journalist specializing in narrative featu...

320: Tropes in Romance (and How to Keep Things Interesting) — Interview with Julia London

26 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Julia London. Julia is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly best-sel...

319: Writing in the Tom Clancy Multiverse - Interview with Mike Maden

19 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mike Maden. Mike grew up working in the canneries, feed mills and slaughterhouses of ...

318: Voice, Pacing, and Sensitivity: The Art of Writing a 911 Thriller - Interview with R.H. Herron

12 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing R.H. Herron. Rachael Herron is the internationally bestselling author of more than tw...

317: Be True to the Character and Tell Your Truth — Interview with Syed M. Masood

05 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Syed M. Masood. Syed M. Masood grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, and now lives with his w...

316: Truth with a Capital T — Interview with Lauren Sharkey

29 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Our show notes are at DIYMFA.com/316 because it's episode 316! Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe on iTunes, Googl...

315: From Painting to Memoir, a Visual Artist's Journey Into Writing — Interview with Miriam Feldman

22 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Miriam Feldman. Miriam is a painter, writer, and mother originally from Los Angeles, ...

314: Magic, Politics, and Relationships: Using Fantasy to "Literalize the Metaphor" - Interview with Django Wexler

15 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Django Wexler. Django graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with de...

313: In the Spirit of Jane Austen - Interview with Natalie Jenner

08 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Natalie Jenner. Natalie Jenner was born in England, raised in Canada, and graduated f...

312: Plot Twists, Surprises, and How to Keep Your Reader Guessing — Interview with Laura Hankin

01 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Laura Hankin. Laura has written for McSweeney's and HuffPost, among other publication...

311: World-Building in Middle Grade Fantasy — Interview with Henry Clark

24 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Henry Clark. Henry is the author of What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the Wo...

310: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at an Historical Fiction Series — Interview with Pamela Taylor

17 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Pamela Taylor. Pamela brings her love of history to the art of storytelling. An avid ...

309: Experiments and Happy Accidents in Novel Writing — Interview with Susann Cokal

10 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds!  Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Susann Cokal. Susann is a moody historical novelist, a pop-culture essayist, book c...

308: Setting, Characters, and Identity: Your Story's Ecosystem - Interview with Abbigail Rosewood

03 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Abbigail Rosewood. Abbigail was born in Vietnam, where she lived until the age of twe...

307: Mindfulness and Memoir — Interview with Mag Dimond

27 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mag Dimond. Mag Dimond has been a world traveler since the age of eleven, when her mo...

306: Recipes for Poetry and Creativity - Interview with Marilyn Singer

20 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Marilyn Singer. Winner of the National Council of Teachers of English Award for Excel...

305: Adventure, Awe and Writing Practice: The Art of the Crowd-Sourced Memoir - Interview with Joe Bunting

13 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Joe is a bestselling writer, novelist, and a dad. He leads The Write Practice community, an award-winning community of creative ...

304: An Inside Look at Self-Publishing - Interview with Helen J. Darling

06 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Helen J. Darling. Helen is the author of two humorous women's fiction novels: Terms a...

303: A Survivor Story as a Middle Grade Novel in Poems — Interview with Sonja K. Solter

29 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sonja K. Solter. Sonja graduated from Stanford University and earned an MFA in Writin...

302: Building a Pop Poetry Empire — Interview with Jade Dee and Wilnona Marie

22 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jade Dee and Wilnona Marie, the "And I Thought" Ladies! Jade is the 2019 Poet of the ...

301: Dismantling the Stigma of Mental Illness — Interview with Jeff Garvin

15 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Garvin. Jeff is an author, musician, and podcaster and his debut novel, Symptoms...

300: Meet Team Awesome — A Behind-the-Scenes Look at DIY MFA

08 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds!  Welcome to the three hundredth episode of DIY MFA Radio! The original plan for this episode was to unveil our first-ever DIY M...

299: Spot Your Habits and Build Your Skills — Interview with ProWritingAid Founder Chris Banks

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Chris Banks! Chris Banks is the CEO and Founder of ProWritingAid. In his varied caree...

298: Character-Driven YA and Middle Grade — Interview with Brandy Colbert

25 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Brandy Colbert, the critically acclaimed author of several YA and Middle Grade novels...

297: How to Bring a Fantasy Series to a Close — Interview with E.J. Wenstrom

18 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing E.J. Wenstrom J. Wenstrom believes in complicated heroes, horrifying monsters, purpl...

296: Fairy Tales, Vernacular, and the Art of Storytelling — Interview with Curdella Forbes

11 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Curdella Forbes. Curdella is a Jamaican writer who lives in Takoma Park, Maryland, an...

295: Writing an Unlikable but Sympathetic Protagonist — Interview with Claire Waller

04 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Claire Waller. Claire is a secondary school teacher who works with teenagers with men...

294: Self-Publishing a Middle Grade Series — Interview with H.R. Hobbs

26 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing H.R. Hobbs. H.R. Hobbs (or Heather Hobbs, as I know her) is the Amazon-bestselling au...

293: Find Your Creative Focus - Interview with Jessica Abel

19 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jessica Abel. Cartoonist and coach Jessica is the founder of the Creative Focus Works...

292: World Building in Epic Fantasy - Interview with K.S. Villoso

12 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing K.S. Villoso who writes speculative fiction with a focus on deeply personal themes an...