USA :: Michigan :: Ottawa County-Grand Rapids

Welcome to the OCGR Camp Nano cabin! Stop in and tell us about what you're working on and share your victories and woes throughout the month.

We have a write-in scheduled on April 13 at the Holland Biggby Coffee on Chicago Drive from 1-4pm. We have our own little conference room even so come on by and get some writing done on your camp project or crack open that November novel and do some editing. We'd love to see you there!

It's been months since we've seen you! April Camp NaNo is looming on the horizon.

We hope to catch up with you on Tuesday, March 19 at 7pm at the Holland B&N. Come chat, drink some coffee and treat yourself to some Starbucks goodies.

The forum may slow down, but we're still here. Got some news? What to get together? Still writing? Tell us all about it. We're all ears...or eyes, it would seem since we're reading this...

Thank you to everyone who came out to the TGIO party! What a great turn out!

Tune in tomorrow for a wrap up of the month in numbers.

The writing may be over, but we still have our TGIO party this sunday! We hope to see you there!

Congratulations to our epic very last minute winners jessicabooth and colette.brunel.3! Now go get some sleep!

And to the rest of you, CONGRATULATIONS on your win! For all of you who took part in this crazy writing adventure, be proud of your efforts whether you wrote 5k or 50k. Each new word is one you didn't have before.

Welcome to DAY 30!!!! We've managed to add an extra four hours to the day for all of you last minute race to the 50k line folks. Ok. Not really, but we tried. Turns out Father Time doesn't take bribes of chocolate, weasels, coffee or even Timmy.

DONT FORGET TO VALIDATE YOUR NOVEL BEFORE MIDNIGHT.

Voting for the NaNoTasic awards is open through midnight Dec 1.
Voting for the NaNoBots ends tonight at midnight.

Tune in to Chat tonight to watch some of our last minute writers cross the finishline! Best of luck to you all!

Day 29 - If you haven't yet finished your novel, you have until midnight tomorrow. If you're planning for an epic, last minute win, be sure to double check that your time setting are correct so you can validate before midnight.

Voting for the NaNoTastic awards is open. Voting for the NaNoBots is open.

Word count: 48,343

Write-ins:
Grandville B&N With ML Adrianne at 6:30pm
Grand Haven latenight Days Inn starting at 11:30pm

Day 28 - Things to do today:
Use the daily prompt and put a sticker on your chart
RSVP for the TGIO party
Submit your NaNoTastic Award Nominations
Vote for your favorite 2 NaNoBots
Oh, and FINSH YOUR NOVEL.

Word Count: 46,676

Write-ins:
Holland Big Apple Bagels at 1pm
Grand Haven in the libary at 6pm
Grand Rapids CYC at 6pm with ML SMS

Day 27 - Only one day left to:
Submit your nominations for our annual NaNoTasitc Awards!

Submit your entry for our NaNoBot contest. Post your entry in the tread and you may be a winner!

Word count: 45,009

Write-ins: The last Holland B&N at 7pm with ML Gypsywitch

Day 26 - It's your last chance to enter our Back Up Your Novel Contest. Stop by the facebook page and claim your entries. You might win a 4gb flashdrive.

Word Count: 43,342

Tonight:
The Last GR Woodland Food Court Write-in at 6pm

Day 25 - Novel Validation is live! Go to 'edit novel info' and past your novel text into the box. Your word count will be updated with the site's version of your word count. Even if you're not at 50k, do it to see how the site's numbers compare to your own.

Word count: 41,675

Only three days left to enter our NaNoBot Contest. And don't forget to RSVP for our TGIO Party.

For all of us sitting somewhere below 40k today, let's get some words pumped out! Write write wriiiiiite!!

Word Count: 40k

Write-ins:
GR Spectrum Heath Food Court at 10am
GVSU Connection Building at 1pm
Holland *new location and time for today only) Washington St. Big Apple Bagel at Noon.

Day 23 - Shop. Write. Write. Write

Word Count: 38,341

Join us for word wars in the chat room tonight!

Day 22- Eat. Enjoy. Write if you can. If not...we'll make it up tomorrow. :)

Word Count: 36,674

Day 21 - Pre-turkey day. Write, my wrimos. Write like the shiny chickens of dining and family distraction are after your every free moment!

Word Count: 35,007

Write-ins:
Lunch at the Holland Big Apple Bagels at 1pm
6pm at the GR Creative Youth Center with ML SMS

Day 20 - Word War yourself a buffer for the upcoming stuff-yourself-silly festivities. You'll be thankful that you did.

Word count:33,340

Write-in: Holland B&N Starbucks at 7pm with ML Gypsywitch

It's monday again, and that means it's time to back up your novel. Enter our weekly contest and you might win a 4gb flashdrive!

Word Count: 31,673

Write-in: Woodland mall food court at 6pm

Day 18 - It's a beautiful day outside, but its also a good day to catch up on our word goal.

Word Count: 30,006

How about sharing the last sentence your wrote or showing off your entry for our NaNoBot contest?

Day 17 - It's the weekend. Let's pound out some extra words before Thanksgiving festivities surround us!

Word Count: 28,339

Write-ins:
Downtown GR at 10am
GVSU Connection building at 1pm
Holland B&N at 2pm

Day 16 - It's all downhill from here - hopefully in the story gettting easier to write sort of way. If your story is being difficult, try changing to a new pov character, add a new subplot, a bigger goal, a new antagonist, a cute puppy that's really an alien out to steal all the water from the planet. Shake things up a little and see what happens.

Word count: 26,672

Word wars tonight in the chatroom!

Happy Halfway Day! Onward toward 50K!

Word count: 25,000

Write-ins:
Grandville Rivertown B&N at 6:30 with ML Adrianne
Grand Haven Latenight at Days Inn at 11:30pm

DONATION DAY - Many of you have already donated to OLL, but if you haven't yet, please consider doing so today so that NaNo will be here for us next year. Additional goodies are available today too.

Earn your chart sticker by stopping by the What NaNo does for you thread and sharing your thoughts.

Word count: 23,338

Write-ins:
Holland Big Apple Bagels at 1pm
Hudsonville Mocha 'n' Music at 3pm
GH library at 6pm
GR CYC at 6pm with ML SMS

Day 13 - We're almost to the middle of your novel! In the famous words of Dory the fish, "Just keep swimming..." Err writing. Just keep writing.

Word Count: 21,671

Write-in: Holland B&N at 7pm with ML Gypsywitch

Day 12 - Beep. Beep. Beep. It's back up your novel day! Enter to win one of two flashdrives on our facebook page

Word Count: 20,004

Write-in: 6pm at the Woodland Mall Food Court

Day 11 - It's here! Our Day of Knockout Noveling! We hope to see you there! If you can't make it, we wish you many words where ever you may be.

Word Count: 18,337

Day 10 - Haven't tried a write-in yet? With DOKN tomorrow and three going today, your opportunities abound!

Word Count: 16,670

Write-ins:
Downtown GR at Spetctrum Food Court at 10am
GVSU Connection building at 1pm
Holland Barnes and Noble at 2pm

Day 9 - WORD WARS! The secret to productivity for the easily distracted. Oh look! Sparkly chicken!

Word Count: 15,003

While you can do a word war alone, battling against distraction is more fun with a group. How about joining us in the OCGR chatroom tonight for an online write-in?

Day 8 - One week down and into the next one! Write, write, write!

Word Count: 13,336

Write-ins:
Grandville Rivertown B&N Starbucks at 6:30 with ML Adrianne
Grand Haven Latenight at Days Inn starts at 11:30pm

Day 7 - Today's task: Share the last sentence you wrote

Word Count: 11,669

Write-ins: Holland Big Apple Bagles at 1pm
Grand Rapids Creative Youth Center at 6pm with ML SMS
Grand Haven Tim Hortons at 7pm

Day 6 - Need a plot boost? Work in the daily prompt or a challenge from the chat room or one of the three challenge jars available at any ML hosted write-in.

Word Count: 10,002

Write-in: Holland Barnes and Noble Starbucks with ML Gypsywitch at 7pm

Day 5 - May you stumble into a plot volcano that explodes thousands of words into your story.

Word count: 8,335

It's back up your novel day! Enter to win one of two 4GB flashdrives here

Write-in: 6pm tonight at Woodland Mall Food Court

Day four - Keep calm and plot onward.

Word count: 6,668

Don't forget to enter our month-long NaNoBot contest You could be the winner of a $10 Barnes and Noble Gift Card or a sealed pack of NaNoWriMo Trading Cards!

Day three - Time to add some major conflict to breathe life into all that character development and setting description.

Word count: 5,001

Write-ins: All over thanks to our awesome wrimo volunteers!
Downtown GR at 10am - ML stopping by
GVSU at 1pm
Holland B&N at 2pm - ML stopping by

Day two - Keep that "first day high" momentum going!

Word count: 3,334

Write-in: Online tonight! Join us in our chat room for some word war mayhem. Enjoy a write-in from the comfort of your own home in your comfy clothes with your favorite beverage beside you.

Day one - When every word is an exciting step into the unknown of your brand new story.

Word count: 1,667

Events: *ML* Grandville Rivertown Mall B&N at 6:30pm
Grand Haven Days Inn at 11:30pm

The last hours of the countdown are upon us! Grab your notes, your laptops and notebooks, your month's supply of coffee and snacks and please assume the crash position. We will be plummeting into NaNoLand at midnight.

Tonight: Last minute planning at GR Wealthy St. Bakery at 7pm and Midnight write-in at Grandville IHOP at 10:30pm

Thank you to everyone who came out for our OTB fundraiser yesterday!

Get the cleaning and laundry done. Buy those groceries and cook a few extra meals to store in the freezer. It's almost writing time!

Wed: Last minute planning and midnight write-in

It was great seeing so many of you at Kickoff today! Your generosity was amazing. We collected 293 books and $105! You guys are awesome!

If you were not able to make it today, please try to attend one of our other forty-some events happening all throughout November. I'll have the last of the goody bags at the Holland Write-ins until they run out.

Monday: Fundraiser at On the Border - going on all day. Bring a flyer and 10% of your food and beverage purchase will be donated to OLL.

Thanks to your awesome response, we've filled our available space for Kickoff. If you haven't yet RSVPd, I'm sorry to say, we're full up. However, we'd love to meet you at one of our other many, many events throughout the month!

Don't forget to print your flyer for our On The Border fundraiser on the 29th! This is an easy way to raise money for OLL while enjoying great food and drinks. Bring your family, friends or just yourself.

If you're just joining us, please stop by the introduction thread and the Kickoff Party RSVP thread. We'd love to meet you online and in person.

Today's event:
Planning meeting at Rivertown Crossings Mall food court at 6pm

Deadline to RSVP for Kickoff is fast approaching. Please let us know if you will be able to join us for prizes, free goodies, writerly activities, food and fun as soon as possible so that we can make sure to have enough goodies and reserved tables. Thank you! :)

Halfway through October and we're already at 1000+ posts in here! Bask in the creative energy that is planning month. Revel in meeting your fellow wrimos. Mark your calendars for some of our many write-ins and RSVP for Kickoff on October 28. We can't wait to meet you in person (and we promise, only our characters bite).

Welcome OCGR Wrimos! It's great to see so many returning faces along with many new ones. If you have an questions, feel free to ask here or message one us MLs------>

We've been up and running for just over a week and we already have write-ins scheduled six days a week in nine locations. If you have any remote inclination to join us for a write-in this November, you should be covered.

Welcome to OCGR NaNo 2012! The new forum is all sparkly clean and awaiting your enthusiastic noveling input.

Just a little FYI for our early returning wrimos - the forum will be wiped in early October. Feel free to plot and prep, but be aware that these threads will be gone when the site goes down for annual cleaning.

If I could draw your attention to the ML listing --->
You'll see we've welcomed SMS into OCGR MLdome, thus completing our trifecta of awesome. We now have ML coverage in Grandville with Adrianne, in Holland with Gypywitch and in Grand Rapids with SMS. This means more ML hosted write-ins for all! YAY!

Our Jar of Awesome Horrors and Unnamebale Kittens needs some new challenges for the upcoming NaNo season. Got an idea? See the JAHUK thread.

Planning for NaNo 2012 officially gets underway this week. Events, rafffle prizes, fun stuff...oh my!

While we do have a plan in place, we're always happy to take suggestions. You never know what you might inspire. Got an idea? See the suggestion thread.

Oh and happy camping to our August Camp NaNo participants!

Camp NaNo has begun!

Join us for a write-in picnic on June 9.

Stop by our OCGR cabin thread and share your progress. We have plenty aloe in case you've been exposed to that big glowing ball of gas that burns writing cave-dweller flesh.

Camp Nano is looming on the horizon! Picnic write in on June 9 at Hager Park. See the thread below for details.

Missing NaNo? Don't forget that Script Frenzy starts on April 1!

Some of us are also planning on Camp NaNo in June. We may even have a weekend of actual camping involved! If that sounds like fun, watch your inbox/nanomail early in May when we'll be sending out more information.

Want to help make next year even more awesome? Tell us what you liked so we do it again. Tell us what you didn't and why so we know how to make it better. Location suggestions for DOKN? We're all ears...err... fingers and eyeballs? And yes, this survey is totally anonymous. Here's the end of season survey link.

Don't forget, today is the last day to submit your NaNo-Tastic nominations. Vote for a few categories or all of them, but get your votes in today!

Today's word goal: 48,343
Write. Write. Write!

Last Holland write-in tonight! I'm aiming for 50k while we're there and a cup of that awesome peppermint hot chocolate!!! Yuumm.

Only two days left to get your NaNo-Tastic nominations in. Even if you can't think of nominees for all of the awards, we'd rather have you enter only a few names than not nominate anyone at all. :)

Today's word goal: 46,676

The weasels have been re-supplied with fresh rolls of duct tape and they're coming for you! If you don't want to spend December scrubbing off tape residue, get that word count up!

Today's event: Last GR Woodland Write in at 6pm

Congratulations to _ML_, the winner of our final Back up your Novel contest!

Today's word count: 45,009

Cast your votes for our NaNo-Tastic TGIO awards! While you're at it, RSVP for our TGIO party. :)

Today is the last day to get your entries in for our last Back up your Novel contest! Win a Flashdrive!

Today's word count: 43,342
The weasels are coming for you!!!! Write! Write!

We had some epic catch up efforts in chat last night. Keep going guys! You can do it!

For those of you who have pacified your weasel or are looking to antagonize it further, don't forget to RSVP for the TGIO party. Everyone is inviited!

Also don't forget to cast your votes in the preliminary round of our NaNo-Tastic awards!

Today's word count: 41,675
Group weasel thread level: High

For those of you that are sitting anywhere in the 30s - Catching up is totally doable. Write!
Sitting in the 20s? Write. write lots. What are you doing in here? Go write!
Below that? I'm dispatching extra rabid cyborg attack weasels to your houses right now. Their mission: No distractions. All writing.

Come on people, lets win this thing! (And if you already have, validiation is now live.)

Today's word count: 40,008

Happy turkey coma day everyone! May you enjoy your feast and find at least a little time for writing.

Today we are thankful for chat rooms, adopted wrimos and Timmy's fridges. Hey, I wonder if we can we store leftovers in those...

Today's word count: 38,333

Can you almost smell the turkey? Better get some extra writing in today before the food coma sets in tomorrow. Weasels loooove turkey flavored ankles.

We thank all of you for your energizing, thoughtful and supportive messages by facebook, origami crane, NaNoMail and on the forums. OCGR wrimos (and all of you we've adopted) are the best!!!

Today's word count: 36,666
Today's event: Holland B&N write-in at 7pm with additional good times at Applebees afterwards.

Our last back up your novel contest has begun on facebook. Stop by to see all four ways to enter!

Continuing the thankfullness: Thank you to Adrianne for being such an awesome co-ML!

Today's word count: 35,007

Due to Thanksgiving, please make sure to check the appropriate write-in threads to verify any date changes or if they are in fact happening. We are a definite go for tomorrow at the Holland B&N but the rest of the week is rather up in the air.

And since we're being thankful this week: A BIG thank you to all of our wonderful wrimo write-in hosts!

Today's word count: 33,340

Last day to enter our weeklyBack Up your Novel contest. Send a pep talk, attend a write in or back up your novel for an entry to win a free flash drive!

Today's word count:31,673

It's the weekend folks. You know what the means... time to get that word count caught up! Thanksgiving is nearly upon us with it's distractions of family and feasty goodness.

And since we're on the downhill portion of our writing adventure, it also means it's time to start thinging about the TGIO party. We'll be awarding wrimo trophies (more details later this week), voting Rippy's elite squad of Borg-A-Weasels, raffling off a bunch more goodies, everyone will have a chance at winning a 80BG Zune, and we'll be celebrating our writing efforts (whether we make it to 50k or not). So if you can join us, RSVP here.

Today's word count: 30,006
Todays' events: GVSU - no host, but go ahead and have fun :)
Online Chatroom at 8pm - Let's pack the place and word war!

• Rippy would like to see his weasel minions. If you have a borg-a-weasel, please visit Rippy's blog and link a picture.
• Don't forget to enter this week's Back Up Your Novel contest! You could win a flashdrive!

Today's word count: 28,339
Today's event: Grand Haven Days Inn write-in at 7pm

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone that donated yesterday! We added $295 to our regional total bringing us to $730!

Need some inspiration to keep you going this month? Have some inspiration to share? Stop by the Why to you Nano thread.

Welcome to DONATION DAY!
This is the day we support this wonderful, crazy writing adventure so it can inspire even more people next year! If you're wondering where exactly your donations go, check out this link. Plus, when you donate $10, your profile pic gets to wear an awesome halo!
Oh and don't forget to write. Today's word count: 26,672
Today's events: Grand Haven library write-in at 6:30pm
Grandville Rivertown write-in at 7pm

HAPPY HALFWAY DAY!
Today's word count: 25,000
Today's event: Come celebrate halfway day with me (and chocolate) at the Holland B&N write-in at 7pm.

So many announcements today...
• It's HQ staff appreciation day! Stop by and give thanks for our awesome new website and NaNo itself
• Rippy's looking for photos of your Borg-a-Weasels. Stop by his blog and link your weasel and check out the others.
• A new Back Up your Novel contest has begun on our Facebook page! Find this week's tasks under the 'welcome' tab below Rippy.

Today's word count: 23,338
Today's event: GR Woodland write-in at 6pm

Things to today:
• Back up your novel
• Check your user settings and make sure your time zone is set correctly now that daylight savings has kicked in.
• Write :)

Welcome to lucky Day #13
Today's word count: 21,671

Only two days left to enter this week's Back Up Your Novel contest. You could win a flash drive! Check out this week's tasks under the 'welcome' tab (on the left under Rippy) on our Facebook Page.

WOW! This was definitely a day of Knockout Noveling!
Wrimos attended:35
Words written: 88,843
Funds raised: $65
Used books gathered: 55
Great job everyone!

Today's word count: 20,004

Welcome to the DAY OF KNOCKOUT NOVELING! Sounds like we're going to have quite a crowd at Jets! If you can't make it, try to take a couple extra hours to write today. Climb into those 20k word counts!

Weasel Threat Level: None. Rippy's highfiving me today.
Today's word count: 18,337
Today's events: GVSU write in at 2pm / Chat room at 8pm

It's 11-11-11 WORDSTOCK folks! Time to build up that Thanksgiving day/weekend buffer! Aim for an extra 1,111 words today. That's only two fifteen minute word wars in the chat room for most of you. Come on, you can do it!

Weasel threat level: Low
Today's goal: 16,670
Today's event: Grand Haven Days Inn write-in at 7pm

Aren't halos pretty? Get your very own by donating $10 at the donation station.

Weasel thread level: Low
Today's word count: 15,003
Today's event: Grandville Rivertown B&N write-in at 7pm

Do you get lost in the forum threads when searching for new posts with the nested view? You can switch to a flat view, which automatically places the newest post last. Just hover over the "Nested" at the top right corner within a forum thread to find the Flat option

Weasel threat level: Medium
Today's goal: 13,336
Today's event: Holland B&N write-in at 7pm. Hope to see you there!

Our Back up your Novel contests is up and running for week two. If you haven't backed up your novel yet, please do! See this week's tasks on our facebook page or Rippy's blog.

Weasel threat level: Still high
Today's goal: 11,669
Today's event: Grand Rapids Woodland mall write-in at 6 pm

When you scroll down our calendar, you'll see some events have purple stars. Those are events where an ML will be present--which means, raffles, donation jar, goody bags if you didn't get one yet, and The Jar of Awesome Horrors and Unnameable Kittens! This week there are 3 ML hosted events: Tueday in Holland, Wednesday in Grandville and Saturday in Zeeland.

Weasel theat level: High
Today's goal: 10,002

Have you uploaded an excerpt of your novel yet? Share your creative efforts with the curious by showing off a few pages of your novel on your profile.

Weasel threat level: Low - Thanks to last night's online write-in, I'm almost on track!
Today's goal: 8335
Today's event: Write in and craft day at 1pm

Things to do today:
• Post progress on your borg-a-weasel
• Enter back up your novel contest on facebook or blog
• Catch up on forums positings
• Get caught up on your word count. Ok, so that should have been #1, but we all love a little procrastination.

Today's goal: 6668
Today's events: GVSU write-in at 5pm
Chatroom write in at 8pm. If you haven't made it to our chatroom yet, I urge you to try it. Why? Word Wars!!!

Did you adopt a Borg-a-Weasel at Kick Off? We'd love to hear how your weasel is adapting to life at your home. Please post pictures and updates in our Borg-a-Weasel thread. Didn't get a weasel yet? There are seven left that will be available at Tuesday's Holland write-in and at DOKN on the 12th.

Day 3 and I'm already a day behind. Owww! Rippy's attacking me! I'll write more today. I promise! Owww!
Today's goal: 5001
Today's event: Grand Haven write-in at 7pm

Have you entered our Back up Your Novel contest yet? You could win a flash drive! There are only four days left to enter. See Rippy's blog or our Facebook page for details. You can find both of those in the Links section to your right.

Today's goal: 3334
Today's event: Grandville Rivertown write in at 7pm

Check out our Prompt of the Day thread. A new nugget of inspiration each day. Feel free to post a short excerpt of how you used the prompt. You just might inspire someone else!

Happy first day of NaNo! WooHoo!
Today's goal: 1667 words
Today's event: Holland B&N write-in at 7pm

Our OCGR chat room is up and running! If you have any problems or questions with the chat room please post them in the thread or NaNoMail either of us and we'll do our best to assist you.

It's our last day before the writing frenzy begins. Are you maddly plotting? Blowing off planning until tomorrrow morning? Sitting anxiously at your keyboard watching the hours tick by? Well here's some things you could also do:
• Enter our Back Up your Novel drawing either on our OCGR facebook page or Rippy's Blog. Both links are right over there ->
• Check out our calendar and threads for a write-in near you.
• Do your laundry, freeze a few meals and pay your bills.
• Fill out your NaNo profile and Novel information
• Stretch out those fingers and wrists people! Tomorrow, we write.

It was great meeting so many of you in person at Kick Off today! 30+ of you made it out and many of you left with weasels, raffle prizes and a donation jar full of good writerly karma! We raised $67 and 80 books were donated to our used book drive. WooHoo!

Our first big write-in is Nov 1 at the Holland Barnes & Noble. Hope to see you there!

Just got word that we raised just over $130.00 at our On The Border fundraiser! Thank you to everyone who helped spread the word and who came out on Tuesday!
~ Adrianne

Today's tip: 2 for one actually...
To see all our nifty regional notes, use the sidebar to scroll-->

If you haven't yet, please take a moment to fill in a few details on your profile page so people can know a little bit about you by clicking on your photo or name. A blank profile brings people to the NaNo homepage and we all know you're not really a homepage.

Todays Tip - To set OCGR as your home region so you'll get our spiffy regional NaNoMail messages and your donations will count torward our region's totals: Under My NaNoWriMo select My Regions. Find Ottawa County & Grand Rapids and select the option to set us as your home region. Hey, that was easy!

Thanks to everyone who came out and supported our On The Border fundraiser!

It's great to see so many new and returning faces! Make sure to:
• Stop by the Intro thread and say hello
• Check out the Newbie/Mentor program
• RSVP for the Kickoff party on Sunday, Oct 30.

Welcome to OCGR Headquarters! We have lots of fun stuff in store this season including raffles, giveaways, a regional bookdrive fundraiser, and Rippy's borg-a-weasel contest!

You know you like us... OCGR Wrimos are also on Facebook!