A Write to the Finish: NaNoWriMo and the Better Life

November 30, 2014April 28, 2015 ~ Jax ~ 2 Comments

The universe converged during this WriMo’s 2014 win moment. This year’s NaNo wasn’t about just surviving – 2014 was about thriving. Love and the spirit of this annual worldwide novel-ing November made it all possible. This one’s for the WriMos, no matter what color your bar is. The NaNoWriMoment If you want to remember something as faithfully … Continue reading A Write to the Finish: NaNoWriMo and the Better Life

Why You Can’t Trust Your Memory and What to Do About It: Memory and Trauma (Part 1 of 3)

November 22, 2014April 28, 2015 ~ Jax ~ 3 Comments

In my last post, I could have told my story about the Legend of Write or Die with more certainty. With fewer “maybes” and “might have beens”. The truth is, I really can’t remember the entire conversation all that well. I only really remember bits and pieces. It happened years ago and I’ve only recalled the … Continue reading Why You Can’t Trust Your Memory and What to Do About It: Memory and Trauma (Part 1 of 3)

How I Wrote My Manuscript (Or, How NaNoWriMo Saved My Life)

November 15, 2014April 28, 2015 ~ Jax ~ 2 Comments

There is this legendary thing I have heard tell of a writer's passion - write or die. I've felt it burn through my veins only twice in my life: last November, when NaNoWriMo saved my life, and now. But the thing that got me to finish my manuscript wasn't exactly that. And when it comes to winning, … Continue reading How I Wrote My Manuscript (Or, How NaNoWriMo Saved My Life)

On Revision: How, Exactly, Do I Murder My Darlings?

October 16, 2014April 28, 2015 ~ Jax ~ Leave a comment

After boiling my novel down to Just One Thing and identifying some crap, I need to decide what to do with it all. Here is how, exactly, I am going to murder my darlings (and whether I will in the end). This is how I’m going to go into November armed with that list of scenes … Continue reading On Revision: How, Exactly, Do I Murder My Darlings?

Getting Started: A NaNoWriMo Basics Refresher

October 14, 2014April 28, 2015 ~ Jax ~ Leave a comment

November first is fast approaching, and that means hoards of novelists across the world are clanging their swords upon shields in anticipation. To bring my brain back into battle, I'm recalling some basics. Here are some practical steps for getting started, a case study on my relationship with Pantsing and Planning and three principles that helped … Continue reading Getting Started: A NaNoWriMo Basics Refresher