Hope and faith are a large part of writing, but can they sustain the lonely writer? At this point in my journey—I’ve published two novels and am making good progress on two—I’d say, no. I believe that finding a writing tribe, one that is supportive and knowledgeable, is key.

I’d been writing steadily for 18 years before traveling to the Historical Novel Society UK conference last fall. Meeting inclusive and serious historical fiction writers helped me find my writing tribe. As is the experience of many writers, the road to finding my writing tribe had been a lonely one. Alone, I toiled away in ignorance of my craft and the world of writing, publishing, and perhaps most importantly, readers. There was no obvious reason to keep going as the rejections piled up—no obvious reasons except hope and faith.

My early years of writing were littered with too-early submissions and subsequent rejections. But at some point, something made me pick my head up and join groups of writers. I began with Writer’s Digest, an organization thousands strong. WD holds annual meetings in the settled furnace blast that is New York in August. Packing zero talent for networking, I got on the train to New York. Sitting on that train, I still hadn’t a clue, but it was the first step to finding my writing tribe.

The First Step on the Road to Finding My Writing Tribe

While spending days inside the vast refrigerated Hilton Hotel, I failed to connect with anyone. I attended panels, keynote addresses, speed-dating style agent pitch sessions, and talks, many of which were stand-outs.

One led me down the road to finding my writing tribe and my writing life. Given by Gabriela Pereira, founding instigator of DIY MFA, it was kismet. I knew nothing about DIY MFA or Gabriela. But there on the stage was a young woman who spoke directly to this member of her audience. She urged us to call ourselves writers, aloud and loud—to shelve our imposter syndromes—if we wrote, we were writers. Period. How liberating was that? It was life-changing.

I Am A Writer!

I joined DIY MFA and enrolled in the P2P course. Among other things, the course taught me how to navigate marketing for authors and to create my website/blog. My website went live within months of the course ending. After P2P and starting the blog, I contributed short pieces about experiences as a writer to the DIY MFA website.

Heroine of Her Own Life, published by Next Chapter 2019, Book 1 of the series Finding Their Way Home 

At the same time, I continued work on my debut historical fiction (family saga) novel, Heroine of Her Own Life. I also joined the Historical Novelist Society, which includes branches in Ireland, the UK, and North America, and began attending the annual conferences online before joining in person in 2022.

Finding a Writing Tribe

As I moved down the road to finding my writing tribe, I found a publisher, Next Chapter. My novels, inspired by my Northern Irish family, led me to the Irish Writers Centre in Dublin. As Covid overwhelmed the world, organizations adjusted by presenting everything online, from courses to conferences, which opened a new world.

My first course at the IWC was called the Northern Soul Roadshow with Fiona O’Rourke, author, facilitator, and mentor. Each week, we met Northern Irish poets and writers such as Michelle Gallen, Olivia Fitzsimons, Maria McManus, and Sue Divin, and listened to them read and describe their journeys. As a class, we shared our writing, exchanged feedback, quickly gelling into a tribe, one that has held. A tribe—I found my writing tribe!

My Writing Tribe for Life

Every step toward finding my writing tribe has been one of growth for me, as a writer and as a person. The supportive writers and poets in the tribe have become my friends, advisers, editors, and comrades—a tribe for life. I characterize myself as a dedicated lifelong DIY MFA HUB member and active participant, and many are to be found here.

My writing course work through the Irish Writers Centre continues. I belong to an online weekend writer’s group and they have become like family. Writing with a group of people in silence is a wonderful feeling and very productive. I hope to attend as many of the future Historical Novel Society conferences as possible, made easier by continued offering of virtual versions.

Nothing replaces getting on the road and meeting the members of your writing tribe in person—those met, those yet to meet. However, even virtual contact and participation are key to the evolution of a writing tribe, key to the evolution of a writer.

My best advice: get out there and find your writing tribe! If you stumble into one that is not supportive, not in your corner, and the members don’t seem to be dedicated writers, move on, and find one that will nurture you as a writer. Finding your writing tribe will change your writing life, your writing, and your life.

Everything Will Be All Right, published by Next Chapter 2022, Book 2 of the series Finding Their Way Home.

Constance Emmett was born in Brooklyn, New York where her mother’s family landed after leaving Belfast, Northern Ireland. Constance’s debut novel, Heroine of Her Own Life (2019) and sequel, Everything Will Be All Right (2022), books 1 and 2 in the Finding Their Way Home series, were published by Next Chapter. A Massachusetts Hilltown dweller, she is writing book 3 in the series and a novel set in 18th c. New York.
You can find her on her website and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The post Finding My Writing Tribe appeared first on DIY MFA.

For writers, the agonizing decline of our digital public square hits hard. The #PitMad pitch competitions were excellent for getting agent attention. You could have real conversations with publishers and famous authors. It was a place to create genuine #writingcommunity, breaking down the high walls of the literary community.

I won’t bemoan the loss of Twitter further, though Erin Somers writes a fitting eulogy in the Atlantic article, What Will Writers Do Without Twitter? True, Twitter is still up… But it’s lost credibility and functionality, with most users jumping ship. As my social media managing husband says, “Twitter is slowly taking away all the things that made it not a hellscape dumpster fire of trolls.”

Such is the way of the internet. And while Twitter hasn’t gone the way of Myspace quite yet, don’t put all your eggs in that Musk-y basket. Just last week, I was still crossposting to Twitter… until the platform made it impossible to use third-party schedulers. I’d say while Twitter isn’t quite dead yet, it’s over.

What can you do to continue building your platform in the social media post-apocalypse? Read on for ideas:

Instagram 

I recommend Instagram to writers over Facebook or TikTok for multiple reasons:

• Powerful hashtags can boost your reach on Insta, whereas hashtags are much less effective on Facebook.
• A personal Insta account can garner good results. Unlike Facebook, which is limited to 5,000 friends, Instagram does not restrict your follower amount, though you are capped at 7,500 for following others. (For business accounts on either platform, you need to pay to play to get favored by the algorithms. Otherwise, stick with a personal account.)
• Instagram has less malfunctioning software than Facebook and fewer safety concerns than TikTok.

Instagram Pros: 

• A thriving #bookstagram community 
• Tons of very interactive authors
• Many opportunities to join #followtrains

Instagram Cons: 

• It’s much slower to grow your audience on Instagram than it was on Twitter. However, slow but steady can win the race! 
• Instagram is notorious for spoofed and hacked accounts. Set up two-step verification to keep your account safe—a good idea across all social media platforms!

I plan to do a full column on growing your writing platform on Instagram. Until then, here are more options:

YouTube

YouTube is the second-most popular social media platform behind Facebook, and according to some reports, it is starting to outpace Facebook with younger audiences.

Why not create a YouTube channel? You could host a video blog or podcast, post clips from events like readings and conferences, or even record helpful how-to videos for writers. You can make your content do double duty by embedding videos in your blog (more on that below!).

Facebook 

If your audience skews older, or if you host events, it might make sense to make a personal Facebook account for your author platform. A business page is probably only worth the investment if you have the money to run paid ads. Remember, you can always switch to a business page later once you get your momentum going.

TikTok?

As for TikTok, I’m torn. The U.S. government is investigating the company over security threat possibilities. On the other hand, publishing expert Jane Friedman recently posted on Instagram that romance is the leading growing genre of 2022, thanks largely to TikTok. 

My advice: If your audience skews younger or has a big presence on TikTok, do more research on this platform to see if it is right for you.

Start a Blog or a Newsletter

Ideally, your social media channels should feed into your central marketing platform, which for writers is usually a blog, often with a website attached to it. What better way to contribute to the writing community, build your portfolio, and showcase your wordsmithing than blogging? Here are some great options:

WordPress

I prefer WordPress, where you can start a free blog at wordpress.com. What’s lovely about the WordPress community is that your posts automatically get shared with a wide audience. 

With minimum effort, blogging about two to four times a year for the past ten years, I’ve gained 6,400+ followers and counting. Most importantly, you own your content and have a lot of control. WordPress does offer paid ad-ons, but I’ve used the 100% free version for years and loved it. For more, check out HubSpot’s article, “How to Use WordPress: Ultimate Guide to Building a WordPress Website.” 

Medium

Joining and publishing articles on Medium is free, easy to set up, and gives you access to a great reader network. You can even get paid for writing on Medium, though my friends say it takes hard work to really make money. 

The biggest con with this platform is that you don’t own your content; they do. Even if it seems unlikely, they could delete your content without warning. 

My take: Medium could be a good place to crosspost your blog to from another platform to reach an even wider audience. There is even a Medium plugin for WordPress to do just that! For more, check out Hubspot’s article, “How to Use Medium: A Beginner’s Guide to Writing, Publishing & Promoting on the Platform.”

Substack

Imagine if WordPress and MailChimp had a baby, and you would get Substack. It’s an email newsletter platform with a blog-style format easily accessed on the web and their app. Substack is super user-friendly, easy to use and sign up for, and a great option if you’re new to email marketing. 

On Substack, you own your content. It even has a leg up on WordPress because you also have control of your email subscriber list. Additionally, your content reaches the wider Substack community, helping you grow your audience. The platform is free, and you can even create a paid subscriber level for your content (then you’d pay Substack 10%). 

The only problem? Elon Musk tweeted recently that he’s thinking about buying the platform ?.

For more, check out the great Hootsuite guide, What Is Substack and How Does It Work?  

If you’re interested in a newsletter service and want a full comparison of email marketing tools, check out the comprehensive article from Inbox Collective, AWeber, Beehiiv, ConvertKit, Ghost, Mailchimp, or Substack: Which Is The Right ESP For Your Indie Newsletter?

The Bottom Line: Diversity and Own Your Marketing Content

The internet is an ever-changing tool. That’s why it’s important to diversify your writing platform so that you still have other options if one goes down. Pick at least two or three platforms you can build, choosing the ones that resonate with you the most and where you can be consistent. 

Starting slow is better than not starting at all. Even a few blog posts a year will snowball into a solid following years down the line if you diversify your platforms and keep putting out good content at a pace that’s right for you!

Rachel Teferet (lettersandfeathers.wordpress.com) is a marketing copywriter and content manager, novelist, and poet. Their work has been published by Subprimal Poetry Art, Zoetic Press’ NonBinary Review, and more.

You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter (if it isn’t completely dead yet), and Instagram.

The post Is Twitter Dead? Don’t Panic! Social Media Survival Guide for Writers appeared first on DIY MFA.

This includes wearing the marketing and sales hats.

This may seem terrifying, but it’s not as daunting as you may think. While marketing your books and bookish products for your career may be laborious, it doesn’t have to be painstaking. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my journey as a career, independent author, it’s this:

Systems and automations will get you far.

Believe it or not, some of your favorite 6, and 7, figure-earning authors have no team. No staff. Just independent contractors and vendors they use every now and again to get certain projects done. Aside from that, they’re able to get almost everything in their business done themselves.

How?

Through tight, and highly efficient, systems, and automations.

Being an author doesn’t have to overwhelm you. Especially not the publishing and marketing bits. In this article, I’m thrilled to share some of the systems and automations I have in place that help me automate the majority of my business so I can easily market, focus on writing more books, and serve my readers, all while growing my publishing career.

Canva: Content and Product Creation

Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.

I’m not afraid to admit, I swear by Canva. Truly. I use this tool for just about everything in my author business. From creating social media graphics I use on Instagram, to videos I create for book trailers, to branding materials like logos for my business, and even printed materials like character art and stickers.

It’s a great all-in-one media design tool. Canva will help you create the posts for the social platform of your choice, and even help you create what you need for more personal touches when fulfilling orders for your readers. 

Also… did I mention it’s free? I can’t recommend Canva enough. Give it a try and see how it helps do wonders for your author business.

Preview: Social Media Scheduling

Preview is an Instagram Planner that helps you easily plan your posts, Reels, IGTVs, and Instagram Stories. Find the best hashtags, caption ideas, presets, analytics, and more.

Once upon a time, it was said that content is king. Well. I think we could all agree, in today’s online climate, the new king is automation. I personally focus strictly on Instagram to grow my author business socially, so Preview is my go-to tool to schedule all of the content I create.

It’s great because you get a high-level view of your feed so you can see what your Instagram page will look like when your posts go Live. Preview also allows you to do this magical thing called, “auto-post”. This makes content 100% easier. You add the content in, you schedule it to post, and you don’t have to worry about it anymore.

Whether you schedule content for next week, next month, or even next year, once it’s there, you can forget about it, and use up that mental space on greater priorities in your business.

Lintr.ee: Social Media Conversions

Linktree is a tool that allows you to create a personalized and customizable page that houses all the important links that you want to share with your audience.

Never let the internet fool you into thinking that clicks are more important than conversions. What I mean by this is, if you have 10,000 followers, but only get 10 people who buy your books, then your business is only as powerful as the 10 buyers.

This is why conversions are incredibly important, and the easiest way to increase them is to remove distractions. Linktree helps do just that. It provides a link readers can click on and see all the different ways they can connect with you. 

My favorite way to use Linktree is when promoting my current upcoming release, pushing readers to my newsletter, and making it easy to get to my website. Some authors share many links to their books, promotions, and more. As for me, I typically have no more than five links. Again, because conversions matter. The less there is to click, the easier it becomes for a reader to reach checkout.

Omnisend: Email and Text Marketing

Omnisend is an omnichannel marketing automation platform for growth-focused eCommerce businesses. Omnisend allows you to add several channels to the same automation workflow for seamless communication via email, SMS, web push notifications, and more.

If you don’t have an email list, you’re playing a highly dangerous game in business. At the end of the day, followers we have on any kind of platform, whether it be a social one like Instagram, or a search engine one like Pinterest, are not followers we own. If we lose access to those platforms, we thereby also lose access to those audiences we’ve built up.

This is why it’s incredibly important to build an email list. And these days, you also need a text list, too. We are increasingly on our phones for business, and everyday life. Reaching your readers where they are is directly tied to the backbone of your business. Omnisend makes growing both your email, and your text list, easy.

You get access to important data, have the ability to see what’s actually working, what’s converting, and what’s bottlenecking your business. It is one of the best tools I could recommend for you to invest in immediately for your author career.

Notion: Planning and Scheduling

Notion is a project management and note-taking software platform designed to help members of companies or organizations coordinate deadlines, objectives, and assignments for greater efficiency and productivity.

You’ve heard it said, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. There are many tools online for you to use when it comes to fleshing out your publishing schedule, writing out your marketing campaigns for email and social media, and also writing out tasks so you meet your goals and deadlines.

Recently, the tool that has made planning and scheduling easy for me is Notion. From tables, to checklists, to options for importing images, videos, spreadsheets, and more, it has taken my author business to the next level. 

Sometimes all your career needs is one right decision that will take you in the direction success lies. Notion is a project management tool, and for authors, it’s invaluable. I highly recommend giving it a go to propel your authorial career.

Now that we’ve discussed some phenomenal tools to assist you in your self-publishing career, tell me: Which of these do you plan to use?

Stephanie BwaBwa is the Jesus-centered, YA Fantasy Author and Entrepreneur, creator of fantasy world Elledelle, and Co-Host of the Indie Author Lifestyle Show, who’s enjoying building a legacy through the lens of story. You can usually catch her going for a walk through a park, or simply binging Disney+ with too many snacks. Get in contact with Stephanie directly at stephaniebwabwa.com or follow her on Instagram or Goodreads.

The post Marketing Systems and Automations to Grow Your Self-Publishing Career appeared first on DIY MFA.

But don’t let your fears get the best of you. Promoting your work is an important part of building a readership and being a good professional publishing partner—and it’s also exactly what you’ve been working toward! This is your big moment! Don’t let fear hold you back from embracing it.

Easier said than done, believe me, I know it first hand! But with each new book I’ve released into the world, I’ve also learned a few reliable tactics to reduce and overcome the fear.

Remind yourself of the why behind your story.

As a writer, you possess a basic creative drive that keeps you coming back to the page, but why this story? Why these characters? Why now?

You may not have had clear answers to these questions when you started drafting this story, but odds are you have answers to these questions if you reflect on it. Odds are there are some common threads between your story’s themes and what you’re wrestling with in the world around you, or personal questions you’re exploring, or the values you find most important. It’s just the nature of storytelling!

Whatever it is, identifying these threads in your story and putting words to them can help remind you why your story matters, and give you the conviction to get that message out to the world. To me, it always helps to remember that there are core elements of my story that are bigger than myself, and that others are bound to be passionate about, too.

Get a confidence boost from your critique partners.

You didn’t get all the way to publication without a few trusty writing allies rooting you on and helping you make this story its best. When you feel those nerves coming on, any critique partner worth their salt is there to cheer you on.

After all, all that time they invested in helping you refine and polish that story was a reflection of how much they believe in you and your work! No one is better equipped to remind you of your story’s strengths and why it matters.

Invest in your publishing community.

Being a good literary citizen is one of the best habits you can build as a member of the publishing industry. You likely already do your fair share of cheering on other authors and helping them spread the word about their work, but there’s no better time to double down on this than when you’re counting down to your own book launch.

Sure, this practice strengthens your relationships with those most likely to cheer you on when it’s time. But even more, for me, it reinforces the muscle memory of how supportive the writing community is—and that quells my nerves more than anything else.  

Build an action plan and refine your core messages.  

Well before any launch, it’s worthwhile to build out an action plan for your promotion. Having a timeline and core messages in place before the nerves start to warp my judgment helps me to take those first steps of promotion in good faith, trusting my earlier-self to have set a sound path forward, no matter what doubts I might feel when it’s time to take action.

Put it in writing, work ahead as much as you can, and then just follow the steps you laid out for yourself. Trust me, it’s much easier than trying to make these big decisions amid the frenzy of launch day!

Finally… You Have to Just Face the Fear Head On!

Even several books in, I still don’t have a solution that can eliminate those Book Promotion Scaries altogether, and I’ve yet to find an author who does. At some point, you simply have to trust your book will find its readers and take the leap. Luckily, I’ve also found every single time that my writing and reading community are there to catch me—and celebrate with me! In my experience, nothing makes the Book Promo Scaries easier to face than practicing making the leap and allowing them to carry you forward.

By day, E. J. Wenstrom is a digital strategy pro with over 10 years at communications firms. By early-early morning, she’s an award-winning sci-fi and fantasy author of the Chronicles of the Third Realm War novels, starting with Mud. She believes in complicated characters, terrifying monsters, and purple hair dye.

The post Overcoming the Book Promotion Scaries appeared first on DIY MFA.

Come in with clear intentions

Whether you’re joining a community workshop or forming a smaller, more focused group, be clear about what you and your peers are getting out of the arrangement. A meeting can be a deadline, an idea generator, or a place to polish your work. Sharing your level of commitment will help you understand if it fits with the group’s — I’ve seen a well-meaning community workshop hijacked by a zany drop-in who insisted we didn’t appreciate his exquisite haiku. A classic case of rampant ego seeking only validation, the solution might be to…

Set and respect boundaries

On a functional level, having a healthy writing group means establishing a general structure and organization. At my novel group’s first session, we decided on bi-weekly meetings, approximately 3,000 words submissions, and comments via Google Docs. Everyone sends their work with enough time to read, critique, and prepare notes on the group’s feedback. Respecting boundaries makes them real and reinforcing the system reduces interpersonal friction. This means when we meet, our full focus is on our writing rather than guzzling wine to assuage petty frustrations. Which isn’t to say, there’s never wine…

Give freely

Having a healthy writing group means giving freely. The more I read my group’s work, the more my pseudo-parental pride bursts from me — I’ll be biking home from the library and I’ll have an idea about someone else’s book. I’ll be more excited to read their chapters than edit my own. So I tell them. By giving freely, the group becomes more than a bi-weekly three-hour video conference with additional reading and editing work. It’s a nurturing ecosystem of support, ideas, and writerly energy. That said, if someone casually quadruples their word count, I’m comfortable re-establishing the discussed boundaries. Rules two and three go hand in hand.

Create space for diversity and differing opinions

The essence of writing is translating your thoughts to the reader, and having diverse editors — be it in race, age, gender, sexuality, nationality, and even writing experience — helps enormously with this clarity. Diversity also means creating a space for differing perspectives to be heard. If someone is shaking their head or pursing their lips, I’ll dare myself to say, “You look like you disagree.” Other times silence can be an indicator: “Do you have any thoughts on this?”

As satisfied as my college classmate must’ve felt when his best friend parried my criticism, workshopping isn’t about always having someone in your corner. Constant affirmation may boost your ego at the expense of your manuscript. And if you’re not in a place to integrate feedback, maybe it’s better to share your work with a kind friend or furry companion.

Embrace the process over the outcome

This is also known as “growth mindset,” a wonderful concept in life and writing. While I have dreams of a book deal which lands my novel on both sides of the Atlantic, this fantastical outcome is not the main reason I’m in a writing group. I show up because I want my book to be the best it can be, and as my cohort patiently corrects my bad habits, my writing is improving.

What’s more, it’s a virtuous cycle — as I become a better reader and editor, I also become a better writer. And the process is so enjoyable, I find myself diving into revisions eager to implement the ideas that came from our previous meeting. After slogging through years of drafts of my first novel, I’m so much happier and more efficient, I can’t even self-identify as a tortured artist.

A few days ago, another woman in my group and I submitted our novels’ final chapters. Paris’ bars and restaurants are closed and we have a 6 P.M curfew, so after our weekly library writing date, we took a bottle of wine to the quays. It was a cheeky 4:30 P.M happy hour and worth every minute. As we toasted to our hard-earned progress, I couldn’t have been further from the intimidated freshwoman with an inadequate vocabulary — that workshop skirmish was merely a misstep on the path to healthy literary relationships.

In case you’re feeling inspired to start a new relationship, I host a monthly writer’s workshop through Paris Lit Up. We’re free and currently virtual, and you’re welcome to join and put this list to Practice.

Gracie Bialecki is a writer and literary coach who lives in Paris, France. Her work has appeared in The Atticus Review, Monkeybicycle, and Epiphany Magazine where she was a monthly columnist. Bialecki is the co-founder of the storytelling series Thirst, a poetry editor at Paris Lit Up, and the author of the novel Purple Gold (ANTIBOOKCLUB).

The post #5onFri: Five Ways to Have a Healthy Relationship With Your Writing Group appeared first on DIY MFA.

Motherhood, while something I’d desperately wanted for years, seemed to be sucking away everything I thought myself to be. Was this all I was—a feeder of children, a changer of diapers, a cleaner-upper?

One Saturday afternoon, my husband handed me our iPad and a portable keyboard and sent me to the tiny library in the country town where we lived. In the hush of that space, surrounded by worlds on paper, and deliciously alone, I began writing a fantasy novel. I worked on it every weekend, getting space from my children, using my brain, having adult conversations with the characters in my head. In those quiet hours, I found precious pieces of myself. No, writing didn’t solve any of my problems, but it helped me feel like a person again and reminded me that I was more than my ability to care for a tiny human.

I embraced my desire to rebuild my story

I desperately wanted to write engaging, resonant stories. I wanted my books to be too good to put down and to connect with readers on an emotional level. But three years and two novels later, I still had no idea what I was doing.

After getting beta reader feedback on my second novel (the first being abandoned in a dark hole on my laptop), I realized the story was episodic with no narrative drive, and that my characters had no agency or arcs of change. Even worse, I didn’t know what most of those words meant or have any idea how to fix them.

I didn’t want to spend another year of my children’s precious naptime working on the book if I wasn’t going to make it any better. I felt lost, hopeless, and ready to quit. While I enjoyed writing and benefited from it in so many ways, I didn’t want to write stories only for myself; I wanted to write stories for other people too.

I found my story with help from experienced writers

So in a fit of writerly despair, I scoured the internet for someone who could guide me through fixing my book. After weeks of research, I contacted Ashly Hilst, an Author Accelerator certified book coach, and begged her to please, please, help me tell a story that works. (I don’t recommend this, by the way. I could have saved myself a lot of time by using Author Accelerator’s free matching service.) And help me, she did.

Over eight weeks, we reworked my novel’s outline, and let me tell you, the story lightbulbs came on.

Flash—narrative drive.

Flash—character arc.

Flash—a surprising, yet inevitable ending.

When I made that final piece of narrative scaffolding fit (the one I’d been struggling with for weeks), I felt the rightness of it in my body. My story worked. My story worked!

At that moment, I knew—I would never again write a book without a coach. Having Ashly walk with me week after week, helping me dig deep into my characters, pointing out holes in logic and story, filling in the gaps of my knowledge—it was worth more than all the books, podcasts, and editorial assessments I’d consumed in three years. For me, the writing journey is so much better when taken with a person who knows Story, knows my story, and knows me.

Author Accelerator changed everything

So of course, after experiencing the life-changing magic of book coaching, I needed to be part of it.

I took a break from rewriting my oh-so-resonant novel, signed up for Author Accelerator’s book coach training, and devoured the course material. And guess what? More story lightbulbs.

Flash—the importance of a book’s point.

Flash—what “show, don’t tell” really means.

Flash—systems and processes to support the writing journey.

I learned how to help other writers shape their books, but I also learned how to better shape my own. A few months later, when I came back to my novel and submitted a chapter to my writing group, they said my writing had leveled up. Through Author Accelerator’s training course, my writing had reached a level of emotional depth it never had before.

It wasn’t just the course material that made Author Accelerator’s training so good, it was also the community. I became friends with other writers-turned-coaches from all across the world. From them, I learned about genre, and pitching, and contracts, and valuing my own abilities. This group of supportive, generous, intelligent people were rooting for me to succeed just as much as I was rooting for them.

I built up my confidence as a writer and coach

But the most valuable thing that’s come from my experience with Author Accelerator, both as a writer and a coach, is the confidence I’ve found in myself. I believe now in my storytelling. I believe in my ability to help others find and hone their stories. I’ve learned that my goals are worth pursuing, even if I must try, and struggle, and fail, and try again in order to achieve them. I know now that I am not only the Folder of Clothes and Wiper of Noses; I have something to offer, to myself and the world.

Author Accelerator didn’t hand me the answers I was looking for. It wasn’t Week Seven of working with my coach or the lesson “How to Nurture a Writer Through the Creative Process” that made me see my own value. But through Author Accelerator’s invested coaches, excellent courses, and welcoming community, I found the space to learn, grow, and trust myself in my post-baby world.

It’s been four years since that blurry, sleep-deprived autumn of my second daughter’s birth. 2020 has brought a new set of challenges, sleepless nights, and world-altering shifts, but it’s also brought a new sense of purpose and confidence. Today, I’m an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach with a full coaching schedule, I’m connected to a community of supportive peers, and in a few weeks, I’ll send that revamped novel to a book coach for the next step in its writing evolution. And for those things, the me of four years ago is forever grateful.

Dani Abernathy is an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach. You can learn more about her at daniabernathy.com. For details on the Author Accelerator Book Coach Certification program, visit bookcoaches.com/diymfa, and join us for a webinar with Gabriela and Author Accelerator founder Jennie Nash on Monday, Nov. 9. For details and to register, go to bookcoaches.com/diymfa.

The post How I Lost My Story and Found It Again appeared first on DIY MFA.

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 college aspirations.  My class schedule was chockablock with college prep classes. I visited the guidance counselor regularly to ask what else I should be doing. Regular visits, each school year for three years. Every visit I was told that what I was doing was sufficient. That there was nothing else – no other classes, clubs, activities – I could do to improve my academic chances to get into college.

Two years later at my library job, I checked out books for a woman whose high school freshman daughter was studying to take her first AP exam. And with that interaction, I discovered a world of books for AP classes and CLEP exams. 

I also learned an open secret. Opportunities come not only through actively seeking them out but just as often from being open – watching and listening – to life and the people around you. 

Decades later and after a series of life-altering experiences, I got serious about writing. I joined AWP (Association of Writing and Writing Programs) and attended my first writing conference, AWP2018. I met novelist Diane Zinna, then the AWP Director of Membership Services, the second day of the conference at the AWP membership booth. She encouraged me to apply for their Writer to Writer Mentorship Program, which is free to AWP members.

I was accepted into the three-month mentorship in poetry on my first try. With that bit of providence, I learned another part of being open – action. 

A Hand Up

Mentorships are built – formally and informally – into academic study. Outside of academia finding a mentor can be difficult but not impossible. However, formal education is not always a viable option for everyone. You’re here at DIY MFA, so you know there are other ways to get education as well as mentorships. You can also get access to nonacademic mentorships through writing associations and other programs such as Pitch Wars and Author Mentor Match.   

But why is having a writing mentor a big deal? 

Having one fosters a more personalized and intimate study of your own work and your chosen genre of writing. A mentorship can deepen the range and skills needed to produce your best work. 

My Writer to Writer mentorship with poet Callista Buchen was affirming and enlightening. She answered craft and writing business questions. She critiqued my poems. We discussed other poets’ work. She also encouraged me to focus on three areas to expand my writing and my writing career: compile a poetry manuscript, apply for writers’ residencies, and collaborate with other poets.  

Working with Callista, I could see where the knowledge gleaned from my self-directed study fit into a writing career, into my writing career. 

At the same time, Diane Zinna, the mentorship’s creator, forged a community among all of my cohort’s mentees. The diversity of writers – age, ethnicity, writing experience/genre – encouraged us to share our work and try new things. It laid groundwork for me to try a budding Romanian-English translation project with fellow W2W cohort, poet Romana Iorga. 

Impossible Means I’m Possible

“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

― Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

No matter where we are in this writing life, we’re all prone to fear and anxiety. (Lord knows, I am.) 

Fear makes it easy to retreat and label things as impossible or not for us. Reaching out can push us past the supposed impossibility of our dreams. When you stretch yourself and step into places, into work you think of as impossible, you’ll find much is within your grasp. You’ll find in the “impossible” your own version of “I’m possible”. 

Below is a small sampling of writing mentorships available. They are projected to operate during (and beyond) these viral times.

Emerging Translator Mentorship Program

Founded by former American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) board member Allison M. Charette, the Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was “designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator.” The mentorship lasts for approximately nine months. 

Romance Includes You

This Harlequin-sponsored mentorship “offers aspiring romance writers from underrepresented communities the chance to work one-on-one with a Harlequin editor for a year on writing a romance novel and includes an offer to publish their book and $5,000 (US) to support their novel writing.”

SFWA Mentoring Initiative

Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America connects “emerging writers to each other and to established pros” to build community, share knowledge, and network. For SFWA members only, it is focused on professional development rather than artistic development.  

We Need Diverse Books Mentorships

WNDB offers an annual opportunity for eight aspiring authors to be matched with an experienced children’s book creator and receive individual support and feedback on a completed draft of a work-in-progress or your portfolio. The mentorship lasts one year. 

Resource websites

Mentorships and opportunities for mentorships often hide in plain sight. Many websites that regularly compile writing opportunities often include mentorships opportunities as well. The following websites either compile opportunities or feature articles about mentorship how-tos.

Galleyway   

Founded by New York-based writer Camille Wanliss as a resource to champion “diverse voices in literature, poetry, television, film and theater by spotlighting opportunities for writers of color.”  Mentorships, fellowships, and publication opportunities are added monthly.

The Practicing Writer 2.0

Reader, writer, and literary advocate Erika Dreifus edits/publishes the free (and popular) e-newsletter that features opportunities and resources for fictionists, poets, and writers of creative nonfiction.

Trish Hopkinson: A Selfish Poet 

Hopkinson offers poetry/writing resources including mentorships at her website. She also provides a list of other websites with poetry/writing and submitting resources. She is also a Writer to Writer mentee from Fall 2019.

Writer’s Knowledge Base

Curated by cozy mystery author Elizabeth Spann Craig, Writer’s Knowledge Base is a search engine of over 40,000 articles on all aspects of writing.

Apply for mentorships whether you believe you’re ready or not. And write in the meantime; write regularly. Habit is the best tool against fear and self-limitation. If an established mentorship isn’t for you, set up your own mentorship. 

Your love for writing will have led you to or along the fringes of other writers and/or writing groups. Is there a writer (or possibly writers) in the group whose work you admire? 

After you’ve thought out what you’d like to learn from them, ask if they would be willing to share craft techniques and writing wisdom with you. If they agree, you can discuss how much or little time they’re willing to work with you.  

A mentorship requires work from you. Ask questions AND listen…a lot. Take advantage of the mentor’s experience by asking these two questions: What questions should I be asking to get the best from this experience? What questions would you ask if you were me?

No worries if you don’t remember to ask these questions. You might be too overwhelmed with processing the incoming information to ask anything other than procedural questions. However, there’s no time limit on asking. Leave space for you to reconnect with your mentor(s) and to ask more questions. Whatever information you gather later will always be of help to you and give you wisdom/knowledge to share with other writers.   

Whether you find a mentor or decide to be your own mentor, now is as good a time as any. Don’t be afraid to take a path you never thought of traveling. I promise it can and will make all the difference in your writing life.

Who knows what paths will open for you?

Brenda Joyce Patterson is a poet, writer, librarian, and lover of short writing forms. Her poetry and flash fiction have been published in Vayavya, Gravel Magazine, and Melancholy Hyperbole. Along with works by Maya Angelou, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Alice Walker, her travel essay “The Kindness of Strangers” appeared in Go Girl: The Black Woman’s Guide to Travel and Adventure.

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These words–from my own agent (Jeff Kleinman at Folio Literary Management)–are probably the best advice I’ve ever received as a writer. After all, the #1 way to improve your odds of getting published is to write a great book so writing beautifully is the obvious first step. But what does this advice mean, exactly? How do you know when you’ve written something truly great?

After all, if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably read countless books on writing, written hundreds of prompts, and practically have the three-act structure branded onto your brain. If you’ve taken those necessary steps to master nuts-and-bolts craft stuff, what do you do if you’re hearing crickets every time you send your work out to agents or editors?

The truth is that working on your own will only take you so far as a writer. There’s more to getting published than just writing a good book: you need a writing community.

Writing is not a solo sport.

There’s a reason most MFA programs and most writing classes revolve around a workshop structure. Sharing your writing, getting feedback on your work, these things are crucial for writing success. Community not only keeps you sane and offers you support, it will also make you a better writer. And in the end, becoming a better writer will help you write a better book… which improves your odds of getting published. (There’s that “write a great book” tip again.)

These days, there are a zillion and a half writing communities both online and off, so how do you find the one that’s right for you? If you’re into the DIY MFA approach, then you don’t have to go very far to find a vibrant, engaged community.

Introducing DIY MFA 101

DIY MFA 101 is our flagship course, designed not only to help you write a better book and navigate the publishing process, but to help you connect with a community of like-minded writers. This course is based on the three main tenets of DIY MFA–writing, reading and community–and it covers the seven basic elements of a writing education so you cover the essentials of an MFA curriculum in just 10 weeks!

When I first came up with the idea for DIY MFA, this was the course I envisioned. Over the past year, I’ve poured my heart and soul into building and testing every detail. I couldn’t be more thrilled with how it has turned out and I’m so excited to share it with you all today. More importantly, I am humbled and honored to be working with a phenomenal group of writers who have already joined the course.

These amazing, dedicated writers have blown me away with the sharp questions they’ve asked and keen insights they’ve shared. It’s such a diverse community, representing everything from novels to short fiction, poetry to memoir, and so much more. I am so thrilled to work with these writer and to have witnessed their leaps-and-bounds progress so far. I can’t wait to see them become the best writers they can be.

As an added bonus, when you take DIY MFA 101, you not only participate in the course this semester, but you have continued access to the materials and community long after the class is over. Unlike many writing courses where you get to the end of the semester and everyone parts ways, my goal with 101 is to continue building this community of intrepid writers so everyone can grow as a group and learn from each other in the process.

Here’s what writers are saying about DIY MFA 101:

“On the other side of the helpful techniques and general knowledge that would have taken me years of trial and error to learn on my own, the DIY MFA 101 course came with a collection of other writers to help form that ever elusive writer community. The other students of the course helped me to realize that even though writing feels like a solitary pursuit, there are other writers out there going through the same struggles and we all love to support each other.”

–Laura Highcove

“Since taking the class, I’m writing more and feeling more like a writer. I’ve joined another critique group and I’m finding more about what’s out there in the writing world. Also, the class materials are really well done and very motivational — especially for someone like me for whom writing can feel solitary! When each workshop came out, they always seemed to address a question I was having or a place I was stuck. It was almost eerie how apt they were.”

–Joel Knopf

“At first I was hesitant because of the time commitment–I wasn’t sure if I could keep up. I also did not have the flexibility to go to a classroom so I liked that it was all online. Before taking the class, I thought writing was magic. Now I pay attention to how things are written and I know that writing is craft and practice. My writing has improved immensely, I have made great friends via my critique group which started with this class, and I have gained some great job skills as well. I would definitely recommend this class. It is flexible, affordable, and gives you the opportunity to meet like minded writers.”

–Anel Albertao

Registration for DIY MFA 101 is officially open. If you’re looking to join an exciting writing community that will both support you and challenge you to do your best work, look no further.

Check out  DIY MFA 101. Class starts on September 15, so don’t wait!

The post What You Need for Writing Success… Besides Crafting a Great Book appeared first on DIY MFA.

Self-publishing is no longer a synonym for vanity publishing. Authors have more options than ever before to get their books in the hands of their ideal readers. And even if a writer gets a book deal with a big publisher, they still have to don that entrepreneurial cap and help sell and market their books. One thing is clear: you can’t be just a writer anymore. There’s a certain business savvy that’s now expected of writers and we have to accept that, whether we like it or not.

But I feel like the pendulum has swung too far. In a world where writers used to work in quiet solitude, they now have marketing responsibilities and social media foisted on them (along with all the noise that comes with it). It used to be that writers’ primary responsibility was honing their craft and writing the best book possible. Now writing the best book possible is a given and writers have a mountain of other jobs as well.

I’m beginning to worry that in the course of this shift, some amazing writing voices are going to get lost in the shuffle.

Entrepreneurial Authors

Fans of self-publishing love this idea of author entrepreneurs putting their books out into and owning their publishing careers. But let’s not forget that we’re no longer working in a one-style-fits-all publishing world. Just as self-published authors didn’t like what they saw in traditional publishing and carved out a model that worked for them, we must also understand that entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone.

Not all authors want to be entrepreneurs but we all have to be entrepreneurial.

There’s a difference.

I recently had a conversation with a writer who expressed apprehensions about this growth in self-publishing. She said that self-publishing could be great for some writers, but that she herself wouldn’t do well in that situation. She confessed that she didn’t want to be her own boss.

This came as a shock to me because–as an entrepreneur practically since birth–it never occurred to me that some people might actually like working in a traditional job with a regular boss and normal schedule. Similarly, for many writers having the structure of working with a traditional publisher is worth all the difficulties (dozens of query rejections, loss of control over many details, etc.) Not all authors are cut out to be their own publishers–or in other words, be author entrepreneurs. This is why traditional publishers will never disappear altogether.

But whether you publish via the traditional model or you choose to break out on your own, every writer needs to be the CEO of his or her career. You need to be entrepreneurial no matter which publishing path you choose. Being entrepreneurial means being constantly on the lookout for:

• Potential partnerships both inside and out of your field,
• Opportunities to get your work in front of new audiences (i.e. marketing and PR opportunities),
• New possible business models (i.e. ways to get your stories into the world),
• Information about new technology and learning how to make it work for you.

It might look like I’m letting writers off the hook, giving them opportunity to complain about the injustices of the changes to the publishing industry. That’s not what I’m doing. I might be saying that not all writers need to be entrepreneurs, but if we must all be entrepreneurial then it means there is no longer room in this industry for writers who are lazy. There’s no room for excuses and no room for complaining. We just have to do the work.

There are two ways we can look at how things are evolving in the world of publishing. On one hand, we can throw our hands in the air and wail “the end is nigh!” until we’re hoarse, but how much good is that really going to do? The other option is to accept that change isn’t just around the corner–it’s already happened–accept it, and start looking for new opportunities. In this new publishing model there’s no more opportunity to get comfortable with the status quo because things are going to continue to change constantly. The industry is going through some growing pains and we’ve got to grow with it.

The post Why You Don’t Need to Be an Author Entrepreneur appeared first on DIY MFA.

But how do you go about finding that magical group of writers to call your own? How do you find a writing community?

Build Your Writing Community

We hinted at this topic in the last article and today we tackle it head-on. There is no one place to look for fellow writers. In fact, I’ve befriended writers through classes I’ve taken, conferences I’ve attended and even volunteer work I’ve done. The good news is that the more writers you meet, the easier it becomes to expand your community. Each writer you meet opens the door to more potential connections. The bad news is that making those first crucial connections can be tough, especially if you’re a little on the shy side, like me.

There are three ways that I’ve found helpful in building my own writing community: in-person events, classroom settings, and online. This article will give you a quick rundown on finding in-person events and using them to boost your own writing community.

In-Person Events

Includes: Conferences, author readings, writing retreats, trade shows, library events, poetry slams, or any other event where writers will hang out together and socialize.

Where to Look: Look local first. Is your local library hosting any readings? Does the neighborhood coffee shop host a poetry slam or open mic night? Look at the local college and see if the English or Creative Writing departments host events or readings. Also, check national writing organizations and see if there’s a local chapter in your area. The Book Crossroads website has a comprehensive list of the major writing organizations.

Why look local first? If you’re a little shy, smaller events may seem less intimidating, especially if this is your first time stepping out and connecting with other writers. Another major factor, of course, is expense. Going to national or international conferences can be expensive. Forget airfare and hotel stays, just the cost of the conferences themselves can be pretty high. That’s not to say that you should never go to big events, but don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself right out of the gate. Save the big conference for when you have a game plan and are ready to make the most of every minute.

3 Tips for In-Person Events

1) Carry Business Cards.

Every time someone asks for your business card and you don’t have one on you, it’s a missed opportunity. You miss out on the chance to keep this connection going. I keep a handful of cards on my person at all times, even if I’m not doing anything remotely writing-related. I’ll give you a rundown on affordable business card printing options and business card etiquette in a later article but for the time being, if you have cards (and you should!) get in the habit of carrying with them with you at all times.

2) Be a Positive Resource.

Focus on being a positive resource. Whenever I’m connecting with writers for the first time, I’m always thinking “how can I help them?” and not “how can they help me?” If a writer mentions a roadblock they’ve hit in their writing and I know some tool, technique or resource that can help them, I share it. Even if that resource has nothing to do with DIY MFA or it’s a link to one of my “competitors,” I share it. If I believe resource will help another writer, I share it. I started doing this long before DIY MFA was in the picture, and this approach is one of the core tenets of what DIY MFA is today.

What I’ve discovered is that when you set your own needs and goals aside and act as a positive resource to others, the good karma comes back to you tenfold. Not only is it the “nice thing to do” but when you approach networking from a perspective of generosity, people are more likely to open up to you. And when people open up to you, it becomes easier to make solid connections as well as good friends.

WARNING: When sharing information, it’s really tempting to step into a “know it all” role. When you play “know it all” you’re providing information but you’re doing it for your own benefit: to pump up your own ego and make yourself look good. Being a positive resource means giving information because you sincerely want to help the other person. It comes from a place of giving, not taking.

3) “What happens in Vegas…”

When you go to in-person events, force yourself to step outside your comfort zone. Let yourself be a little out of character. If you’re not usually the type to make random smalltalk or strike up conversation with strangers, push yourself to do it.

Think of the event as being like Vegas. You can always go back to your normal life after the event is over, but let yourself be open to trying new things and meeting new people while you’re there.

Whenever I attend an event, I have to force myself to work up the nerve to be social (did I mention I’m really shy?), but if tell myself that it’s just for this one event, then it’s not quite as scary to step outside my comfort zone. No matter what, I know that when the event is over I can go back to my safe haven behind the keyboard and be my shy self again. While I’m at the event, I’m in Vegas mode, trying new things and meeting new people, regardless of how scary that may be for me.

Bonus Tip: Be your honest self.

In-person events have the great advantage of allowing you to engage with writers and industry professionals face-to-face and eye-to-eye. This is a great opportunity to be your honest self and not some fakey-fakey flattering phoney. Don’t get me wrong, even the best of us get hit by the fan-girl stick on occasion. For instance, every time I see a particular industry professional at conferences, I’m so smitten by the sheer awesomeness of this individual that I’m reduced to a pile of blabbering ridiculousness. I’ve actually had to force myself to admire and respect said amazing industry professional from afar because I don’t like the person I become when I try to make conversation and end up looking like some crazy fan-girl. It’s just not my honest self.

My honest self wants to have a conversation. If I could give writers just one piece of advice about in-person events it would be the following. Don’t treat every conversation as a pitch for your book. Trust me, it’s tempting to do that because when you’re in conference pitch-mode it’s hard to think–let alone talk–about anything other than your book. But guess what: there’s a big wide world out there and your book is just one small slice. Think beyond your book and focus on learning about the other person, not just as a book person but as a human being. After all, agents/editors/industry professionals/famous authors are all people too.

Stay tuned for the next installment, where we’ll talk about using writing classes to build a writing community.

•   •   •   •   •

Enjoyed this writing boost?
Check out this DIY MFA online workshop coming up.

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