“I’m a relatively new writer and all of this advice is kind of overwhelming. What are the most important ‘don’ts’ I should avoid in my writing?” – Mark H. Copping to a fault is tough. We all want to think that we’re gifted by the heavenly virtues of writing and that our right to write… Read more »
This is the third post in my series on the benefits and practicality 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. Now, what do you do now that you actually… Read more »
Too often, as a writer, it’s easy to throw in the towel and say: “I can’t write about that, it’s not my experience.” Neither is slaying dragons, living in Victorian England, or surviving a pandemic. It would appear that experience is not necessary for an engaging narrative. In fact, we seem to want to read… Read more »
“I finally finished my ten-book epic fantasy series! Now I’m ready to start editing. How do I do that, exactly?” –The Next J.R.R., G.R.R., or J.K. Woah! Slow down there, turbo. First of all, congratulations on reaching the editing stage! That’s a step that most budding authors don’t get to. But you’re looking at this… Read more »
“My family just suffered a tragic loss. Some days I can barely get out of bed, let alone convince myself to write something worthwhile.” – Stuck in Sorrow Ruh-roh. Becca’s taking a turn for the serious this week. Just a month ago, I lost my best furry buddy. Couple that with several seriously ill family… Read more »
Have you been talking about finishing that draft but never seem to find the time to do it? Is there a story you’ve been dying to write but somehow life always gets in the way? Don’t worry, we’ve been there and we totally get how you feel. This is why DIY MFA is hosting another Writing… Read more »
Recently, I read the novel Great, a modernized YA adaptation of The Great Gatsby set in the East Hamptons., as opposed to the fictitious East and West Egg. The Great Gatsby is my favorite novel, so I read with trepidation. Taking a story that everyone knows and making it your own isn’t a small endeavor…. Read more »
Ok, so we’ve established that you really need to hire a freelance editor before you throw your manuscript out to the proverbial wolves of public opinion. But how in the heck do you know what kind of editing you need? And who in the world do you find to help you? What can your editor… Read more »
“I just read a friend’s story, and I don’t really like it. She’s pressuring me for feedback. What should I say?” –Backed Into a Corner Remember how two weeks ago, I compared receiving critique to helping your child enter a beauty pageant? Now imagine you’re a random onlooker, who knows nothing about pageants or kids, and… Read more »
As National Poetry Month draws to a close, here’s a closer look at a special form of poem that can be useful for poets and prose writers. A prose poem is a poem written in sentences. It appears as a block of text without line breaks. You could think of a prose poem as a… Read more »
