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 »
Writing from multiple points of view can be a fantastic way to tell a story, but it can also be a difficult one. Managing multiple story arcs, information and reader experience is tricky enough with just one character! But having different perspectives can also make for a richer reading experience. It’s not right for every… Read more »
As we’ve talked about on DIY MFA in the past, setting goals can be a powerful tool to helping achieve our writing dreams. But what sort of goals should we be setting? There’s the obvious ones–like writing every day, finishing a certain project, or sending out queries. But there are many other ways to improve… Read more »
We all have those weeks. You know the ones. Where you have big plans to get sh*t done and somehow you’re staring down Wednesday, Thursday, or even Friday and you’ve not accomplished half your goals. And the stress of how far you’ve fallen behind is added to the stress of the work you have to… Read more »
Writing retreats can be a fantastic way to spend a weekend. Whether you’re starting a new project, finishing one up, or just needing a few days away from the hustle and bustle of life to really focus, they can be a great way to get a lot of good words on the page. And they… Read more »
I stepped into Starbucks this morning and saw a sign for Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Although the weather isn’t exactly Autumn-crisp just yet, it was a stark reminder that Fall–with its themed drinks, sweaters and fantastic foliage–is upon us. For writers, that means NaNoWriMo is just around the corner. Are you participating this year? Here are… Read more »
Happy Friday Word Nerds! Today I want to talk about one of my personal obsessions: planners. In high school and college, one of my favorite yearly purchases was the perfect planner, always bought in August, in time for school. The options were basically what the bookstore had to offer. But now, there are so many options for planners…. Read more »
Happy Friday, Word Nerds! Today I want to talk about guest posts. One of my favorite parts about my job as Web Editor is hosting other writers on DIY MFA. Over the years, we’ve had many guest posts that have been a benefit to our community and the guest poster. In some cases, guest posters… Read more »
I got back from Australia this week, and have been dealing with a combination of jetlag, busy-ness and grief at no longer being among the sunshine and kangaroos. The weirdest part of jet lag? I will be exhausted all day and then wide awake at night. I’ve basically become a vampire. Of course, this is… Read more »
We’ve all been there. You’re sipping eggnog and listening to your aunt bragging about your baby cousin’s latest football victory. You’re wrapping gifts with your sisters. Gathering to watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve. And just when you think you’ve made it through the holidays unscathed, someone turns and asks the five most terrifying… Read more »
