Hey there word nerds! Today I’m speaking with Elisabeth Barrett, a romance author living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Elisabeth spends her days teaching, editing, writing sexy contemporary romance, and enjoying time with her sometimes-bearded husband and three spirited kids. She is constantly perfecting that juggling act between home/work/writing, but in her free time… Read more »
Do we decide what to do with our lives? Is something destined to happen, or a result of our choices? These questions have puzzled us for generations. Yet their mystery hasn’t prevented authors from exploring the concept of “fate versus free will” in their stories. If anything, it prompts writers and readers alike to try… Read more »
This time of year we like to look back and highlight some of the awesome articles and contributors who made an impact on the DIY MFA site. As you know, we have an amazing roster of columnists who have contributed some phenomenal posts this past year, as well as several wonderful guest bloggers who have… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! If you subscribe to the DIY MFA newsletter, then you know I’ve had a lot to say lately. In this episode, I reflect on some of the recent themes I’ve been considering like: service, responsibility, gratitude and love. I also talk about some of the obstacles I’ve faced when building my… Read more »
When shit goes down in our lives, how do we keep writing? At best, we lose our ability to focus on our work. Sometimes it makes us question our work—question whether what we have to say will be relevant. Or at worst, become afraid to write what we write. There’s no more tragic fear for… Read more »
The end of the year is a perfect time for reflection. It can be really easy to focus only on what’s to come — what new goals we’re setting, what new accomplishments we’d like to achieve–and not look at what we’ve done. I think this can be particularly true for writers– we can have a… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I’m delighted to have Britt Alan on the show, talking about self-publishing his debut novel: Tiananmen Ascending. But before we dig into the nuts and bolts of writing and self-publishing, let me share a short anecdote that I think captures Britt’s longtime passion for that intersection between world politics and… Read more »
Writing can be a bit lonely. We stare at our computer screens all day, interacting with imaginary people who can feel more real than the people around us. This makes writing friends invaluable. Not only do they understand the process, but they can help us out along the way—as critique partners, brainstorming buddies, or just… Read more »
Wasting time puts our writing on the back burner. It simmers there as we reorganize an already immaculate pantry, neatly handprint our grocery list, or update that oh-so-very-important calendar to remember birthdays of family and friends. Time wasters. But, tell me your birthdate. I’ll take the time and add it to my list. My motivation… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Domestic suspense has been getting a lot of buzz lately, but crafting a great book in this sub-genre is a challenging endeavor. Today I have the pleasure of interviewing mystery and thriller author Cate Holahan about her latest book The Widower’s Wife. In this episode, Cate gives us a behind-the-scenes look… Read more »
