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Hey there word nerds!\\xa0

Welcome to the three hundredth episode of DIY MFA Radio!

The original plan for this episode was to unveil our first-ever DIY MFA live event\\u2014Writer Igniter LIVE\\u2014which we were planning for October. In light of current events, we\\u2019ve put the planning\\xa0 for that on hold. That said, we still wanted to honor this special milestone episode by doing something a little bit different.

To that end, I\\u2019ve gathered Team Awesome together to talk about a new approach we\\u2019ve been taking with DIY MFA. While from an outside perspective DIY MFA has been chugging away as it always has been, over the past three months the team and I have been doing a lot of internal work, getting our house in order and making key shifts to how we approach the work that we do. One of these key shifts is the concept of building mental theme parks.\\xa0

Now, theme parks hold a special significance for me. For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with theme park design. Most kids go to Disney World for the rides; I was that weirdo kid begging her parents to let her take the behind-the-scenes tour of the underground tunnels.\\xa0

When I was twelve or so, I decided I wanted to design a ride for Epcot Center. You see, while the World Showcase features many different countries, there isn\\u2019t a single one from South America. (Sorry Mexico, but you\\u2019re not in South America). I thought it was a travesty that an entire continent would be overlooked like that, so I decided to design the Brazilian Pavilion (I mean, the marketing copy practically writes itself.

Most normal kids spend their summers traveling or going to camp. I spent my summer researching 18th century Brazilian architecture, drafting up design drawings, and brainstorming possible corporate sponsors. I even mapped out a ride. I designed everything, from the menus of the pavilion restaurants to the types of souvenir shops and what they would sell. Then I packaged everything together and mailed the envelope to Mr. Michael Eisner, CEO of Disney. A few months later, I got a reply with a bunch of legal mumbo-jumbo about not being able to consider unsolicited submissions, blah blah blah.\\xa0

The result was disappointing. As a kid, I didn\\u2019t care about the money, I just wanted to see my idea out in the world and getting the envelope sent back without them even considering the concept was hard. Still, that one experience has shaped my life in many unexpected ways. I continue to be obsessed with theme parks and other themed environments (Las Vegas, etc.) and this idea of \\u201ctheming\\u201d is woven into everything I do as an author, teacher, and entrepreneur.

To this day, I think of everything I build\\u2014whether it\\u2019s a book, a course, or a podcast\\u2014I think of it as an experience I\\u2019m creating for the audience (i.e. you, my word nerds). This idea of DIY MFA as a theme park for the mind has become central to our team and what we do at DIY MFA. Listen in as Team Awesome and I jam about DIY MFA and building theme parks for the mind.

In this episode Jeanette, Bess, Lori and I discuss:

• How DIY MFA is like a theme park for your mind
• How this DIY MFA theme park is designed and operates
• The different roles of Team Awesome in the park
• How we\\u2019re moving forward as a team and a business during Corona Virus and beyond
• Team Awesome\\u2019s tips for being creative in spite of Corona Virus
• Free DIY MFA resources to help writers right now
• What\\u2019s ahead for DIY MFA this year

Plus, their #1 tip for writers.

For more info and shownotes: www.diymfa.com/300