USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Write-In: Wed. Nov. 25th at Colin's

willwrite4chocolate — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:44:37 +0000

Hi folks:

Eliza_French and I want to announce another informal Write-In.

Wednesday, November 25th

Colin's Coffee

3714 Riverside Drive - - near the intersection of Riverside Drive and Fishinger.

Free wifi.

Free parking.

And grilled cheese and tomato soup that's a throw-back to 1964. Oh, but it's served in a coffee mug so if that turns you off (you know who you are) you've been warned. But it is served with dill pickles. And they have pastries from Der Dutchman.

~ Nita
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------------------------------
Check out central Ohio's most complete listing of writing events: Write Now Newsletter
2004: Memorial
2008: The Dream
2009: The Dream (O.M.W.F.)

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Is anyone else still writing?

BreathesStory — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:26:38 +0000

I mean, I know some people are but... our regional forum activity has really died down and our regional word count graph has come close to flat-lining. I can only assume that most of our registered, writing people have quit. (Bummer.)

I'm just really tired in all sorts of ways. I'm tired of not doing anything else, anything fun. I'm tired of not spending much time with my family. I'm tired of not cooking and eating real food. I'm tired of trying to figure out what exactly comes next and how that is going to lead to the next moment I actually have planned. I'm tired of all those little decisions one makes as a writer every second.

Did I mention that I was tired?

There IS a sort of energy that comes from knowing that other people are struggling along with you, attempting to do the same sort of Sisyphean feeling feat. When it comes down to it, knowing that other people are out there sucking too, just makes me feel better and not so alone. Misery really does love company --especially my misery, it seems.

I REALLY wanted to finish this story by the end of the month. (It would/will be my first finished story ever.) And I can't tell anymore if I will just plain run out of days or not. I do know that I can't write more than 3,000 words a day, every day, without breaks. I don't have that much fuel left in me. So at the most, I have seven days to write 21,000 words. (Just the thought of 21,000 words makes me want to got to sleep until next month.) That's assuming I write on Thanksgiving--I was originally planning on taking the day off. If it's not done by then, I guess it will have to be finished in December. And I'm finding that thought depressing. (Depressing is not energizing.)

So, is anybody else out there still writing? Sucking maybe, but still writing? I'm not alone, right?
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2009: The Cell
"It's not the thing you fling, it's the fling itself."
-Chris in the Morning from Northern Exposure

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Friday Write Ins?

Eliza_French — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:14:46 +0000

Heya C-bus:
I work 4 x 10s with Fridays off and would like to schedule a write in for one or more Friday.
Please let me know if you would be interested and, if so, what time and location you would prefer.
Eliza
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"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere."
-Albert Einstein
2009: The Answer

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Weird Stuff I've Researched On The Way To My NaNo

BreathesStory — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:56:30 +0000

So far, (and these are just the things that I actually remember) I've researched some odd things for my novel. And by research, I mean for the most part "Googling." Although, I have grilled a couple of people too. (No, no. Think Like you're a VAMPIRE. What would you do?")

Straight Jackets
Burst eardrums
Athletic resting heart rates
Turkish toilets
Electricity and water together
Sleep disorders
The Scientific method
How to set a broken nose
Electrical burns
String games
150 years of music
Bio hazard bags
Constellations
Privacy glass
Height of men in Victorian England
The circulatory system
Shooting Script of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
Parlor games

How about you? Anything odd?
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2009: The Cell
"It's not the thing you fling, it's the fling itself."
-Chris in the Morning from Northern Exposure

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Today I am afraid of... (the fear thread)

BreathesStory — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:46:42 +0000

I don't know about anybody else, but that thing that holds me back from writing (even though I do it on a daily basis) is fear.

My fears change depending on where I'm at in my story, my biorhythms, whether I talked to a published friend, a overly critical relative, the weather, after I've just read the most mind blowing novel ever...

There seems to be no real rhyme or reason to them.

In order to get them out of the way and alleviate that stomach churning anxiety that inevitably accompanies being creative, I write them down before I start. This allows me to look at them and say, "Oh. Well, screw that!"

So this is the fear thread. Write 'em down... and then punch their lights out with 1,667 words.
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2009: The Cell
"It's not the thing you fling, it's the fling itself."
-Chris in the Morning from Northern Exposure

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Local Legend... Help!

sadiqah — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:52:42 +0000

Hello!! I'm not actually from Ohio... I was planning to visit Ohio in November but the friend I was visiting had me come in September instead. (It would have been great to write with you guys though!)

When I was there, he pointed out a club/restaurant type place that is supposedly famous and a legend has grown around some University student that was seen on surveillance video going in, but never leaving. Never seen or heard from again, no body ever found... he just vanished.

Is anybody here able to tell me more about that? For starters, it's quite fascinating. I'm also thinking to play with that in my novel. Please share, if you know the story!!! Thank you :)
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Nothing interferes with my concentration. You could put on an orgy in my office and I wouldn’t look up. Well, maybe once.
- Isaac Asimov

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

word count bragging/butt-kicking

dangerousfemale7389 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:03:26 +0000

Okay, so, I made it to 1674 words within the first hour of NaNoWriMo, and I am so proud of myself! Let's see if I can keep up this rate with five classes, running a student org, and everything else going on in my life. My sister better not have her baby prematurely. If Luke interrupts my nano, I might be a little upset (jk).

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~Daniella~

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

The hardest thing about this story...

BreathesStory — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:44:21 +0000

Any one else finding a particular aspect of their story... um, challenging?

I'm okay on the dialogue, and I seem to have some nice set pieces. But man, those transitions between one scene and the next are really slowing me down. I'm having the hardest time ending a scene and then entering the new one, especially when there isn't a break in time. No, wait, I lied. I'm having a hard time with the ones with a break in time too.

I was just wondering what other people were having a hard time with...
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2009: The Cell
"It's not the thing you fling, it's the fling itself."
-Chris in the Morning from Northern Exposure

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Sunday Write-ins, Panera at Bethel Road

zenfrodo — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:22:08 +0000

The community room at the Panera on Bethel Road has been reserved for Sunday NaNoWriMo write-ins on Nov 22 & Nov 29 from 1:30 - 4:30 PM (though we can take it over at 1:00, as usual -- the management just couldn't reserve it for us earlier than 1:30).

Chaotic -- add to the calendar, please? I realize you might not be able to make it; it's just a shame to let the Sunday write-in tradition drop.

The Panera is on Bethel Road, just off the 161 exit, in the MicroCenter shopping plaza.

http://maps.google.com/places/us/columbus/bethel-rd/875/-panera-bread:-n...
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2007: The Severed Earth
2008: The Bloodied Land
http://holyshrineofjourney.com
http://zenfrodo.livejournal.com

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Throwing in the Towel

Kitten Kisses — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:04:08 +0000

I've had to quit NaNoWriMo due to stress/nerves/Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/toothaches. But mostly the CTS. I can't be the only one!

My CTS wasn't all that bad last year, but I haven't written in more than a week, and my CTS just keeps getting worse because of my job. Sadly, work and bills come before writing novels, so this is it for me.

I wish I didn't have to give up, but I probably need surgery for my CTS, and my employers would never pay for it if they found out I wrote as a hobby, especially if they knew about NaNoWriMo.

Has anyone else slugged behind or quit due to CTS, real life, or other factors? I hate losing, but I know better than to push myself too far. Good luck to all those who are still writing! ♥
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You're a snap-snapdragon,
Clamped down tight on me.

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Adopt a Wrimo!

Chaoticpi — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:18:25 +0000

What's this, you say? Has she lost her mind? We don't want to adopt people, I got enough mouths to feed.

Okay, what this is really about.

The other day at a write-in, I got a note from a person online named 'Ed" who said he'd been following me to keep up his word count. When I replied it began to become friendly banter between two people challenging each other.

I figured, we all need an extra push, right? I'm thinking that us with higher word counts should adopt those with lower word counts. Kinda like a mentoring program. Give them support, encouragement, cajoling, chocolate. Something that would keep that wrimo going.

I'm thinking (since this is the first time I've ever proposed something like this) those of us with lower word counts could possibly say something like "I'm desperate! Adopt me!'. And those of us at normal or higher word count would say, "I adopt (insert username here)".

You don't have to go all out. Just chat with them via NaNoMail about wordcount, let them know what gets you over that hill or gets you over that word. Having Ed there to egg me on has gotten me through many a rough spots in my novel. No kidding. I think it's a great idea.

Oh and Ed, you're going down, you know this, right?
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So many words, so precious little time.
ML Columbus, Ohio

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Write-in at Travonna on Saturday, November 21 (Short North)

adelekta — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:39:58 +0000

My writing group is holding a write-in at Travonna Coffee House in the Short North. Folks will be arriving as early as 8 AM (which is when they open), and staying through late afternoon. (I'm not sure, but I think we'll have the conference room. If not, we'll be kind of obvious with our laptops and looks of frustration. :-) I think only a few of us will be making it to this one, so come and join us! There's free parking in the public lot just south of Travonna, on the same side of the street.

Travonna Coffee House 1195 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43201

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Anne
"Blank pages can't be edited, but bad prose can."

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

The Daily Procrastination

BreathesStory — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:00:38 +0000

Every day there is inevitably something I do to delay writing.

You've probably got them too. But it's going to be a long 30 days and since nobody wants to run short of a good procrastination...

I propose this thread for posting what you did to procrastinate today.

Did you:

After five weeks decide today was the day to call your mother?
Archive your e-mail?
Spend 45 minutes trying to win Spider Solitare?
Update your Facebook page?
File all that stuff on your desk?
Voluntarily fold laundry for the first time in your adult life?
Wash out the fridge?
Decide today was the perfect day to feed your kids their first non-frozen dinner of the week?
Text message for an hour?

You did something. I know you did. What was it?

Do your part to keep the rest of us from running out of ideas. ~_^

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2009: The Cell
"It's not the thing you fling, it's the fling itself."
-Chris in the Morning from Northern Exposure

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

slow start, but coming along...

msalsbury — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:21:59 +0000

I didn't find out about NaNoWriMo until a few days into it, so I started out behind many of you.

I spent most of my first couple of days working my way through Michael A. Stackpole's "21 Days to a Novel" guide. Mr. Stackpole is a New York Times bestselling author with at least 40 books under his belt, so he has a good idea what he's talking about. I've also had the good fortune to see him here in Columbus during the Origins 2009 game convention where he discussed "The Rules of Writing". If you are interested in what he has to say, you might want to check out his web site at http://www.stormwolf.com. He sells the guide I used and several others you might find of value. I ended up with over 5000 words of notes by going through his exercises, and having a pretty good idea of my two main characters.

With the prep work behind me, I started writing the novel itself. I'm around 7 chapters into it at this point, and over 13,000 words along at this point in the novel itself. I have another 5,100 or so in notes about characters and plot points.

Seeing that some of the rest of you are ahead of me is inspiring me to push on, and the fact that there may be a few behind me helps me realize I shouldn't give up yet.

Anyhow, best of luck to everyone and I hope you all reach your goal before November 30!

I leave you with this quote:

The story I am writing exists, written in absolutely perfect fashion, some place, in the air. All I must do is find it, and copy it. ~Jules Renard, "Diary," February 1895
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----------------------------------------------
http://www.mikesalsbury.com/
http://www.gamerhotsheet.com/

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Daily Writing Habit -- Meet up?

zenfrodo — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:30:26 +0000

Hey Folks --

Thanks to my work schedule being "late" for the rest of November, I've got a good couple hours every day this week to spend writing...

The Cup O' Joe at Tulane & North High (in Clintonville) is my usual spot; I'm usually there between 11:00 AM-ish and 1:00 PMish (depending on when I get my butt out of the apartment and on my bike). Feel free to swing in & join me -- I usually take over the comfy chairs near the fireplace. Look for the blond with the NaNoWriMo-stickered Mac. :)

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2007: The Severed Earth
2008: The Bloodied Land
http://holyshrineofjourney.com
http://zenfrodo.livejournal.com

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Saturday Write-Ins in Marysville

racheldilley — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:16:43 +0000

The Marysville Writers Group has a room in the Marysville Library reserved for NaNo writers every Saturday in November. Here is the schedule if anyone is interested in driving to Union County:

November 7, 9:00 to 2:00 in the Activity Room on the main level
November 14, 11:30 to 2:00 in the Activity Room
November 21, 9:00 to 2:00 in the Activity Room
November 28, 11:30 to 2:00 in Meeting Room B in the basement

If you think you might attend, please reply so that I can make sure there is enough table space.

Marysville is about 20 minutes northwest of Dublin.
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USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Laptop and Candlelight

mariettanative — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:21:50 +0000

On Monday, a transformer blew and plunged our house into darkness. My wife was worried about the food in our refrigerator spoiling and the clothes in the washer mildewing. This left me to deal with the truly important issue: How was I going to write?

I took a candelabra from our dining room (three candles), lit it, and took it up to my office. I used the laptop (on battery power), and only managed 1100 words that night before the candles began to burn low and the battery power began to flag.

So you see, it can be done.
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PAUL THOMAS EVANS, Columbus, OH, USA
Poet, bureaucrat, novelist, autodidact, gadfly

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Ohio Versus Michigan Word War

Chaoticpi — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:06:55 +0000

It's the time-honored fight between the Maize and gold and the Scarlet and Gray. That's right, we're doing a word war with *ahem* that state up north.

So, make sure that everyone you know affiliates with Columbus, Ohio. The more words the better. It seems that they win every year. We catch up in the beginning and we loose. We can beat them. We've beaten michigan before after years of loosing to them. Lets go COLUMBUS!

Yay columbus!
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So many words, so precious little time.
ML Columbus, Ohio

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Impromptu Write-In: Stauf's Wed. 11/11

willwrite4chocolate — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:30:38 +0000

I'll be at Stauf's tomorrow (Wednesday the 11th) from around 9AM to 1PM. Look for my black NaNo sticker covered laptop. I have short grayish brown hair and am in my better (can you say middle?) years.

Hope to see some of you.

~ Nita
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------------------------------
Check out central Ohio's most complete listing of writing events: Write Now Newsletter
2004: Memorial
2008: The Dream
2009: The Dream (O.M.W.F.)

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Advice for the Advanced

zendance — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:30:49 +0000

I know, you've done Nano for years now. Turning out 5oK is a breeze. Pushing beyond your sticking points is child's play. Whenever you get lost in your novel and don't know what to write next, you know the best way forward is to introduce a ninja. But does that means there's nothing left to learn?

Every year, I always see a forum thread about giving advice to the first-timers. That's not so hard. Anyone who has done this before could easily give some good advice.

But what about for us old-timers? What kind of wisdom have we learned that we wouldn't necessarily share with someone who's just starting out?

There are things a first-timer just wouldn't benefit by because you need to have the experience of finishing before you have the basis to learn another lesson.

My guess is, we have a pretty expert group at this point. We have people who have been writing for years, maybe even have gotten published. I'm sure a lot of you have bits of wisdom that come out of using what you learned about yourself and writing in Nano that you can now apply beyond Nano.

You know that Nano isn't just a yearly marathon run. It's an opportunity to learn new things about writing. It's an opportunity to grow as a writer, which often means you have to go at it with a different perspective or a different technique or tool or prepare in a different way or organize your writing in a different way.

I encourage you to share anything you've done that worked or didn't work or that you think might work to take your writing to the next level.

But don't share the ninja trick. We already know that one.

I'll start:

1)
Last year, Nita Sweeny (willwrite4chocolate) introduced me to a software program call yWriter (http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html). There's a bunch of reasons why I would not encourage a first-timer to use this software, not the least of which is learning a new piece of software takes time away from writing.

But I've found that this helps me crank out pages because I only use it for writing and every time I open it, I end up writing something.

Also, I am horrible at organization. So these tomes I crank out each November end up being discouraging come December simply because I want to edit it, but get lost in it because I can't see an overall perspective of the work and I get bogged down trying to find bits I need or thought I had or lost because I wanted it in a different document that ended up on a different computer. yWriter cures this.

2)
I've spent the last couple Nanos trying to come up with something that is worthy of being published. I have a couple of first drafts that kinda fit the bill, but I get lost in the re-writing process. The drafts are so fundamentally flawed that starting over seems to be the best course of action.

This year I've decided I just don't know enough about how to put in the necessary parts of a good story spontaneously. So, I'm working out a way of creating a world, creating fully fleshed out characters and creating a basic plot outline. That way come November 1, I know where the story begins and I know the marks I need to hit.

Hopefully this will eliminate the fatal story flaws and reduce the amount of re-writing I have to do when I edit it.

I don't know that it will, but it's my next experiment to make myself a better writer. Hopefully one that can get published.

3)
There's a book called "The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing" which is a step-by-step recipe for writing a novel. I've found this gives me a very good, high-level perspective on the structure of a novel as well as what belongs where. For me, it took away all the mystery of how a well-built novel gets structure and answered many questions I had for years.

Thank you and I look forward to learning from you.

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Mike

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Write-in on Saturday (11/14) in Gahanna

adelekta — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:56:05 +0000

My writing group is having a write-in on Saturday, November 14 at Java's Cyber Cafe in Gahanna. People will be there as early as 8 AM, and we'll keep going until the last one drops (usually late afternoon, though sometimes we break for a late lunch.) I'll probably be there from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Here's Java's website: http://www.javas.com/home.asp
Java's is just a little ways off Hamilton Rd., a few blocks south of Morse Rd. If you are heading south on Hamilton, turn left by Graeters (Beecher Rd.) then take the first left (Beecher Crossing.) There's a little strip of shops, and Java's is on the end.

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Anne
"Blank pages can't be edited, but bad prose can."

USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Does "No Plot? No Problem!" Actually Help??

pookielocks — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:27:29 +0000

I wasn't going to do nano this year until I heard EVERYONE talking about it. Argh. Now, I must at least attempt it, though I have no free time currently.

Does anyone own the nano book? Is it actually worth the money to buy it??
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USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

What time is the write in on Friday?

Cr3ative_1 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:17:34 +0000

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USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Is "Real Life" Keeping You From Writing?

pookielocks — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:56:49 +0000

someone please comiserate (sp?) with me!

i've been dealing with legal issues (against someone else) all week and that has seriously cut into my writing time. my mind is so focused on that stuff that i can't seem to let go and write.

anyone else have real life seeping in?
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USA :: Ohio :: Columbus

Impromptu Write-in tomorrow anyone?

AGirlCalledZ — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:51:54 +0000

I am going to go and write downtown tomorrow after the lunch shift (about 4 ) I am thinking either the main branch of the library downtown or another downtownie spot (Northstar Cafe' or the North Market maybe?) or I'll just give up and go to Stauf's in Grandview. It is my happy place.

If anyone is interested do let me know :)

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"I was once the self appointed inspector of rain storms and snow storms, and I did my duty faithfully."