DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community by Gabriela Pereira

Nov 10, 2016 K. A. Parker rated it liked it

Recommends it for: Writers, people who want MFAs in fiction

Shelves: self-help

I've always wanted a Master of Fine Arts in creative fiction writing ever since I knew it existed. When it was time for me to apply to colleges, I picked those that had post-graduate creative writing programs. I wanted to be an English major and a master at the craft of writing fiction.

Well... I became an English major with a creative writing emphasis in fiction and a minor in Japanese, and I got accepted to two MFA programs, but...

I couldn't afford either of them. I'd graduated college ...more

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Jun 05, 2016 Laura Highcove rated it it was amazing

You've probably heard the idiom: "Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you'll feed him for a lifetime." This book embodies that quote in that the first nine pages of this book will change the way you think, not only about writing, but every facet of your life.

The DIYMFA Mindset teaches you how to be a learner.

The book is focused on three main areas:

In Writing with Focus, unlike normal "learn to write" books, Gabriela gives multiple options on how to work ...more

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May 11, 2016 Farica rated it it was amazing

As a member of the DIY MFA Street Team and the DIY MFA 101 Course, I admit that I love everything DIY MFA! But writer-to-writer, this book is a true gem that all serious writers need to have on their shelf.

It's easy to say that you want to write a book. The truth is that writing is a complex, often daunting task, that is not a project for the faint of heart. With books and blogs so abundantly available, there is so much writing advice out there to sift through. For a newbie (and even for ...more

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May 18, 2016 Sara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-on-writing, great-learning-resources, all-time-favorites, narrative-voice-love

The short of it: I loved the DIY MFA Book. It's a comprehensive and empowering adaptation of Gabriela's core concepts for DIY MFA (writing, reading, community building) that doesn't denounce the traditional MFA program, but rather presents an alternative to writers for financial, time management, or other reasons. There's definitely something for all writers, both beginners and more experienced; and the topics range from the practical (character development, developing a targeted reading plan, ...more

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Feb 09, 2019 Anna (lion_reads) rated it liked it

Shelves: 2019, nonfiction, writing-editing

If you've ever listened to Gabriela's podcast, this book has the same flavour (if a little bit more prescriptive). The goal is to help new writers develop a career path that is similar to what they would get in an MFA program.

Each section is colourfully designed and contains small and big tips on how to cultivate your strategy as a writer. The book guides you through thoughtful reading, stress-free writing and shaping your writer's community. Along the way, Gabriela provides a handful of tips If you've ever listened to Gabriela's podcast, this book has the same flavour (if a little bit more prescriptive). The goal is to help new writers develop a career path that is similar to what they would get in an MFA program.

Each section is colourfully designed and contains small and big tips on how to cultivate your strategy as a writer. The book guides you through thoughtful reading, stress-free writing and shaping your writer's community. Along the way, Gabriela provides a handful of tips and exercises to drive home each concept.

Rather helpfully, there is also a series of automated e-mails you can sign up to which arrive every week to summarize an important concept within the book. They are a nice nudge to remember to complete a certain exercise you read about. Gabriela also provided some resources you can download to help interact with the content in the book (ex. character charts, book lists, pov practice). I liked this because the book didn't let you forget what you learned. However, I do wish there were more of them and that they contained separate exercises to reinforce and flesh out the ideas introduced in the book—ones that provided a practical approach to DIY MFA. If the author wants this to feel like an educational program that would be the way.

I can't say that I agree 100% with all the strategies and assumptions in this book. Some chapters desperately need more details and nuance. But this is a good place to start. For a writer just starting to wrap her head around her craft, this is a non-fussy, solid foundation. I've read various writing books throughout the years, but even I found it helpful to remind myself and crystalize certain topics taught in creative writing. If nothing else, you will find yourself responding to the advice in this book and forming your own ideas about the craft. Also helpful is that Gabriela knows when to step back. You don't have to worry that you won't succeed unless you follow her rules. She takes more of a "use what works for you" approach. ...more

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Jun 05, 2016 Leanne rated it it was amazing

I have been a big fan of DIY MFA since I first heard Gabriela Pereira speak at the Writer's Digest conference in August 2014. As an educator, I responded to her strong ability to command her classroom's attention; deliver a clear and detailed lesson, chock-full of advice and information; and show confidence in her audience's ability to absorb and understand the material. Since that conference, I have become a columnist for the DIY MFA website and a proud member of Gabriela's team. I'm also a I have been a big fan of DIY MFA since I first heard Gabriela Pereira speak at the Writer's Digest conference in August 2014. As an educator, I responded to her strong ability to command her classroom's attention; deliver a clear and detailed lesson, chock-full of advice and information; and show confidence in her audience's ability to absorb and understand the material. Since that conference, I have become a columnist for the DIY MFA website and a proud member of Gabriela's team. I'm also a member of the Street Team for the book, and received an ARC to review.

As previous reviewers have mentioned, this book is divided into the three main pillars of DIY MFA: Writing, Reading and Community. All three sections could easily stand alone as their own manuals for writing craft, purposeful reading, and building a writing tribe. The fact that they exist under one cover makes this book a must-have for any writer, no matter where she is on her writing journey.

What I've always loved best about DIY MFA, though, is Gabriela's strong voice. Reading her writing, from this book to the website and her "Word Nerd" email list, is like talking to a friend who's not afraid to tell you what she thinks, but also respects your individuality. She knows what works for herself, but also goes out of her way to find methods that work for others, and suggests them all as answers to your writing questions. This book reveals that Gabriela's own path to writing success comes from much trial-and-error, failures that turned into learning opportunities, and "iterations" (a favorite word of hers) to improve her habits. The authenticity of that path gives Gabriela credibility as both a writer and an educator. I admire her because she does what I personally try (and sometimes fail) to do: pursue continuous growth and learning about myself and my chosen career path. If Gabriela were to write this book again in ten years, I bet it could be twice as long, given that she continues to learn and share what she's learned about the world of writing.

If you only read one book about writing this year, make it this one! ...more

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Jun 09, 2016 Abigail K. Perry rated it it was amazing

An absolute must for any writer’s bookshelf! Pereira speaks with profound insight for any writer on their path to publishing – teaching him or her the writing tips, tricks, and need-to-knows about: Writing with a Focus, Reading with a Purpose, and Building Your Community.

Unlike the multitude of how-to-writing books that explain what you need to know in a checklist manner, Pereira takes your hand, providing examples and personalizing her tidbits in a way that allows you to apply all her advice ...more

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Jun 10, 2016 Robin Lovett rated it it was amazing

Reading this book is like having your very own writing coach cheering you on from the page. I'll be keeping the DIY MFA book on my shelf as a reference for years to come. It's an excellent manifesto for being our own writers and helping us find ourselves in the terrifying career we love so much. From page one it felt like entering into the covers of a writing world where it was safe to have all my insecurities and flaws. It includes concrete processes for harnessing those insecurities and ...more

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May 24, 2016 Grace rated it it was amazing

This is one of the best books for writers I have read. Gabriela describes the life cycle of the writer in three parts: writing, reading, and community. Starting at the beginning, she gives tips and tricks for starting the writing process, busts the myths we often believe about writing and creativity, and deftly integrates examples from popular literature. Next, she takes us into reading like a writer with clever acronyms and fun exercises. Finally, she closes the book with a look at the wide ...more

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Apr 06, 2016 Cybersekkin rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016

I was lucky enough to get access to a review copy. DIYMFA is a great book full of useful advice. The early part of the book I found myself thinking, this advice fits into many areas of life. As the writing specific advice started I found myself even picking up some inspiration along the way. I have read several books on writing, this one distils much of the best advice I have seen in them, a fair bit of advice hinted at in podcasts, and even some new tidbits. This title has earned a spot on my ...more

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Jun 21, 2017 Melanie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Gabriela Pereira was compelled to create DIYMFA, the website, community, course, podcast, and now book, after her disappointing experience with her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program.

Like Gabriela, I went the route of the Master’s degree, believing that I needed the validation. It was the lie I believed, and it almost ended my writing career before it began.

DIYMFA is what the MFA program should be (or should aspire to be) but never was.

Most MFA programs centre on critique—without teaching the ...more

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Jun 06, 2016 A.R. rated it it was amazing

There must be something unique about a person who holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in writing who develops a writing program called the Do-It-Yourself MFA. Gabriela Pereira identifies herself not only as a writer and teacher, but as a word nerd whose goal is not to take over the world with prose (well, maybe a little) but to challenge the expectation that only those with a graduate degree and years of classroom-guided processes can be successful and published authors. After a number of years in ...more

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Jun 14, 2019 Tom rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4/5

The beginning half section of this book was insightful. Gave me information that helped more than other writing craft books out there.

As for the last two sections: they weren’t too helpful. The reading second I knew about already. Along with building a writing community.

I stand at my 4 stars for this book because the first third is useful and I’ll definitely be using what I learned.

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May 08, 2019 Sara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adult-non-fiction

Worthwhile read

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Jun 20, 2016 Dianna Gunn rated it it was amazing

The great thing about DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build your Community is how different it is from other writing books. It does contain some writing exercises(and some really cool reading exercises) but really it's all about creating your own writing methodology. Rather than simply tell you her process and schedule, Gabriela walks you through how to create your own writing process and schedule. She reminds you again and again that your personalized MFA program should be just The great thing about DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build your Community is how different it is from other writing books. It does contain some writing exercises(and some really cool reading exercises) but really it's all about creating your own writing methodology. Rather than simply tell you her process and schedule, Gabriela walks you through how to create your own writing process and schedule. She reminds you again and again that your personalized MFA program should be just that--extremely personalized.

As a long time fan of the DIY MFA blog and an attendee at last year's online DIY MFA conference I was already familiar with most of the DIY MFA concepts, but the book went into much greater detail and helped define the concepts more concretely in my brain. One thing I really love is the concept of iteration--creating a writing routine and tweaking it slightly every few weeks until you find something ideal--and failing better. Gabriela's discussed it on the blog plenty, but in the book she goes into great detail and discusses how you can do it for different aspects of your writing life. She also talks about how iteration(like learning) should be a lifelong process.

One thing that was totally new to me was the term "Revolutionary Reading". Every book you will ever read about writing at some point reminds you that it's important to read widely, read often and read actively. Very few writing books actually go into detail about what that means but DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build your Community has a large section(I think about 25% of the book, even) about reading. Revolutionary reading is a cooler way of describing what many writers call "active reading" or "reading like a writer": actively examining not only what a writer is saying and why, but how they are saying it. This is when you pay attention to specific techniques and turns of phrase and how they influence story development. Revolutionary reading is one of the most important things a writer can learn how to do and I can't think of a book that teaches this skill better than DIY MFA.

DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build your Community also has extremely detailed and useful information on critique groups and beta readers--what they are, how to find them and how to treat them--along with a large section on the business side of writing. Like the other sections of the book, this focuses primarily on giving you the long term strategies to figure it out for yourself rather than spoon feeding you information(much of which might not be useful by the time you're done your book anyway). Oh, and there are lots of recommendations for further reading, along with a soon-to-be-released online resource guide.

I really wish I could have bought DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build your Community way back when I made my first attempts at creating a regular writing routine, or even a few years ago when my process was a lot less finessed than it is now. Still, this book deepened my understanding of many concepts I'm familiar with, introduced a few new ones and got me thinking about my own writing in a new way. I've been building my own DIY MFA for years already so I didn't create a massive educational plan for myself or anything like that, but I have changed how I'm approaching the book I'm currently writing and I feel a lot better about it now. I liked this book so much I might even buy a paper copy so I can cover it in sticky notes. ...more

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Jun 10, 2016 Melanie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-on-writing

What it should have been but never was
I was given an advanced reader copy (ARC) in return for an honest review.
Gabriela Pereira was compelled to create DIYMFA, the website, community, course, podcast, and now book, after her disappointing experience with her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program.
Like Gabriela, I went the route of the Master’s degree, believing that I needed the validation. It was the lie I believed, and it almost ended my writing career before it began.
DIYMFA is what the MFA What it should have been but never was
I was given an advanced reader copy (ARC) in return for an honest review.
Gabriela Pereira was compelled to create DIYMFA, the website, community, course, podcast, and now book, after her disappointing experience with her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program.
Like Gabriela, I went the route of the Master’s degree, believing that I needed the validation. It was the lie I believed, and it almost ended my writing career before it began.
DIYMFA is what the MFA program should be (or should aspire to be) but never was.
Most MFA programs centre on critique—without teaching the students what it takes to offer and receive constructive feedback—and coaching/mentorship by someone who may or may not even understand their own creative process, let alone be able to articulate it, or guide their mentee to their process and best mode of creative expression without imposing some ideal of “how things should be done.”
Admittedly, MFA programs have matured and improved, but rather than focus what should be a review of an amazing guide to the writing life on an indictment of the graduate institution, I’m going to, in grand rhetorical style, return to the matter at hand (see? Academia has ruined me—ruined!).
Gabriela divides her guide into three sections: write with focus; read with purpose; and build your community.
In the first, she offers a brief, but engaging, examination of all the essential points of craft that writers must master. There is no one way to reach the destination, but a multitude of paths from which writers can choose based on their personal goals and aptitudes. Self-knowledge and self-confidence are the foundations upon which craft is built.
While the reading with purpose section is shorter than the other two, it is no less important. Gabriela emphasizes a balanced approach throughout DIYMFA. All three aspects, writing, reading, and community, are essential to creative development.
Learning to read and analyze the text, not like an academic, but like a writer, is what this second section is all about. We have to learn about craft first and begin to apply it before we can learn to recognize it in the writing of others and extract lessons from that purposeful reading that we can take back to the page.
Finally, in this brave new world of social media, how do we tackle the task of finding our audiences, reaching out to them, and building a community of writerly friends, readers, and fans?
In all aspects of DIYMFA, Gabriela has studied and learned from the best in the industry, and she unpacks these lessons in an accessible and engaging way.
One of the things I enjoyed most about DIYMFA is that Gabriela draws on her statistics background and mathematical bent to offer charts, matrices, and unique visualizations that will help readers and learners find a way into the material she presents.
And, as a self-confessed word nerd, she exercises her talent for acronyms and initialisms, creating fun mnemonics to encapsulate concepts and principles for her writerly audience.
Having sung the praises of DIYMFA as an alternative to a traditional MFA program, I must point out that Gabriela never disparages academia, in fact, traditional programs are pointed out as viable options for the aspiring writer.
What if that writer has economic, domestic, or temporal limitations, though? It is for those writers-in-progress that DIYMFA has been crafted.
DIYMFA earns my highest recommendation.
...more

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Jun 18, 2016 Diane DeMasi rated it it was amazing

Full disclosure: I received a digital arc of this book for an honest review. That being said, when my oldest asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day the only option I gave him was "DIY MFA the physical book." Being the good son he is, he pre-ordered the book for me. Ship Amazon, ship (I'm sure this comment will be obsolete in a few days time, but yeah, that's my mantra the next few days).

This is the first time I've ever received a free digital copy of a book and felt the need to buy/have a Full disclosure: I received a digital arc of this book for an honest review. That being said, when my oldest asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day the only option I gave him was "DIY MFA the physical book." Being the good son he is, he pre-ordered the book for me. Ship Amazon, ship (I'm sure this comment will be obsolete in a few days time, but yeah, that's my mantra the next few days).

This is the first time I've ever received a free digital copy of a book and felt the need to buy/have a physical copy of the book as well. Granted I'm biased toward actual books. But, this is one of those books you keep front and center on your desk. This is one of those books you never loan a friend or family member because you will hunt them down if they don't return it...and you will hunt them, you know where they live, but you don't want to go to jail, so just don't loan the book. Ever.

The immense resource that this book is, is so vast, it may be best to have a physical and a digital copy so you always have it at your finger tips. It's not just for writing, truly it helps with everything in life.

The best part of this book is that you read a section, you get an "aha!" and dive into your work-in-progress. Sometimes you don't think a section will pertain to you (kind of what I thought of the first part - I already have my idea, I don't need help), but as you work through your own project and skim a chapter that you thought you didn't need the first time, you find "Holy snot!" it now makes sense (like when life goes all topsy-turvy and you realize that section on Honoring Your Reality is now pertinent) and it becomes your favorite chapter, too.

When someone asks, "what's your favorite part?" You're kind of like Steve Martin in the Jerk when he's recounting the days of Bernadette Peters absence, but in chapter form.
"Well at first, I thought I needed this chapter and so that was my favorite, but then I got to this section in my own work and this other chapter became my favorite, but then that seemed like a small part compared to this other chapter...."

It's one of those books.

DIY MFA takes you step by step through cultivating an idea, a work ethic, and a finished piece. You keep coming back to it; finish one project with the book by your side and begin another with the book still by your side.

For everyone who thinks an MFA is something they may need, but can't afford the program or the time commitment, Gabriela offers a solution that is portable and will always be with you. Plus, you get a bonus, it helps you get your life a bit more organized. Things become clearer and less stressful.

...more

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May 30, 2016 LRetan rated it it was amazing

I admit upfront that as a member of Gabriela Pereira’s “Street Team” I received an advanced review copy of her DIY MFA book. That fact had no influence on this review other than the ability to post it before the book is publicly available. In fact, I intend to buy a hard copy version as soon as possible.

Out of the many books about writing available, I believe this one would be an asset to any writer’s collection. Why? Because it’s not JUST about how to write; it also includes sections about I admit upfront that as a member of Gabriela Pereira’s “Street Team” I received an advanced review copy of her DIY MFA book. That fact had no influence on this review other than the ability to post it before the book is publicly available. In fact, I intend to buy a hard copy version as soon as possible.

Out of the many books about writing available, I believe this one would be an asset to any writer’s collection. Why? Because it’s not JUST about how to write; it also includes sections about community, reading in a way that helps your writing, and how to balance all three—as a traditional Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program would.

I had an fairly good idea what I would find in the writing section of the book because I attended Ms. Pereira’s plotting session at the 2015 Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City. I was sure it would be both clear and concise. It didn’t disappoint. The section included the chapters about character and world building, generating ideas, plotting, and outlining, among others. It also offered several alternatives to traditional outlining. Some of them, like Mind Maps (a way of organizing topics and subtopics graphically to more easily see connections), are mainly useful for organizing prescriptive non-fiction (how-to). Others, like story sketches and story maps, are helpful in all story development.

The parts I personally found most helpful, since I’d already read numerous books about writing techniques, were the sections about self-motivation, how and why to build social networks, and reading with purpose. I won’t use all of the techniques suggested, nor does the book recommend doing so. DIY MFA acknowledges that there is no one way of writing that works for everyone. Instead, it provides a variety of methodologies along with the caveat that a writer should find their own “best practice” by changing one thing—just one—about their writing process for a few weeks, track its effectiveness, and then either adopt it permanently, revise it, or abandon it. I liked a few of the book’s suggestions well enough that I’m currently trying one self-motivation technique and attempting to improve my social networking without destroying my writing productivity.

In summary, whether you are a new writer or an experienced one, you will probably find some part of the DIY MFA book that can help you. ...more

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May 17, 2016 Lara Thompson rated it really liked it

Please note that I was given an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. The additional caveat is that I'm a long time visitor to the website www.diymfa.com and hence already a convert to the notion put forward in the title and book.

Starting with planning, motivation, improving your craft, and working toward writer's groups, marketing and publication, this book tries to cover it all. This is ok and works well enough since it was never her goal to be a comprehensive instruction in ...more

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May 11, 2016 Miss Red rated it it was amazing

The DIY MFA book is very thorough and covers just about everything that a writer may come up against, even things that one might not had thought about. Not only does Gabriela cover the basics of story structure and craft as well as facets of storytelling from character development and motivation, but she also includes how to form critique groups and 'working workshops.' It makes the experience of reading the book more enjoyable and a welcome manual during all steps of the writing process. I also ...more

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Jun 07, 2016 Louise rated it it was amazing

I finished reading Gabriela Pereira’s DIYMFA (DO IT YOURSELF MASTER OF FINE ARTS) and immediately completed a daunting scene in my work in progress. Yes, this book is that good. You want Pereira on your side when you face the fearsome blank page, attempt to explain your work to non-writers, or dig deep to go that extra ten percent to develop your craft. In clear, well-organized chapters, she eviscerates cherished myths to reveal the harrowing and fantastically rewarding journey of a writer’s ...more

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May 31, 2016 Kamsin Kaneko rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-book-challenge, writing

Practical advice and inspiration for anyone who wants to be a writer. Gabriela admits she's a statistics geek and some of the more geek-y parts lost me. But there is such a mine of useful information it would be impossible to find all of it equally useful. If there's one criticism it is that she covers almost too much ground.

The book covers everything you need to know if the traditional mfa route is not in budget or it's just not practical in your life to take time out to study. The online ...more

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Mar 15, 2016 Elisabeth Kauffman rated it it was amazing

(reader's note: I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review)

This book captures the heart of the DIY MFA mission and delivers it in a brilliant package. The amount of solid writing advice and actionable information in this book is almost overwhelming! Gabriela crams all her most powerful creative advice between the covers here and delivers a solid, continually reference-able resource to help you up your writing game, no matter what your goals are.

I am a firm believer and ...more

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May 31, 2016 Jaclyn Roche rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, writer-reference

DIY MFA is an excellent writer’s resource for your reference shelf. Gabriella guides us through the three-pronged processes it takes to be successful as a writer: Writing, Reading, and Community. The writing process is cleverly laid out with relevant examples from classic and modern literature. Gabriella has provided a map for the new and experienced writer with tons of ideas and thoughts. She makes it clear that this is your journey, and every writer does it differently. I loved that Gabriella ...more

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Jun 07, 2016 Amanda K. rated it it was amazing

There are so many good ideas, so much good information, in DIY MFA the book, I almost don’t know where to begin. I love that Gabriela breaks the writing life into three areas: writing, reading and community. I’ve always had a hard time with editing my writing, but now I have a plan for how to edit my book. I’ll be starting that first. I’ll be reading with purpose and working on my own Literature Anthology starting with the next book I read. Community was the hardest part of this book to read. I ...more

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Oct 12, 2016 Amanda rated it really liked it

I worked through this writing book, taking notes as I went. Found some advice and practices to be great, while others were pretty obvious things if you've even just written an essay in school. A bit too dumbed down but for the most part helpful and interesting to see how she approaches writing. My approach so far, that I've learned, is a bit different but I have incorporated some of her advice and techniques.

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May 05, 2018 Holli Keel rated it liked it · review of another edition

This one is hard to rate. There was some really good information in there, but I sort of expected more. Worth reading if you are like me and want to "DIY" an MFA.

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Mar 21, 2019 C.J. Maughan rated it it was ok

The author makes it clear that you should never give a negative review---that it's better to not say anything at all if you've nothing positive to say---which I don't agree with so here it is and I'm sorry (not sorry!) to be breaking your rules Ms. Pereira.

But this book is mostly for the types of people who want to TALK about writing, who want to carry their laptop around, push some keys every so often, rewrite the same few pages multiple times, drink lattes and say that they're a writer. I was The author makes it clear that you should never give a negative review---that it's better to not say anything at all if you've nothing positive to say---which I don't agree with so here it is and I'm sorry (not sorry!) to be breaking your rules Ms. Pereira.

But this book is mostly for the types of people who want to TALK about writing, who want to carry their laptop around, push some keys every so often, rewrite the same few pages multiple times, drink lattes and say that they're a writer. I was looking for something more serious and in-depth. I don't want to fork out the money for an MFA program so I was looking for resources, reading lists, in depth writing process discussions---something more akin to a self-directed method of study knowing that it wouldn't be complete, but that it would at least be a foundation to start from.

But this book is not that.

To be fair, the first section of this book was probably the most helpful to me. The author had a unique, interesting way of teaching the basics of storytelling. I didn't go to college for writing nor did I ever have a great English teacher throughout school so I really appreciated this breakdown. However, if you had either of those things then you probably won't find as much value in this section as I did.

The other sections were okay. That's really probably the best word for it. The content skimmed the surface, not really committing to anything in particular but trying to hit everything and nothing at the same time while filling lots of page space with charts, graphs, and little bits of information to make the page seem more visually interesting.

I felt like there were way too many acronyms and way too many plugs for the author's own website content to be helpful. The content was meant to be friendly and conversational, but it felt juvenile and it rubbed me the wrong way as it seemed like she was trying to be the "cool writer friend". The book was more of a breezy, casual, indifferent sort of read. I couldn't help but compare the tone to a teacher who is overworked, who likes her job well enough, is probably a great teacher but is too tired to really get into the nitty-gritty of teaching deep material.

Overall, I'm not upset that I read it as there are a few things I found valuable and worthwhile. I just sort of wish that I hadn't spent the money to buy the book and had instead borrowed it from the library. ...more

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Feb 09, 2019 Joy Pixley rated it it was amazing

In her introduction, Pereira does an excellent job of outlining the pros and cons of MFA programs, and how it works for some people and not for others. The promise of this book is a lofty one: that you can get the benefits of an MFA program without the expense, by taking your education and practice into your own hands. Did I think it lived up to that promise? Yes -- although the caveat is that reading the book is only the first step. I know I won't fully benefit until I have actually done the In her introduction, Pereira does an excellent job of outlining the pros and cons of MFA programs, and how it works for some people and not for others. The promise of this book is a lofty one: that you can get the benefits of an MFA program without the expense, by taking your education and practice into your own hands. Did I think it lived up to that promise? Yes -- although the caveat is that reading the book is only the first step. I know I won't fully benefit until I have actually done the things she suggests. Which is very much like being an MFA student. Just listening to the professor isn't enough: you have to actually do the writing, do the reading, do the critiques and the workshops and conferences and query letters. The difference here, as she so wisely points out, is that in the real world (whether without the MFA program or after it) you don't have that solid structure of professors and fellow students to support you. You have to find the motivation and discipline yourself. This is a great book to help you with that.

As the summary says, the three pillars of the DIY MFA program are to write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community. I was primarily interested in the reading part, as I've forgotten most of what I learned in my literature classes way back when. This was the shortest of the three sections, which was a bit disappointing, but wow, she packed a lot into it. Her example of dissecting a short story was amazing. I thought of skipping over the writing section, given how many writing craft books, blog posts, conference sessions, workshops, etc. I've already consumed. I'm glad I didn't. Although some of the advice is naturally the same as other writing craft books, there were unique and useful ideas in every chapter. The same was true for the building community section. I thought I was doing pretty well already at my early stage, having a blog and business cards and participating in multiple conferences and writing groups. But that section (like the others) is a forest of "to do" post-it notes, indicating things I should be thinking ahead about.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who's serious about taking their writing to the next level, especially if you've thought about an MFA program but can't manage the financial or time commitment, or aren't sure it's for you.
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Nov 04, 2018 Ronel Janse van Vuuren rated it it was amazing

Shelves: writing-craft, non-fiction, writing-career

“Get the knowledge without the college.”

This is a great book that takes you from learning everything you need to know about writing (like the different types of point of view) to reading beneath the surface (How did the author manage that?) to networking like a pro (just figure out what everyone there wants – just like your characters – and go with it).

Personally, when I started reading this book, I needed to find my new normal. So tracking my writing (where am I writing, what am I using to ...more

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