top of page

Megan DiMaria

Author/Speaker

A Prisoner of Hope

Offering hope and encouragement for life, writing, and living a thoughtful life.

A Prisoner of Hope

Offering hope and encouragement for life, writing, and living a thoughtful life.

I post every Tuesday.

Five necessary components to a novel

Megan DiMaria

Jul 16, 2019
1 min

Five necessary components to a novel

Sometimes it good to remember stuff we've already been taught. Elementary, yes—but it's good to ponder the basics of novel writing. One: A sympathetic character that we come to know and care about. If readers simply don't care about your protagonist, they won't read on. Of course, there are some unlikable characters that are found in fiction, but the still must have a grain of sympathy to them, some good quality that keeps them from being 100% evil. Two: Conflict: what happen

Writers: Six tips to refresh your creativity

Megan DiMaria

May 28, 2019
2 min

Writers: Six tips to refresh your creativity

Writers can get overwhelmed trying to find a new way to communicate the ordinary and everyday moments that make up life. Writers can get overwhelmed trying to find a new way to communicate the ordinary and everyday moments that make up life. As Solomon said in the book of Ecclesiastes, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (verse 1:9) What’s a writer to do? First, don’t panic. True there is nothing new under

Eleven tips for revealing your novel's characters

Megan DiMaria

Apr 23, 2019
1 min

Eleven tips for revealing your novel's characters

Hi! I'm back after my Lenten break. I didn't blog, but I haven't neglected my writing. I like simple tips, ones that make you say ah-ha and help you move forward in your craft. I hope you appreciate this little graphic. I love stuff like this—something that you can glance at that gets your creative juices flowing. Enjoy! The scene is set, and your character is about to step off the pages and into your reader's imagination. So, how do you reveal who they are without using an

Want to be a writer? Here's some advice:

Megan DiMaria

Feb 19, 2019
1 min

Want to be a writer? Here's some advice:

Want to be a writer? Are you thinking about it? And thinking? START NOW. If you don't know how to start, get a how-to book out of the library OR go to a writers group OR go to a seminar/writers conference OR look online for advice OR simply sit down and open a word document. DO IT. Don't wait for the day it will be easier or simpler. Life is always complicated. Start now. In a year, you'll be glad you did. Practice persistence. Write daily—even if it's only a couple hundred w

A pep talk for when it feels like you're not succeeding.

Megan DiMaria

Oct 9, 2018
1 min

A pep talk for when it feels like you're not succeeding.

Do you ever feel like all your efforts to make your dream come true are for naught? Do you sometimes feel like you've done enough, tried your hardest, and you want to give up? Don't! Life is hard. Schedules get tangled. The pressures and tasks you face each day can just about do you in. It feels like there are more tasks to do than there are hours in the day to accomplish them. Sometimes it feels like you've stumbled and you're not getting any traction moving toward to your g

How an Author Handles Doubts

Megan DiMaria

Oct 2, 2018
1 min

How an Author Handles Doubts

Is it ever difficult for you, as a writer, to feel confident about your writing? If so, you're normal. Fears pop up like dandelions after the first spring rain. Those worries and questions play on a loop in your brain: Is this good enough to be published? Does it make sense? Will anyone want to read it? Do I sound ridiculous? Am I wasting my time? Will I ever be pleased with this project? And on and on and on . . . I'm not the first writer to have these doubts. And I won't be

How to prepare for a writers conference

Megan DiMaria

Sep 11, 2018
2 min

How to prepare for a writers conference

Are you going to a writers conference this year? I hope so. Next week, I'm going to the ACFW conference in Nashville. Can't wait! Conferences can be a great boost to your writing career. Not only do you learn tips and techniques about writing, you'll pick up great information about the industry and make good connections in the writing world. If you’ve never gone to a writers conference, attending a small, local one is often a good way to understand the rhythm of the conferenc

Guideposts for a writer's journey, part 2

Megan DiMaria

Jul 3, 2018
2 min

Guideposts for a writer's journey, part 2

Last week we started discussing the writer's journey. I likened it to climbing up the side of a Colorado mountain. In my case, I had started on a path that began easily then got more difficult the longer I climbed. I believe that the uphill climb is similar to writing. I have a theory when it comes to pursuing publication: I believe that every writer can have a satisfying writing journey by following five guideposts along their way. The first guidepost we discussed was the ST

How to create a writer's affirmation to stay focused on your goal.

Megan DiMaria

May 1, 2018
2 min

How to create a writer's affirmation to stay focused on your goal.

Remember when the dream of writing a novel first bloomed? How exciting that was, right? And then time wore on, and your writing career didn't reach the apex you'd hoped it would. I'm here to tell you that now is not the time to stop. You've started, don't stop! Everyday, go to the spot where you write, sit, and get cracking. Maybe you're tired of the struggle. Guess what? You're not alone. But it's the writers who continue on the journey who get the results. I'm glad you sto

What it's like to switch from editing to writing mode again

Megan DiMaria

Apr 10, 2018
1 min

What it's like to switch from editing to writing mode again

After revising my completed manuscript (which was a big job), I’m excited to switch gears and head back into writing mode. I’m one quarter the way through my current wip (work in progress), so my story's fairly fleshed out, and I'm raring to go. Honestly, it’s a bit disorienting to leave my story set (mostly) in 1969, as well as the 16th, 17th, 19th, early 20th, and 21st Centuries behind and slip into another time, another setting, and pick up with different characters. I’m e

What does sun-dried hair have to do with writing novels?

Megan DiMaria

Feb 20, 2018
2 min

What does sun-dried hair have to do with writing novels?

We enjoyed a warm winter day yesterday (65 degrees in beautiful Colorado!), and I dried my hair in the sun. Not exactly front-page news, but it was a moment that gave me fodder for writing novels. I’m of the no-moment-wasted camp of writers who tuck memories and ideas into my head like a robin picks up string and scraps for her nest. Drying my hair in the sun was a gift—time to sit and be still and enjoy a truly simple pleasure. The day captivated me with birdsong and sunshin

Efforts = Accomplishment, now don't forget that!

Megan DiMaria

Feb 6, 2018
1 min

Efforts = Accomplishment, now don't forget that!

Rome wasn't built in a day. Slow and steady wins the race. Little strokes fell great oaks. You've heard those sayings before. They endure because there's truth to them. Believe me, I know how grueling the writing life can be. It's too easy to become discouraged when you think your journey should be further along than it seems. But we need to remember to say a prayer and persevere in our efforts. Here are some tips to help you persevere: Keep yourself spiritually charged. Rem

What do readers to hear while they're reading?

Megan DiMaria

Jan 30, 2018
2 min

What do readers to hear while they're reading?

I know of authors who listen to certain soundtracks while they're writing to inspire them to write with emotion or to add authenticity to their story. But what I'm thinking of today are the sounds you hear while reading a book. It's important to incorporate sensory details (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste) into a story to transport the reader. One of the details that I appreciate when I'm reading is narrative that conveys the sounds the characters are hearing. If the settin

Why reading fiction is good for you

Megan DiMaria

Jan 23, 2018
1 min

Why reading fiction is good for you

I have always been addicted to reading fiction. Books have taken me to other worlds and have helped me to figure out my world. When you read fiction, you can "try out" new situations and ideas by experiencing them through the skin of the character in the novel you're reading. You can travel to the outer limits and beyond or stay within the confines of a cozy setting. Fiction can let you experience highs and lows that take your breath away and give you plenty of food for thoug

Have a little fun, and check out these unusual word facts.

Megan DiMaria

Oct 24, 2017
1 min

Have a little fun, and check out these unusual word facts.

This post serves no purpose other than to allow people a moment to say, "Hmm." And sometimes that's a good thing. Enjoy! 'Stewardesses' is the longest word typed with only the left hand. And 'lollipop' is the longest word typed with your right hand. No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple. 'Dreamt' is the only English word that ends in the letters 'mt'. The sentence: 'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog' uses every letter of the

Want to know what your problem is?

Megan DiMaria

Oct 17, 2017
2 min

Want to know what your problem is?

I'm one of those folks who seem to be able to strike up unusual conversations with strangers. Today I was thinking about this encounter from a few years ago. Could this snippet end up in a novel? Perhaps. “Want to know what your problem is?” The voice came from my right. I turned to find a pleasant-looking woman smiling at me, waiting for my response to her question. Her voice held both confidence and compassion. Having never been approached by a stranger with such an interes

Don't waste pretty words. File them away!

Megan DiMaria

Oct 10, 2017
2 min

Don't waste pretty words. File them away!

Writers, do you keep a pretty-word file? Sometimes a description hits the spot exactly. When that happens in a novel I’m reading, I often go back, re-read, and savor the pretty words. I play word games by myself all day long. If I see/hear/smell/taste/touch something, I often try to come up with the best words to describe whatever it was I heard/smelled/tasted/touched. (Truly, there is silly, crazy, word-loving madness in my brain.) Here are some tidbits that may find their w

A Word of Encouragement for Writers

Megan DiMaria

Aug 29, 2017
1 min

A Word of Encouragement for Writers

Friends, this is as much for me as for you. While you're here, take a moment, go to the main page of my blog, and find some encouragement and tips on the craft. And then fire your passion and do what you were created to do. Write on! #writingnovelwritingcreativityinspiration #creativity #perspective #secondchances #books #goals #hope #persistence #inspiration

Two sentences that helped me reset my expectations and regain my composure.

Megan DiMaria

Jun 20, 2017
2 min

Two sentences that helped me reset my expectations and regain my composure.

I know that I can’t be the only one . . . Perhaps you've also found yourself scrambling to meet your goals, pushing yourself to do more, but failing to see the results you'd hoped for. Lately, I’ve found myself working with such diligence and trying so, so hard. My efforts went toward accomplishing tasks, meeting deadlines, and reaching goals. Some days have been grueling. Let me back up—I hadn’t snatched my dreams and goals out of thin air. I formulated them after much praye

bottom of page