DIY MFA Radio

Gabriela Pereira

Take your writing from average to awesome, and learn tools of the trade from bestselling authors, master writing teachers, and publishing industry insiders. This podcast will give you tools and techniques to help you get those words on the page and your stories out into the world. Past guests include: Delia Ephron, John Sandford, Steve Berry, Jojo Moyes, Tana French, Guy Kawasaki, and more.

  • 15 minutes 22 seconds
    483: Lesson 8 – Track the Money

    Welcome to DIY MFA Radio, where I do a deep dive into the writing life as well as the craft and business of writing. Today’s episode continues our series: Ten Lessons from Ten Years of Podcasting. This is Lesson 8 – Track the Money

    Have you gotten the DIY MFA Starter Kit yet? This is a two week email series full of worksheets to help you DIY your MFA, so you can get the “knowledge without the college.” You’ll learn more about how to write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community. You’ll also receive Writer Fuel, our newsletter full of words of wisdom and resources to help you keep the momentum going in your writing. And you’ll be the first to hear about other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! You can sign up with your email at diymfa.com/join.

     

    In this episode I discuss:
    • Why it’s so important for writers to talk about and track money.

    • The two “magic numbers” of publishing, what they are and why they matter.

    • Five essential questions to think strategically about IP. 

    • The trifecta of success, and how to consider ROI (return on investment).

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/483

    20 November 2024, 1:00 pm
  • 10 minutes 44 seconds
    482: Lesson 7 – Practice, Practice, Practice

    Welcome to DIY MFA Radio, where I do a deep dive into the writing life as well as the craft and business of writing. Today’s episode continues our series: Ten Lessons from Ten Years of Podcasting. This is Lesson 482 – Practice, Practice, Practice

    Have you gotten the DIY MFA Starter Kit yet? This is a two week email series full of worksheets to help you DIY your MFA, so you can get the “knowledge without the college.” You’ll learn more about how to write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community. You’ll also receive Writer Fuel, our newsletter full of words of wisdom and resources to help you keep the momentum going in your writing. And you’ll be the first to hear about other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! You can sign up with your email at diymfa.com/join.

     

    In this episode I discuss:
    • The importance of a practice-based approach in writing.

    • Different types of practice, and why “deliberate practice” is most effective.

    • The four essential components of a writing practice and why they matter.

    • Why it’s important to iterate on your practice to make sure it’s working for you.

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/482

    6 November 2024, 1:00 pm
  • 10 minutes 24 seconds
    481: Lesson 6 – Balance is Fallacy

    Welcome to DIY MFA Radio, where I do a deep dive into the writing life as well as the craft and business of writing. Today’s episode continues our series: Ten Lessons from Ten Years of Podcasting. This is Lesson #6 – Balance is Fallacy.

    Have you gotten the DIY MFA Starter Kit yet? This is a two week email series full of worksheets to help you DIY your MFA, so you can get the “knowledge without the college.” You’ll learn more about how to write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community. You’ll also receive Writer Fuel, our newsletter full of words of wisdom and resources to help you keep the momentum going in your writing. And you’ll be the first to hear about other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! You can sign up with your email at diymfa.com/join.

     

    In this episode I discuss:
    • How finding balance is not about rigidly compartmentalizing your life.

    • What it means to “honor your reality” and how it relates to balance.

    • Why we should be wary of blanket advice and shouldn’t follow any advice too rigidly.

    • Why it’s so important for us to acknowledge and honor our real-life constraints.

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/481

    23 October 2024, 12:00 pm
  • 12 minutes 17 seconds
    480: Lesson 5 – Choose Abundance Over Scarcity

    Welcome to DIY MFA Radio, where I do a deep dive into the writing life as well as the craft and business of writing. Today’s episode continues our series: Ten Lessons from Ten Years of Podcasting. This is Lesson 5 – Choose Abundance Over Scarcity

    Have you gotten the DIY MFA Starter Kit yet? This is a two week email series full of worksheets to help you DIY your MFA, so you can get the “knowledge without the college.” You’ll learn more about how to write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community. You’ll also receive Writer Fuel, our newsletter full of words of wisdom and resources to help you keep the momentum going in your writing. And you’ll be the first to hear about other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! You can sign up with your email at diymfa.com/join.

     

    In this episode I discuss:
    • Why so many people in publishing (and other fields) hold on to a scarcity mindset.

    • How scarcity can serve as a safety net for writers who harbor self-doubt.

    • The way an abundance mindset can set us up for writing success.

    • The importance of equity in abundance, and making sure all writers can shine.

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/480

    9 October 2024, 12:00 pm
  • 11 minutes 37 seconds
    479: Lesson 4 – Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

    Welcome to DIY MFA Radio, where I do a deep dive into the writing life as well as the craft and business of writing. Today’s episode continues our series: Ten Lessons from Ten Years of Podcasting. This is Lesson 4 – Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

    Have you gotten the DIY MFA Starter Kit yet? This is a two week email series full of worksheets to help you DIY your MFA, so you can get the “knowledge without the college.” You’ll learn more about how to write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community. You’ll also receive Writer Fuel, our newsletter full of words of wisdom and resources to help you keep the momentum going in your writing. And you’ll be the first to hear about other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! You can sign up with your email at diymfa.com/join.

     

    In this episode I discuss:
    • Why complacency is the enemy of personal and professional growth.

    • The growing pains that come from failing better and why failure is so hard.

    • How I embraced failure for an entire year, and how it helped me grow DIY MFA.

    • The malleable nature of comfort zones, and why we must keep challenging ourselves.

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/479

    25 September 2024, 12:00 pm
  • 9 minutes 34 seconds
    478: Lesson 3 – Embrace the Power of Iteration

    Welcome to DIY MFA Radio, where I do a deep dive into the writing life as well as the craft and business of writing. Today’s episode continues our series: Ten Lessons from Ten Years of Podcasting. This is Lesson 3 – Embrace the Power of Iteration

    Have you gotten the DIY MFA Starter Kit yet? This is a two week email series full of worksheets to help you DIY your MFA, so you can get the “knowledge without the college.” You’ll learn more about how to write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community. You’ll also receive Writer Fuel, our newsletter full of words of wisdom and resources to help you keep the momentum going in your writing. And you’ll be the first to hear about other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! You can sign up with your email at diymfa.com/join.

     

    In this episode I discuss:
    • Two competing philosophies on failure from Yoda and Samuel Beckett.

    • How these two highly-quotable figures are actually not all that different from each other.

    • What it really means to make a commitment to the work and to your writing.

    • Why it’s so important to embrace imperfection and accept potential failure.

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/478

    11 September 2024, 12:00 pm
  • 11 minutes 1 second
    477: Lesson 2 – Act “As If”

    Welcome to DIY MFA Radio, where I do a deep dive into the writing life as well as the craft and business of writing. Today’s episode continues our series: Ten Lessons from Ten Years of Podcasting. This is Lesson 2 – Act “As If”

    Have you gotten the DIY MFA Starter Kit yet? This is a two week email series full of worksheets to help you DIY your MFA, so you can get the “knowledge without the college.” You’ll learn more about how to write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community. You’ll also receive Writer Fuel, our newsletter full of words of wisdom and resources to help you keep the momentum going in your writing. And you’ll be the first to hear about other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! You can sign up with your email at diymfa.com/join

     

    In this episode I discuss:
    • How acting “as if” is not the same as “fake it ‘til you make it.”

    • Ways in which acting “as if” helped me build DIY MFA and this podcast.

    • Why it’s important to be completely truthful when you act “as if.”

    • How when you step forward with confidence, eventually your mindset catches up.

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/477

    28 August 2024, 12:00 pm
  • 16 minutes 35 seconds
    476: Lesson 1 – Jump First, Build After

    Welcome to DIY MFA Radio, where I do a deep dive into the writing life as well as the craft and business of writing. Today’s episode kicks off our series: Ten Lessons from Ten Years of Podcasting. This is Lesson 1 – Jump First, Build After.

    Have you gotten the DIY MFA Starter Kit yet? This is a two week email series full of worksheets to help you DIY your MFA, so you can get the “knowledge without the college.” You’ll learn more about how to write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community. You’ll also receive Writer Fuel, our newsletter full of words of wisdom and resources to help you keep the momentum going in your writing. And you’ll be the first to hear about other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! You can sign up with your email at diymfa.com/join.

     

    In this episode I discuss:
    • Why it’s important not just to build something, but build the right thing.

    • How failure plays into innovation, and why we should accept it rather than avoid it.

    • How originality is about the execution of the idea, rather than the idea itself.

    • Why it’s crucial to embrace the concept of “good enough.”

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/476

    14 August 2024, 12:15 pm
  • 52 minutes 6 seconds
    475: Craft Jam: Get Your Story to “The End”

    Welcome, today is DIY MFA’s monthly Craft Jam. Once a month, Christa and I jam about the craft. In these episodes, we do a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. 

    This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to craft the perfect book ending.

     

    In this episode Christa and I discuss:
    • The three major components of an ending

    • Types of endings for your story

    • My top tip when choosing the the right ending

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/475

    27 December 2023, 1:15 pm
  • 35 minutes 21 seconds
    474: Craft Jam: Nail Your Narration

    Welcome, today is DIY MFA’s monthly Craft Jam. Once a month, Christa 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 dive into how to Nail Your Narration.

     

    In this episode Christa and I discuss:
    • Why narration is so important in your writing

    • What to keep in mind when choosing a point of view and narrative voice

    • Gabriela’s top tip on how to nail your narration

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/474

    15 November 2023, 1:15 pm
  • 46 minutes 36 seconds
    473: Craft Jam: Revise Your Writing Like a Pro

    Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Christa 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.

     

    In this episode, Christa and I discuss:
    • Key aspects and methods to focus on during the revision process.

    • The importance of feedback from others during revision.

    • A helpful type of mindset to keep throughout your progress.

    For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/473

    18 October 2023, 12:15 pm
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