APRIL DAVILA
Award-Winning Author & Writing Coach
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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.
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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.
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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
Submitting My Short Story, Again
I knew there were holes in the narrative, but I figured no one else would notice. Rookie mistake.
Don’t Just Do Something Sit There
I was chatting with an old friend the other day and he asked why, in all the time we knew each other back in the day, did I never mention that I was a writer? Truth was, I didn’t know.
Yes! National Student Writing Competition
I am super proud to announce that Yes! Magazine is using an article I wrote for them to act as the prompt for their annual Student Writing Competition.
Beer in the Mojave, Cocktails in Silver Lake
I’m still trying to catch up, but what is a little sleep derivation compared to a wonderful weekend like that?
But Seriously, Put the Manuscript Down
After reading my horoscope at the coffee shop on Sunday, and blogging about how I needed to take a step back from the novel, guess what I did. I decided to work on an excerpt of the novel, because somehow in my brain, that seemed completely removed from the novel. I swear, sometimes, I can be really dense.
Note to Self: You Must Step Back
I’ve been making myself nuts over the novel. It’s too long, it’s too short, it’s not good enough. It’s done and I should stop obsessing and send it out already. It will never be done, ever.
Ten Pages at a Time
I’ve decided to edit in 10 page chunks. I’m taking 10 pages at a time, pasting them into a new doc, and adding descriptions here and there to make the pacing better. I’m working on it until I’ve added 500 words, and then I’m pasting those 10 pages back into the story, slightly fatter for the attention.
Fattening Up My Manuscript
This question of whether or not my novel is too short is plaguing me. I know what matters most is that it’s good, but I also know I can be a little harsh with the editing.
Books, Wonderful Books!
When she called to say she was coming to town, we both agreed it was a great excuse to have lunch and waste a few hours wondering the isles of our favorite books store. We are both in love with Skylight Books on Vermont.
Is My Novel Too Short?
Everything I’ve read is that you don’t really want to be below 70,000 for a novel. So now I’m all freaked out. Is my novel too short?