If you could ask Charles Dickens one question about writing, what would it be? Would you ask him how he thought up memorable character names such as Scrooge and Miss Havisham? Or, would you simply request to look over his shoulder, quill in hand, as he plots out “David Copperfield?” Thanks to filmmakers, who are… Read more »
Just in time for the holiday! Here are some writing lessons from Santa and insights about how the Big Guy in the red suit tackles obstacles and maintains his creative momentum, even during the chaos of the holiday season. Mr. Claus is a wise man. In fact, when it comes to important things like making… Read more »
Some holiday inspiration for your writing and creative life! Sending you all loads of literary love this holiday season! Recently, I had a chance to visit the North Pole and chat it up with Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. Let me tell you, that is one optimistic little squirt if I ever saw one. And a… Read more »
(Web Editor’s Note: This is an article first pubbed in June 2014 we thought we’d dig out of the archives and share again!) “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” I remember reading that line, in a classroom in Texas in August, with my collared uniform shirt scratching my neck, thinking, “Compare someone you love to… Read more »
Now, you can find writing advice anywhere, but here on DIY MFA, we’ve got some words of wisdom you just gotta take to heart. Each one of these amazing writers have something to share with you: a lesson learned, a friendly pat on the shoulder, good old fashioned experience, tips we wish we knew before… Read more »
Every story needs a solid, vivid world that readers can lose themselves in for hours and remember long after they’ve reached The End. Whether that world is another planet, a land of mythical creatures, ancient Egypt, or a modern-day university doesn’t matter. If it feels real to the reader, then the writer has succeeded with… Read more »
When I started writing, I had no idea how to get a story on paper. I read book after book and went to classes once a week for a year. No matter how naturally talented you are, there are always tricks that can make you better. Here are five quick writing tips that can keep… Read more »
Hello and thank you for joining us today! I’m so glad you’re here. Today, I wanted to give a shout-out to Tobias, who wrote in with a question that inspired today’s episode, Get Motivated and Get Writing. In fact, this got me thinking that If you have questions you’d like to hear answered on DIY… Read more »
This is the fifth and final post in my series on the benefits of writing with an outline. In my first post, I listed three reasons why most writers need an outline. In the second, I discussed three things to keep in mind when creating an outline. In the third, I talked about how to use one while… Read more »
Point of view is tricky and a lot of writers struggle to make sense of it. We often think of writing purely as an art but when it comes to point of view (POV), there’s definitely a science to it. When I first started writing I had no idea what POV was all about so… Read more »
