What do you do when the genre you write is commonly referred to as trash? Not just by non-readers, but by the key audience demographic as well? The romance genre, dominated by a female readership whose novels most often involve sex, would have to be referred to as trash in a culture still affronted and… Read more »
Growing an online platform is about that long tail growth. Just like writing a novel, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. The way you keep it growing is by consistent, small steps that add up to meaningful growth over time. What are the next steps for your online author platform? No matter where you are… 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 »
Hey there word nerds! Thanks for being here with me today. I’m so excited to share this interview with you. It’s a little bit different from what I usually do. Instead of being the one hosting the interview, in this episode I’m sharing an interview that I gave for my friend Joanna Penn on The… Read more »
The end of the year is a perfect time for reflection. It can be really easy to focus only on what’s to come — what new goals we’re setting, what new accomplishments we’d like to achieve–and not look at what we’ve done. I think this can be particularly true for writers– we can have a… Read more »
Writing can be a bit lonely. We stare at our computer screens all day, interacting with imaginary people who can feel more real than the people around us. This makes writing friends invaluable. Not only do they understand the process, but they can help us out along the way—as critique partners, brainstorming buddies, or just… Read more »
Each social network is unique. They have different demographics, features, channels and overall cultures. Don’t even try to pretend that SnapChat and Twitter users behave the same. However, there are some basic best practices that will serve you well no matter what platform you are on. Follow these guidelines any time you are taking the… Read more »
Chances are, you’re part of the DIY MFA community because you want something more from your writing life. But do you know what that something is? What, exactly, are you looking for? Everyone has a different definition of success. For some, it’s the act of going from being a writer to being a published writer…. Read more »
Especially among first-time authors, turning over your beloved project to an editor may seem like an incredibly daunting proposition. Some authors may be hesitant to trust their editor, or else they might not know what to expect from the process. I’ve heard a lot of misconceptions about editors’ intentions and their purpose—ranging from “they’re just… Read more »
On 12 November 2016, in the middle of National Novel Writing Month, is the first ever Scrivathon—a charity write-athon inspired by events like the London and Boston Marathons which pair physical stamina with charity fundraising. Scrivathon is tailored specifically for writers, so instead of running for 26 miles, we will write for 24 hours. That’s… Read more »
