College Fans have March Madness, fans of the written word have National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. For me, it's that time of the year to take an idea germ and grow it into a draft. I have done NaNo since 2008 with Talisin2012, who introduced me to this crazy, lovely concept. In the middle … Continue reading A NaNo-ing We Go
Tag: National Novel Writing Month
Sage Advice Before NaNoWriMo: Roxane Gay
Like most writers, I was able to write a novel without explicit instruction, and that’s probably for the best. There are some things we should figure out for ourselves. --Roxane Gay
PrepTober Periods Before NaNoWriMo2017
I thought long and hard about participating in this year's National Novel Writing Month. I have done one every year since 2008, under an old username, in the middle of the third term during the library tech program. It's a way to get rid of the critical voice and do the first draft. If I … Continue reading PrepTober Periods Before NaNoWriMo2017
NaNoWriMo2016: Wrap Up Post and Look Ahead
This year, I declared myself a rebel and began writing a series of personal essays. It would act as a slush pile for this blog or a grab bag of fiction ideas but my focus was not on the end result, the 50,000 words and the title 'winner,' more on the process itself. I wanted … Continue reading NaNoWriMo2016: Wrap Up Post and Look Ahead
Music Monday: Faith by Stevie Wonder, Featuring Ariana Grande
For those in need of a push as National Novel Writing Month counts down its final days, from the soundtrack to the upcoming film Sing, the one, the only, Stevie Wonder. (Oh, and Ariana Grande for those in the know. I am officially out that age bracket.) https://youtu.be/opGJR_dBEvY
NaNoWriMo 2016 Update:Rebel Rousing
The year listed on my profile says 2013. Under my old profile, one I found and deleted, it's 2008. That year, in the middle of a crazy school term, V introduced me to National Novel Writing Month, and I never looked back. Julia Cameron wrote a lot about synchronicity in her book The Artist's Way, in … Continue reading NaNoWriMo 2016 Update:Rebel Rousing
The Flamingo of Doubt and Going Rogue for NaNoWriMo 2016
People used to pull out their morning paper on the bus; I pull out my phone. The first app to open is Twitter, scanning the feed for local and international news. My Twitter also features some writers I follow, including Chuck Wendig, an author I heard about two years ago from someone during a NaNoWriMo … Continue reading The Flamingo of Doubt and Going Rogue for NaNoWriMo 2016
Up For Air IV: Cut Your Losses and Keep Writing
After the success of last year's National Novel Writing Month, this time I had a disaster. The idea did not sustain me over the month and trying to balance it with the Medical Terminology course did not work. I didn't crack 10,000 words. I feel strangely alright with how things went. Either I remain in … Continue reading Up For Air IV: Cut Your Losses and Keep Writing
Coming Up for Air III: NaNoWriMo Midway Report
How's NaNoWriMo going? Let me show you: The Winnipeg zombie idea feels dead, ironically with no hope of resuscitation at this time. I liked the idea and even had my twist. The germ has one spark of life left-I need to switch the point of view. I tried the third person, but it feels like the … Continue reading Coming Up for Air III: NaNoWriMo Midway Report
Coming Up For Air I: Being Okay with the Deficit and Beating Back a Cold
Let me illustrate how I felt on Friday after staying home sick on Thursday: A sharp uptick in students asking for tissues meant something had gone around. I had a strange taste in my mouth, and I know it meant something had invaded. The troops turned aggressive with my energy zapped, my body temperature elevated, … Continue reading Coming Up For Air I: Being Okay with the Deficit and Beating Back a Cold
Unpaused Life 