WMFA

Latest Episodes:

Enlarging People’s Perception of Sylvia Plath w. HEATHER CLARK Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

Heather Clark is the author of Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath, a 2021 Pulitzer Prize finalist now out in paperback from Knopf. She and Courtney discuss how biography is like archeology, the "hysterical woman writer" stereotype, and the "profound and bottomless optimism" needed to undertake a large writing project.

In the bonus segment, Heather talks about finding joy in the writing process and how the joy she found writing Red Comet influenced the book's structure. Bonus segments are available to Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/wmfapodcast.

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WMFA ARCHIVES: Creating Reassuring Writing Frameworks w. KRISTEN ARNETT Jun 16, 2021

Show notes

Kristen Arnett's latest novel, WITH TEETH, is out now from Riverhead. In this conversation from 2019, she and Courtney talk about queer writing beyond the coming-out narrative, creating supportive frameworks for getting the work done, and, of course, taxidermy.

In the bonus segment, Kristen talks about writing about her home state of Florida. Listen to this and other bonus segments by visiting Patreon.com/wmfapodcast and pledging just $2 a month.

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Turning Your Past into Narrative w. ELISSA WASHUTA Apr 28, 2021

Show notes

Elissa's new essay collection, White Magic, is out now from Tin House. She and Courtney discuss reckoning with your past selves, time loops, and giving up control over the process. We also discuss one of Courtney's and the book’s favorite subjects: Twin Peaks.

In the bonus segment, Elissa—who has received fellowships and awards from numerous institutions, including Creative Capital and the National Endowment for the Arts—shares some great advice on successfully applying for grants and other funding. Bonus segments are available to Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/wmfapodcast.

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WMFA ARCHIVES: Fictionalizing Real Life w. LISA KO Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

In this conversation from 2018, Courtney and Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers, discuss complicating the notions of motherhood, why working on your characters is working on yourself, and keeping the faith through seven years of novel drafts.

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Not Coddling Your Characters w. DANTIEL W. MONIZ Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

Dantiel W. Moniz's debut collection, Milk Blood Heat, is out now from Grove Atlantic. She and Courtney discuss not protecting your characters, the inextricableness of place and identity, and deciding to take your writing seriously.

In the bonus segment, Dantiel talks about endings and death, and what makes for a good short story ending. Bonus segments are available to Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/wmfapodcast.

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Examining Extremely Online Life w. LAUREN OYLER Feb 24, 2021

Show notes

Lauren Oyler's debut novel, FAKE ACCOUNTS, is out now from Catapult. She and Courtney discuss social media, autofiction, and our various efforts to be understood online and on the page.

In the bonus segment, Lauren talks about how she approaches her reading habit, especially as a critic, and we talk about books we’re excited about. Bonus segments are available to Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/wmfapodcast.

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WMFA ARCHIVES: Keeping Faith in the Process w. R.O. KWON Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

R.O. Kwon is the co-editor, with Garth Greenwell, of KINK, a new anthology of literary short fiction exploring love and desire, BDSM, and interests across the sexual spectrum. She is also the author of THE INCENDIARIES. In this episode from 2019, we talk about keeping faith in the writing process, holding characters at a distance, and thinking not just about who is telling the story but also why it's being told.

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Rethinking Craft and Workshops w. MATTHEW SALESSES Jan 27, 2021

Show notes

Matthew's latest book is Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping. He and Courtney discuss what's wrong with the way we talk about our work, how we can do better, and the most ill-used terms in craft discussions—some of which Matthew has banned from his own workshops.

In the bonus segment, Matthew talks about the workshop experience that led Matthew down a two-year dead end for his own novel in progress, and how he got himself turned back around. Bonus segments are available to Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/wmfapodcast.

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Keeping Writing Fun w. MATEO ASKARIPOUR Jan 13, 2021

Show notes

Mateo Askaripour's debut novel, Black Buck, is out now. He and Courtney talk about the intimacy of first-person POV, managing plausibility, and what we learn from the novels we don’t sell. (NOTE: There are some Black Buck plot spoilers between 40:30-45:15.)

In the bonus segment, Mateo discusses point of telling and addressing the reader in your work. Bonus segments are available to Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/wmfapodcast.

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Flipping Received Narratives w. DANIELLE EVANS Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

Danielle Evans' latest book is The Office of Historical Corrections, out now from Riverhead Books. She and Courtney talk about flipping received narratives, reckoning with the past, and the relationship between a work's active and emotional plots.

In today's bonus segment, Danielle and Courtney talk about race and the craft of writing. Bonus segments are available to WMFA Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/wmfapodcast.

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