As we all know, in writing there are so many different elements to juggle: characters, plot, pacing, description, voice, dialogue…and that’s just the start. It’s not uncommon for a few storytelling elements to be shoved to the back of the stage as we write, but today I want to talk about one that really shouldn’t… Read more »
Hey there Word Nerds! I’m so glad you’ve stopped by because today I’ve got a great interview to share with you. In this episode, I talk to thriller author Steve Hamilton about his new book: The Second Life of Nick Mason. This book is a fascinating study on what happens when a fundamentally decent character makes some very bad choices…. Read more »
I knew I was a devotee of Gabriela’s DIY MFA philosophy, but I didn’t know by how much until I read her book. I joined the team and started writing columns for the site a year and a half ago. My writing has gone a wild ride since then. When I started, I was a lowly… Read more »
As writers, there’s a specific moment we all dream about. It’s the moment that motivates us and drives us to write our book in the first place. No, it’s not first holding a copy of our books in our own hands, though that’s a pretty great moment. It’s also not seeing our books on store… Read more »
A few weeks ago while I browsed through the YA aisle in Barnes and Noble, I flipped through the Q&A section in the back of one of Lauren Oliver’s books. One of the things Oliver cited as inspiration for her popular Delirium trilogy was something she’d read that said all stories are either about love… Read more »
Hey there Word Nerds! I’m so excited to share this week’s DIY MFA Radio episode with you. But first, some news. OMG word nerds, our next episode will be number 100 and I have something really exciting planned so make sure to watch your iTunes for that release. That episode will kick-off our weeklong Storytelling… Read more »
(Web Editor’s Note: This is an article first pubbed in June 2014 we thought we’d dig out of the archives and share again!) “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” I remember reading that line, in a classroom in Texas in August, with my collared uniform shirt scratching my neck, thinking, “Compare someone you love to… Read more »
It’s hard to say which plot point is most crucial to a story. Each has a purpose for moving our characters physically and emotionally from Point A to Point B. However, the inciting incident has a unique responsibility. It’s not just the first major event – it’s the launching pad that thrusts a character into… Read more »
In this installment of “Writer Fuel” I show my true colors in all their geeky glory. Warning: things are going to get a bit nerdy up in here. Just saying. As with previous installments, this topic first came up in the DIY MFA newsletter. If you’re already an email subscriber, you can help me choose letters that get featured here by… Read more »
I talked before about the first stages of editing, from pre-round edits, to cover copy, to round one content edits. We attacked details with gusto, but moving into copy edits and final line edits, the details went microscopic. Clarity of prose, sensitivity of subject matter, echo words, punctuation—we looked at every sentence as through a… Read more »
