This week, Gabriela Pereira sits down with Katherine Nouri Hughes to speak with her about her newest novel that is about to hit stores, The Mapmaker’s Daughter at age 67! You can listen to some amazing details that you may have wanted to know about her novel, such as the historical framework of the novel and the craft of writing the truth in fiction through your own experiences. This involves taking something historical and creating an exciting and believable novel. She also discusses other subjects that would be helpful to anyone who is looking to sit down and write, such as how to keep the proportions of your story’s narrative in check, how to be calm and relaxed when you are writing, and the challenges and advantages of writing a novel later in life. For more detailed show notes, visit DIYMFA.com/160.
Katherine Nouri Hughes is a writer who, in the beginning of her career, received a Master’s Degree in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University and lived in Cairo, Egypt where she worked. Later, she became a Vice President at Robinson, Lake, Lerer & Montgomery and a long-time member of the national finance board of the Democratic National Committee. She has accomplished many more dreams in her life and now lives in New York City with her husband.
Here’s a secret no one ever tells you. The typical MFA (Master of Fine Arts) boils down to one simple formula:
Writing + Reading + Community = MFA
This means that to create a do-it-yourself version of the MFA, all you need to do is: write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community. Read on to learn more or use the menu above to explore each category. We’ve also highlighted some key DIY MFA articles below to help you get started.
