Each January, I watch the world celebrate “Should.” We begin the month obsessed with our “shoulds.” I should lose weight. I should write my book. I should clean my house more. Maybe that last one is just me? It can’t be! Encouraged by the world, we take all of our “shoulds” and turn them into… Read more »
Whether you’re a new year’s resolutioner or not, you can’t help but think about your 2022 writing goals this time of year. Maybe one of the things you’d like to achieve is a more consistent writing practice. For too long, I felt like I didn’t have much control over my writing habits. I thought that… Read more »
Every human on this planet has procrastinated at some point in their life. If they haven’t, it is likely their biggest flex. Now, let’s not confuse procrastination with laziness. While both do have the common denominator of not doing anything, lazy people are fine with the situation on hand. Procrastinators, on the other hand, want… Read more »
About a month ago, one of my college writer friends and I were FaceTiming each other, and in between trying to catch up while handing out sippy cups and building Lego with our toddlers, he shared with me a bit of advice he gleaned from a podcast: you need to know when to be finished… Read more »
I’ve heard a lot of talk lately on “passive protagonists” and it got me thinking about how this plays into the world of historical fiction. I’m drawn to brave, almost heroic women from the past, and isn’t that what everyone wants, a protagonist with agency? Let’s break down how to examine HERstory in a way… Read more »
The end of the year is filled with stockpiles of sweets, long lines at the grocery store, and a constant reminder that the clock is ticking on your goals—like where you wanted to be with your manuscript. Even if you’ve boycotted the holidays like Chandler Bing with his Thanksgiving grilled cheese and Frank Costanza with… Read more »
It’s coming up to the rom-com season of the year: Christmas. And whether you’re writing a novel or a screenplay, it’s handy to know your Christmas romance tropes and important to make them fresh, original, and most of all, interesting. So let’s talk about what the Christmas romance tropes are: “But since it’s Christmas…” When… Read more »
It’s just one of those things you hear, like “the best way to get over someone is to meet someone new” or “expect the best but prepare for the worst.” Either way, the one piece of advice all my writer friends gave me as my debut novel went to print was, “Start working on a… Read more »
Early in my writing career, I won second place for a short story, “When We Leave Here” in a contest sponsored by the Wyoming Writers Association. Encouraged by that recognition, I submitted the first chapter of a novel I’d started to a published author at the conference. After being told “Never start a story with someone… Read more »
Unfortunately, this will be my last post with DIY MFA. While I am sad to end this chapter, I hope what comes next is a bright future. And I hope that for all of you too. The last two years have been hard. Not to understate it, there just aren’t proper words to cover the… Read more »
