DIY MFA
Tools & Techniques for the Serious Writer
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Latest posts
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Writer Fuel: Three Types of Supporting Characters
We all know that characters are the heart and soul of our story, but sometimes we get so focused on our protagonist that we forget the important role of the supporting cast. Supporting characters are the unsung heroes of storytelling, and it’s important that we give them the…
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Writer Fuel: How a Critique Group Can Make You a Stronger Writer
Back in 2007, when I was an itty-bitty, baby writer, I started a critique group. It began in a writing class, where I made a couple of friends and we decided to keep on meeting after the semester was over. For seven years, we met every other week and gave each other feedback on…
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Writer Fuel: Five World-Building Mistakes (and how to avoid them!)
World-building is an essential part of storytelling, even when you’re not writing in a “world heavy” genre. Of course the world-building is obvious in fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction, but even in contemporary settings, it is crucial for immersing the reader into your…
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Writer Fuel: Three-Act Analysis of Captain America
We’re back with another three-act analysis. This time around, I wanted to see if the three-act structure would hold up with a story from the Marvel Comics Universe (MCU), namely the first Captain America film. As it turns out, this movie fits the framework to a T, serving as yet…
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Writer Fuel: Write Stronger Scenes by Avoiding These Pitfalls
Learning to write stronger scenes is an important skill for any writer. Scenes are an essential part of storytelling, and if you don’t craft them well, your narrative can grind to a halt. The reason scenes are so important is because they are the smallest unit of a story that…
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Writer Fuel: Three-Act Analysis of “Office Olympics”
The other day, I was relaxing after dinner and streaming some episodes of The Office. This was one of my favorite shows when it first aired and a lot of the humor still holds up, even now over two decades later. As I watched “Office Olympics” (Season 2, Episode 3), I found…
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Writer Fuel: The Four Components of a Writing Practice
Recently, the music school I attended as a child held its 55th anniversary concert at Carnegie Hall, and I had the chance to play in the alum orchestra. Since it had been a while since I’d played my violin, I spent a lot of time in the weeks leading up to the concert learning…
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Writer Fuel: How to Get the Most Out of a Writing Conference
Summer is here, which means it’s conference season! It’s that time of year when a lot of writer’s organizations have their conferences and big events. Conferences are among my favorite things ever! I love hanging out with fellow writers and spending some dedicated time thinking…
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Writer Fuel: The IDEA Method: What to Do When You’re Out of Ideas
What do you do when you’re out of ideas? I have often struggled with this very problem. In fact, as I sit down to write this newsletter, I’m wondering what on earth I might have to say about writing that hasn’t already been said. Terrifying as it may seem, I suddenly find myself…
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Writer Fuel: Three-Act Analysis of The Cask of Amontillado
Edgar Allan Poe is one of my favorite American authors. I love how so many of his stories are dark, creepy, and suspenseful, but they never quite cross the line into outright, over-the-top gore. Poe also is brilliant at writing unreliable narrators, people who believe their…