Dear Lauren, I am an aspiring writer who hopes to publish traditionally. After getting my MFA, I worked on my memoir as much as I could and began the journey of trying to secure an agent. I queried literary agents—big and small—and wanted to hit 100 rejections before revisiting my memoir and rethinking my approach…. Read more »
In life, rejection is inevitable. In publishing, it’s an absolute. Over the course of querying three novels and going out on submission three separate times, I have faced over five hundred rejections. And that’s not an exaggeration. Some were very difficult to handle, like the full requests that turned to no’s or the near offers… Read more »
Do you feel like most days you are losing your marbles? If you are like me, you end the day wondering why you didn’t get as much writing done as you’d intended. There isn’t one right or wrong answer to how our daily energy should be spent. We all need to prepare food, take care… Read more »
Disclaimer: DIY MFA does not provide legal advice. In making decisions on whether to trademark your business name or any other decision that may have legal ramifications, we strongly urge you to speak to a licensed attorney in your specific jurisdiction for the most accurate information. My first installment of Tales of a Solopreneur invited… Read more »
Editing. Just mention of the word is enough to send chills down many writers’ spines. That’s because they’re taking the wrong mindset when they approach the editing process. Keeping the following five things in mind during the editing process can turn a frustrating experience into a joyous one. 1. You managed to write all of… Read more »
As an author, it’s a wonderful feeling to connect with readers who love our work. Book clubs are one of the most engaging ways to create deep meaningful relationships with readers. Today, we’ll cover ideas to create fun and memorable experiences as you engage book clubs! Why Engage Book Clubs? First, think of a book… Read more »
There are a lot of ways to build your author platform these days. But guest blogging is still one of my favorites. Writing an article for a popular blog has long-term value that far outlasts the effort, and offers an engaged audience within a focused niche. But my favorite perk is seeing my own work… Read more »
As I write this post in early 2022, I’ve closed out my 2021 Virtual Writers Sabbatical (“VWS”) and started fresh. I mentioned in my Discovering the Art of Book Coaching post in December that my 2022 VWS would include focusing on completing a book coach certification program and starting a book coaching business. I’m at… Read more »
Browsing Twitter last week, I saw a tweet from a colleague of mine that read, “I’m curious, for writers who have published books, what was the editing process like? Especially curious about your first book. From whom and at what stage did you receive edits? To what degree? Does this question even make sense? Why… Read more »
Hello fellow Kid Lit Writers! This week, I have the pleasure of introducing author Anna Staniszewski. Anna has been writing children’s books for 10 years now; her first book came out in 2011, and her most recent book, Double Clique: A Wish Novel, came out in December of 2021. She was born in Poland and… Read more »
