DIY MFA Radio

Today's episode was inspired by a question I got from a listener. Got a questions about writing or publishing that you want to hear answered on the show? Just email gabriela[at]DIYMFA[dot]com with "DIY MFA Radio" in the subject line. I can't promise to answer every single question in an episode, but I'll pick the most frequent ones and use them to inspire show topics. Plus, you might just get a shout-out from me on the show. In this episode I talk about motivation and how to keep on writing even when you think you're failing and you feel like a fraud. I share the hard truth about imposter syndrome and give you some actionable tips to help you get motivated and get writing. For show notes and more info: DIYMFA.com/025

Do you set goals only to lose momentum after a few days or weeks? Don't worry, I've been there and I know how you feel. In this episode I share my go-to productivity tool that has helped me get my projects from dream to done. Check out the show notes page for more information and for a free download: DIYMFA.com/024

Crazy fact: Did you know that while 45% of Americans make New Year's resolutions, only 8% actually achieve what they set out to do? Here at DIY MFA we want to see you rock your New Year's resolutions (both for writing and for life) so in this episode I walk you through a simple 5-step process for setting resolutions that really stick. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/023

Happy Holidays! In today's episode, I explore the Santa Claus story, and the five lessons that writers can take from it. Like Santa, writers are creative. We make stories out of words. As you'll hear in this episode, this is not the only thing that writers and Santa have in common. Tune in to find out more. For show notes and more info: DIYMFA.com/022 Season's greetings to all, and to all a good write!

I used to hate outlines, but now I love them. In this episode I share my five go-to outline techniques: mind maps, scene cards, story mapping, story sketch and mood boards. I'll give you the inside scoop on which technique to use in different types of projects and scenarios. My hope is that with several different outline methods in your arsenal, you'll always have the right tool available for every job. This episode is very heavy on the visuals so head on over to the show notes page to see examples of these outline tools in action. For show notes and more info: DIYMFA.com/021

Today we have Daniel Milnor, photographer at large for Blurb, Inc., joining us. Dan and I talked about how the book has evolved, what it means for something to be a book, and what these changes mean for authors. I’m so excited to share our conversation with you. For show notes and more info: DIYMFA.com/020

It's December and if you did NaNoWriMo, you've probably got a big pile of pages that need shaping and editing. But where do you start? This episode will give you a simple 3-step process to help you take your book from draft to done. This method isn't just for NaNos, though. Anyone can use these tips to polish up their work and get it submission-ready. All you need is a complete (or almost complete) draft. Not writing a novel? No problem. You can use these techniques on short stories or any other work of fiction too. For show notes, head over to DIYMFA.com/019.

Happy Wednesday-before-Thanksgiving, everyone! I’m so thankful that you are all here and going on this podcast journey with me! This week, I wanted to share something else that I'm super-thankful for: the ability to Shakespeare in the original English. In this episode  I will be deconstructing one of my favorite poems, Shakespeare’s Sonnet #90. I’m so glad you’re here to enjoy this wonderful work of literature with me. For show notes and more info: diymfa.com/018

If you're like me (and most writers) you probably love acquiring new books. But how do you know if a writing book will teach you what you need to know? Or will it just collect dust on your bookshelf. That's where the Essentials come in. Using a simple ABC formula, I show you which essential books you must absolutely have in your writing library. And since this is DIY MFA, you can adjust these selections to suit your individual style. For more information and show notes: DIYMFA.com/017

As a follow-up to our previous episode on Writing Groups, this time we discuss how to give useful critiques. The key to giving critique is to be specific, and to think of the critique relationship as a partnership, rather than an adversarial face-off. For show notes and additional info, visit DIYMFA.com/016.