That was my first video post as a writer. I had been writing blogs, but they felt rushed and didn’t seem to get many readers. So I switched my social engagement strategy and shared a new part of myself with my audience. Now, we’re inviting you to share a little piece of yourself at the DIY MFA Virtual Open Mic!

What Is A Virtual Open Mic?

An Open Mic Night is a chance for artists and creatives to show off their talent. In-person, you would be called up to the stage and given a short time to recite a poem or story or even perform a song or other talent. With a Virtual Open Mic, you can take the spotlight anytime from anywhere—without having to face a live audience.

We’re kicking off the DIY MFA Virtual Open Mic on Friday, April 17th with a video series from our Team Awesome. Start searching for #DIYMFAOpenMic on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter, then enjoy the results! And, since it’s all virtual, you can keep sharing and posting. The mic will be open forever—or, as long as hashtags exist.  

Why Should I Participate?

Of course, an Open Mic wouldn’t be anything without the writers who come up to share. Community is one of the three main pillars at DIY MFA. Being a part of the writing community means sharing your work with others and supporting fellow writers as they share theirs. Posting a DIY MFA Open Mic video is a chance to reach a new audience and perhaps gain some new followers. You can even discover new writers and creatives to follow yourself.

Putting any of your work out there can be intimidating, especially when it’s in video form. But you aren’t alone! When we all come together to post our videos, we’ll end up with an amazing collection of performances to enjoy and share. You may even get reshared or retweeted on our social media!

How Do I Participate?

All you need to do is record a short video of yourself reading a sample of your own work or something in the public domain. Keep it short and sweet (1 minute is awesome! 3 minutes is the max.) Then post the video to your favorite social media channel with the hashtags #DIYMFAOpenMic and #DIYMFA. Great, hashtag-able places to post include Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Keep in mind, we have word nerds of every age who may be searching for the Open Mic videos. We encourage you to keep the content of your video appropriate or give warning at the start that the video contains profanity or a triggering topic.

#DIYMFAOpenMic

Off you go! Make that video, share it with your audience, and search for other writers’ readings and performances. Yes, hitting that “post” button can be daunting, but we word nerds are here to support you. See you at the Open Mic!

Jeanette the Writer is an editor, coach, and freelance writer who wants to help others demolish their editing fears and finish their manuscript. As a former scuba instructor turned entrepreneur, Jeanette knows about putting in the hard work to pursue your passions. She has worked with authors, speakers, coaches, and entrepreneurs—empowering them with the right mindset, knowledge, and tools to help them tackle their editing goals. You can learn more about Jeanette by visiting JeanetteTheWriter.com.

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