Recently, I shared five tips for writing more powerful personal essays in my #5onFri post, 5 Hacks to Make Your CNF More Compelling. My post this week offers some insights on creative nonfiction’s genre-bending forms, and how working with them can lead to more interesting and innovative work. This has certainly been the case for… Read more »
Today we’re doing something a little different. I have here with me in person, author and DIY MFA Romance columnist, Robin Lovett! Robin is the author of two dark, sexy, romance novels, and is a super advocate for the romance genre. Her next series, of three dark stalker suspense romances, releases this summer through St…. Read more »
Disclaimer: I am not a theoretical physicist, nor to I portray one in any media. Time travel as a concept in fiction has been around since 1770 (L’An 2440, rêve s’il en fût jamais by Louis-Sébastien Mercier) but there are instances of time travel in the Mahabharata, and some Buddhist and Japanese tales [1]. Fairies, particularly… Read more »
Facebook ads seem to have hit that tipping point within the author community over the past year and become a popular tactic for reaching readers. This is in no small part due to a handful of top-selling indie authors who swear Facebook ads are their secret. But look at these authors closer, and you’ll see… Read more »
Drawing powerful verbal images is a real skill and is often a key ability that defines ‘natural writers’. Here are five things to think about when you write with respect to using the power of the pen to draw images. 1) Be aware of visual imagery The first step is heightening your awareness of verbal… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Welcome to the 2017 Epic BookExpo Recap episode. If you don’t already what BookExpo is, it’s the big industry trade show that takes place in the United States every year. This year, things at BookExpo were a little bit new and different so I wanted to give you a rundown of… Read more »
If you’ve read DIY MFA or have been following this website for a while, you know how important community is for writers. You need to find readers for your stories, but it’s also incredibly valuable to find other writers who write the same kinds of books as you. If you’re a kid lit writer (or… Read more »
There comes a point in every story when, despite the protagonist’s best efforts, everything goes wrong. The midpoint taught her to take an improved approach to achieving her story goal. But that won’t protect her from experiencing the worst possible setback in her pursuit. Now her goal seems unattainable, her task insurmountable – and the… Read more »
In recent weeks the future of the personal essay has been a hot topic – you may have come across Jia Tolentino’s article in the New Yorker, Lorraine Berry’s take on the situation over at LitHub or Susan Shapiro’s response to Tolentino’s piece. As a writer, teacher and lover of creative non-fiction, particularly its genre-bending… Read more »
At the end of April I found myself in a place I never would have thought possible. I had not been forced or coerced in any way, I was there of my own free will. This past weekend I was at a retreat for public speaking. Back in January, Gabriela sent out an email telling… Read more »
