Kind of a Big Deal
May 11, 2016
I got a lot of good news the past few months!
… More Kind of a Big Deal
Tag: MFA
It’s Been Awhile: Revise vs. Edit
May 10, 2016
It is spring, nearly summer and I’m so excited to be at the end of another semester and my first full year as an MFA-seeker. I have done very little new writing in the last quarter but it’s not been a creative loss. I’ve been learning what “revision” truly means and how it differs from editing. About … More It’s Been Awhile: Revise vs. Edit
Decisions, Decisions: The Golden Apple’s Coming Makeover
December 7, 2015
My husband is always nervous when I start conversations with the line “I’ve decided…” Usually, this line is followed by some life-changing epiphany for our future. “I’ve decided I want to work full-time.” “I’ve decided I want to go to graduate school.” “I’ve decided I’m only wearing neutral colors and real jewelry.” “I’ve decided we’ll … More Decisions, Decisions: The Golden Apple’s Coming Makeover
November madness, NaNoWriMo, and the end of my first MFA semester.
November 19, 2015
Perhaps you’ve noticed my absence from the blogosphere this month (probably not). October was a fabulous month full of celebration and excitement and it wiped me out. November has been mad and a little more focused on my non-blog writing. In addition to the semester wrapping up–the last day of class for me is the … More November madness, NaNoWriMo, and the end of my first MFA semester.
Posing and Opposing: A lesson from Debra Monroe
November 12, 2015
Debra Monroe was our guest speaker last night in 501 and she was great. Debra writes memoir and fiction and teaches writing at Texas State. She has 7 books to her name, one of which was recently released. She is reading from her new memoir, My Unsentimental Education at UNM this evening and is very entertaining so I … More Posing and Opposing: A lesson from Debra Monroe
My Name is Faerl Marie and I Write Chick Lit.
October 26, 2015
We had a guest speaker in a recent MFA class–Intro to Writing as a Profession. She was really great, funny, clever, and an alumni of our program whose fiction, though not yet published, has made the finalist cuts for some note-worthy awards. She shared a near-universal frustration with trying to get her novel published and … More My Name is Faerl Marie and I Write Chick Lit.
Five for Friday: Craft Books
October 23, 2015
My 5 favorite books on writing craft: 1. On Writing, by Stephen King An iconic, must-read for all people, everywhere, who have ever aspired to write anything more involved than an email. And they’ve just come out with a 10th anniversary edition! 2. Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing by David Morrell (Now titled The … More Five for Friday: Craft Books
MFA Monday: Workshop
October 19, 2015
For anyone whose never taken a workshop class, it can be quite daunting. Not only are you handing over pages of your work, but the entire goal is to have it critiqued and examined under a spotlight of critical attention by a whole group of people with different opinions, different perspectives, and different tastes from … More MFA Monday: Workshop
MFA Definitions
October 19, 2015
This is a working list of definitions I’m learning and developing as part of my MFA. Some of these words are completely new to me, others are familiar, and some were completely misunderstood. I’ll be updating this regularly so stay tuned. Psychic Distance: Also called ‘Narrative Distance,’ describes the relationship the reader has with the narrator; … More MFA Definitions
The Arc of Understanding
October 14, 2015
Writing isn’t always an easy thing to see. I have a novel that has had me stumped for about a year now. The plot arc is complete. It has a beginning, middle, and end. The characters are all there. But I know it needs work–a lot of work–and knowing where to “put my pen” has evaded … More The Arc of Understanding
