Episode 470: Craft Jam: Weave Your Story's World

Episode 469: Craft Jam: Weave Your Story’s World

We’re back for another episode of 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 craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s… Read more »

Episode 464: Craft Jam: Create Compelling Characters

Episode 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 craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep… Read more »

The Book Nook: Interview with Jane V Blunschi

The Book Nook: Interview with Jane V Blunschi

Hey y’all. I recently had the opportunity to interview Jane V Blunschi, author of the novella, Mon Dieu, Love.  I was really excited about this book because I feel like you don’t come across standalone novellas super often and I was definitely curious about the form. Plus, it has an interesting path to publication. And… Read more »

The Book Nook: Interview with Eden Boudreau

The Book Nook: Interview with Eden Boudreau

I was so fortunate to be able to interview Eden Boudreau about her amazing memoir, Crying Wolf, her story of surviving sexual assault. Writing a memoir can be difficult enough to sift through the memories and when you write about trauma, it’s an even more difficult process, so I was very grateful that Eden was… Read more »

The Book Nook: Interview with Rochelle Bilow

The Book Nook: Interview with Rochelle Bilow

I am so excited to share this interview with Rochelle Bilow just ahead of Valentine’s Day. I’m relatively new to the romance genre, but I love it. By definition, we know it’s going to end with a happily ever after…but the fun part is seeing how the characters get there. It’s the journey, not the… Read more »

The Book Nook: Interview with Amy Wallen

I love craft books and I love food. So when I saw How to Write a Novel in 20 Pies by Amy Wallen come across my desk, I just knew I had to investigate further. And what a treat! Not only does Amy provide fantastic advice, but the recipes she weaves throughout look super yummy…. Read more »

Find Your Focus Round-up

Find Your Focus Round-up

This has been one of these days where no matter how hard I try, I simply cannot focus on the task at hand. OK, maybe it’s been one of those months. I know for some people, it’s been difficult to find focus since the pandemic started. Every person has their own way of finding focus…. Read more »

The Book Nook: Interview with John Matthew Fox

The Book Nook: Interview with John Matthew Fox

Today I had the privilege of interviewing John Matthew Fox, author of The Linchpin Writer, a book on creativity. Since this is a craft book, the bulk of this interview will focus on applying his advice, which I think you will find extremely useful to your own writing projects. I know I found it useful… Read more »

The Book Nook: Interview with Sara Bennett Wealer

The Book Nook: Interview with Sara Bennett Wealer

Today I had the privilege of interviewing Sara Bennett Wealer, author of the YA romance with a fun supernatural twist, Grave Things Like Love. I was completely drawn to the setting—a funeral home—and loved the coming of age drama and the love story. It was a really fun read and I am so glad Sara… Read more »

The Book Nook: Interview with Kristine Langley Mahler

The Book Nook: Interview with Kristine Langley Mahler

Today I had the privilege of interviewing Kristine Langley Mahler, author of the experimental memoir in essays, Curing Season. As a non-fiction writer myself, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to pick her brain about her process and her career. Plus, I loved getting some inside scoop on how to experiment more with my… Read more »