7 Best Practices to Follow on Any Social Network

Each social network is unique. They have different demographics, features, channels and overall cultures. Don’t even try to pretend that SnapChat and Twitter users behave the same. However, there are some basic best practices that will serve you well no matter what platform you are on. Follow these guidelines any time you are taking the… Read more »

Writer Fuel: The Radicalism of Our Time

This is the third installment in my latest Writer Fuel sequence. You can catch up on the previous posts about writing as service and responsibility via these links. As always, newsletter subscribers get to read these essays before I post them here. Join the community to receive the WRITER FUEL newsletter and be part of our private Facebook group. In a… Read more »

Writer Fuel: Use Your Words

Today, we depart slightly from our usual #5onFri programming to share a couple more installments of the Writer Fuel essays. Stay tuned for this afternoon, when I will share the third essay in this series. Newsletter subscribers get a sneak peek at these essays before I post them. They can also help crowdsource this column, by replying to… Read more »

Writer Fuel: Dream Big, Execute Small

Last week, I started writing letters to my email list in response to the recent political events. I got a landslide of replies, and it seemed fitting to share these essays more broadly. “Writer Fuel” is a series of posts where I adapt essays from my newsletter to share as blog posts here on the website. Newsletter subscribers… Read more »

How to Deepen Your Chapter Book Characters

Chapter books offer wonderful possibilities for creating memorable characters.  Targeted to readers ages 5-10, chapter books  take character development to a deeper, richer place than possible in picture books and easy readers. In this piece, I’ll explore some ways to develop outstanding chapter book characters that will connect with young readers. All characters have sayings,… Read more »

What Does Success Look Like To You?

Chances are, you’re part of the DIY MFA community because you want something more from your writing life. But do you know what that something is? What, exactly, are you looking for? Everyone has a different definition of success. For some, it’s the act of going from being a writer to being a published writer…. Read more »

#5OnFri:5 Things I have Learned Being a Writer

When I was asked to write a blog post I immediately started thinking of my topic. What information did I have to share with my fellow writers? Should it be on craft? Maybe about getting published? There are just so many things and I couldn’t decide. So, I started researching. I researched on the internet,… Read more »

What to Expect From An Editor

Especially among first-time authors, turning over your beloved project to an editor may seem like an incredibly daunting proposition. Some authors may be hesitant to trust their editor, or else they might not know what to expect from the process. I’ve heard a lot of misconceptions about editors’ intentions and their purpose—ranging from “they’re just… Read more »