I don’t know why it took me so long to read James Scott Bell’s Revision and Self Editing for Publication (it’s incredible!) but I do know it changed the way I looked at my story, my characters, and what really mattered in my plot. What did Bell say about back cover copy? Not too much…other… Read more »
Sometimes you need a break. A walk can refresh the brain cells. A change of scenery can spark new thoughts. Taking out the trash, or doing some other small but worthy action can be a perfect palliative. Quick and focused, the sojourn lets you return to the keyboard undistracted and morally superior. But this article… Read more »
One great way to get new story ideas or kick-start your writing is to use the five senses for inspiration. Most writers think of the senses as a way to spice up flat descriptions. In fact, I have one writer friend who used to keep a post-it note stuck to his computer screen with the… Read more »
Congrats—you finished the first draft. Yet you’ve only begun. You know you need to revise. So, you reread and cut, add, edit, restructure, and do it again and again. At some point, after several revisions, the act can become deadening and you need fresh eyes. In writing my novel, Into That Good Night, I often… Read more »
The number of articles, posts, academic theses, and books about The Hero’s Journey and its variants attests to the model’s enduring usefulness to both writers and academics. It’s a way into story structure from an anthropological, sociological, and psychological angle that will help deepen your understanding of other structural models and enrich your work. I… Read more »
Every previous plot point has led up to this moment. The inciting incident ushered the protagonist into the main conflict. The Act I choice saw him committing to a goal influenced by that conflict. The midpoint gave him time to reflect and rethink his plans, and then the Act II crisis nearly destroyed his faith… 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 »
There’s a lot of advice, including here on DIY MFA, about how to squeeze writing into a busy day. For example, we recently shared an article on eliminating distractions. But what happens when something much larger than an everyday distraction stands in the way of your writing? Like a big life event that throws your… Read more »
Ever wonder where an author got the idea for that fantastic character you love? Psst, I’ll let you in on a secret. Want to know how I find my characters? I collect them. OK it might sound strange, but really, how different is that from collecting stamps or seashells or bottle caps or baseball cards?… Read more »
Through fresh use of the very language we speak every day, poetry creates intrigue, and builds a connection between the author and the reader. But you don’t need to be a poet to use and benefit from poetic tools! Here are 5 tangible suggestions for learning to incorporate poetic tools into your prose. 1) Find… Read more »
