Hey, everyone. (*waves hello*)
First and foremost, how are you and your loved ones doing? So many people are sick, discouraged, or anxious right now, and it hurts me to know this. But that’s the reality we’re dealing with because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Almost every aspect of our lives has been put on hold for the time being. So I wanted to reach out, say hello, and make sure you’re OK.
While I love a good book on the craft of writing, I wouldn’t normally say that such a book would be one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Gabriela Pereira’s DIY MFA, however, is a exception – and perhaps biasedly so. I’ve been a staff writer at DIY MFA’s website since November 2014. So, not only have I been eagerly awaiting the book’s release ever since Gabriela broke the news to us, but I also agree with her philosophy and the concepts she presents.
Last month, the DIY MFA Book was published last month by Writer’s Digest. I’ve had a chance to read it, and I’m thrilled to say it surpassed my expectations. Writing a review for a writing reference book, however, is different than writing one for fiction. I don’t want to spoil too many of the insights that Gabriela shares. Instead, I’ll give Five Reasons Why The DIY MFA Book Is a Must-Read for Writers. Then, if you like the sounds of it, you can fully immerse yourself in the DIY MFA learning experience. Ready?
On the fifth day of each month, 5 on the 5th shares five of something that I like or recommend to readers. Whether it’s five items that share a common theme, or five reasons why I like the topic at hand, this monthly meme gives us an opportunity to talk about other subjects that aren’t normally discussed here at the blog.
I still have some catching up to do in the Blog Awards Department. So, for this month’s 5 on the 5th, I’m combining it with *finally* accepting Elizabeth Rawls’ nomination for the Creative Blogger Award. Thank you again, E., and I’m sorry it’s taken so long for me to get to this!
Here are the rules for the Creative Blogger Award:
As you can probably tell from the title of this post, I’ve put a “creative” spin on accepting this award. 😉 Instead of five random facts, I’m recommending five books on the craft of writing. And with Christmas and other gift-giving holidays around the corner, there’s no better time to find new reference books for the writer in your life – or for yourself!
Btw, the following books are for all writers. I may do a separate 5 on the 5th in the future specifically on reference / craft books for speculative fiction writers.
I’m so excited about this! Writing memes and tags don’t seem to be as common as reading memes / tags, so it’s always a treat to discover one. Several bloggers I follow have already done this tag, too: Aberdeen at A Glimpse of Starlight (thank you for nominating me!), Sarah at Light & Shadows, Victoria at A Gathering of Dreams, Rae Oestreich at The Wallflower, Nicole L’autore, Briana da Silva, and Kristen A. Kieffer. So I’m thrilled to finally hop onboard!
The purpose of the Behind The Scenes Writing Tag is simple: You answer questions about your writing process, giving readers a “behind the scenes” look at how you approach your craft. So, today, I invite to come with me behind the curtain, so to speak, and see how I work.
Welcome to the first edition of 5 on the 5th! This is a new monthly meme where, on the fifth day of the month, I’ll share five of something. It could be a group of items (books, writers, tea, websites, etc.) with a common theme, or a a list of five items (again, all sharing a common theme) that doesn’t fall under other post categories at this blog.
To kick things off, I’ll start with Five Awesome Websites for Writers. They’re all blogs I visit regularly, and each has a unique spin on the tips and resources they offer. Most importantly, the content they offer absolutely blows my mind! Their breadth of knowledge, and how well they understand the important aspects and minor details of writing… I don’t know how these ladies do it, and so I want to express my gratitude and admiration – by telling you about them. 🙂
If you’re interested in visiting any of these sites, you can click on the site’s respective logo or any of the article links provided.
Exciting news, everyone: I have officially launched the Worksheets for Writers page!
Worksheets for Writers is where writers can find worksheets containing all kinds of writing and brainstorming exercises. The page houses only one document right now, but I already have ideas on how to expand my offerings over time.
Speaking of that first worksheet, it is the…
The Novel Title Brainstorming Worksheets were inspired by my recent article on methods for finding novel titles. Several readers had said they would revisit the article the next time they wanted to brainstorm titles for their stories. That got me thinking: Why not turn the information presented in that article into actual exercises that writers can do offline? And so the worksheets were born.
The Novel Title Brainstorming Worksheets are available in printable PDF files that you can download directly from the page. This set comes in two parts:
Click here to visit Worksheets for Writers and to download a PDF copy of the Novel Title Brainstorming Worksheets.
I’m so thrilled about this new section of the website – and I hope you are, too! If you have any questions or comments about these and future worksheets I share, feel free to contact me here.
Sara Letourneau 