As an author, when you’ve got a new book releasing, you want to shout it from the rooftops! These days, for all sorts of converging reasons, that increasingly means the metaphorical, digital rooftops of Instagram, Twitter, and other online forums. This requires a familiarity with book promotion graphics. By nature of what we do as… Read more »
Rhys Bowen has been one of my favorite mystery authors for many years now, starting with my binging of her Molly Murphy mystery series and continuing with the Royal Spyness series. Georgiana (Georgie) Rannoch starts out as a royal who is nowhere near the throne and very short of funds. It’s not easy for any… Read more »
Agonizing dread arrests most writers at the prospect of revisiting their old work – especially an essay collection. Our revision reflex activities and work that was due but (at least in your mind) not necessarily done is suddenly in need of a fresh coat of paint. We obsess over what we could have said, done,… Read more »
I’m a Diasporican, a Puerto Rican living in a diaspora rooted in colonization and the trauma it brings. This reality has shaped my sense of identity and artistic purpose as a writer. Leaving my homeland at the age of five and living in the US for most of my life—with a chunk of time in… Read more »
The only thing better than a plump novel about food is throwing in recipes for readers to go with it. Not only does it give readers a chance to be a part of the story, but it opens up space for you to flex your creativity in a new way. You love to read other… Read more »
I’m back for the third installment of my 2021 Virtual Writers Sabbatical (“VWS”) series and hope your own VWS is rolling along into the back half of 2021. If you missed the first two installments, Create Your Own Virtual Writers Sabbatical describes how to build an adventure focused on you and your writing craft, and… Read more »
There’s no denying it: COVID-19 is having a big impact on books, writing, and the world. It would feel strange to write a column now that didn’t mention it, or acknowledge the ways writers and illustrators, particularly of kidlit, are coping and helping. Below, we’ll look at ways authors and illustrators are helping young readers… Read more »
Minimalism has been a buzzword in our culture for several years now, perhaps culminating in the huge success of Marie Kondo’s KonMari method and TV show. Untold numbers of people have found great benefits in applying minimalist principals to their homes, wardrobes, and lives. I believe minimalism is especially beneficial to writers. When there is… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing K.S. Villoso who writes speculative fiction with a focus on deeply personal themes and character-driven narratives. Much of her work is inspired by her childhood in the slums of Taguig, Philippines. She now lives amidst the forest and mountains of Vancouver, Canada with her… Read more »
Hey there Word Nerds! We’re sharing this article from the DIY MFA archives today, talking all about making our own luck. Hope you enjoy! In These Happy Golden Years, the eighth Little House book, Ma Ingalls tells Laura that people make their own luck. This is illustrated in the story when Laura is kind to a girl in her… Read more »
