I once asked on a social media site why people read romance novels. I received two primary answers: a guaranteed happy ending, and the way the books make them feel. As a romance reader myself, I couldn’t agree more. I turn to that genre when I want to feel deeply, and experience love through the… Read more »
As many cities and states navigate the various phases of reopening their economies and a return to social normalcy, writers who have emerged from self-isolation may regret a wasted opportunity. Imposed isolation may not have resulted in a leap in their writing. Writing demands degrees of isolation, even in the best of times, but the… Read more »
DP Lyle’s 4th Jake Longly thriller Rigged is here! Fans of the series can expect another smooth, funny ride with Jake, girlfriend Nicole Jamison, dad Ray, and childhood friend Tommy “Pancake” Jeffers. Since this book is set in the nearby town of Fairhope, rather than Jake’s hometown of Gulf Shores, AL, we meet police chief… Read more »
We’ve all heard that writers write and that writing is re-writing. Yet, there are many other aspects to the creative writing process that do not involve putting pen to paper or moving your fingers across the keyboard. Assuming you already know your craft–you’ve studied your lit terms and are well acquainted with them–and you are… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Abbigail Rosewood. Abbigail was born in Vietnam, where she lived until the age of twelve. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. An excerpt from her first novel won first place in the Writers Workshop of Asheville Literary Fiction Contest. Today… Read more »
Hi, my name is Lori. I’m recovering from “shiny object syndrome.” Hi, Lori! This is my new non-fiction column for DIY MFA. I’m thinking of calling it Lori’s World, but we’ll see how that goes over. I wanted this first post to lay out my bona fides and close with a few words of wisdom…. Read more »
Description is one of those magical elements of prose. Whether it’s “good” or not is entirely subjective. One author’s Mozart is another’s Metallica. But, regardless of your preferences, there are some techniques and literary tools you can use to tighten your sentences and sharpen your description. Here are just five tricks you can use. 1)… Read more »
Unfortunately, no one has invented a way to write a novel without actually sitting down to write it. So it remains true that the only way to finish whatever project you’re working on is to keep filling that page with words. Trust me, I know it’s not as easy as it sounds. There’s nothing more… Read more »
This is not the article I intended to write. But I found, just as likely you, too, that I couldn’t focus on anything other than the viral elephant in our global living room. This coronavirus, COVID-19, won’t let any of us ignore it. Constant news alerts about death, the reality of livelihood loss, and the… Read more »
What does your protagonist want? Yes, that may be a loaded question. But as a writer, you have good reason to remember it while crafting your protagonist. Your character’s motivations often evolve into her goal for the story, which then determines the direction of the plot. But did you know that the protagonist’s motivations also… Read more »
