APRIL DAVILA
Award-Winning Author & Writing Coach
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APRIL ONLINE
Online Community
A powerful writing group.
This online community of writers combines weekly group coaching with regularly scheduled writing sessions. Keep yourself accountable, get advice when you need it, and do what it takes to finally finish your manuscript.
Scribbling Buddha
A weekly newsletter.
April's essential guide to interesting things, generally (but not always) related to books, writing and mindfulness practice. The Scribbling Buddha newsletter goes out every Friday with a list of 8 Great Things you need to know.
Private Coaching
Take your writing to the next level.
Sit Write Here coaching packages are built around a unique, mindset-first program to help aspiring authors hone their skills while developing a regular writing practice so that they can finally finish their novel or memoir.
142 OSTRICHES
Set against the unexpected splendor of an ostrich ranch in the California desert, April Dávila’s beautifully written debut conjures an absorbing and compelling heroine in a story of courage, family and forgiveness.
“A vivid, uplifting debut...”
—Publishers Weekly
Recent Blog Posts
6 Tips for Forming a Writing Group
Luckily, Amy knew what she was doing. Or maybe she just had really good instincts. Either way, the group of five women she pulled together was amazing. We met every two weeks for five years. It was a formative experience.
What I Learned at AWP This Year
Here are a few things I learned over the weekend at this year’s AWP…
Talking Story with Charles Johnson
“Where else in life do you get to keep working at something until you get it right?” ~ Charles Johnson
Fiction Submission Spreadsheet
Download this spreadsheet to create a submission plan for your fiction.
My New Writing Desk
That’s right. Two weeks from now I will be writing from my very own home office. I used to have a home office here, but when my mom moved in, mid-2012, it became her room, and then when she moved out, my daughter pushed for it to be her room…
No Need to Ask
So today I will defer my writing duties and share with you a poem by Rumi, a little beauty to ponder as we go about our busy lives.
Reverse Engineering a Story
It’s only 193 pages. It doesn’t need any more. I’m about half way through, marking up the margins with notes and thinking about story structure.
Feedback on my New Opening
For this UCLA extension class that I’m taking, I submitted the (new) first twenty pages of my novel for critique. I was a little nervous, as I usually don’t show anyone new pages except for my writing group or my husband. But I got some great feedback.
Creative Community
There’s a grit to Southern California that appeals to my literary sensibilities. Visiting San Francisco this weekend, after nine years away, it was clear that The City is a tech city now. No two ways about it.
Always Learning
It’s great to be back in a classroom, talking about the art of writing and having informed debates.