There’s a common theory (presented here by my time-management guru, Laura Vanderkam) that suggests that book-lovers either fall into the “supply” or “demand” category of readers. A supply-side reader builds reading into her life and has habits and schedules that support reading. For example, a supply-side reader will always keep a book next to her… Read more »
As with any creative endeavor, there is a certain amount of inspiration that needs to happen in your writing: the beautiful melding of your varied experiences turned into something new and wonderful, yet familiar and accessible. The problem comes when you, as a writer, think that work can only be done when you have that… Read more »
Last time on Speculations, we looked at your writing process and possible ways to improve it. This time around, I want to focus on where you ply your craft. It can have more of an impact than you think. A room of one’s own, literal or metaphorical, is critical to every writer’s success. Just like… Read more »
In the last Be Well, Write Well post, I wrote about the perspective of having abundant time. Today, I’m going to show you that time is not only abundant in the macro sense, it can also feel abundant on the micro level—in the weeks, days and hours that make up the building blocks of our… Read more »
My grandmother recently passed away at 99 years old. When she was born, in 1919, the average life expectancy for a white American women (higher than that for males, or people of color) was 56 years old. As a child, the idea of a 99 year-old person, let alone her own ability to live to… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I have the absolute joy of hosting my dear friend, Jodi Kendall, on the show! Jodi and I go way back, to those days when DIY MFA was just the glimmer of an idea tickling the back of my brain. Jodi has nurtured a lifelong passion for animals, and has… Read more »
There’s a lot of advice, including here on DIY MFA, about how to squeeze writing into a busy day. For example, we recently shared an article on eliminating distractions. But what happens when something much larger than an everyday distraction stands in the way of your writing? Like a big life event that throws your… Read more »
In my last article, I talked about my experiment with de-cluttering, and the benefits of minimalism, specifically, for writers. While I’m still not quite done, I have already been able to see a lot of positive results. Thinking about trying out minimalism? Here are three tips for getting started: 1) Write Down Your Motivations The process of… Read more »
Waiting. It’s an inevitable part of the writing process. Writers do a lot of waiting: on readers to provide feedback, on agents to respond to queries, partials or manuscripts, on editors to respond to agents, and then reviewers, booksellers, and readers again. It’s an inescapable reality. And it can drive a writer crazy. Here’s a few tips… Read more »
Hey there Word Nerds! I’m so glad you’re here with me today because have a great interview to share with you. Today Matthew Palmer and I talk about balancing writing and life and creating compelling characters. Matthew is a twenty-five-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and has worked as a diplomat all over the world…. Read more »
