In the latter case, the best approach is to have some ground rules or guidelines. These will keep us focused amid the myriad of choices and help us select the best point of view for our story. Here are three point of view “rules” or guidelines to keep in mind.

1) Keep It Consistent

One of the most important things to remember about point of view is to keep things consistent. If you start out in first person (the “I” perspective) and then suddenly switch to third person (the “he/she/they” perspective) halfway through your novel, you’re going to throw your reader for a loop. You see, when you switch the point of view without any warning, the reader won’t know whose perspective the story is supposed to be in. This leads to confusion, and it might even lead the reader to put down the book altogether.

Part of keeping things consistent is also keeping a similar pattern to how the point of view plays out in your story. Imagine, for example, that you are writing a book with two alternating points of view. If you alternate between only characters A and B, adding a third perspective (character C) partway through the book will create similar confusion as described above.

In addition, you might have certain formats that you need to keep consistent. For instance, if you have multiple points of view, you might use the name of the character as the chapter heading, to clue your reader in a little bit. If your story has timeline jumps, you might also want to include dates in the chapter heading, or any other information that might be pertinent to the story. Consider the book Shiver by Maggie Steifvater, which alternates between the points of view of two teenagers: Grace and Sam. At the start of every chapter, we find the name of the point of view character, as well as the temperature. This is because temperature plays an important part in the paranormal aspect of the story.

The beautiful thing about point of view is that there is room to experiment. Usually, by the time you have completed draft zero (the first messy draft), you will have a good sense for what point of view you want to use. From there, the only thing you need to do is go back and rework the scenes where you might have experimented with a different point of view. Once you have figured out the point of view you want, you need to make sure all the scenes in your story are consistent with it.

2) Keep It Sustainable

It can be a lot of fun to try different point of view options, like: second person (the “you” perspective), diary or epistolary, interwoven story threads, you name it. The place where things get tricky is keeping the point of view choice sustainable, something you can keep up for the length of an entire book.

Using the second person is a great example. While many short stories use this point of view, very few novels do. The most famous, perhaps, is Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney. This book is told entirely in the second person, and I can only imagine how challenging it must have been for the author to sustain. The second person perspective equates the reader with the protagonist, shoving the reader into that character’s shoes. This point of view talks directly to the reader as though they are the main character of the story. Consider the opening of Bright Lights, Big City:

You are not the kind of guy who would be at a place like this at this time of the morning. But here you are, and you cannot say that the terrain is entirely unfamiliar, although the details are fuzzy. You are at a nightclub talking to a girl with a shaved head. The club is either Heartbreak or the Lizard Lounge. All might come clear if you could just slip into the bathroom and do a little more Bolivian Marching Powder. Then again it might not.

Notice how, although we know the “you” character is not us, we feel as though we are being shoved into that character’s perspective. In the case of this story, it works, because the character is a bit unlikable, so this perspective helps the reader relate. The danger, of course, with a point of view like this is that it could feel gimmicky, as though the author is using that point of view to prove they can, and not necessarily because it is the best choice for the story.

Another place where it’s important to keep things sustainable is when thinking through the strategy of the point of view. Consider, for instance, the peripheral first person. This is the point of view where the narrator is a supporting character in the story, rather than the main character. An example of this point of view in action is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

When you have a peripheral first person point of view, there will be certain pieces of information or episodes in the narrative that the point of view character will not be able to access. This means that you, the writer, must be strategic in what you show the reader. You may have to maneuver the plot to get that point of view character into a scene, or you may have to get creative in terms of conveying certain information to the reader if the narrator doesn’t have access to it.

Consider the following excerpt from The Great Gatsby with the exchange about the shirts. This scene is really about Gatsby and Daisy, and narrator Nick Carraway has no real reason to be in it. The only reason he is present is because he is the point of view character, and that means the only way to make the scene work is to include him as a quiet observer.

Recovering himself in a minute he opened for us two hulking patent cabinets which held his massed suits and dressing-gowns and ties, and his shirts, piled like bricks in stacks a dozen high.

“I’ve got a man in England who buys me clothes. He sends over a selection of things at the beginning of each season, spring and fall.”

He took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, one by one before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel which lost their folds as they fell and covered the table in many-colored disarray. While we admired he brought more and the soft rich heap mounted higher—shirts with stripes and scrolls and plaids in coral and apple-green and lavender and faint orange with monograms of Indian blue. Suddenly with a strained sound, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily.

“They’re such beautiful shirts,” she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such—such beautiful shirts before.”

This type of strategic thinking is not reserved solely for the peripheral first person. No matter what point of view option you choose, you will have to think strategically about what information you can convey to your reader while staying within the constraints of that perspective. If there is information your point of view character does not have access to, you may have to do some storytelling acrobatics to make it work.

3) Keep It Real

When we consider point of view, we need to remember why different points of view came into use in the first place. I once had a fabulous conversation with author David Morrell about this very subject. He shared that the reason different points of view came into use is because they created varying degrees of verisimilitude, i.e. the feeling that the story could be real.

Consider Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, a work which many consider the first English novel. This book is written in first person and that point of view choice creates the sense that we are getting a firsthand account from Crusoe himself. Pamela (or Virtue Rewarded) by Samuel Richardson creates a sense of verisimilitude in a different way. In this case, the story is told in epistolary form, so it feels almost as though we are snooping in the characters’ private correspondence. Later on, many novels by Charles Dickens and Jane Austen use an omniscient third person point of view, creating a sense of distance objectivity. The story feels true because we are getting “just the facts” from an objective source.

As you choose the point of view for your story, ask yourself: “How does this choice contribute to the authenticity of my story? How does it make my story feel real?”

Perhaps the most important “rule” about point of view is that you make the rules. As the author, you have artistic license to choose whatever point of view you like, and you get to decide parameters for how you will keep that perspective consistent and sustainable. Once you set up those rules, however, you will need to stick to them, unless you have a good artistic reason for breaking them.

Consider the book The High King by Lloyd Alexander. This is the final book of the Prydain Chronicles, and perhaps also the most epic in terms of the story’s scope. Up until this point in the series, the books have used a limited third person point of view, following the protagonist Taran on his adventures. In The High King, however, we shift to a multiple third person perspective, and it definitely threw me for a loop when I first read it.

All things considered, though, the shift in point of view makes artistic sense. The story’s scope expands in such a way that it is impossible for a limited third person perspective to convey everything that is going on. The only way to show all the different supporting characters (and all the battles they are fighting) is to shift to a multiple third person point of view that allows for all these characters’ perspectives to come into play. This means that while you want to do your best to stick to the point of view “rules” you set out for yourself, you should not be afraid to break them when there is good reason in your story.

Until next time, keep writing and keep being awesome!

P.S. For more info on Gabriela Pereira, the founder and instigator of DIY MFA, check out her profile page.

The post Writer Fuel: The Three “Rules” of Point of View appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter, especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for February is Romance, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode JK Ellem and I discuss:

• How a wrong turn and a gated community inspired his Ravenwood series.
• Why he chose to break the rules of POV and how he pulled it off.
• Creating questions that get the reader involved in the mystery and control the pacing.

Plus, his #1 tip for writers.

About JK Ellem

JK Ellem is an Amazon Charts US and UK #1 Bestselling thriller author. 

In 2020, his independently published crime thriller, Mill Point Road, climbed to #1 globally in the Amazon Kindle Store in the categories of Crime Fiction, Thriller Fiction, Financial Thrillers, Heist Crime, Kidnapping Crime Fiction, and Noir. This was achieved with no agent, no publicist, and no publishing company behind him. Just him and his wife Jennifer, who looks after his marketing and social media.

Jack was born in London and sold his business in 2017 so he could concentrate on writing full-time. He has a dry sense of humor that tends to get him into trouble with his wife and their three adult children.  

Jack splits his time between the US, the UK, and Australia.

You can find them on his website or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

Mill Point Road

Five women. Five dark and sinister secrets. One killer who knows them all.

When Rebecca Cartwright, young and recently widowed, moves into the exclusive gated community of Mill Point Road, in the town of Ravenwood, she thought she had found her sanctuary. Leaving behind the bad memories of her past, she soon befriends the welcoming group of wives who are her neighbors.

But behind the backdrop of beautiful homes, manicured lawns, and high walls, Becca soon discovers that the women of Mill Point Road are hiding dark and sinister secrets. There is Zoe Collins, young and timid who tells everyone she’s so in love with her husband as she tries to cover up the bruises on her arms. Sabine Miller, the queen of information, together with her husband Mark, they are the living, breathing statement of wealth and success. Maggie Vickerman, the older patriarch of the group, keeps her numerous liaisons with younger men hidden from her husband, Hank. And then there is Paige Hamill, the only child of a US Senator who desperately wants a child and will do anything to fall pregnant.

But no one knows Becca has her own secret, and it’s the darkest and most sinister of them all…

Ravenwood (Book 2: Ravenwood Series)

In some small towns, you can get away with murder.

Catching the Eden Killer earned Haley Perez her detective’s badge—and plenty of angst from her fellow, more experienced, detectives. With her mentor, Marvin Richards, now retired, Perez must rely on her own instincts when the body of a woman is found frozen to death in the forest near Ravenwood, with her eyes gouged out.

But, that’s the least of Haley’s problems; she has a deadly, new admirer.  Someone claiming to be the Eden Killer’s mentor, is stalking her.

Then there are the women of Mill Point Road; Becca, Paige, Maggie and Sabine, as well as a new, mysterious neighbor who has recently moved in. Old secrets will be revealed, new secrets will emerge, and staying friends may prove to be lethal.

With the help of Annabel Chandler, a county forensic investigator, Haley Perez follows the trail of this new, cruel, and sadistic killer who is roaming the snow-covered streets in search of their next victim.

Winter isn’t the only brutally chilling thing to arrive in Ravenwood.

Ravenwood is the electrifying sequel to Mill Point Road, the Amazon US & UK #1 Bestselling Thriller, from JK Ellem.

If you decide to check out these books, we hope you’ll do so via these Amazon affiliate links for Mill Point Road and Ravenwood, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 398

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google 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 398: Trust Your Reader and Trust Yourself: Writing a Multiple Point of View Thriller – Interview with JK Ellem appeared first on DIY MFA.

Denny won the RWA Golden Heart® and was a three-time GH finalist, including twice for Wild Women and the Blues. She also writes book reviews for NPR Books and entertainment articles for FROLIC Media.

Additionally, the former professional dancer and public relations professional is a self-proclaimed history geek. She credits this obsession to her maternal grandmother, Ella Elizabeth Joseph, who immigrated from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to New York City in 1923. Recently, Denny relocated from Northern Virginia to Savannah, Georgia.

In this episode Denny and I discuss:

• What she hoped to accomplish by writing about two vastly different generations.
• Why she loves the third person close POV and what it creates for readers.
• How she built the world of 1920s Jazz Age Chicago and the Black Renaissance.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About the Denny S. Bryce

An award-winning author, Denny S. Bryce won the RWA Golden Heart® and was a three-time GH finalist, including twice for WILD WOMEN AND THE BLUES, her debut novel. She also writes book reviews for NPR Books and entertainment articles for FROLIC Media. Additionally, the former professional dancer and public relations professional is a self-proclaimed history geek. She credits this obsession to her maternal grandmother, Ella Elizabeth Joseph, who immigrated from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to New York City in 1923. Recently, Denny relocated from Northern Virginia to Savannah, Georgia. She is represented by Nalini Akolekar, Spencerhill Associates.

You can find Denny S. Bryce on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads.

Wild Women and the Blues

Jazz-age Chicago comes to vibrant life in Denny S. Bryce’s evocative novel that links the stories of an ambitious chorus girl and a modern-day film student, both coming to grips with loss, forgiveness, and the limitations—and surprises—of love.

1925: Chicago is the jazz capital of the world, and the Dreamland Café is the ritziest black-and-tan club in town. Honoree Dalcour is a sharecropper’s daughter, willing to work hard and dance every night on her way to the top. Dreamland offers a path to the good life, socializing with celebrities like Louis Armstrong and filmmaker Oscar Micheaux. But Chicago is also awash in bootleg whiskey, gambling, and gangsters. And a young woman driven by ambition might risk more than she can stand to lose.

2015: Film student Sawyer Hayes arrives at the bedside of 110-year-old Honoree Dalcour, still reeling from a devastating loss that has taken him right to the brink. Sawyer has rested all his hope on this frail but formidable woman, the only living link to the legendary Oscar Micheaux. If he’s right—if she can fill in the blanks in his research, perhaps he can complete his thesis and begin a new chapter in his life. But the links Honoree makes are not ones he’s expecting . . .

Piece by piece, Honoree reveals her past and her secrets, while Sawyer fights tooth and nail to keep his. It’s a story of courage and ambition, hot jazz and illicit passions. And as past meets present, for Honoree, it’s a final chance to be truly heard and seen before it’s too late. No matter the cost . . .

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 363

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google 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 363: Dual Point of View in Historical Fiction – Interview with Denny S. Bryce appeared first on DIY MFA.

Stepping into somebody else’s shoes is hard, but inhabiting a character’s brain is even harder. Your job is no longer just to tell a story, but to tell it as only your protagonist would. And there are lots of traps you can fall into along the way.

Violating Perspective

This first problem is not one that’s exclusive to writing in the first person—it comes up when working in close third too. (Close third person = using names and pronouns for all characters while still “seeing” the world of the story from one character’s point of view.)

The issue here is undermining the perspective you’re ostensibly writing in by including information that your main character couldn’t possibly know. In third person fiction this could be by including a scene your viewpoint character is not present for, but in first person the violation is often subtler. Perhaps your character has never been to this planet before, but she’s speaking about the climate and vegetation as if she was an expert. Or your character is telling us exactly what his love interest is thinking, although he doesn’t have telepathic powers.

The rule is clear: if your first person character doesn’t know something, it can’t be part of their narrative. Once you’ve chosen your lens on this world, you can’t just jump outside of it.

Noticing the “Wrong” Details

Linked to this is an even subtler erosion of point of view through having your first person character noticing and remarking upon the wrong details at the wrong time.

If your character is a seamstress, she may well dwell on the fabrics and cuts of every dress at a ball, but if she’s an assassin on a mission to kill someone at the party, her focus may be elsewhere. Ask yourself what is unique about how your character experiences the world. Are they a perfumier who’s particularly attuned to smells? Is he the only child at a gathering of adults, observing the action from a different height? Lean into these perspectives and show us what it feels like to be someone else, as only fiction can.

The “wrong time” part of this equation is important too. If someone is in the midst of a fight scene, they probably aren’t thinking about the exact shade of a sunset. If someone’s just been kidnapped and is afraid for their life, is this a realistic moment to include a character-building flashback about their childhood?

(Over-)Using the Mirror Trick

Most often your viewpoint character will also be your main character, and you probably want us to know what they look like, right? But this can be tricky in first person fiction. In real life, people often think about their appearance when they catch sight of their reflection, but unfortunately having your protagonist detail their looks while looking in a mirror is a cliché that usually feels unnatural and inserted for reader benefit.

Does this mean your viewpoint character can never look in a mirror? No. But consider ways to drop in small details about their appearance over time, rather than telling us everything we need to know in a lengthy descriptive mirror scene.

Starting Too Many Sentences with “I”

Using “I” is what writing in the first person is about, but this doesn’t mean that every sentence needs to start in this way. Once the point of view has been established for readers, you can mix up your sentence structures for variety and interest.

One way to do this and to check you’re not getting stuck in a sentence rut is to listen to your writing using text to voice applications. Learn to appreciate the rhythm of prose and play with new ways to start your sentences.

Relying on Eavesdropping

Finally, try to ensure the mechanics of your plot don’t involve too much eavesdropping! How often is your first person character overhearing conversations they shouldn’t and spying on other characters?

As with the mirror trick, I’m not saying you should never do this, but if this solution is used too often your main character may come across as passive and weak, and you risk straining reader credulity.

So there you have it—common pitfalls to avoid when writing in first person! I hope this was helpful and that I haven’t scared you away from experimenting with my favorite point of view. There’s nothing better than a novel which introduces us to a new and standout voice, so get writing—I can’t wait to meet the characters you dream up.

Finola Austin, also known as the Secret Victorianist on her award-winning blog, is an England-born, Northern Ireland-raised, Brooklyn-based historical novelist and lover of the 19th century. Her first novel, Bronte’s Mistress, was published by Atria Books in 2020. Written in the first person, Bronte’s Mistress imagines the story of Lydia Robinson, the older, married woman rumored to have had an affair with the Bronte sisters’ brother. By day, Finola works in digital advertising. Find her online at www.finolaaustin.com.

The post Traps to Avoid when Writing in the First Person appeared first on DIY MFA.

Fonda is a recovering corporate strategist, black belt martial artist, and an action movie aficionado as well as the author of several highly acclaimed books of fantasy and science fiction, such as the young adult sci-fi novels Zeroboxer, Exo, and Cross Fire. 

Her work has been nominated for several awards, including the Nebula and Locus Awards, and been featured on Best of Year lists such as NPR and Syfy Wire. She also won the Aurora Award, Canada’s national science fiction and fantasy award, twice in the same year for Best Novel and Best Young Adult Novel. 

Fonda’s latest writing project is the fantasy/crime drama series the Green Bone Saga. The first book in this series, Jade City (which I am loving!), won the 2018 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, and the second book in the series, Jade War, has just been released.

So listen in as Fonda and I chat about this amazing series, and the numerous strategies and decisions that go into crafting the world of your story.  

In this episode Fonda and I discuss:

• How to choose the right way to build your world.
• The “iceberg effect” of worldbuilding.
• How to put your reader into the middle of your story from page one the right way.
• Using a fantasy element to make your story feel more real.
• How to manage the powerful tool of multiple point of view.

Plus, Fonda’s #1 tip for writers.

About Fonda Lee

Fonda Lee is the author of several highly acclaimed books of fantasy and science fiction, such as the young adult science fiction novels Zeroboxer, Exo and Cross Fire. 

Fonda’s work has been nominated for the Nebula, Andre Norton, and Locus Awards, and been named to Best of Year lists by NPR, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s Books, and Syfy Wire. She also won the Aurora Award, Canada’s national science fiction and fantasy award, twice in the same year for Best Novel and Best Young Adult Novel. 

Fonda is a recovering corporate strategist, black belt martial artist, and an action movie aficionado. Born and raised in Calgary, Canada, she now resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband, two children, and a scruffy mutt.

Her latest writing project is the new fantasy/crime drama series the Green Bone Saga. The first book in this series, Jade City, released in June of 2018 and won the 2018 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, and the second book in the series, Jade War, is now available from Orbit Books.

To connect with Fonda check out her website at www.fondalee.com.

Green Bone Saga 

Book 1: Jade City

Family is duty. Magic is power. Honor is everything.

Jade is the lifeblood of the island of Kekon. It has been mined, traded, stolen, and killed for—and for centuries, honorable Green Bone warriors like the Kaul family have used it to enhance their magical abilities and defend the island from foreign invasion.

Now, the war is over and a new generation of Kauls vies for control of Kekon’s bustling capital city. They care about nothing but protecting their own, cornering the jade market, and defending the districts under their protection. Ancient tradition has little place in this rapidly changing nation.

When a powerful new drug emerges that lets anyone—even foreigners—wield jade, the simmering tension between the Kauls and the rival Ayt family erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones—from their grandest patriarch to the lowliest motorcycle runner on the streets—and of Kekon itself.

Jade City begins an epic tale of family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of jade and blood.

Book 2: Jade War

Magic divides. Power corrupts. Family endures.

On the island of Kekon, the Kaul family is locked in a violent feud for control of the capital city and the supply of magical jade that endows trained Green Bone warriors with supernatural powers they alone have possessed for hundreds of years.

Beyond Kekon’s borders, war is brewing. Powerful foreign governments and mercenary criminal kingpins alike turn their eyes on the island nation. Jade, Kekon’s most prized resource, could make them rich—or give them the edge they’d need to topple their rivals.

Faced with threats on all sides, the Kaul family is forced to form new and dangerous alliances, confront enemies in the darkest streets and the tallest office towers, and put honor aside in order to do whatever it takes to ensure their own survival—and that of all the Green Bones of Kekon.

Jade War is the second book of the Green Bone Saga, an epic trilogy about family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of blood and jade.

If you decide to check out the books in the Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee —Jade City and Jade War—we hope you’ll do so via these Amazon affiliate links, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 262

(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 262: Inside the Mind of a Worldbuilding Junkie — Interview with Fonda Lee appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-262-fonda-lee/feed/ 0 https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-261-aileen-erin/ https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-261-aileen-erin/#respond Wed, 17 Jul 2019 12:30:05 +0000 https://diymfa.com/?p=33570 Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Aileen Erin on the show. Aileen is half-Irish, half-Mexican, and 100% nerd. From Star Wars (prequels don’t count) to Star Trek, she has a severe fascination with the speculative and supernatural.  This fascination led her into writing, but after Twilight, Aileen was told... Read more »

The post Episode 261: Writing and Publishing the Indie Way — Interview with Aileen Erin appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Aileen Erin on the show.

Aileen is half-Irish, half-Mexican, and 100% nerd. From Star Wars (prequels don’t count) to Star Trek, she has a severe fascination with the speculative and supernatural. 

This fascination led her into writing, but after Twilight, Aileen was told that nobody wanted to read another vampire or werewolf story. She didn’t agree and wrote one anyway. She proved her critics wrong as her independently published Alpha Girl series, has sold over 1.5 million copies.

She earned a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and went on to earn her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She has since founded an independent boutique publishing house Ink Monster.

Aileen’s latest novel, Lunar Court, is the eighth installment of her USA Today bestselling series Alpha Girl, and is available now.

So listen in as Aileen and I chat about this awesome fantasy series and how to successfully write and publish your books through indie publishing.

In this episode Aileen and I discuss:

• Using reader input to help you decide what story to write next.
• How to change the point of view character throughout a series the right way.
• Planning your world organically.
• The series strategy in indie publishing, and why it works.
• Producing a book as an indie boutique publisher from beginning to end.

Plus, Aileen’s #1 tip for writers.

About Aileen Erin

Aileen Erin is half-Irish, half-Mexican, and 100% nerd—from Star Wars (prequels don’t count) to Star Trek (TNG FTW), she reads Quenya and some Sindarin, and has a severe fascination with the supernatural. 

This fascination led her into writing. However, after the success of Twilight, Aileen was told that nobody wanted to read another vampire or werewolf book. She didn’t agree and wrote one anyway, proving her critics wrong with her independently published Alpha Girl series, selling over 1.5 million copies.

After earning  a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, working as a commercial editor in Los Angeles and writing after hours, Aileen decided to leave Hollywood to dedicate more time to perfecting her literary craft. She went on to earn her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and subsequently establish her independent boutique publishing house Ink Monster, in 2013. 

Since then, she’s hit the USA Today bestsellers list twice with her Alpha Girl series, and a spin-off series based around one of Alpha Girl’s characters is also being shopped around for a TV show.

In March of this year, Aileen released a brand new series called Aunare Chronicles. The first installment, Off Planet, sold out of print before release day and was picked by iBooks to be in their “Best Books of March” in the YA and Sci-Fi & Fantasy categories.

Her latest novel Lunar Court is the eighth installment of her bestselling Alpha Girl series, and is available now.

Aileen Erin lives with her husband in Los Angeles, and spends her days doing her favorite things: reading books, creating worlds, and kicking butt.

To connect with Aileen check out her website at inkmonster.net

Alpha Girl 

Book 1: Becoming Alpha

Tessa McCaide has a unique talent for getting into trouble. Then again, it isn’t easy for a girl with visions to ignore what she sees. Luckily Tessa and her family are leaving California and moving halfway across the country, giving her the perfect opportunity to leave her reputation as “Freaky Tessa” behind.

But Tessa doesn’t realize that kissing the wrong guy in her new Texas town could land her in far more trouble than she ever imagined. Like being forced to attend St. Ailbe’s Academy, a secret boarding school for werewolves. 

Even if the wrong guy did accidentally turn her into one of “them” and doom her to attending the weirdest high school ever, Tessa can’t help her growing attraction to the mysterious Dastien Laurent.

When vampires attack St. Ailbe’s and her visions pinpoint an enemy in their midst, Tessa realizes that boy drama and her newfound canine tendencies might just be the least of her problems.

Book 8: Lunar Court

Chris is the guy Cosette always wanted.

Fun. Funny. Lighthearted and sweet. Chris always manages to find beauty and laughter, even when fighting a chapel full of demons. He’s exactly what she needs. Except he’s a werewolf and she’s a member of the Lunar Court—the only fey court that holds sway over the werewolves. Even on his best day, Chris isn’t strong enough to last a few hours in the Lunar Court without becoming a slave. No matter how much Cosette’s heart wants him, she knows she has to let him go.

But when Chris goes missing, Cosette realizes how much she has to lose if the worst happens. Except her mother—the Queen of the Lunar Court—won’t let her go after Chris. Being forced to stay at court is dangerous for Cosette. Assassins keep coming after her, and unless she accepts a mate, it’s only a matter of time before one of them kills her.

Cosette is the girl Chris has always dreamed of.

Chris sees through the tough facade to the girl exhausted from a lifetime of fighting off assassins and court politics. She needs a true friend, someone who she can be herself around, and craves solitude. The same solitude that Chris craves. But he knows he’ll never be enough to survive in her world. So, when Eli—a mysterious archon—requests his help, he figures why not? The guy might be a little shady, but he needs every distraction he can get.

But when Eli says that Cosette is in trouble, Chris is more than ready to play by Eli’s rules. At least until Eli takes him to the Court of Gales. Chris knows he’s about to play a very dangerous game. Bargaining with the fey is something only a desperate person would do. But what wouldn’t Chris give up to save Cosette’s life?

If you decide to check out the books in the Alpha Girl series by Aileen Erin —Becoming Alpha, Avoiding Alpha, Alpha Divided, Bruja, Alpha Unleashed, Shattered Pack, Being Alpha, and Lunar Court—we hope you’ll do so via these Amazon affiliate links, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 261

(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 261: Writing and Publishing the Indie Way — Interview with Aileen Erin appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-261-aileen-erin/feed/ 0 https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-237-kevin-brooks/ https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-237-kevin-brooks/#respond Wed, 30 Jan 2019 13:30:27 +0000 https://diymfa.com/?p=32653 Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Kevin Brooks on the show! Kevin is a critically acclaimed young adult novelist whose first book, Martyn Pig, was named a Publishers Weekly “Flying Start” selection. Kevin has written many books since then including Black Rabbit Summer, which was shortlisted for the 2009 Carnegie... Read more »

The post Episode 237: Embracing the Fear of Writing — Interview with Kevin Brooks appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Kevin Brooks on the show!

Kevin is a critically acclaimed young adult novelist whose first book, Martyn Pig, was named a Publishers Weekly “Flying Start” selection. Kevin has written many books since then including Black Rabbit Summer, which was shortlisted for the 2009 Carnegie Medal, and The Bunker Diary, which won the Carnegie Medal in 2014.

His most recent novel, Born Scared, is a terrifying thriller about a 13-year-old boy named Elliot confined to his home by incapacitating fear. But then on Christmas Eve, a mixup at the pharmacy leaves him with not enough pills. His mother must go out into the snowstorm to get more, and when she doesn’t come back Elliot has to venture out after her on his own.

This book really resonated with me on so many levels and I’m sure it will resonate with many of you as well.

So listen in as Kevin and I talk about this amazing book, and learning how to embrace the fear of writing not just on the page but as writers.

In this episode Kevin and I discuss:

• Tackling the deeply, dark reality of mental illness on the page.
• How to deal with “analysis paralysis” and keep writing.
• Creating drama and suspense when your character is in a very confined space.
• The technique of shifting between 1st and 3rd person POV, and how to do it right.
• How to use the design aspects of writing to enhance your story.

Plus, Kevin’s #1 tip for writers.

About Kevin Brooks

Kevin Brooks is a critically acclaimed young adult novelist whose first book, Martyn Pig, was named a Publishers Weekly “Flying Start” selection and his second novel, Lucas, won the 2004 North East Book Award.

Subsequent novels include (but are not limited to) Candy, The Road of the Dead, Killing God, Black Rabbit Summer, which was shortlisted for the 2009 Carnegie Medal, and The Bunker Diary, which won the Carnegie Medal in 2014.

His latest novel, Born Scared, is now available from Candlewick Press, who will also be releasing his book Dogchild in the United States in 2019.

Kevin Brooks lives and writes in Essex, England.

To learn more about Kevin and his work check out his author page on the British Council website at literature.britishcouncil.org/writer/kevin-brooks.

Born Scared

From the moment of his birth, Elliot’s life has been governed by fear of almost everything, even of his own fear—a beast that holds him prisoner in his room. The beast is kept at bay, though not eliminated, with a daily regimen of pills.

But on Christmas Eve, a mix-up at the pharmacy threatens to unleash the beast full force, and his mother must venture out in a raging snowstorm to a store that should be only minutes away. Hours later, when she still hasn’t returned, Elliot sees no choice but to push through his terror, leave the house, and hunt for her. What happens if the last of his medication wears off and the beast starts scratching at the doors of his mind? Everyone has a breaking point—will Elliot come to his?

With plot twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats, multi-award-winning author Kevin Brooks offers a high-suspense exploration of fear and what it means to truly be afraid.

 

If you decide to check out Born Scared or Kevin’s other recent book Dogchild we hope you’ll do so via these Amazon affiliate links, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

 

Link to Episode 237

(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 237: Embracing the Fear of Writing — Interview with Kevin Brooks appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-237-kevin-brooks/feed/ 0 https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-233-david-morrell/ https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-233-david-morrell/#respond Wed, 02 Jan 2019 13:30:09 +0000 https://diymfa.com/?p=32588 Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure and honor of hosting David Morrell on the show! David is the bestselling author of numerous books including First Blood, the award-winning novel in which Rambo was created, and the classic spy novel, The Brotherhood of the Rose, which was the basis for the only television... Read more »

The post Episode 233: Crafting the Victorian Novel — Interview with David Morrell appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure and honor of hosting David Morrell on the show!

David is the bestselling author of numerous books including First Blood, the award-winning novel in which Rambo was created, and the classic spy novel, The Brotherhood of the Rose, which was the basis for the only television mini-series to be broadcast after a Super Bowl.

In his over forty years of writing experience David has received many well deserved awards and honors, including the Thriller Master award from the International Thriller Writers organization and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Bouchercon, the world’s largest convention of mystery and thriller enthusiasts.

He holds a Ph.D. in American literature from Penn State and was a professor in the English department at the University of Iowa. He is truly a phenomenal teacher of writing and every time I hear him teach or speak on a subject, I learn something new and different. And today he’s here to talk with us about his latest novels, the Thomas De Quincey Victorian Mysteries triad Murder as a Fine Art, Inspector of the Dead, and Ruler of the Night.

So listen in as David and I chat about these awesome books, and how to craft a novel with just enough detail to keep your readers enthralled in the story.

In this episode David and I discuss:

• How to avoid the info dump, while still keeping your readers in the story.
• Framing details around the characters to bring them to life on the page.
• How to play with point of view to create verisimilitude in your story.
• Becoming the omniscient narrator.
• Why inserting journal entries can enhance your story, and how to do it right.

Plus, David’s #1 tip for writers.

About David Morrell

David Morrell is the bestselling author of First Blood, the award-winning novel in which Rambo was created, and he holds a Ph. D. in American literature from Penn State. David was a professor in the English department at the University of Iowa, and now lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

His numerous New York Times bestsellers include the classic spy novel, The Brotherhood of the Rose, the basis for the only television mini-series to be broadcast after a Super Bowl.

An Edgar and Anthony finalist as well as an Inkpot, Macavity, and Nero winner, Morrell is also the recipient of three Bram Stoker awards from the Horror Writers Association and the Thriller Master award from the International Thriller Writers organization. He also has a Lifetime Achievement Award from Bouchercon, the world’s largest convention of mystery and thriller enthusiasts.

David’s writing book, The Successful Novelist, discusses what he has learned in his four decades as an author. His latest novels the Victorian mystery/thrillers Murder as a Fine Art, Inspector of the Dead, and Ruler of the Night are now available.

To connect with David check out his website at davidmorrell.net.

Thomas De Quincey Victorian Mysteries

Murder as a Fine Art (Book 1)

Long before Jack the Ripper, the shocking Ratcliffe Highway murders of 1811 were the first publicized mass killings in English history. Never fully explained, they paralyzed London and all of England.

Forty-three years later, the equally notorious Thomas De Quincey wrote a ground-breaking essay “Postscript: On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts” in which he meticulously reproduced the Ratcliffe highway multiple murders in blood-spattered detail, making readers feel they’re both the murderer and the victims.

In Murder As a Fine Art, shortly after this terror-drenched essay is published, a family is killed in the same horrific way as the earlier murders. It seems someone is using De Quincey’s essay as an inspiration—and a blueprint. And De Quincey himself is the obvious suspect. Aided by his brilliant daughter Emily and two determined Scotland Yard detectives, he must uncover the truth before more blood is shed and London itself becomes the next victim.

In this acclaimed novel, gaslit London becomes a battleground between a literary star and a demented murderer. Their lives are linked by secrets long buried but never forgotten.

Inspector of the Dead (Book 2)

The year is 1855. The Crimean War rages. The incompetence of British commanders causes the fall of the government. The Empire teeters.

Amid this crisis comes opium-eater Thomas De Quincey, one of the most notorious and brilliant personalities of Victorian England. Along with his irrepressible daughter, Emily, and their Scotland Yard companions, Detectives Ryan and Becker, De Quincey finds himself threatened by an adversary who threatens the heart of the nation.

This killer targets members of the upper echelons of British society, leaving with each corpse the name of someone who previously attempted to assassinate Queen Victoria. The evidence indicates that the ultimate victim will be Victoria herself. As De Quincey and Emily race to protect the queen, they uncover long-buried secrets and the heartbreaking past of a man whose need for revenge has destroyed his soul.

Based on actual attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria, Inspector of the Dead brilliantly merges historical fact with fiction, bringing a bloody chapter of Victorian England to vivid, pulse-pounding life.

Ruler of the Night (Book 3)

Like Morrell’s two previous De Quincey novels, Ruler of the Night blends fact and fiction to an exceptional degree, this time focusing on an actual Victorian murder so startling that it changed the culture—in this case, the first murder on an English train, its brutality stoking fears that the newly invented railway would, as one newspaper predicted, “annihilate time and space.”

In Ruler of the Night, readers again feel they’re truly on the harrowing fogbound streets of 1855 London as the brilliant Opium-Eater, Thomas De Quincey, and his irrepressible daughter, Emily, confront their most ruthless enemy. The stakes couldn’t be greater—both the heart of Victorian society and De Quincey’s tormented soul.

The fast-paced narrative matches the speed with which the railway changed Victorian life. It brings back Scotland Yard detectives Ryan and Becker, along with Lord Palmerston, Queen Victoria, and Prince Albert, and introduces a host of new characters from this fascinating era.

Master storyteller David Morrell transports readers back in time, away from the modern world and into the dangerous shadows of the past.

On a Victorian train, no one can hear you scream.

If you decide to check out any of the books in David Morrell’s Thomas De Quincey Victorian Mysteries series—Murder as a Fine Art, Inspector of the Dead, and Ruler of the Night—we hope you’ll do so via these Amazon affiliate links, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

 

Link to Episode 233

(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 233: Crafting the Victorian Novel — Interview with David Morrell appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-233-david-morrell/feed/ 0 https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-223-melanie-moyer/ https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-223-melanie-moyer/#respond Wed, 24 Oct 2018 12:36:14 +0000 https://diymfa.com/?p=32438 Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Melanie Moyer. Melanie is a debut author and veteran ghostwriter. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh where she studied Creative Writing, Religious Studies, Folklore, and Russian History. She regularly co-hosts a horror pop culture podcast called Splatter Chatter, serves as a co-host... Read more »

The post Episode 223: The Imaginary Friend as Narrator — Interview with Melanie Moyer appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Melanie Moyer. Melanie is a debut author and veteran ghostwriter.

She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh where she studied Creative Writing, Religious Studies, Folklore, and Russian History. She regularly co-hosts a horror pop culture podcast called Splatter Chatter, serves as a co-host on the animation podcast Overly Animated, and regularly contributes pop culture pieces to Just About Write.

Melanie and I will be talking about her debut YA novel The Rules of Me, a fascinating novel with a unique point of view choice. Click below to listen.

In this episode Melanie and I discuss:

• The process of going from a short story drafted in college to a novel written years later.
• Point of view challenges that come with making the narrator be the main character’s imaginary friend.
• How this unconventional point of view choice ultimately enriches the narrative experience.
• The different pairs of characters that frame the story.
• The art and craft of world building and how to create rules for your characters.
• Navigating the workshop experience, with both its pros and cons.
• Writing for a YA audience and how to respect that reader’s point of view.

Plus, Melanie’s #1 tip for writers.

About Melanie Moyer

Melanie Moyer is a debut author and veteran ghostwriter. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh where she studied Creative Writing, Religious Studies, Folklore, and Russian History. She regularly co-hosts a horror pop culture podcast called Splatter Chatter, serves as a co-host on the animation podcast Overly Animated, and regularly contributes pop culture pieces to Just About Write.

She has had work published by Ghost Parachute and is currently working on her next project, refining her pizzaiolo skills, and wondering if it’s too late to pursue her childhood dream of being an Egyptologist.

To connect with Melanie check out her website at melaniemoyer.squarespace.com. You an also follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

The Rules of Me

Gabe keeps lists: why he’s real, reasons he’s not, and the rules that seem to dictate his strange existence. Danny says he’s her imaginary friend and that’s always been enough for the pair of them.

But when she enters high school and a world of stress, turbulent emotions, and surprising first crushes, he finds himself asking questions and wanting things he never has before. His search for answers about where he comes from and why he’s here becomes critical as Danny faces a profound personal loss and they both begin to understand growing up means sacrifice and learning truths you never wanted to know.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

 

Link to Episode 223

(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 223: The Imaginary Friend as Narrator — Interview with Melanie Moyer appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-223-melanie-moyer/feed/ 0 https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-201-kimmery-martin/ https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-201-kimmery-martin/#respond Wed, 23 May 2018 12:30:50 +0000 https://diymfa.com/?p=31998 Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have debut author Kimmery Martin on the show! Kimmery is an emergency medical doctor and, like me, a life-long literary nerd. On top of being a doctor, an author, and a mom, she writes book reviews and volunteers with the library foundation in her home... Read more »

The post Episode 201: Revising Your Book, and Getting It Right — Interview with Kimmery Martin appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> Hey there word nerds!

Today I am so excited to have debut author Kimmery Martin on the show!

Kimmery is an emergency medical doctor and, like me, a life-long literary nerd. On top of being a doctor, an author, and a mom, she writes book reviews and volunteers with the library foundation in her home of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Her debut novel, The Queen of Hearts, has been named one of the most anticipated books of 2018 by Southern Living, Elite Daily, and Writer’s Digest. Set against the backdrop of hospital rounds, Kimmery’s medical knowledge and quirky sense of humor makes the story pop right off the page.

Listen in as we chat about this amazing debut novel, and get an inside look at Kimmery’s revision process.

In this episode Kimmery and I discuss:

• Translating your real life experience to a fictional world.
• Tips to bring your minor characters to life.
• Why you need to find the revision process that works for you.
• Finding the right voice for your novel.
• How to restructure your life to prioritize (not find) writing time.

Plus, Kimmery’s #1 tip for writers.

About Kimmery Martin

Kimmery Martin is an emergency medicine doctor, born and raised in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. A lifelong literary nerd, she reviews books, interviews authors, and works extensively with the library foundation in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she resides with her husband and three young children. The Queen of Hearts is her first novel and is now available.

To connect with Kimmery check out her website at kimmerymartin.com.

The Queen of Hearts

Meet cardiologist Zadie and trauma surgeon Emma. Best friends since summer camp, the pair has journeyed through medical school and residencies together. Years later, they have settled in Charlotte with families and successful careers. But when a face from their past appears at the hospital where Emma works, it threatens to topple both women’s carefully constructed lives and tear a gash in their friendship.

As chief resident, Nick Xenokostas was the center of Zadie’s life—both professionally and personally—through a tragic chain of events in her third year of medical school that she has long since put behind her. Nick’s unexpected reappearance during a time of new professional crisis shocks both women into a deeper look at the difficult choices they made at the beginning of their careers. As it becomes evident that Emma must have known more than she revealed about circumstances that nearly derailed both their lives, Zadie starts to question everything she thought she knew about her closest friend.

Alternating between the friends’ med school experience in Louisville and present-day careers in Charlotte, Martin captures the all-consuming nature of medicine and its effect on the women’s personal lives.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 201

Link to Transcript 201

(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 201: Revising Your Book, and Getting It Right — Interview with Kimmery Martin appeared first on DIY MFA.

]]> https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-201-kimmery-martin/feed/ 0