Hey there word nerds! If you haven’t already noticed, our Facebook community has been hopping lately and it’s all because of the DIY MFA Book Club. If you’re not already a part of it, there’s still time to join! Just go to DIYMFA.com/BookClub and sign up. The book club was inspired by the DIY MFA… Read more »
Here at DIY MFA, we talk a lot about writing, but reading is also an important part of the program. And reading isn’t about just sitting on the beach with a book in one hand and a Mai Tai in the other. You have to read like a writer. That’s where this post comes in. Most… 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 »
One of the key elements to be mindful of when crafting a scene is tension. Think of the scene like a stew. Your characters, plotlines, and conflict make up the “meat and potatoes”, but tension is that little extra spice that brings your scene to life. It’s the line that runs directly from your story… Read more »
In my neck of the woods, it’s fall–time for flannel shirts, warm apple cider and reading up on my craft. Yes, that’s right, I’ll be reading rather than writing more. I prefer to throw myself into a more grueling writing schedule during January when there’s six inches of snow on the ground and a wind… Read more »
Many writers, including myself, struggle with the idea of a ‘writing practice’. All I desire is to share my writing with the world, publish my novel, and hopefully earn enough in the interim to ward off malnutrition. Simple, right? If only! If you are anything like me, you’ve spent too many unfocused hours at a… Read more »
There are many things we can draw from our lives to tell stories. But, what if you went through something deeply personal and wanted to tell that story? Maybe you don’t want to write a memoir and expose the painful realities that you experienced with loved ones and others involved. It may feel way too… Read more »
A few weeks back, in the middle of a massive rewrite of my novel, I sat down to write the next scene and as soon as I started I knew it was horrible. The scene I had typed out on the page was nothing like the scene in my head. So I tried again. Reworked… Read more »
What’s the trick to great writing? Making all of it great. Take out slow, confusing or tangential parts. Better, don’t even pen them in the first place. Learn to distinguish. All your words should gleam and hang together, like so many parts make a classic car or a Ferrari. All writers are told to cut… Read more »
