Finishing NaNoWriMo (and what I learned from it)

This past Saturday, I finished the first draft of my NaNoWriMo novel. It’s rough — as a first draft often is — and there are some holes I need to fill in, but overall, I’m thrilled with how it turned out, and proud to say I cranked out a first draft in under a month. …

Join Me For NaNoWriMo 2018

I think I mentioned in a previous post that, because I have no regard for my sanity, I’m taking part in NaNoWriMo this November.   What is it? For those of you who don’t know: NaNoWriMo is, essentially, a mad dash to get 50,000 words of something written in November. Now, I’m not someone who …

Novel Writing Tips: Writing the First Draft of Your Novel

As of last Tuesday, the first draft of my novel is complete - finished, wrapped up, doneskies. I’m absolutely intoxicated from the high of “wow, I just wrote my first novel.” Even more exciting: I spent just 22 days writing it - for some reason, I decided to do a solo NaNoWriMo in July, and …

Writing a Novel: Productive Writing Tips for People With ADHD

  This isn’t something I talk about often - because most of the time I don’t see the benefit of mentioning it - but I have ADHD. I’ve had it since I was young, and I’ve struggled a lot through it not being acknowledged and later from misdiagnosis. Once I figured out what was up, …

How My Poetry Has Changed in a Year + a Poetry Book Update

Talking about my poetry journey and an update on my poetry book.

Analyzing Poetry: What’s Good and What’s Not?

Unpopular Opinion: All Poetry is Good Poetry I read a lot of poetry, in a lot of different styles: Wordsworth, Keats, Sexton, Czaga, Ginsberg, Plath, Peters (and far too many more to list). Each of these poets has their own unique style, and there’s no question in my mind whether they can be considered poets …

Part Eleven: The Creature

The Creature You stand on your toes, stretch to reach the window and can only barely see through; a fine film of dust and grime cover the once transparent glass. You feel like a kid again, eavesdropping on your parents from the next room over. This time, though, fear is deeply rooted in your stomach …

Poem: Memory Film of Point Roberts

Memory Film of Point Roberts   Summer of ‘98 and the russet hatchback swings into a narrow, flower lined driveway. Poppies, lavender, chrysanthemums intertwine to create a marbled smudge, a watercolor painting. Further on the indigo, wind-blown log cabin perched upon a bluff blends in to the sky beyond, a two-dimensional backdrop, dangerous, a sharp …

Part Ten: The Descent

The Descent The weight of the silence wraps around you like snow on a street at midnight. It feels different than the rest, hollow, as though inside a vacuum. You breathe in and you breathe out, in and out in and out, rapid, laboured. You wait. Your chest is tight but quickly, silently, you make …

Part Nine: The Dark

The Dark The slammed door disrupts dust particles and cobwebs which dance across your face and into your nose. You almost sneeze, almost, but you hold it in. You stand there as the cloak of darkness and ever-present silence engulf you. You’re shaking, but only slightly, and the tabby presses close to you, silent as …