PODCAST · arts
WMFA
by Courtney Balestier
A podcast about why and how we write.
Episodes
-
Enlarging People’s Perception of Sylvia Plath w. HEATHER CLARK
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"...
-
WMFA ARCHIVES: Creating Reassuring Writing Frameworks w. KRISTEN ARNETT
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...
-
Turning Your Past into Narrative w. ELISSA WASHUTA
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...
-
WMFA ARCHIVES: Fictionalizing Real Life w. LISA KO
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
-
Not Coddling Your Characters w. DANTIEL W. MONIZ
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...
-
Examining Extremely Online Life w. LAUREN OYLER
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...
-
WMFA ARCHIVES: Keeping Faith in the Process w. R.O. KWON
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…
more -
Rethinking Craft and Workshops w. MATTHEW SALESSES
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.…
more -
Keeping Writing Fun w. MATEO ASKARIPOUR
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...
-
Flipping Received Narratives w. DANIELLE EVANS
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...
-
Exploring the Quiet Moments w. SIMON HAN
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...
-
Contextualizing Research into Prose w. ANNE HELEN PETERSEN
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…
more -
Writing Into Contradictions w. DEESHA PHILYAW
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…
more -
WMFA ARCHIVES: Fighting Perfectionism w. CELESTE NG
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...
-
WMFA ARCHIVES: Being Patient and Indulgent w. GARTH GREENWELL
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
WMFA ARCHIVES: Storytelling as an Act of Love w. WAYÉTU MOORE
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) Learn more about your…
more -
Inventing Complex Characters w. GENEVIEVE HUDSON
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Minisode: Transformation
What in your creative process are you ready to say goodbye to? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Capturing Grief and Collective Memory w. CARTER SICKELS
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
WRITERS-IN-RESIDENCE: Book Tour Edition
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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Minisode: Paying Attention
On being with our surroundings—and our creative work—in a new way during quarantine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Mining for Character in Verse w. ELIZABETH ACEVEDO
Elizabeth Acevedo's latest book, the novel-in-verse CLAP WHEN YOU LAND, is out now from Quill Tree Books. She and Courtney talk about creating character while working in verse, discovering the container that each story needs, and the "secret projects" she has as an author. Learn more about your…
more -
Writing For Your Characters w. C PAM ZHANG
C Pam Zhang's debut novel, How Much of These Hills Is Gold, is out now. She talks with Courtney about writing a book for the characters in it, capturing nuanced performances of gender, and reinventing the myth of the American West. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Minisode: Aloneness, Or How I’m Learning to Love Solitude
Writers should be great at solitude, right? I’m not. Today I'm talking about how isolation is forcing me to confront that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Capturing Contradictory Truths w. EMMA COPLEY EISENBERG
Emma Copley Eisenberg's first book, The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia, was released in January. She and Courtney discuss the complicated nature of truth and how she wrote a complex narrative that weaves first-person reportage with memoir. Learn more about your...
-
Minisode: A Conversation Across Time
I'm reading excerpts from the diary of one of my literary idols, Virginia Woolf, that resonate with our current moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Writers-in-Residence
Welcome to this experimental episode of WMFA, featuring messages from writers around the country about how they’re handling creative life in quarantine. Let me know if you liked this episode—I might do more as this surreal reality continues! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
-
Minisode: Where We're At Now
A check-in during unstable times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Surviving the Publishing Process w. COURTNEY MAUM
Courtney Maum's most recent book is the indispensable writers' guide Before and After the Book Deal. She and Courtney talk about navigating everything from contracts to marketing to what to pack on book tour. They also talk about Courtney's latest novel, Costalegre. In the Patreon bonus segment,...
-
Minisode: Gratitude
On the last episode of the season, I'm reflecting on gratitude for our work, and how often (or rarely) we feel it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Returning to Your Humanity w. ALEXANDER CHEE
Alexander Chee's latest book is the essay collection How to Write an Autobiographical Novel. He and Courtney discuss the process of becoming real to yourself, staying accountable to the work, and how to keep a novel journal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Minisode: Constraint
Building containers for creative freedom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Playing to Your Strengths w. JAMI ATTENBERG
Jami Attenberg's latest novel, All This Could Be Yours, is out now from HMH Books. She and Courtney discuss writing family narratives, identifying and playing to your strengths, and keeping the work fun for the reader. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Minisode: The Future
Are we acting for our future selves? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Crafting a Compelling Voice w. BRIAN ALLEN CARR
Brian Allen Carr's novel Opioid, Indiana is out now from Soho Books. He and Courtney discuss finding a character's voice, writing fast, and why he loves writing prompts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Minisode: A Tiny (and in Retrospect Totally Obvious) Epiphany
The important piece of writing advice that finally sunk in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Minisode: Rest
How good are you at letting yourself (and your work) just be? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Cultivating Patience w. MARY RUEFLE
Poet and essayist Mary Ruefle's new collection, Dunce, was just long-listed for the National Book Award. She and Courtney discuss boredom, uncertainty, and letting go of expectations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Minisode: Isolation
Keeping ourselves connected in the solitary work of writing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Keeping Faith in the Process w. R.O. KWON
R.O. Kwon's novel THE INCENDIARIES was one of last year's biggest debuts, and it was 8 years in the making. 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. Learn more about…
more -
FROM THE ARCHIVES | Minisode: On Fear
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Defining Your Writing Identity w. MARGINALLY PODCAST
It's a special crossover episode with Olivia and Meghan from Marginally Podcast! We talk about defining your own identity as a writer, our works in progress, and how we make writing and podcasting sustainable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Minisode: Writing Needs
What do you need—and how do you figure out what you need anyway? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Growing Into Your Practice w. MICHAEL PARKER
Author Michael Parker's latest novel, Prairie Fever, follows the fraught relationship of two sisters in early 1900s Oklahoma. He and Courtney talk about writing crackling dialogue, how he thinks about plot, and growing into your creative practice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
-
Minisode: Rewriting Our Stories
What aspect of your creative life needs a new narrative? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Finding Writerly Courage w. SAVANNAH SIPPLE
Appalachian poet Savannah Sipple wrote her piercing debut collection, WWJD and Other Poems, during a period in which she was also coming out of the closet. She and Courtney talk about the long journey of claiming her voice and finding the courage to use it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
-
Minisode: Healthier Harvests, or Another Kind of Flow
What kale, checks, and writing have in common. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Creating Reassuring Writing Frameworks w. KRISTEN ARNETT
Queer fiction writer Kristen Arnett wrote her debut novel, the eccentric and darkly hilarious Mostly Dead Things, while working full-time as a librarian. We talk about the framework she developed to keep writing, and why she wanted to write a book that looks at day-to-day queer life. Learn more...
-
Minisode: Why Do You Write?
Why it's helpful to check in with our whys—plus a special request. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Knowing What You Need as a Writer w. CASEY CEP
Journalist Casey Cep—author of Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee—is on the show discussing the mysteries of Harper Lee, knowing what you need as a writer, and the lines that can be drawn and erased between invention and reality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does WMFA have?
WMFA currently has 116 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is WMFA about?
A podcast about why and how we write.
How often does WMFA release new episodes?
WMFA publishes regularly with 116 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to WMFA?
You can listen to WMFA on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts WMFA?
WMFA is created and hosted by Courtney Balestier.
URL copied to clipboard!