317: Be True to the Character and Tell Your Truth — Interview with Syed M. Masood

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hey there word nerds!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Syed M. Masood.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Syed M. Masood grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, and now lives with his wife and children in Sacramento, California, where he is a practicing attorney. He wrote a few couplets in Urdu when he was a teenager, and his family still tells everyone he is an Urdu poet. He is not.</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">More Than Just a Pretty Face</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">is his young adult debut novel.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode Syed and I discuss:</span></h3> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why you need to listen to what your characters want as you write</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">How honoring universal experiences allows readers to understand your reality</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ways to keep the romance trope interesting, but also staying within the form</span></li> </ul> <h4><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Plus, his #1 tip for writers.</span></em></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For more info and show notes: <a href="https://diymfa.com/podcast/episode-317-syed-masood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diymfa.com/317</a></span></p>