Writing about something difficult is, well, difficult—at first. You can’t process something emotionally charged all at once any more than you can write anything from start to finish in one fell swoop. I recommend you JustWrite before you start drafting. Think of this writing as a kind of warm-up that will help you discover what… Read more »
In the last installment of “Ten Lessons in Ten Years” I talked about the importance of building the right things. In this article, I’ll walk you through how to make that happen. The key is to act “as if.” Lesson #2: Act “As If” Creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We write books because we… Read more »
Don’t you love how it feels when it’s time to create the first chapter of a new romance novel? The mandatory, behind the pages grunt work is complete and your fingertips hover, ready to tap-tap-tap across the keyboard. You are stoked and imagine the keys ablaze with flames of creativity. WOO HOO, life is good…. Read more »
What does your protagonist want? Yes, that may be a loaded question. But as a writer, you have good reason to remember it while crafting your protagonist. Your character’s motivations often evolve into her goal for the story, which then determines the direction of the plot. But did you know that the protagonist’s motivations also… Read more »
Living in the midst of a global pandemic, in addition to being a very terrifying and uncertain experience, has also been an incredibly inspiring one. Since being ordered to remain on social lockdown and distanced from one another, both here in the District of Columbia and elsewhere across the country, my partner and I have… Read more »
Being a writer is no easy feat. Writing requires honesty and gumption. It requires you to be resilient, immune to criticism, and to spend hours locked away in seclusion. What makes a writer successful? Is it only about natural talent? Or is it more about discipline and learning resilience? Whenever I need some writing inspiration,… Read more »
DIY MFA has reached a major milestone this year. That’s right — 2020 marks ten years since I started this project! To celebrate this 10th anniversary, I’ll be doing a series on the ten lessons I’ve learned in ten years of DIY MFA. These essays will appear first in our newsletter Writer Fuel, so if… Read more »
I’ve been struggling with writing, have reduced my output to notes jotted in my sketchbook. I haven’t heard a line of poetry in my head (how my poems often emerge) in weeks. My mind is stuffed with facts about COVID-19, and DIY recipes for hand sanitizer and face masks. One way I’ve found to settle… Read more »
In previous articles, I’ve discussed some author branding basics, including key questions to ask when building your brand and different ways you can build your brand, even when you’re super busy. Remember, your brand is more than just a snazzy logo or website. It represents who you are as a writer. It’s your values, your… Read more »
Writing a book is a long process–especially if you’re writing part-time. Even if you’re a fast writer, it can still take weeks or months to finish a book. Considering it takes so long to write a book, wouldn’t it be great to learn new ways to get more done every day? Especially when you’re not… Read more »
