Web Editor’s Note: Please join me in welcoming Abigail K. Perry to the DIY MFA team! In her column, Let’s Talk Books, she’ll be dissecting passages from great writers, breaking down why what they do works, and how you can apply it to your own writing. Have you ever walked into a park and people watched? How… Read more »
Voracious romance readers love a series. When you read something you like, you want more! It’s human nature. And traditional publishers love signing a series. They want to know that a book they invest enough in to publish will produce more books and more readers. But feeding that hunger is the tricky part for us… Read more »
A few weeks back, in the middle of a massive rewrite of my novel, I sat down to write the next scene and as soon as I started I knew it was horrible. The scene I had typed out on the page was nothing like the scene in my head. So I tried again. Reworked… Read more »
Web Editor’s Note: Please join me in welcoming Brenda Joyce Patterson, poet, writer, librarian,and the newest columnist for DIY MFA! In her column, Writing Small, she’ll be talking about the world of short fiction and poetry! Raise your hand if you read poetry. How about short stories? I so wish I could be a fly on… Read more »
How much time do you have to write? How much of that time do you actually spend writing? If you don’t know the answer to the latter question, you may want to take a closer look at your writing routine, because your productivity has the potential to skyrocket if you make a few simple tweaks to… Read more »
Drawing powerful verbal images is a real skill and is often a key ability that defines ‘natural writers’. Here are five things to think about when you write with respect to using the power of the pen to draw images. 1) Be aware of visual imagery The first step is heightening your awareness of verbal… Read more »
There comes a point in every story when, despite the protagonist’s best efforts, everything goes wrong. The midpoint taught her to take an improved approach to achieving her story goal. But that won’t protect her from experiencing the worst possible setback in her pursuit. Now her goal seems unattainable, her task insurmountable – and the… Read more »
At the end of April I found myself in a place I never would have thought possible. I had not been forced or coerced in any way, I was there of my own free will. This past weekend I was at a retreat for public speaking. Back in January, Gabriela sent out an email telling… Read more »
Saying, “I write romance” to a romance connoisseur isn’t enough. The next questions is: what kind? There are different age categories, subgenres, heat levels, and tropes. Before you can write romance you have to know the ins and outs of the genre to learn where your book will fit in the market. Knowing how to… Read more »
There are many fringe benefits that come with being a writer. Coffee, for instance: no one ever judges a writer for refilling her coffee mug, or for possessing large quantities of pens and notebooks, or going on a book-buying spree for “research” purposes. But there’s one big negative that can affect our health, happiness and… Read more »
