DIY MFA Radio
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.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 43 minutes
- Episodes
- 485
- Years Active
- 2014 - 2024
465: Complex Characters, Dark Retellings, and Urban Settings - Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Mary Pascual. They’ll be talking about her debut novel, The Byways, and creating multi-dimensional characters.
Mary Pascual is a writer and artist who believes finding mag…
464: Craft Jam: Create Compelling Characters
Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Lori and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various …
463: Revealing a Character through Their Survivors - Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Daniel Weizmann. They’ll be talking about his neo-noir mystery, The Last Songbird.
Daniel Weizmann got his start at 13 under the nom de plume Shredder, writing for the leg…
462: Organize a Short Story Collection as a Full Experience - Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Jolene Mcilwain. They’ll be talking about Sidle Creek and centering a short story collection around a place.
Jolene McIlwain’s fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart …
461: Start with a Setting: Creating a Rich World for Your Story - Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Ginny Kubitz Moyer. They’ll be talking about how she started writing her debut novel, The Seeing Garden, with the setting.
Ginny Kubitz Moyer is a California native with a…
460: Pantsing Your Way to Dynamic Characters — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Neely Tubati Alexander. They’ll be talking about Love Buzz and the importance of listening to your intuition when crafting a novel.
Neely Tubati Alexander is a first-gener…
459: The Power of Poetry to Survive, Heal, and Connect — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Anne Marie Wells. They’ll be talking about her poetry collection, Survived By: A Memoir in Verse, and using poetry as a method of dealing with heavy emotions.
Anne Marie W…
458: Intuitive Writing: Capture Your Character's Energy and Paint with Your Words — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Donnaldson Brown. They’ll be talking about Because I Loved You, and about how her background in screenwriting has influenced her prose.
Donnaldson 's debut novel, Because …
457: Take the Leap: Chase Your Passion, Quit Your Job, and Write a Memoir — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Leslie Karst. They’ll be talking about weaving past experiences into your writing and her new book Justice is Served.
The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie…
456: Therapy for Poets: On Reading and Writing Poetry — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Danielle Mitchell. They’ll be talking about the methodology of writing and reading poetry.
Danielle Mitchell (she/her) is an intersectional feminist, poet, and teaching ar…
455: The Magic and Science of Writing — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Patricia Leavy. They’ll be talking about her book, Hollyland, and the science behind the art of writing.
Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She…
454: Exploring Themes of Grief and Loneliness in a Neo-Noir Speculative Novel — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Jinwoo Chong. They’ll be talking about themes of loss and disconnection and how they relate to his book Flux.
Jinwoo Chong is the author of the novel Flux, coming March 21…
453: Turning One Book into Eight: Planning and Writing a Thriller Series — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Laurie Buchanan. They’ll be talking about Impervious and the mechanics of writing a series.
Laurie writes the Sean McPherson novels—fast-paced thrillers set in the Pacific…
452: Pivot, Payoff, and the Geometry of Story — Interview
Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Steven James. We’ll be talking about his multifaceted storytelling framework, and his book The Art of the Tale.
Steven James is the bestselling, critically …
451: Collaborating on a Fairy Tale-Inspired YA Series — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Sorboni Banerjee and Dominique Richardson. They’ll be talking about collaborating on their book, Red as Blood, and the sisterhood they found.
Dominique Richardson and Sorb…
450: Double Entendres, Meet Cutes, and Smart Sex: Writing Contemporary Romance — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Thien-Kim Lam. They’ll be talking about writing romance with depth and spice.
Thien-Kim Lam writes stories about Vietnamese characters who smash stereotypes and find their…
449: Genre Hopping, Process, and Time Management: The Life of a Working Writer — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Courtney Maum. They’ll be talking about honesty in memoir and her book The Year of the Horses.
Author of five books, including the game changing publishing guide Before an…
448: From Drafting to Marketing: A Debut Author’s Journey — Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Jenna Miller. They’ll be talking about her publishing experience as a debut writer with her book Out of Character.
Jenna Miller writes Young Adult books about fat, queer, …
447: Flying by the Seat of Your Pants: Writing without an Outline — Interview
Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Monte Schultz. We’ll be talking about his book Metropolis, and the intricacies of writing alternative history.
Monte Schulz received his M.A. in American St…
446: Exploring Social Justice Topics in a YA Thriller – Interview
Today, Lori is interviewing Jumata Emill. They’ll be talking about exploring social justice through multi-cultural experiences and his book The Black Queen.
Jumata is a journalist who has covered cri…