This is a very special episode for DIY MFA Radio because it features a wonderful writer–and one of my writing heroes–Jane Yolen. She has written over 360 books, but what truly sets her work apart is her artristry and versatility. She has written in just about every genre imaginable, and for just about every type of… Read more »
Happy Halloween everyone! Since Halloween is this Friday, I wanted to dedicate this episode to things that go bump in the night by talking about creative monsters in our lives. Creative monsters take many forms and use a variety of techniques to rip our creative ideas and spirit to shreds. In this episode, we’ll learn… Read more »
In today’s episode I want to talk to you about writer’s block. Specifically, the 5 stages of writer’s block, inspired by the Kübler-Ross stages of grief. If you’ve ever experienced writer’s block, you know that you have to get through all these stages to be able to get back to writing. Writer’s block is painful,… Read more »
Thanks for joining me for Part One of the DIY MFA Radio series: An Insider’s Guide to Writing Groups. In this episode we’re going to talk about what to do before, during, and after receiving critique on your writing. One very important part of your writer’s journey is receiving feedback on your work. A critique group… Read more »
Reading with purpose is one of the core principles in DIY MFA. Sure, reading for pleasure is great–it inspires you and fuels your passion for writing. But, in order to grow and learn as a writer, you have to read like a writer and use what you read to improve your craft and technique. In today’s… Read more »
At some point in your career as a writer, you’re going to have to ask for help. Whether it’s asking readers to buy your book, or asking a mentor for advice, asking someone to help you promote your project… etc. Asking for help means swallowing our pride and admitting that we can’t do it all… Read more »
Today’s interview is all about writing and the magic of poetry. I’m so thrilled to introduce Marilyn Singer, who I first met at Book Expo America many years ago and whose work I both love and admire. A New Yorker born and raised, Marilyn has published more than a hundred books for children and young… Read more »
Point of view is tricky and a lot of writers struggle to make sense of it. We often think of writing purely as an art but when it comes to point of view (POV), there’s definitely a science to it. When I first started writing I had no idea what POV was all about so… Read more »
Welcome to our very first podcast interview. My goal with these interviews is for you to hear directly from top authors, agents, editors and book industry experts. It is such a pleasure to be interviewing the fabulous author, and a good friend, Karen Dionne, for our first interview. Karen is the internationally published author of Freezing… Read more »
The first five pages of your manuscript are SO important. Not only do they set the tone for your entire story, but when you submit your novel to an agent, the first five pages are the first thing (aside from your query) that the agent is going to see. This means that you have to… Read more »
