Genre Gateway Books for Kids

Genre Gateway Books for Kids

I’ve stated before that I’m a voracious reader. My love of books was definitely inherited from my mom, I mean, I pretty much grew up in a library, but it was my third grade teacher, Mrs. Janovik who allowed that love to blossom. While the rest of my class was running around at recess or… Read more »

Leisure Learning: Filled with Love Edition

Leisure Learning: Filled with Love Edition

This post is filled with love and packed with things that I either couldn’t wait to share with you or ones that you can utilize for learning over the next several years. If you would like to see similar content (3 short things, that are often educational but not limited to literature), sign up for… Read more »

Advocacy of Queer Storytelling and Memoir

Advocacy of Queer Storytelling and Memoir

On the eve of Justin Torres’s new release, Blackouts (coming October 10, 2023, from Farrar, Straus and Giroux), I’m reminded of his first novel, We the Animals, and what a powerful advocate it is for queer storytelling and for the creative memoir and (auto)biographical novel genres. Justin Torres’ We the Animals (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2011)… Read more »

Episode 473: Craft Jam: Revise Your Writing Like a Pro

Episode 473: Craft Jam: Revise Your Writing Like a Pro

Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Christa and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building, and more.  This month’s episode is a… Read more »

Writing A Series Is Like Creating a RPG Campaign

Writing A Series Is Like Creating a RPG Campaign

How is Building a Game World like World Building for Writing? When I was introduced to RPG (Role Playing Gaming), it was 1977, and the concept was relatively new. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson had invented Dungeons and Dragons a few years before (1974) and a friend of mine who was a dedicated gamer introduced… Read more »

Unlocking the Recipe for Dystopian Fiction

Unlocking the Recipe for Dystopian Fiction

Welcome, beautiful people on the internet! As promised in the last column of Worldly Wise, we are continuing to trace the footsteps of various subgenres in the realm of Speculative Fiction. And here is our first stop. Whether it is George Orwell’s “1984” or Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” trilogy, or even Margaret Atwood’s “The… Read more »

The Messy Middle: Iowa Book Bans

Welcome back to The Messy Middle, where we focus on crafting complex characters and building dynamic worlds that connect with readers from marginalized communities. In a previous post, The Messy Middle: Cultural Content Fender Benders, we explored a framework for responding to readers’ concerns about representations in our writing. In this post, we will continue… Read more »

To all the Awakeners

To all the Awakeners

Have you ever wondered, “Have I made it yet? Is this it? When will I ‘arrive’ as a writer?” If you have, I want you to change ‘make it as a writer’ to, ‘living a fulfilling life as a creative’. And if you read on, I will tell what a difference that slight change of… Read more »

Gabriela Interviews Emma Dhesi

Gabriela Interviews Emma Dhesi

Emma Dhesi is a book coach, novelist, and the author of Launch Pad: The Countdown To Writing Your Book. Gabriela Pereira: What led you to become a book coach and how did your own writing journey take you there?  Emma Dhesi: I was a bit of a slow starter to the publishing world. I’d been… Read more »

Middle-Grade Fantasy Challenges

Middle-Grade Fantasy Challenges

One would think it would be easier and more simplistic to be a writer of middle-grade fantasy, but as I get into my writing, I find myself encountering several challenges along the way.  Age-appropriate content Middle-grade fantasy is usually written for readers around 8-12 years old, so it’s essential I keep a balance between creating… Read more »