When I started writing, I had no idea how to get a story on paper. I read book after book and went to classes once a week for a year. No matter how naturally talented you are, there are always tricks that can make you better. Here are five quick writing tips that can keep… Read more »
Art is fire plus algebra. – Jorge Luis Borges Query letters are strange and intimidating beasts. They are the much obsessed, much abused, much scorned part of the marketing process. Essentially they are like movie trailers for your book; they create the urge to see more. Somehow, by some feat of magic, you are forced… Read more »
Happy Friday everyone! Most of the country is currently being pummeled with snow and freezing cold temperatures. We are also in an arctic freeze of television, in that terrible limbo in-between the first and second half of most TV show seasons. And I don’t know about any of you, but one show that I’m really ready to premier again… Read more »
A few months ago, I went on a big vacation. I knew I would not be online much during this time, and since I was out of the country, my smartphone, which I usually rely on to keep up with social media, was not going to be an option. To keep my short story website… Read more »
Happy New Year! As you can see from this week’s podcast, we’re big on resolutions here at DIY MFA. They can be a powerful tool for motivation, and also for building your community. Studies have shown that the mere act of writing down a goal makes you more likely to achieve it. Telling it to… Read more »
We usually need to read a novel in order to identify its themes. However, what if the title and the blurb (a.k.a. jacket copy) could suggest potential themes? It’s not a stretch sometimes. In today’s edition of Theme: A Story’s Soul, we’ll explore how both items can reveal a great deal about the ideas and… Read more »
We’ve had an incredible year here at DIY MFA, with a lot on the horizon for 2015. We’ve expanded our team to include five new columnists and a podcast producer. We introduced DIY MFA radio and saw it jump to the top of the iTunes Arts section. We hosted a writing challenge and virtual writing retreat with… Read more »
Joining my first writing group last year may be the best thing I’ve ever done. (Aside from marrying my husband.) Exaggeration? No. Beginners luck? Sure. A lot of people try writing groups, and hate them. They have mediocre experiences, sometimes traumatic ones, and never go back. Many are fearful of sharing their work. Others live… Read more »
If you’re like me, this holiday season you’ll probably see at least one version of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, and if you’re really like me, this might send you into a spiral of Victorian nostalgia. Well, good news! The nineteenth century saw the rise of the novel, so there are plenty of excellent books… Read more »
Last week’s challenge was to write a 100 word story to share how you got your name. Here’s mine: They weren’t big on surprises, my parents. They wanted to know right away. The suspense wasn’t fun, or sexy, or something they wanted to prolong. “Girl.” Repeated again and again, to family members, friends, and complete… Read more »
