In 2020, I finally penned the novel I’d always dreamed of writing. While furiously typing on my laptop, I had kept the home office door locked because I had been too terrified to share what I’d written with anyone, even my husband. My manuscript was too intimate, too personal. Too raw. The thought of others… Read more »
So, is Twitter dead? Just try Googling it—the headlines aren’t pretty. 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… Read more »
In many ways, freelance work is a dream gig. You get to make your own hours. You get to choose the projects you want. And, best of all, you get to earn your living doing what you love. But that doesn’t mean that it’s all hearts and flowers always. Every silver lining has a cloud,… Read more »
My novel, The Miraculous Flight of Owen Leach, was published by Apprentice House Press in April 2022. I didn’t necessarily think I’d land with a small press, but I’m not sorry I did. I signed with an agent just before I finished my MFA program. She spent the next couple of years trying to sell… Read more »
Happy New Year, dearest word nerds! Now that we are heading into the second month of 2023, I hope you have found a footing in projects spun from your wildest dreams. For some of us here, I know that means starting to write a romance novel or even a series (aka that thing everyone else… Read more »
When you type the iconic words The End in your manuscript, what feelings do they evoke in you? Joy or fulfillment? Or possibly even dread or a sense of emptiness? To me, the moment was priceless. I felt elated, relieved, and filled with enthusiasm. As a first-time author, however, I had no inkling of the… Read more »
I am flash fiction curious. Both because it seems like a wonderful skill to develop and because I am looking to submit to literary magazines in the new year. Also, the challenge of exploring deep truths and connecting to my reader emotionally in just a few brief paragraphs sounds like a lot of fun. To… Read more »
I am always conflicted at the beginning of a new year. There is a frenetic energy to get moving on goals, set plans in motion, and return to work. This is invigorating for some people. But I want to retreat inward, listen quietly, go where my energy is leading me. At this time of year,… Read more »
Self-doubt. Psh. As a self-described Jane-of-all-trades, I can do a lot of things. Operate heavy machinery. Sew clothes and quilts. Name a home improvement project, and chances are I’ve got experience. You know, that whole Yankee ingenuity thing. If it needs to get done, I do it — admittedly with varying results. There’s been some… Read more »
Hello word nerds! I want to thank you so much for reading my column this year. I have enjoyed writing for you all and I hope I have inspired some of you to try a game or two. This will be my final column for DIY MFA, thank you for reading, and I’m pulling for… Read more »
