Perfectionism is not about being perfect. We tend to think that perfectionists obsess over word choice or comma placement simply because of incredibly high standards, but it goes deeper than that. In her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown explains, “There’s a significant difference between perfectionism and healthy striving or striving for excellence. Perfectionism… Read more »
If you’ve been following this column, you’ll remember that the previous episode of my journey to becoming a published author ended with me querying a not-quite-ready manuscript—which didn’t go so well—and left me doubting whether I truly have what it takes to be a writer. What you may not realize is that it happened over… Read more »
Genre hopping is a great way to introduce yourself and your writing style to a new audience. If it is done incorrectly, it is a lot like a bad first impression. It will taint your future ventures and efforts with the audience. I would know. When I first tried genre-hopping, I made a big mistake…. Read more »
We’ve all heard that old advice, show, don’t tell. It is often repeated like a complete thought. It encapsulates the idea that showing the reader what’s important through the events of the story is a far more engaging method of storytelling than telling the reader what’s essential. In a work written for commercial markets, the… Read more »
Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing William Germano. We’ll be talking about On Revision: The Only Writing That Counts. 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 podcast producer with… Read more »
Some may look at this title and wonder, “Isn’t that a topic that applies to most any author in most any genre?” And they would be correct. Yet for those of us who write historical fiction, the question of “where to start” can, at times, feel a bit daunting. After all, we have five thousand… Read more »
In the winter months, it can be a challenge to find the motivation to write. The landscape in many places has little variation in a monochromatic palette of grays and whites. It is hard to get out of bed before the sun rises to get in some quality writing time. But the joyful practice of… Read more »
Hello, beautiful people on the internet! Stepping out of a world unlike any other, I am Disha and I am here to embark with you on your journey to a brand-new world fresh out of your mind. Do you enjoy setting up your stories in a world filled with imaginary or speculative events? You’ve unlocked… Read more »
There are those who write for fun and those who write for pay. Ideally, as a creative writer, we can have writing that is both fun and puts money in our wallets. This may involve taking a dive into freelance writing and guest posting. But that’s a lot of writing! So, how do freelancing authors… Read more »
Welcome back, poets! I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting as 2021 comes to a close and I head into my final (yay!) semester of grad school. As I read through some of the poetry I wrote at the start of my studies, I’m amazed by how much I’ve learned about the craft of poetry,… Read more »
