“Where do you get ideas?” Every writer has been asked that question at some point in their career. Sometimes it seems like new story ideas appear as if by magic. Other times it can feel like pulling teeth. So, how do we as writers get new story ideas? Let me give you a window into… Read more »
Today I wanted to talk about a process I go through every winter season to set goals and break them down into manageable pieces. Every year, during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, I take some time out with my journal and iPad in hand, and I map out my coming year. Mapping Out… Read more »
Today, Lori is interviewing Leslie Karst. They’ll be talking about weaving past experiences into your writing and her new book Justice is Served. Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our… Read more »
Last year, we dedicated ourselves to exploring the messy middle of inclusive writing by reflecting on ways to craft complex characters and build dynamic worlds that connect with readers from marginalized identity groups. We decided that we will answer the call for diverse and inclusive writing by being specific, honest, and intentional with our representations… Read more »
It’s the new year, and you may have made a new year’s resolution that this would be the year you’d finish that novel or memoir. Book-length projects can start with great intentions, but something dwindles halfway through, or three-quarters of the way, or anywhere along the way. Or, maybe just the whole idea of starting… Read more »
No time to write? Psh. Ok, look, it’s a fact: we live in a world of distractions, and trying to write in the middle of it is no mean feat. Last month was case in point. Family will be there in twenty. Your email’s pinging over a podcast, kids are screaming, sauce is erupting all… 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 »
Here at DIY MFA, we are passionate about literacy, learning, and helping writers hone their skills. It’s our jam, our laser-focus; it is the air we breathe. As many of you know, I am not only a columnist, but I also work for DIY MFA as the Community Welcome Dragon. I handle many of the… Read more »
Writing can be a struggle. You have days where you just don’t feel like it, or the words just don’t come. Distractions happen. Other important things on your to-do list come up, right? Does this sound familiar? This doesn’t have to be the case. Writing is a skill you can practice and improve on, and… Read more »
What’s the most important quality in a writer? Joyce Carol Oates has a surprising opinion. The most important writerly quality, she says, is not the ability to develop characters or structure plots. It’s not the presence of voice or the ear for flowing prose. It’s energy. But maybe that’s not a surprising opinion after all…. Read more »
