I recently watch a documentary on Netflix called “Minimalism.” It’s a concept I’d already heard of—having read Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up last year. In that book, Kondo advocates a sort of personal minimalism, wherein you only keep possessions that “Spark Joy.” The documentary, “Minimalism” follows Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan… Read more »
So, you want to build a writer website? Good decision! Luckily for you, website building is easier than ever, thanks to big developments in this area. You can create a simple website in a matter of clicks – not something that we could recommend though. But wait, where is the catch? Naturally, in order to… Read more »
I’d bet we all know what it’s like to fall head over heels for an author—I’d be lying if there aren’t a few who have completely stolen my heart away. This very special kind of chemistry generally goes beyond any individual book, and extends to the author’s overall persona. It can seem that these authors… Read more »
I’m a fairly new fiction writer, but I’ve been a journalist for decades. You would think I’d have some sort of writing routine down, some alchemy that I draw upon from my non-fiction world when I slip into my fiction realm. You would be wrong. I’m used to winging it, writing in my car and… Read more »
For the past six months, Bess McAllister (DIY MFA web editor) and I have been hard at work on a top secret project: scouting and on-boarding new columnists for the website. Today we are thrilled to introduce you to the four newest members of the DIY MFA team. At DIY MFA, we believe building your… Read more »
When someone tells you “I’m stressed,” your response is probably a sympathetic, “I’m sorry.” We’ve been taught that stress makes us feel anxious, worried, or tense. And it does make us feel those things, but let’s put that aside for now, because those feelings aren’t the only outcome of stress. In fact, stress is vital… Read more »
It’s always disappointing to receive a rejection, but perhaps the worst kind of rejection is the standard form letter. Everyone knows that most editors don’t have the time to write out detailed, personalized rejections, and if you’ve amassed a large pile of these form responses, you might be left wondering how your manuscript keeps “falling… Read more »
We writers can edit and revise until we think our story is the best it can possibly be. But no matter how great we are at self-editing, every piece of work can benefit from another set of eyes, and every writer can benefit from working with an editor. Another person’s red pen has the potential… Read more »
It’s happened. It’s actually happened. An agent wants to talk to you on the phone. She’s interested in your work. You run down a list of all the questions you need to ask, start trolling your friends about having BIG NEWS SOON, pump yourself up with power poses, the phone rings and . . …. Read more »
You’ve spent months revising and editing your manuscript. Now comes one of the most exciting and nerve-racking stages in the writing process: getting feedback. Yes, sending your story to beta-readers and asking for their thoughts on what works and what needs improvement. And while any constructive comments can help, it’s a good idea to let… Read more »
