190: Protagonists and Point of View - Interview with Chloe Benjamin

DIY MFA Radio

Hey there word nerds!

Today I am delighted to have author Chloe Benjamin on the show!

Chloe received an MFA in fiction from the University of Wisconsin, and her first novel, The Anatomy of Dreams, received the Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award and was longlisted for the 2014 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize.

Her latest novel, The Immortalists, received extraordinary pre-publication excitement and has already been optioned for a major U.S. television series. I myself have been buzzing about this book since May 2017 where it was featured in the BookExpo America Adult Buzz Panel.

Listen in as we chat about Chloe’s awesome new book, and crafting an overarching narrative in a story with shifting points of view.

In this episode Chloe and I discuss:

• The art of the prologue, when to use one and how to do it right.
• Combining shifting character perspectives with a continuous narrative thread.
• Crafting a multiple protagonist story.
• Doing justice to your secondary characters while keeping them in a supporting role.
• How to hit the right emotional notes in your readers.

Plus, Chloe’s #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/190