Hopefully by now you agree that a great book package is vital to your publishing success. That thought might even be overwhelming, especially if you have no graphics background. First, take a deep breath. Like any problem, if you break it down into steps it becomes much more manageable. Step One: Change Your Hat Take off… Read more »
Happy New Year! Time to start fresh and get a head start on marathoning those seasons on Netflix while actively avoiding your to-do list. Procrastination is the #1 reason that people don’t complete their New Years’ Resolutions (now that I think about it, that is kind of like saying that the #1 reason you ditched… Read more »
I’m an overachiever, so it I find it easy for me to get excited about a lot of different things and pursue them relentlessly. But sometimes I lose my way. Sometimes I feel like an overwhelmed workaholic who has spread herself too thin. But refocusing trims out the unnecessary so you can concentrate fully on the… Read more »
Writers are solitary creatures. We choose to isolate ourselves in imaginary worlds of our own creation for hours, months, years at a time. We often feel protective or possessive of our projects, hoarding our words away like Gollum with his “precioussss.” These are survival skills we learn as writers. We have to seclude ourselves and… Read more »
This is the last installment from the DIY MFA holiday archive (first published in December 2011). In this article, learn three easy steps to help you turn those writing resolutions into reality. Let’s start 2014 off with a bang! When it comes to actually reaching our goals, we have to remember one thing: no matter… Read more »
From the archive: some tips to help you get motivated and stick to your New Year’s Writing Resolutions. (This article first appeared at DIY MFA in December, 2011) Have a wonderful, writing-filled New Year! I don’t know about you, but I’ve always had a hard time with New Years Resolutions. I make these loooong lists… Read more »
Every month or two, DIY MFA’s Wendy Lu will be hosting “New Spin,” a column that covers everything that falls within alternative storytelling: literary mash-ups, books that put a new spin on classic stories, and “meta-books” that use new media, graphic illustrations, and interaction between words/design for an enhanced reader experience. Supernatural, eerie, weird. These… Read more »
There’s a secret that most published, self-published and otherwise noteworthy writers know. If all first-time authors knew this secret, the collective blood pressure of the writing industry would go down by about 20 percent. Here it is. Even the best writers in the world still get off track. From time to time, legitimate, professional writers… Read more »
Have you waded into the murky waters of indie publishing? You’ve probably noticed advice everywhere. Do this. Don’t do that. No wait, do the other thing. You’ve spent a year, or two, or ten, crafting words into sentences and sentences into paragraphs. Angsting over every detail. Now it’s time to hit that giant shiny PUBLISH button…. Read more »
#askbecca: Most of my writing now is news articles about video games, but I guess I have a hard time consolidating “professionalism” and “goofiness.” How do you let your voice shine through when it might be more appropriate to tone it down? – Cooper S. There’s more than one way to skin a turkey (and… Read more »
