WMFA

Latest Episodes:

Exploring the Quiet Moments w. SIMON HAN Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

Simon Han's debut novel is Nights When Nothing Happened, out now from Riverhead Books. He and Courtney discuss the tricky label of universality, turning a short story into a novel, and how writing is like the Fast & Furious franchise.

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

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Contextualizing Research into Prose w. ANNE HELEN PETERSEN Nov 11, 2020

Show notes

Anne Helen Petersen's latest book is Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation. She and Courtney talk about the difficulty behind advice about "doing what you love," what freelance writing careers look like now, and how she synthesizes research into prose.

In today's bonus segment, Anne and Courtney talk about burnout and writing. Bonus segments are available to WMFA Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/wmfapodcast.

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Writing Into Contradictions w. DEESHA PHILYAW Oct 28, 2020

Show notes

Deesha Philyaw's fiction debut, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, is a National Book Award finalist. She and Courtney talk about creating complex characters, writing Black women, and staying true to your vision even in the face of rejection.

In today's bonus segment, Deesha and Courtney talk about what makes good sex writing. Bonus segments are available to WMFA Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/wmfapodcast.

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WMFA ARCHIVES: Fighting Perfectionism w. CELESTE NG Aug 05, 2020

Show notes

Originally airing on November 8, 2017, Courtney and Celeste Ng—author of Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You—do a deep dive into process: what makes a good beginning, finding the voice, reverse outlining and more. They also discuss writing about identity and the other, and the importance of multiple narratives.

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WMFA ARCHIVES: Being Patient and Indulgent w. GARTH GREENWELL Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

Garth Greenwell is the author of What Belongs to You and Cleanness, and a 2020 Guggenheim fellow. In 2017, he and Courtney talked about being a poet novelist, the language of desire, and why he writes first drafts by hand.

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WMFA ARCHIVES: Storytelling as an Act of Love w. WAYÉTU MOORE Jul 08, 2020

Show notes

Courtney and Wayétu Moore, author of She Would Be King, discuss diasporic literature, the trouble with magical realism, and how to preserve your relationship with your craft. Wayétu's latest book is the memoir The Dragons, The Giant, The Women. (original air date 10/24/18)

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Inventing Complex Characters w. GENEVIEVE HUDSON Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

Genevieve Hudson's debut novel, BOYS OF ALABAMA, is out now from Liveright. They and Courtney talk about developing complicated characters, writing the supernatural, and exploring "capital-T truth" in fiction.

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Minisode: Transformation Jun 17, 2020

Show notes

What in your creative process are you ready to say goodbye to?

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Capturing Grief and Collective Memory w. CARTER SICKELS Jun 10, 2020

Show notes

Carter Sickels latest novel, THE PRETTIEST STAR, is out now from Hub City Press. He and Courtney talk about activist art, writing poignancy without sentimentality, and documenting queer rural narratives.

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WRITERS-IN-RESIDENCE: Book Tour Edition May 20, 2020

Show notes

In the second quarantine call-in episode, writers with new releases share their favorite moments from a very different kind of book tour than they’d expected. Plus they shout out the new releases they’re reading!

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