How to Establish a Literary Mentorship

Five years ago, if someone told me, “You will translate Romanian poetry into English,” I’d have said, “Who? Me?! You’re crazy.” Sadly, I speak only one language – English – fluently.  But life and opportunity will forever have their way.  Let me tell you a story. In high school, I was a serious student with… Read more »

Brenda Joyce Patterson

Deep Dive into Short Forms: Libretti

Throughout my Deep Dive series, I’ve talked about things I know. I’ve examined essays, novellas/novelettes, flash, poetry, and more. All the short form literature I not only read but also wrote or attempted to write. However, this particular form, libretti, is something I’ve never attempted.  At DIY MFA, my fellow writers and I write in… Read more »

Deep Dive into Short Forms: Essays

I’m a word nerd. Of course, that’s no surprise considering I’m writing this column at DIY MFA, the home of word nerdom. I started early, like most word nerds, collecting big words, unusual words. Words such as antidisestablishmentarianism, serendipity, and logophile. I love knowing the right and precise word for a specific thing. Like knowing… Read more »

Deep Dive into Short Forms: Novelettes and Novellas

The novella is the comeback kid of literature. (Just ask The Atlantic Monthly and Forbes magazines.) And it’s brought a sidekick, the novelette, along for its return. Of course, I couldn’t be happier. I love novellas. Which comes as no surprise, I’m sure.  I bet you love novellas too but don’t realize it. Have you… Read more »

A Deep Dive into Short Forms: Playwriting

My next few articles will act as a deep dive into specific short form works. We’ll examine a piece from each short form and look into its inner workings to find the path to success in our own short form pieces. I confess that I don’t regularly read plays. I’m not a theater maven. And… Read more »

Deep Dive into Short Forms: Historical Poetry

My next few articles will act as a deep dive into specific short form works. We’ll examine a piece from each short form and dive deep into its inner workings to find the path to success in our own short form pieces. Last month at the Looking Glass Rock Writers Conference, I rediscovered mystery and… Read more »

Deep Dive into Short Forms: Flash Fiction

My next few articles will act as a deep dive into specific short form works. We’ll examine a piece from each short form and dive deep into its inner workings to find the path to success in our own short form pieces. Flash is one of my not-so-secret literary short forms loves. I love it… Read more »

Deep Dive into Short Forms: Flash Nonfiction

It’s fitting, as a poet, that my first published foray into fiction, Let It Go, was a piece of flash fiction. The story clocked in at a brief 286 words. Brevity is the bedrock of writing flash. I consider flash writing forms as cousins to poetry. Grant Faulkner, the editor of the literary magazine 100… Read more »

Deep Dive into Short Forms: Poetry

My next few articles will act as a deep dive into specific short form works. We’ll examine a piece from each short form and dive deep into its inner workings to find the path to success in our own short form pieces. Poets are alchemists. We transform the chaos of everyday life into sonnets and… Read more »