About

DIY MFA Manifesto

DIYMFA is about taking your writing life into your own hands.  It’s a chance for writers to create an empowered writing life that is unique to their goals, can be maintained for the long term and fits within the constraints of their real lives.  DIYMFA is here to represent all those writers who have been left out of the MFA world, either because of financial constraints, family or job responsibilities, or simply because their work wasn’t the right “fit.”  The goal of DIYMFA is to provide an alternative to the traditional route, one that has been missing in the world of writing, until now.

Here at DIYMFA we do not discriminate against writers based on where they are on their journey or what they have chosen in terms of genre and writing style.  We embrace our differences  and take pride in the diverse backgrounds and outlooks of our writers.  At DIYMFA, being different is not a disability.  It’s a strength.  One common thread does tie us all together, however.  Every writer at DIYMFA is serious about becoming a stronger writer and making writing a priority.

No two DIYMFA’s are the same.  Each writer will create a personalized plan that fits his or her needs.  I’m here to share tips, tools and techniques that have helped me, but ultimately, it’s up to the writers to choose what fits their individual styles.  Taking responsibility for our writing can be terrifying, but the do-it-yourself part of DIYMFA is crucial to each writer’s success.  When you take ownership of your writing education, not only do you become a more empowered writer, you also create a writing life that’s sustainable for the long term.  A prescribed plan is great and might even work for a short while, but over time writers will lose energy, maybe even quit.  DIYMFA is about constantly reevaluating and reinventing your writing life so that it works for you for as long as you want to write.

We’re all on this journey together, striving for noble dreams but also keeping our feet planted on firm ground.  DIYMFA is about meeting writers where they are, not pigeon-holing them into a cookie-cutter life that doesn’t work.  Most importantly, DIYMFA means making writing an integrated part of real life, a priority but within reason.  DIYMFA isn’t about putting life on hold in order to write, it’s about building a life where you can both write and live.

As for me, I’m Gabriela Pereira, and I’ve spent a lifetime telling stories, writing them down and helping other writers put the pen to paper and express their ideas.  Having grown up bilingual, I know how important it is for writers to express themselves in their unique voice and to build a writing life that is all their own.  I’ve been many things in my life: a writer, a teacher, even a toy designer.  Now with DIYMFA I am the instigator, the one who lights the first match, but it’s up to you to fan the flame.  I hope you will join me on this journey.

So to those about to write, I salute you.  To everybody else, I suggest you stay out of our way.