Anyway, this year, I thought we could go around the DIY MFA family table and share something genuine—what book we are most thankful for. When I set this assignment, I didn’t give any parameters to guide their answers. This is off the cuff what some of our Team Awesome members had to say about the book they are most thankful for. 

Happy Thanksgiving.

Gabriela Pereira

Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat by Bill Watterson

The Calvin and Hobbes comics were game-changing for me. They made me realize that I wasn’t weird for talking to the weird characters inside my head or imagining epic space battles while walking around the neighborhood. While all the books in the collection are excellent, I love this one in particular because it includes the sequence in which Stupendous Man goes to school and also the storyline where Hobbes sends Calvin encoded messages with a cool skull and crossbones insignia for the return address.

Lori Walker

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

Talk about coming down to the wire! I kept putting off scheduling this post, in part, because I had no idea what to say. Really, I put it off until the last responsible moment. Fortunately, a throwaway comment last night when talking with a friend led me to my answer. This collection of stories and essays opened so many doors for me. It introduced me to one of my favorite writers. It introduced me to a genre that I love and have decided to devote my time to writing. This, in turn, led me to many other writers and books that have become favorites. So I’d say this slim little volume, which I reread every year, has had a pretty big impact on me.

Jeanette Smith

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

There’s a reason it’s one of the top 10 most checked-out books from the NYC Public Library. Carnegie presents story after story to illustrate his basic principles; principles that remain true and timeless in both business and personal life. I think even the best of us can learn from this book. I can certainly say it has influenced my life for the better.

Angela Yeh

“Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are so many books that have come along at just the right time for me. But for sheer, overall, long-term helpfulness, it would be “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. I’ve read it in all my low points and have internalized a lot of what he had to say. One of my favorites is “Your goodness must have some edge to it—else it is none.” To me, this means in order to make real change my voice has to be heard. And I can’t do that by mumbling in a corner. Also, that it is alright that I love you when I meet you, but if you mess with my friends, it is also okay to kick you off the island.

Sara Farmer

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 

Anne changed my life and gave me hope. She is a best friend and guide. I never grow tired of rereading her adventures and learning more about her and her creator L.M. Montgomery. 

Carol VanDenHende

No Turning Back by Sgt. Bryan Anderson

I’m thankful for this memoir by a Purple Heart decorated soldier. In it, he documents his life after being “blown up” by an IED in Iraq. I’m grateful for his generosity as a sensitivity reader for my work, which is inspired by combat-wounded veterans. #veteransday

Melanie Marttila

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

The plot is a multi-layered fantasy mystery, but the heart of the story is trauma and recovery. It’s a gentle hug, a nod. It says, “I understand what you’re going through.” Also, I found this article in The Guardian, in which Clarke discusses her battle with chronic fatigue syndrome, and this lovely 5 X 15 Stories conversation between Neil Gaiman and Clarke. Both enhance the experience of reading the novel.

Stephanie BwaBwa

The Host by Stephenie Meyer 

I’ve loved this book for many years. The older I get, the stronger it resonates. A book about selflessness, purity of heart and character, true love, finding love in unexpected places, perseverance, and hope, I absolutely adore The Host. It’s been a comfort book for me to reread time and again in dry spells, to break out of book slumps, or when my heart is just heavy. I first read it as a young teenager, and till this day as an adult, it’s still one of my favorite novels ever written.

Ambre Leffler

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov is sentenced to live out his days at the Metropol Hotel, but in spite of being confined, he develops a rich life with the staff and guests of the hotel who bring the outside world to him. One of my favorite scenes is the dark night of the soul, when he is convinced to keep going after handyman Abram shares honey from the rooftop that tastes of the apples Count Rostov fondly recalls from childhood. It perfectly captures how these connections with nature ground us with our local history.

As I read through these responses, I loved how varied the responses were in terms of the books chosen and the reasons for choosing them. Books are such a personal experience, yet they have such an impact on our writing and on how we relate to the world. Before I get too sentimental, I’m going to sign off.

But before I go…

Tell us in the comments below: What book are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

The post Team Awesome Thanksgiving Post appeared first on DIY MFA.

I was very fortunate last month to have a nice, long spell of cool weather, which meant lots of back porch reading! This month I have something strange to report. Most of the books I started, I actually finished. Like, all but one of the books I started I finished. I can’t tell you the last time that has ever happened to me. Probably sometime before I got an Amazon account.

I present you with…

The June Books:

The Memoir Project by Marion Roach Smith

I read this book in one day. It’s on the short side, but still. I skipped work for a day to read this. I underlined so many things, then I went back and took notes over what this book had to say about memoir writing. Smith’s approach has radically changed the way I think about memoir writing in particular, but also about writing in general. I feel like this will be one I regularly return to for a refresher.

The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr

Wow, two memoir craft books in a row, you might say. Yes. But. These books are really quite different. While Smith presents an overarching framework for how to approach memoir writing, Karr does an amazing job of talking about some of the more nuanced stylistic decisions that you will make in your subsequent drafts, after you get the skeleton put together. Karr cites loads of examples of how she approached these choices in her own memoirs and also how other masters of the genre accomplished these things. She also includes a lengthy list of recommended reading.

The Liars’ Club by Mary Karr

I couldn’t read Karr’s book about memoir writing without picking up her first memoir. Holy crap! This memoir is so well executed in how she’s able to blend writing about her childhood while retaining that childlike voice but also infusing it with her adult perspective. I wasn’t even halfway through before I bought the other two memoirs she’s written. She is such a great storyteller. Highly, highly recommend to anyone who wants to read some powerful writing.

Recollections of My Nonexistence by Rebecca Solnit

I mentioned this one last month and I finally finished it! I think Angela finished way before I did, but that’s OK. It wasn’t a race. (I’d probably say that even if I hadn’t lost, but I’d probably be more smug about it) The bulk of this book details Solnit’s formation as a young woman living alone in a city. It was really interesting to read about her feminist awakening. For me, though, the fascinating part was where she talked about writing and art.

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

I can’t really say what made me decide to buy and read this one. It just seemed interesting. I’m glad I read it. I learned some interesting things about Dazed and Confused, which is one of my favorite movies. And McConaughey also provides some really poetic and inspirational musings on making art and being a creative. 

Night Shift by Stephen King

There was just something about spring fading into summer that made me want to pick up some spooky Stephen King and what I’ve read did not disappoint. I’m not great with short story collections. If I read them too quickly, all of the stories run together, so I read them in fits and starts. This collection starts with the source story for ‘Salem’s Lot and it was really good! It also features the short story that was King’s jumping off point for The Stand, which is one of my favorite King novels. I plan to keep plugging away at it throughout the summer.

Total Books Read in 2021: 15

Well, that’s all I have for you for June. Still not a lot of fiction. I can’t explain it. I’ve been just way more interested in memoir, but I also feel a need to take a bit of a break from reality, so we’ll see what I have to report next month.

Tell me in the comments below: What have you been reading?

Lori Walker is the Operations Maven at DIY MFA. Though she’s fallen off the wagon as a writer, she’s hoping to return to writing essays (perhaps even a novel!) through her involvement with DIY MFA. She is also Launch Manager, Web Editor, and Podcast Producer for DIY MFA and a Book Coach. She resides in Smalltown, Oklahoma, with her husband and their cat, Joan Didion. You can follow her on Instagram at @LoriTheWriter.

The post The Book Nook — June Edition appeared first on DIY MFA.

Today I am delighted to have author Howard Kaplan on the show!

Howard is a native of Los Angeles, but he has lived in Israel and traveled to numerous places across the world, including Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. He also has had some incredible adventures in the former Soviet Union which, along with his time in Syria, inspired his bestselling thriller The Damascus Cover.

Published forty years ago to rave reviews, The Damascus Cover is finally coming to the big screen. The movie debuted in September 2017 at the Boston Film Festival, and is scheduled for release everywhere this spring.

Listen in as we talk about this bestseller, the art of film, and how to take a story from page to screen.

In this episode Howard and I discuss:

• The importance of endings, and how to do them right.
• How to use film to elevate your story.
• Kill your darlings, knowing what to cut on the page vs. the screen.
• When your characters come to life, what to expect when working with actors.
• Setting the right tone in scene one for a book and a movie.

Plus, Howard’s #1 tip for writers.

About Howard Kaplan

Howard Kaplan, a native of Los Angeles, has lived in Israel and traveled extensively through Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.

At the age of 21, he was sent on a mission into the Soviet Union to smuggle a dissident’s manuscript on microfilm to London. His first trip was a success. On his second trip, he transferred a manuscript to the Dutch Ambassador inside his Moscow embassy. A week later, he was arrested in Khartiv in the Ukraine and interrogated for two days there and and two days in Moscow, before being expelled from the USSR. The KGB had picked him up for meeting dissidents and did not know about the manuscript transfers.

Howard holds a BA in Middle East History from UC Berkeley and an MA in the Philosophy of Education from UCLA. He is the author of four novels. The feature film adaptation of The Damascus Cover, which is Book 1 in his Jerusalem Spy Series, will be released in theaters worldwide in spring 2018.

The Damascus Cover

In a last ditch effort to revive his career, washed out agent Ari Ben-Sion accepts a mission he never would have 30 years ago, to smuggle a group of Jewish children out of the Damascus ghetto. Or so he thinks.

In Damascus, a beautiful American photographer, Kim, seems to be falling in love with Ari, but she is asking too many questions. His communication equipment disappears. His contact never shows up. The operation is only hours away and everything seems awry.Desperate to succeed, Ari might risk everything. Even his life.

Forty years ago, Howard Kaplan’s bestselling thriller, The Damascus Cover, debuted to rave reviews. On September 23, 2017, the film adaptation premiered at the Boston Film Festival as a major motion picture. An action-packed thriller, this film features an all-star cast, including Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors, Bend it Like Beckham), Olivia Thirlby (Just Before I Go, Between Us) and in one of his last performances, the late, great Sir John Hurt (The Elephant Man, television’s I Claudius).

After ten years of annually optioning the movie rights with director Daniel Berk, the film is finally seeing the light of day, and the story has never been timelier. “My books are generally about reconciliation between Israelis and Arabs/Palestinians,” Kaplan says, “and this film is very much a hard-hitting representation of the excesses of both sides.”

If you decide to check out the book before you see the movie or if you want to check out the writing book Howard mentioning in the interview, we hope you’ll do so via these Amazon affiliate links — The Damascus Cover and Writing to Sell —  where if you choose to purchase via the links DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 182

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio or Google Play and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 182: Adapting a Book to the Screen — Interview with Howard Kaplan appeared first on DIY MFA.

Thanks for being here with me today. I’m so excited to share this interview with you. It’s a little bit different from what I usually do. Instead of being the one hosting the interview, in this episode I’m sharing an interview that I gave for my friend Joanna Penn on The Creative Penn Podcast.

You might remember Joanna from episode 106 when she came on DIY MFA Radio and I got to interview her! She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers under J.F.Penn and also writes nonfiction for authors. She’s also a professional speaker and award-winning entrepreneur. Her site, TheCreativePenn.com, is regularly voted one of the Top 10 sites for writers. She is a self-publishing superstar and I’m thrilled that she had me on her show.

In this episode Joanna interviews me about:

• How I started DIY MFA, where I got that first glimmer of the idea, and how I built it into what you see today.
• The writer’s need for validation and why that “stamp of approval” needs to come from within.
• Honoring and understanding your process, and how there’s no right way to be a writer.
• The importance of author identity, and being the best version of yourself, but still be authentically you.

I also share some of my signature DIY MFA techniques, like:

• The Angst Jar—what it is and why it’s my go-to tool for handling rejection, imposter syndrome, and any other curve ball my inner critic throws at me.
• The Revision Pyramid and how to use it so you can rock your post-NaNoWriMo revisions and make your manuscript sing.
• Visual outline techniques and why I’m so obsessed with design and graphics. Hint: It comes from my former life as a toy designer and psychology researcher.

About the DIY MFA Book

Have you ever…

• Dreamed of writing a book but had no idea where to start?
• Started a writing project, but couldn’t stay motivated?
• Struggled to carve out time in your life for your writing?
• Searched for a writing community, but didn’t know where to look?
• Been overwhelmed by all the writing and publishing advice online?

Order your very own copy direct from the publisher by clicking this affiliate link. As with any affiliate products we promote on this site, when you purchase via this link, DIY MFA gets a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you supporting DIY MFA!

DIY MFA is the definitive guide for writers who can’t–or don’t want to–go back to school.

Inspired by material I’ve created and compiled since the inception of this website, this is more than a writing guide in book form. Based on proven techniques and graduate-style curriculum, DIY MFA won’t just help you improve your writing skills, it will empower you to take control of your creative life.

If DIY MFA were a school, this book would be the student handbook. It’s a one-stop-shop with all the fundamental elements from the website in one place. If you are new to DIY MFA, this book is the perfect springboard to get you going, and if you’ve taken one or more of our courses, this book will supplement and expand on what you learned.

DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community will help you get that graduate-level experience without going to school. Don’t put your life on hold for two or three years and accrue a huge amount of student debt. Instead, learn to recreate that MFA experience for yourself and seamlessly incorporate writing into your life. This book will show you how.

I wrote this book for word nerds of all stripes, but particularly with these three particular writer groups in mind.

• Writers in the trenches: If you’re one of these writers, then you are in the thick of it, actively engaged in a writing project at this very moment. You work hard to improve your craft and are hungry to learn tools and skills you can apply to work-in-progress. This book will give you the techniques you crave.
• Serious newbies: Just because you’re new to writing doesn’t mean you’re not serious. If you’re one of these serious newbies, then you are motivated to learn all you can, so you can start your writing journey on the right foot. Learn how with this book.
• Career authors who need a boost: No matter how experienced a writer you are, sometimes you lose “that loving feeling” and it’s hard to get those words on the page. This book can help shake up some of those stale habits and get you pumped up about your writing again.

Warning: If you are dabbler or dilettante looking for a “magic bullet” solution or a shortcut to success, this book is not for you. Seriously, it might spontaneously combust in your possession. (Just kidding. Sort of.)

If you’re ready to bump your writing up a level, grab your copy today!

Link to Episode 127

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share!

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 127: How to DIY Your MFA (Interview at The Creative Penn) appeared first on DIY MFA.

Today I’m delighted to welcome back the founder and principal of Book Architecture, Stuart Horwitz, and his collaborator Dave Stebenne. You can listen to my previous interview with Stuart here.

Stuart has spent over fifteen years helping writers become authors and his clients have reached wow-worthy levels of success. You can read the details in his bio below. More personally, though, Stuart is also a trusted colleague of mine and a good friend. When we first met over drinks at a Writer’s Digest Conference back in 2013, I knew right away that I had met a fellow writer and writing teacher whose perspective both aligns with and complemented my own.

Stuart’s books are among my top go-to resources, both ones that I recommend to my students and that I use for my own writing. The newest installment of the Book Architecture trilogy–Finish Your Book in Three Drafts: How to Write a Book, Revise a Book, and Complete a Book While You Still Love It–just might be my favorite one yet.

For this book, he teamed up with Dave Stebenne who created the stop-motion shorts to accompany the Book Architecture 5-year tour to create a cross between a non-fiction how-to guide and graphic novel. The result is nothing short of awesome.

In this episode Stuart, Dave, and I discuss:

• How the idea for this book came about
• The importance of both spontaneity and planning in writing
• Form, function, and continuity in the development of an idea
• Creating something that has a life beyond you

Plus, Stuart’s and Dave’s #1 tips for writers.

About Stuart Horwitz

Stuart has spent over fifteen years helping writers become authors. His clients have signed with top literary agencies, sealed deals with coveted publishing houses, or forged a successful path as indie authors. Book Architecture’s clients have reached the New York Times best-seller list in both fiction and nonfiction, and have appeared on Oprah!, The Today Show, The Tonight Show, and in the most prestigious journals in their respective fields.

Stuart’s approach is a synthesis of academic theories of narrative structure and his hands-on experience as an independent editor, book coach and ghostwriter. He has written three highly acclaimed books which together comprise the Book Architecture trilogy (affiliate links):

• Blueprint Your Bestseller: Organize and Revise any Manuscript with the Book Architecture Method
• Book Architecture: How to Plot and Outline Without Using a Formula
• Finish Your Book in Three Drafts: How to Write a Book, Revise a Book, and Complete a Book While You Still Love It

Stuart is an award-winning essayist and poet, who has toured the Book Architecture Method through over seventy venues in North America and taught writing at Grub Street of Boston and Brown University. He holds two master’s degrees—one in Literary Aesthetics from NYU, which helps him a lot with this work—and one in East Asian Studies from Harvard with a concentration in Medieval Japanese Buddhism, which helps him get out of bed in the morning. To learn more about Stuart and his work, visit his website, or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About Dave Stebenne

Dave is a 23-year veteran of the creative business, as an art director, editor and animator. Dave is responsible for the stop-motion shorts featuring action figures that are hands-down the best part of the Book Architecture 5-year tour. Having worked in broadcast media, the toy industry, advertising, publishing, and the corporate design world, he has a wide base of expertise to draw from in his work with Chick ’n Coop Pictures. He and his wife, the photographer Kristin Stebenne, live in Lincoln, RI with their two incredibly cool, sweet and adorable kids. Dave is responsible for the stop-motion shorts featuring action figures that are hands-down the best part of the Book Architecture 5-year tour.

Link to Episode 102

(Right-click to download.)

Unleash Your Storytelling Superpower!

Video Training Series

Get an in-depth look at 4 character archetypes.

• Learn about their strengths and their weaknesses.
• Find out how to develop stories that create the most dramatic conflict for these archetypes.
• Discover how to implement these ideas to create memorable stories that resonate with your readers.

Sign up for FREE at:

DIYMFA.com/STSPvideo

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share!

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.

The post Episode 102: Finish Your Book in Three Drafts – Interview with Stuart Horwitz and Dave Stebenne appeared first on DIY MFA.

OMG, you guys! It’s episode 100! How awesome is that? I can’t even believe how amazing it is that we’ve come this far.

Today’s show is super-special for a number of reasons. Not only is it episode 100, but this is also the first solo show I’ve done in quite a while, and given how many interview requests I’ve been getting lately, it will likely be the only solo show in the next several months. But more importantly, today I’m going to introduce a concept that I’ve been playing with for a long time. It’s a direction that will inspire going to inspire DIY MFA going forward and guess what! You get a sneak peek.

As you’ve probably already noticed–if you follow the website or this show–a few months ago I released the Storytelling Superpower quiz. This fun personality quiz is similar to the ones you find on Buzzfeed or that people link to on Facebook, but instead of telling you which Hunger Games you’re from are or which Hogwarts house you’d be sorted into, our quiz reveals your storytelling personality.

Head on over and take the quiz if you haven’t already. When you finish the quiz, you’ll be prompted to sign up to get a Storytelling Superpower cheat sheet. This Storytelling Superpower concept is one I developed to help launch the DIY MFA book, but It’s also connected to the subject of today’s podcast episode.

In this episode I’m going to give you an overview of where the Storytelling Superpower concept came from, what it is, and where it might be going in the next few months.

The Birth of an Idea

The Storytelling Superpower concept came to me over the winter holidays and I started sketching out some ideas in my brainstorming notebook. If you’re familiar with DIY MFA, you know that I like to break things into categories and put order to very complex concepts. For a while I had been asking myself how you really know what you’re good at as a writer. There are a lot of people who spout writing advice on the web, so how do you know who to listen to?

This is a fundamental question that I’ve been grappling with in DIY MFA for a long time. After all, I don’t believe you can copy-past someone else’s success plan onto your own life. You never know if that thing that worked for someone else will work for you and you need to test things yourself to find what fits. This is where that iteration concept comes from. It’s important that you figure out what you’re already good at as a writer and how you behave under natural circumstances. Then–and only then–can you improve on the things that are working. It does you no good to overhaul your whole process over and over. Instead, it’s much smarter and more efficient to play to your own strengths.

With that in mind, I started wondering how can a writer figure out what they’re good at? Wouldn’t it be great if we had a writer’s personality test that would help you figure out how you operate on the page and what your writing strengths are? I’m also a huge fan of personality tests. In a past life, I earned a masters in psychology from Cornell University, and one of the things I loved studying was personality. So while I was brainstorming, I put on my “psychology research hat” and started thinking about what a writing personality assessment might look like.

The Myers-Briggs test (you know the E/I N/S F/T J/P–I’m an INTJ) is basically a bunch of binary spectrums. People answer yes or no questions based those four parameters and those answers determine whether you’re introverted or extroverted, a thinker or a feeler, etc. Once the test gets your score on all four spectrums, you get your personality composite, or personality type.

The Heart and Soul of Your Story

Inspired by the Myers-Briggs format, I wanted to adapt that concept for writers, to take the framework and apply it to a writer’s brain. What I came up with were the different factors, two of which now make up the Storytelling Superpower quiz.

At first, I had easily six or seven different parameters in my quiz but to keep things streamlined, I decided to focus only on the character component. After all, characters are the heart and soul of your story. You plot can be a mess, your world-building mundane and your dialogue and description a disaster, but if you have a solid character, at least you have a place to start. But even if everything else is perfect, without a solid central character you’re not going get that book past square one.

So we start with character.

As I began to mull over the character component of the quiz, I realized that there are two fundamental aspects to every character in all of literature: (1) the type of character or how “big” that character feels on the page, and (2) what the character wants.

Type of Character: Everyman vs. Larger-Than-Life

I’ve mentioned the everyman versus larger-than-life heroic character. In Episode 5, I talked about the Opposite-is-Possible Theory, the idea that you need to show that the everyman character can do something grand, and that the heroic character can be vulnerable. To learn more about this aspect of character development, listen to Episode 5 linked above.

This first parameter was easy to identify because I’ve talked about it at DIY MFA countless times before. Still felt like I was only seeing part of the picture. I knew there had to be something more, so I turned my attention to the characters’ want.

The Character’s Want: Change vs. Preserve

I realized that the other thing driving character development is knowing what the the character wants. That can be kind of hard to boil down to a binary thing. The character could want to go out on an adventure and see the world, or to find the love of their life, or to not be beat up by the bully at school. So I started looking at books that I loved to see if I could discover anything in common between different characters and what they wanted. At first it looked like they were all over the place. And then it hit me, characters want one of two things in their life. They either want to change something or they want to preserve something.

This might seem really basic, but if you think about it, every single motivation at the crux of a book boils down to either change or preserve. In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wants to go home, to go back to the way things were. In The Hunger Games, Katniss wants to get her family out of the horrible situation they are in and she wants to survive the games. At the beginning of the series, Katniss wants to preserve her own life, but by the end she wants to change the system that has been holding her family back.

In the video series, I talk about how the character’s want can change over the course of a book (or series) and how you can use that shift to modulate a character from one archetype to another. Even if you find that one archetype speaks to you more than the others, you can shift things around and adapt characters by shifting their wants.

Four Character Archetypes

So now we have two parameters: character type and the want. In terms of the type, you can have a “regular joe” everyman character, or a larger-than-life heroic character. Within either of these types the character wants one of two things. Either the character wants to change in themselves or the world around them, or they want preserve something. This gives us four archetypes.

Why are these archetypes important? The key isn’t to box characters into a specific type and shackle them to a formula. You don’t have to shove your character into a particular category and then stick to that category come hell or high water. Instead, use these frameworks to understand what your characters are about at their most basic level. Then you can break the rules and shake things up. But if you don’t know what the rules are in the first place, then you can’t break them.

Here’s a rundown of the four archetypes.

Underdog

The underdog is an ordinary Joe or Jane who wants to change something. This character doesn’t have a whole lot of amazing superpowers, skills, or assets, but they want to change their life and shake up the status-quo. You can play this dynamic out in any number of circumstances, like the classic “rags-to-riches” makeover story or a comeback story where a powerful character has a major setback and has to pick themselves back up. Even though all underdog characters have a common thread (regular people who wants to change themselves or the world around them), that story can play out in many different ways depending on the situation you put that character in.

Disruptor

The disruptor is my favorite of the archetypes. It’s a larger-than-life character who wants to change something, whether that’s something small in their own life or something large in the world around them. Usually the disruptor is the revolutionary, the character that wants to change the world. What I find interesting is that, when I look at the data for of all the archetypes in the quiz, the disruptor is the smallest slice of the pie. My hunch is that while disruptors might be entertaining, they’re also very hard to like. So if you’re writing a disruptor character, help the reader find something in that character that they can relate to.

Survivor

The survivor is the same everyman character as the underdog, except that instead of wanting to change something, they want things to stay the same. The classic survivor stories are battles against nature, where some big disaster happens and the character has to struggle to survive. What makes this archetype so relatable is the everyman-ness of the survivor. If the character can get through this horrible situation, then so can we. Survivors are characters that have hope woven into them. No matter how bad things get, survivors believe that they can get back to a time when things were good. They don’t just give up, and that makes them compelling.

Protector

The protector is your typical superhero, larger-than-life and using their superpowers to protect the world and the people in it. What’s so great about these characters is that they’re noble and heroic. They don’t have to be superheroes, either. It could be a doctor or a lawyer, someone who wants to save those that can’t save themselves. The thing you have to watch out for with this archetype is that, because they are protective, they can sometimes overstep their bounds. Like the disruptor, the protector is larger-than-life, so the key is to show some vulnerability. With the protector it’s a little easier to do, though, because their goal (i.e. protect others) seems more selfless than that of a disruptor.

Putting it all together

The storytelling superpower goes well beyond just the character piece we’ve looked at here. When I had originally sketched out this idea, I had so many parameters, at one point there were 64 possible archetypes. These other parameters included: type of story structure, world-building elements, or the way the character’s want plays out at the conclusion of a story. In the future I hope to dig into these other elements, as well.

At some point my dream is to create a full assessment to see how writers perceive themselves based on these factors. Even more fun would be to compare that to how writers identify themselves on the personality test and how their stories actually play out on the page. There are researchers doing similar research by feeding novels into a computer computer program. In fact, later this summer I interview a professor who ran a study showing that there is no noticeable difference between literary novels written by MFA grads than by non-MFAs. (So basically, a computer program proves what I’ve been saying at DIY MFA all along!)

I could get really geeky with all the stats and we could really get down in the weeds about this concept. But then I remind myself what the purpose is behind the Storytelling Superpower. It’s not about data mining and it’s not about a cool personality test.

Rather, the Storytelling Superpower is about helping writers find their focus. It’s a tool to help you figure out what you are uniquely good at, what characters speak to you, and how you can implement and adjust these characters on the page so you can make your story even better. Knowing your storytelling superpower can also help you choose which project to work on, and which ones to set aside, at least for now.

The only way to improve as a writer is to dig into your own process
and understand the way you operate as a writer. Then improve on that.

So go, take the quiz. Then sign up for the video series. Or if you’ve already taken the quiz, you can sign up to get the cheat sheet here. The course will be available until the big book launch event in NYC this August.

Link to Episode 100

(Right-click to download.)

Please leave a review on iTunes.

iTunes isn’t super-intuitive, so here’s a quick video tutorial to show you how to leave a review. Thank you so much for supporting DIY MFA and spreading the love!

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share!

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.

The post Episode 100: Unleash Your Storytelling Superpower! appeared first on DIY MFA.

As I said last month, the best part of being part of DIY MFA is the reminder that we all have different backgrounds, but we all have similar themes that bind us into a talented and inspiring community. In that spirit, we’d love it if you shared your answers, too! Leave us a link in the comments if one of these questions inspires you or strikes a chord, and we’ll give you a shout-out next month.

Now, enjoy these four writers and their answers to DIY MFA Street Team Questions of the Week 5-8.

QOTW #5: What’s your writer’s kryptonite? (HINT: It’s usually related to your superpower in some way.) Have you found a way to work around that weakness?

Sandra Shattuck – What is your writing kryptonite?

This week’s question was hard! People don’t like to admit their weaknesses and it showed in the number of responses we had to this question. So here’s a shout-out to Sandra for looking honestly at herself and sharing her weakness.

QOTW #6: Five myths about creativity: (1) Creativity is an exclusive club, and you can’t be part of it. (2) Creativity is innate–you either have it or you don’t. (3) Creativity is driven by chaos, so there’s no way to control it. (4) Creativity is all about getting that one “Big Idea.” (5) Creativity means polishing an idea until it’s perfect. Does one of these myths hit home for you in particular? How so? What have you done to challenge that myth?

Carrie Ann Golden – Creativity Myths

It’s easy to get sucked in by these myths and end up thinking that you’ll never measure up or fit in as a writer and a creative person. Carrie talks about her struggle to let go of creative myths that held her back from giving her creative all to her work.

QOTW #7: There are a lot of people spouting “best practices” about writing. Have you ever tried one of these “best practices”? How did it go?

Michelle Chalkey – How to Find Your Best Practices as a Writer

Michelle does a great job breaking down the reasons why someone else’s best practices might not work for you. She shares four questions you can ask to help you figure out what your best practices are.

QOTW #8 Resistance is the compass that points us to the juicy material, the high-stakes projects that really matter to us. Share an example of a time when resistance acted as your compass.

Leoma Retan – Take a Risk – Reach for your Dreams

Leoma shares her journey to conquering her fear and the steps she’s taking to be able to share her writing with the world. I love this post because it’s a great reminder that people come at this writing thing from all different angles, but that fundamentally we face the same challenges.
Please take a few minutes to stop in and show some comment-love to these writers. As I said before, there’s nothing that writers love better than to know that someone out there is reading what we’ve written. And stay tuned for more round-ups of great writing from the DIY MFA Street Team.

Elisabeth Kauffman is a freelance editor in California. Her favorite genres are YA fantasy, sci-fi, and romance. She regularly obsesses over board games, Doctor Who, and Harry Potter. Come share your ideas with her on Facebook and Twitter and on the web at www.writingrefinery.com. Also, check out her author website: www.elisabethkauffman.com and her author page on Facebook.

The post DIY MFA Street Team Roundup: Weeks 4-8 appeared first on DIY MFA.

The past few weeks I’ve been honored to meet and participate with the DIY MFA Street Team, a group of committed and enthusiastic writers who are helping us get the word out about DIY MFA, The Book. We’ve had Facebook chats and conference calls to talk about writing and publishing. But best of all, we have a Question of the Week emailed to us by Gabriela that we can all ponder and reflect on in our writing. I have really enjoyed hearing the personal writing journeys of my fellow Street Teamers these past few weeks!

We wanted to give a shout-out to some of these amazing Street Teamers by highlighting their blog posts here at DIY MFA. So without further ado, here are 4 stand-out posts and the DIY MFA Street Team Questions of the Week that inspired them (weeks 1-4).

Week One Question: Have you ever thought about getting an MFA? If so, did you pursue it? (And what was that experience like?) If not, what have you been doing instead to enhance your writing education?

Emma Nelson – MFA Programs vs. DIY-ing Your MFA

Emma tackles Week 1’s question head on, talking about reasons she’s pro-MFA, whether it’s traditional or DIY. I love her no-nonsense approach to the question and the solutions she comes up with for people who are struggling to decide whether an MFA is right for them.

Week Two Question: How did you become a writer? Just as writing is a superpower, every superhero has an origin story. What’s yours? When did you realize that you wanted to write? What motivated you to get started?

AR Neal – Becoming a Writer – DIY MFA Question of the Week 2
Andreé shares her struggle to make her voice heard in response to Week 2’s question about our writers’ origin stories. I love the pluck and determination that young Andreé has in the face of less than supportive authority figures. Sometimes you have to fight for your write!

Week Three Question: One of the most important themes in DIY MFA is honoring your reality. Have you ever had a moment when you had to do that? What was is? How did you balance writing and life?

Kamsin Kaneko – How to honour life and writing
In response to Week 3’s question about honoring your reality as a writer, Kasmin gets real about her need as a mother to find balance in her creative life, and how the creative establishment isn’t always willing to help.

Week Four Question: Everyone has a writing superpower. What’s yours?

Melanie Marttila – What’s my storytelling superpower and my writer’s Kryptonite?
In a brave display of her superpower, Melanie responds to two questions in one post! I love how, in response to Week 4’s question, she applies her results from the Storytelling Super Power Quiz to her current works-in-progress.

What I love most about DIY MFA, and what the Street Team proves over and over again is that we all have different backgrounds, but we all have similar themes that bind us into a talented and inspiring community.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to stop in and show some comment-love to these writers. There’s nothing that writers love better than to know that someone out there is reading what we’ve written. And stay tuned for more round-ups of great writing from the DIY MFA Street Team.

Elisabeth Kauffman is a freelance editor in California. Her favorite genres are YA fantasy, sci-fi, and romance. She regularly obsesses over board games, Doctor Who, and Harry Potter. Come share your ideas with her on Facebook and Twitter and on the web at www.writingrefinery.com. Also, check out her author website: www.elisabethkauffman.com and her author page on Facebook.

The post DIY MFA Street Team Round-Up: Weeks 1-4 appeared first on DIY MFA.

BEA is the Big Kahuna of trade shows in the US. If you’re in the book business, this is where you want to be. This event is centered on BOOKS, but writers can get a lot out of the expo as well. Because there’s so much going on, though, it can be a little overwhelming. Fear not! This Book Expo survival guide episode will give you all the inside details on how to make the most of this event.

The best thing you can do before you go to BEA is define your goals and map out your strategy. At DIY MFA, my big goal is to connect with book publicists so I can set up more great podcast interviews with amazing authors. In addition, I keep my eyes open for overall book trends and themes to feature on our Five on Friday column (#5onFri). Plus, I’m always up for making new friends and meeting fellow book lovers.

BEA is a industry only event which means that as an unpublished author, you would have a hard time getting a badge. But, if you review books on your blog, you could get a blogger pass and go to BEA with the goal of discovering new books to review. For a book blogger, BEA is a great place to find content, whether that be about specific books or authors, about industry trends, or about other facets of publishing.

Even if you know what your goals are for BEA, these are a few survival tips you should keep in mind. Listen in to get all the details.

Book Expo America Survival Guide 2015

1) Focus on what you can offer.

It’s easy to go nuts over all the galleys and swag, but don’t get caught up in the “mine, mine, mine” mentality. Focus on offering value, not taking it. Remember not to offer what you can’t deliver. This means, if you say you’re going to review a book for someone, you’d better review it. If you only review books you liked (so you refrain from reviewing arcs you did not like) be up front about that.

Keep in mind that as an author, you’re not there to foist your wares. BEA exhibitors are selling their books to buyers and librarians. Chances are you’ll be interacting with marketing and publicity people (editors and agents are more likely to float around the show or be in private meeting rooms). This means the people you run into on the show floor aren’t the ones who could make a decision about buying your book, anyhow. Be professional and be courteous.

Most importantly, have a real conversation with the people you meet. Make friends. Book Expo is how I’ve met a number of wonderful authors and industry professionals whom I’ve had the pleasure staying friends with over the years. These connections are worth more than any marketing pitch.

2) Develop your PITA (Pain In The @$$) radar.

Make sure that you aren’t being a PITA! Think about the needs of the person you are talking to and respect others’ time. One way that I make sure not to be a PITA is by using the 3 minute rule. After 3 minutes of conversation, I thank the person for their time and ask if I can follow-up via email. At this point they either hand me a business card, or say “it’s OK, I can keep talking.” Either way, it’s a win.

If you’re shy like me, here are a few other networking tips:

1. Say something nice.
   Never underestimate the power of a kind word. When in doubt, a compliment is a great ice-breaker. But remember to be authentic. Don’t say something just to say it. Make sure you actually mean it.
2. Act professional.
   It’s easy to get caught up in the Literary Super-Dazzle (LSD as I like to call it). Galleys, book signings and celebrity authors… it’s enough to make even the best of us lose our cool. Just make sure to respect the rules and the people around you. Don’t lose your head and start snatching up books, cutting people in line, and causing a scene. Honestly, that just makes you look like an amateur. As long as you keep your wits about you and behave like a grown-up you’ll be just fine.

3) Plan in advance.

I spend about a week before Book Expo just planning out my itinerary and scheduling meetings. This is a big event and it goes by fast so make sure you plan in advance. Follow #BEA15 on Twitter to see who else is going, find out schedule updates, and plan what you don’t want to miss. Also, check out the following links for updates on can’t-miss galleys and events.

• Publisher’s Weekly: Children’s Galleys
• Publisher’s Weekly: Adult Galleys
• Kirkus BEA 2015 Guide
• School Library Journal Guide to ARCs and Signings

4) There’s more to BEA than what is on the show floor.

Check out panels and other talks going on in the basement of the Javits Center. Also check out the BEA Bloggers Conference, uPublishU, and several other conferences going on at the same time. (Some of these require an additional ticket.) I’ve attended the blogging conference in the past, and definitely found it valuable when I was starting DIY MFA. In addition, if you’re an author looking to connect with bloggers, the Blogger Directory for that conference is an invaluable resource!

I myself am always excited to check out the book buzz panels (where editors talk about the book on their list with the most buzz). This year the tech-geek in me can’t wait to check out some of the talks on multimedia, too.

5) Bonus logistical tips.

The Javits Center is basically in no-man’s land on the West Side. There will eventually be a subway stop there (who knows when that will ever happen) but for now, you might as well be in Siberia, you’re so dang far from the rest of the city. Whether you attend BEA for one day or for the entire conference, make sure to keep these basic things in mind:

• Be prepared to eat your meals at the food court, because there aren’t any restaurants nearby. If you decide to grab lunch, go before or after peak lunchtime.
• Bring a water bottle and a snack. Food at the Javits is expensive, plus it’s a mob scene. If you can survive on snacks for a day or two, go for it.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Seriously the Javits is HUGE and you’ll be doing laps from one end to the other. Comfy shoes are a must.
• Rolling suitcases are not allowed on the show floor. To avoid hauling around a heavy pile of swag and books, you can check a rolling case in coat/bag check, and then drop off some of the stuff you acquire at regular intervals. Keep in mind that you’ll need to bring cash for the coat/bag check.
• If you can, make arrangements for a ride after the event because it’s nearly impossible to get a cab after the show floor closes. (Did I mention it was crazy far from everything?)

There is so much cool stuff happening in and around BEA. I want to make sure you don’t miss a thing! Also, I love meeting my fellow Word Nerds face-to-face. If you’re going to be at BEA, tweet or email me, so we can connect.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for updates and pics during the show.

Link to Episode 43

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share!

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.

The post Episode 43: Book Expo America Survival Guide 2015 appeared first on DIY MFA.

I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of The Art of Social Media, and would recommend it for newbies and social media junkies alike, though for different reasons. For newbies, this book breaks breaks things down into small, manageable pieces, so even a topic as broad (and potentially overwhelming) a social media can feel totally doable. For more seasoned social media users, I would recommend this book for its overarching ideas: like how to generate good content on a consistent basis, and how to create an integrated social media strategy. As someone who spends a lot of time on social media myself, I found some great actionable tips and ideas that I’ve already implemented into my own social media plan.

In this interview, the authors share some of their best tips about social media. From big picture ideas about content marketing, to the nuts-and-bolts and how-to stuff. But first, if you don’t know who Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick are, let me bring you up to speed.

Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, an online design service, and an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkeley. Previously, he was the chief evangelist of Apple and special advisor to the CEO of the Motorola business unit of Google. His many acclaimed books include The Art of the Start and Enchantment. My personal favorite of his books is APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur, which I believe every writer should have on their reference shelf (especially if you plan to self-publish any time in your career).

Peg Fitzpatrick is a social media strategist and popular blogger writing on her own website and across the web. Peg has spearheaded successful social-media campaigns for Motorola, Audi, Google, and Virgin as well as having been a brand ambassador for Kimpton Hotels. The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users is her first book.

Guy and Peg approach social media both from the perspective of experts, who have worked in this industry for a long time, and as authors themselves. They have so many great insights and I’m so glad to share this interview with you.

In today’s podcast we discuss social media for writers, with actionable advice for social media newbies and veterans alike. Here are a few of the highlights.

Social Media for Writers:

• The hard part about being an author is the marketing, not the writing.
• If you want to be an author today you have to build up your social media platform. Traditional publishers can supplement your platform to enhance your marketing, but the foundation you provide for yourself is where you will get most of your sales.
• Different social media platforms are good for different authors. Choose what works for you and become an expert at it.
• Social media is a marketing platform. Don’t bombard people. Don’t be boring, either. Provide great content, curated or created. You earn your right to promote yourself to your audience. Make sure to bring them things they value. Only promote yourself in 1 out of every 20 post.
• Find the platform your people are on, the people who are interested in engaging with you.

Nuts and Bolts Tips:

• Make sure to keep your profiles professional and up-to-date.
• Think like NPR: How are your posts making people’s lives better?
• Use images to get more engagement.
• Always be who you are when you share.
• Don’t engage with the haters. If you must engage, go 3 rounds maximum. After that, let it go.
• You can’t take it back, so be careful what you say.
• If you make a mistake, it’s not the end of the world. Delete it and move on.
• If succeeding as an author were easy, everyone would do it. There’s no magic bullet, but if you put in the time you will see results.
• People are talking about you and the conversation is happening on social media whether or not you’re there. So be present and be part of the conversation.

 “The hard part of being an author is not the writing, it’s the marketing.”
–Guy Kawasaki

Plus, Guy’s and Peg’s #1 reading recommendation for writers:

At the end of the episode, both Peg and Guy share their #1 reading picks for writers. These are great suggestions that I heartily second.

Peg recommends reading APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur – How to Publish a Book by Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch.

Guy suggests If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland.

And of course, check out their book, The Art of Social Media for lots of great tips and techniques.

The Art of Social Media

Learn more about The Art of Social Media on the book’s website. And if you’re interested in connecting with Guy and Peg on social media, here are just a few of the ways you can reach them!

The Art of Social Media website :https://artof.social/
Twitter: @GuyKawasaki & @PegFitzpatrick & #ArtofSocial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guy & https://www.facebook.com/pegfitzpatrick.author
Instagram: https://instagram.com/guykawasaki & https://instagram.com/pegfitzpatrick
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GuyKawasaki/posts & https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PegFitzpatrick/posts
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/guykawasaki/ & https://www.pinterest.com/pegfitzpatrick/pins/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guykawasaki & https://www.linkedin.com/in/pegfitzpatrick
Blogs: https://holykaw.alltop.com/ & https://pegfitzpatrick.com/

Link to Episode 27

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share!

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.

The post Episode 27: Social Media for Writers with Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick appeared first on DIY MFA.