I have been playing in the fiction sandbox since I started writing short stories in elementary school. I transitioned into fanfiction in high school and dipped a pen into humorous nonfiction in college. A dozen first draft fiction manuscripts in several genres (contemporary, historical fantasy, sci-fi, fantasy) have compiled in my filing cabinet over the past decade. But 2018 was the pivotal year where I decided to focus on my craft and make it a priority. I developed my own DIY MFA and completed my thesis in December 2021.
I’ve learned over that three year period that writers are continually learning and bettering their craft. As such, I wanted to share my own experiences and process below, in case it benefits any other writers out there.
My Writing Process
- The Reading List
- The Idea Spark
- Character Journey
- GMC: The Golden Trio
- Building the Character Web
- Marketing Materials
- The Story Playlist(s)
- Research, Research, Research
- The Outline / Beat Sheet
- Scene Cards
- The Timeline
- The First Draft
- Finding Critique Partners
- Listening to Critique Feedback
- Revise, Revise, Revise
- The Robot Read Aloud
- The Querying Process
Marketing Materials
- The Elevator Pitch
- Comp Titles
- Query Letter
- Synopsis
FAQs
- When to Query
- When to Quit
The DIY MFA
Once I complete my writing process series, I look forward to walking you through my DIY MFA, and explaining how to create your own!
- Why DIY
- Building a Curriculum on a Budget
- The Topic
- The Reading List
- Workshops and Community
Scrivener
- Worldbuilding
- Character sheets
- Snapshots
- Plotlines