Everyone is burned out these days. But authors tend to be especially busy people, even in non-crisis times. But now, we’ve had two years of pandemic on top of everything else. Are you burned out? I’m burned out. And yet. The platforming machine demands to be fed. The Pressure to Platform Let’s be honest: For… Read more »
What do you think you haven’t been told about the sometimes called “What-if” stories? Assuming you’ve read the last four segments of Worldly Wise (Welcome Back, BTW!), you already know the basics… or perhaps you already know more. However, if you’re here for the first time, hello there! Welcome to Worldly Wise, where we work… Read more »
There is often a temptation to give your reader more than they really need, or, more importantly, want to know. For example, you describe a garden that is just coming into bloom and then go into minute detail about the flowers and trees. Your description includes the botanical names of three species from one genus,… Read more »
In some fiction, authors describe a place down to the color and quality of the dirt. In other books, specifics on the setting are barely incorporated and the goal is to infuse just the right amount of detail of place to connect it to the character’s journey. Personally, I had a crush on Vermont long… Read more »
Today, Lori is interviewing Amy Lea. They’ll be talking about her debut romance novel, Set on You. Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter, especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the… Read more »
Ever wanted to see your name splashed in the pages of your favorite magazine, but not sure how to do it? You’re not alone. Pitching and even being published in magazines seems so elusive, and you could drive yourself mad just searching for the secrets online. Writing for magazines is like any other kind of… Read more »
Disclaimer: DIY MFA does not provide legal, tax accounting, or financial advice. In making decisions regarding whether and when to formalize your business entity or other decisions that may have legal and/or financial ramifications, we strongly urge you to speak to a licensed attorney or financial adviser in your specific jurisdiction for the most accurate… Read more »
I think spring might be my favorite season for reading. (Though I will say fall is a close second.) I get to read outside where the air is crisp and full of possibilities and promise. It’s white wine and rosé season—at last. And after the long and miserable winter, full of seasonal depression, my spring… Read more »
It seems like everyone has a side hustle these days. In fact, roughly 59 million workers did some form of freelance work in recent years and the number is estimated to reach 90 million by 2028. Though everyone is freelancing, it doesn’t mean everyone is a freelancer. On the contrary, picking up a side gig… Read more »
One of the first things I ask a writer I’m working with is, “When do you want to be done with your book?” Sometimes people have a definite answer: “This year.” Sometimes they look at me and go, “Uhhh…”. The answer depends, of course, on how quickly they write, how much time they have to… Read more »
