When I first moved to Los Angeles I watched a close friend, an actor, go out on audition after audition, only to be told, over and over, that was great but we’re going in a different direction. He had a fair amount of success—but I was fascinated by the regularity of failure that was part… Read more »
The book writing process has been likened to giving birth, and while that doesn’t translate in the remotest sense physically, there’s no doubt your first draft is the product of profound mental and emotional labor. You love it! It’s perfect! There’s nothing wrong with it! And then an editor comes along and has the audacity… Read more »
Toni Morrison and J.K. Rowling have inspired countless writers to follow in their footsteps, yet their distinctive work is rarely linked to their shared experience of parenting children on their own. As coeditor of We Got This: Solo Mom Stories of Grit, Heart, and Humor, an anthology of essays and poems by solo moms, I’m… Read more »
Really, I never expected accolades. I’d prepared myself for the tough feedback I hoped would help me grow as a writer. I may be an accomplished columnist but I have much to learn about writing fiction. I didn’t anticipate praise but neither did I expect to leave feeling like something scraped off the sidewalk. But,… Read more »
I started my writing career as a news producer at MSNBC but decided to throw away a perfectly good career in journalism for a shot at Hollywood glory. After moving to L.A., I got my foot in the door by working on a bunch of network TV dramas as the Writers’ Assistant. So I picked… Read more »
Rejection. Nobody likes it—most writers experience it. The rejection tallies of famous books are something of a Holy Grail for writers: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was rejected 14 times Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind was rejected 38 times George Orwell’s Animal Farm was rejected because “It is impossible to sell… Read more »
When it comes time to start on a new writing project, one of my favorite things to do is create a playlist (I call them “soundtracks”). It’s fun to imagine the music that would play in your story’s future film or television adaptation. Above all, having a soundtrack on the ready on those days you… Read more »
As I home in on the pub date for my second novel (THE NINE, She Writes Press, August 20), there is excitement whirring in my mind as well as the anxiety that comes with keeping track of a to-do list. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to some underlying trepidation, as well. Having launched… Read more »
Happy Friday, Word Nerds! And happy five year anniversary to our “Five on a Friday” series! Last week, I took you behind the curtain to talk about the submission and publication process for these articles. This week, I want to talk about why guest posting is such an awesome opportunity. Because the truth is, guest… Read more »
This August, we’re celebrating an awesome DIY MFA milestone—five years of our “Five on a Friday” series. The Five on Friday column is one of my favorite things that I get to work on every week. Why? Because while everything we do here at DIY MFA is for Word Nerds, these articles are often by… Read more »
