Canada :: Manitoba

[NaNoWriMo::Manitoba]] 2009 E-mail Archive

bpunkert — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:41:54 +0000

---October 20, 2009---
[[Nanowrimo::Manitoba]] T-10 AND COUNTING - ARE YOU PACKED YET?

>>> IMPORTANT!!! -- Winnipeg Participants!!
>>> RSVPs for the Kickoff, which is this coming Saturday afternoon, must go to: winnipeg.nano-at-gmail.com ...by Friday at 7:00 p.m. At this point I have eight and a half people confirmed, so I think some of the veterans need to get cracking and reply! Assume nothing.

Welcome aboard the tour bus for Camp Nanowrimo 2009. This year's month-long foray into the deep, dark woods of personal creativity promises to be a bigger and better experience than ever before. Bring a flashlight!

In ten short days, we'll be dropping you off at your campsite. Anyone who's ever done any long-term camping (think Mantario trail here, people) knows that the most important part of any trip is in the preparation.

First, you have to know what you're getting into. Heather and I are sort of like camp counselors. We provide moral support and keep the first aid kits handy, but you will get out of this trip what you put into it.

National Novel Writing Month is an unusual sort of writing contest. There are very few rules, no judges except a word counter, and no reward save self-satisfaction and a purple bar if you make it, and self-satisfaction and a lot of people standing beside you in your 'at least I wrote more this month than I usually do' and ' next year, my pretty, next year I'll get you...' -ness.

This isn't really a writing contest. It's almost an unwriting contest. Nano forces us to unlearn all of our hangups about being right and being deep and being profound and having perfect grammar and fabulous punctuation and never breaking any of the fundamental writing rules like absolute comparisons and run-on sentences. :)

If you're nervous because you believe that you can't write, or that you have lingering memories of doing badly in English in high school, please try to set them aside. If someone told you you weren't a good writer, then question the source, write their name on a piece of paper, and seal it in an envelope in a drawer somewhere (come to the kick-off, we'll even provide the envelope and the paper and keep them safe for you). And then sit down and write anyway.

Don't worry about whether you need a comma or a semi-colon there, don't even worry too much about things like spelling and tense agreement and verb conjugation. This isn't that kind of writing. And if you haven't got a clue what I just said, then that's fabulous, because you will have less to unlearn as we move forward. *grin*

This is a collective high-speed thirty day **FIRST DRAFT** - treat it as such. Allow yourself room to fall, to get up, to side-track, to change horse mid-stream, to pause for a cup of cocoa and a movie, to add in completely irrelevant scenes to kickstart your creativity. Above all else, allow yourself to have fun with it and with us. Because no matter how far away you are, we're
still all in this together.

It's not about right and wrong, it's about writing.

Second, it's a really good idea to make sure you have everything at home taken care of before you venture out. There's fewer things more depressing than having a fabulous vacation and coming home to discover all the plants are dead and the laundry pile is picketing the neighbor's house.

Tips from the Trenches:

(1) Do the laundry and clean the house BEFORE November starts. Smelling bad is not required to be creative
(2) Either cook in advance, budget to eat out, or buy a lot of easy to make / simple meals
(3) Defragment the hard drive and if you don't have one, invest in a USB key to back up your novel or carry it from place to place (or more floppies, depending how old your beige econobox is)
(3a) If you're writing by hand, figure out how many words a page you average so you can update your word count estimate
(4) Explain to your friends and family that you will drop off the face of the earth for a month or so; if they're upset by this, recruit them so they're not feeling left out
(5) Take a good hard look at your social calendar and figure out what you can politely bow out of if you need to in order to find extra writing time
(6) Plan what you're going to do to reward yourself; for some it's a special coffee or a candy or a planned purchase at the end of November (carrot is good)
(7) Take time to introduce yourself on the Canada: Manitoba forums so we know you're out there... please? :)
(8) Update your Nanowrimo profile on the site so we know who you are; if your e-mail address has changed, be sure to update it, and make sure you're attached to the Canada: Manitoba region and receiving e-mails from the MLs (we promise not to abuse the privilege)

Third, it can be helpful to know who else you're going to be camping with so that you feel a little less alone when the raccoons are digging through your garbage and you can't sleep.

What makes Nano special is the people. NaNoWriMo is a community as much as it is a contest, and the site is a great resource for getting unstuck, sharing ideas, lamenting problems, and just generally feeling less like you're trying to do it all yourself. Writing a novel is by and large a solitary activity (although there's a forum for collaborative writing too) but it need not be an isolationist one. Good-natured peer pressure can be a powerful motivator.

There's a couple of ways for us to get to know each other...

The Increasingly Random Self-Introduction Thread:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3282014
The primary question list is updated every two-three days; don't forget to add your own question at the end! This thread is for ALL of Manitoba, from Emerson to Churchill, so I expect to hear from the far-flung reaches of the frozen North too...

Attend an in-person event if you're in Winnipeg. The list of events is posted here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3282097
RSVPs for the Kickoff, which is this coming Saturday afternoon, must go to: winnipeg.nano-at-gmail.com
...by Friday at 7:00 p.m. At this point I have eight and a half people confirmed, so I think some of the veterans need to get cracking and reply! Assume nothing.

The forums are starting to pick up a little bit; check out some of the various topical threads so I don't feel like I'm talking to myself (but I do that anyway). If think you'll need a serious boost on Day One and happen to be in Winnipeg, have a look at the unofficial RNWS late-night write-out thread on the forums.

Or set up a thread for your own city if you want local events. We can't be everywhere, so we need people to step up.

We've been challenged by Calgary again this year - I think they're in the next site over from us, just near that stand of jack-pine. There's also been a gauntlet thrown by one of the American MLs who is looking for a challenge and has asked for random help from everywhere, so check out that topic too.

Just ten days left and I have two plots and no idea what to do with them. Well, maybe two and a half, but I don't think I can blend them in a way that will make any sense...

-Betty- (& Heather)
Winnipeg, MB Co-Municipal Liaisons
(and cheerleaders for Manitoba)

---October 30, 2009---
[[Nanowrimo:: Manitoba]] T-2 and Counting - Everybody on the bus!

It's already the 30th of October and there's less than forty-eight hours before the madness commences... Generally at this point, there's one of two states of mind a NaNoWriMo Participant finds themselves in:

1) Gleeful anticipation
2) Unmitigated panic

For the gleeful anticipation people, you've probably either (a) done this before and this is why you are excited or (b) have no real idea what you're getting in for (there's a very old axiom that the person who isn't panicking has no idea what's going on...).

For all the newbies who are excited - great, come share your enthusiasm in the forums and tell us all about your plot, your characters, your nefarious plans for tying up your housemates and gagging them with duct tape to get an hour a day to write. Really; beginner's excitement is wonderfully contagious and reminds the rest of us bitter and cynical veterans why we do this thing. (Check out the Mentor / Mentee thread in the forums to find a buddy to support you on your maiden voyage into the wilderness...)

(Furthermore, please rest assured that I do not condone tying people up with duct tape and abandoning them in the basement for a month. It hurts too much when you take it off.)

For the veterans who have done this before, you've probably got an idea of where you're headed (unless you're my co-ML, who has no plot as of yesterday evening at 10:00 p.m. and is doing this on blind faith that 'something' will occur to her), you might even have an outline and character sketches and all that. I'm never that organized, but I always look on in awe at the people who are. If you're a blind faith person, that's cool too. I fall somewhere in the middle - I know my characters but know not - exactly - what they shall do.

If you're an unmitigated panic person, this is where I tell you to take a very deep breath and make sure you packed extra socks and a toothbrush. We're all in this together and we're all here to help you.

What usually causes the unmitigated panic problem is twofold: the scope of the project, and the concern that you are in fact, a crummy writer and will find this out in due course.

Let's begin with the easier issue to deal with: the scope of NaNoWriMo.

A lot of people have seen the 1986 movie Stand By Me (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell) about four kids who come of age and find themselves 'forced' to grow up after finding a corpse while out playing. What most people don't realize is that the movie is based on a Stephen King novella, called "The Body". "The Body" is around 50,000 words. And they still
made a blockbuster movie out of it.

Fifty thousand words isn't actually a full blown novel. For most novelists, it would be an outline. Even young adult novels generally run around the seventy-five to eighty thousand word mark. Most novels these days are around a hundred thousand words. So going in, know that you're writing something that is really more of a lo-o-ng short story.

Seventeen hundred words a day (which will give you a little healthy padding towards your goal) is about an hour of solid work for someone who types forty words a minute (if you're handwriting, it may be a little more). Remember that there is absolutely NO requirement that you do that whole hour at once! I write a little on my coffee breaks and can usually sneak in the last half hour before bed. If you have a favorite television show, tape it and write when it would normally be on, then allow yourself the luxury of watching it when you have met your word count goal for the day.

An hour a day out of your life really is a pretty manageable feat, even for the busiest of us, provided we don't have to do it all at once. Small bites. As someone else puts it:

"Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way." - E.L. Doctorow

Now we just have to face the specter of whether or not we're good writers.

Let me begin by quoting Ernest Hemingway: "The first draft of anything is sh!t." (Although somehow I doubt he had a bang in the middle of his sentence.)

Good writing comes out of the editing process, and guess what you're not allowed to do this month? Right, editing. Everyone's first draft is loose and tight in alternating sections. Much like learning to knit (which I'm also trying to get better at), it's going to be a little wobbly at first and that's fine.

Those of you who have met me in person have heard me (probably repeatedly) liken the writing process to sculpting - particularly making something like statuary out of marble.

Michelangelo did NOT start out with a perfectly David shaped piece of rock. He started out with a vaguely person-sized, probably somewhat irregularly shaped, hank of marble on a stand and a whole lot of chisels in hand. The reason we have the resulting statue is because there was enough RAW MATERIAL to be able to take away what was NOT David.

Writing as we do in NaNoWriMo, without regard to things like grammar or thematic consistency, helps us to create that great big slab that we can edit later. Even in the most irrelevant dreck, there is the seed of a great idea. The problem is that we have a culture that enshrines the successful and derides the persistent efforts of those who are not successful ...yet.

The only thing that makes you a better writer is more writing. There are no shortcuts, there is no easy way out, there is no magic book you can read that will give you all of the secrets that will make you a Pulitzer prize winning novelist.

Better minds than mine have said it - no matter whether you feel like it or not, whether your characters are being uncooperative, whether you find yourself trapped in a plot hole the size of James Bay - the only way out, the only way through, is to force yourself to sit down in a chair and KEEP GOING.

By taking away any expectations of it being profound or revelatory or deep or meaningful - and just making sure there's a whole heck of a lot of it - we give ourselves permission to find our OWN voice in our prose. Maybe you'll start out mimicking someone else's work whom you respect - that's fine - but give yourself permission to explore.

There's no test, there's no grading, there's no way to do it wrong, except for not giving yourself permission to do whatever happens. Have fun with it. Don't be afraid to be silly, to skip parts, to come back to things later, to spend three paragraphs rambling about your protagonist's dying plants if that's what it takes to work through your writer's block.

We can edit in good later, but only if we have enough to edit FROM.

The first time you ever went camping as an adult, you probably packed half your house. Unless someone told you what to bring (like they do when you're twelve), you find yourself compelled to bring seven bags of 'but what if I need...'?

It's okay, there's an extra bus for your extra stuff. We'll make room. Bring it all along and if you don't need it, we'll send it home with you. Nobody's going to yell at you for bringing your stuffed Cookie Monster to sleep with. NaNoWriMo is all about making a place for your stuff - creatively, emotionally and prosaically...

On to the writing! Two more days!!

-Betty (and the plot-deprived Heather)-
Winnipeg, MB Co-Municipal Liaisons
(And general Manitoba moral support)

PS: If you haven't done so yet, come and check out the Manitoba area forums at:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/100
... these are open to all of Manitoba, so if you want to start an event thread for your city, town, or crossroads, go for it... Not seeing a topic that interests you? Then make one! All we ask is that you read the guidelines and information about setting your home region first, located here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3282026

PPS: That's 1425 words... but it doesn't count against my novel... *pout*

----November 8, 2009---
[[NaNoWriMo::Manitoba]] Week Two: Grab the calamine lotion and the marshmallows...

Welcome to day eight of our extended camping expedition. By now you've been out here long enough for the novelty of being woken at five a.m. by birdsong to have worn off, you're probably missing indoor plumbing, and have discovered that most of the cute and cuddly woodland creatures bite. Hard.

I think the official goal for today is something like fifteen thousand words. If you're anything like me (and ninety per cent of participants), you're wondering what in the heck you were thinking? How much alcohol was involved when you signed up? If your friends painted themselves blue and jumped off a cliff... oh wait, cliff diving was day two. And DANG but that lake was cold! Stupid ML didn't warn you...

Let me point out a couple of things:

1) This reaction is pretty normal. It takes about a week for the initial creative spurt to wear off and the boredom and terror to set in. You've probably changed stories twice, fought down the urge to scrap it all and start over at LEAST three times, and have one scene that you're not entirely sure why you wrote it, or what it's for, but it's HUGE and you can't bear to part with it because it's so many WORDS...
(NOTE: For those who have discovered that they have no plot, Heather will be leading a Plot Trapping 101 hike. Butterfly nets will be provided. For people needing larger plot-trapping devices, please come see me about the spears and weighted nets. Tasers are also available. Remember, kids; only catch what you can use!)

2) As much as you may want to give up right now, DON'T!! Remember what I said at the beginning about writing even if you don't want to any more? This is where that part comes in. My week twos have ALWAYS looked something like this:
7th - 300 words (e-mailed from work on coffee break)
8th - 3500 words
9th - 75 words (transcribed from my cell phone)
10th - 480 words (written on Palm Pilot, iTouch or similar device)
11th - 6000 words
12th - 2500 words
13th - 125 words (written on the back of a napkin)
...if you calculate it, it's still over 1800 words a day. So if you have a day (or two or three) this week that you're less than proud of, keep going - you can make it up in small bits later!

The key to surviving week two blahs is to keep moving, even if you're not entirely sure where you're going (insert witticism about moving targets being harder to eliminate here), and realize that you're not alone. You might as well just pull up a log, get checked for ticks, and warm up around the fire.

Some fun stats:

Wrimos in Canada :: Manitoba
* There are 218 Wrimos in this region (active and homed) - 44% are new to NaNoWriMo
* 7.80% of Wrimos in this region have donated 635.00 so far (thank you!)
* Wrimos in this region have written 1,440,623 words (9,003 per Wrimo with wordcount)

Wrimos in Canada :: Alberta :: Calgary
* There are 318 Wrimos in this region (active and homed) - 45% are new to NaNoWriMo
* 3.77% of Wrimos in this region have donated 255.00 so far (thank you!)
* Wrimos in this region have written 2,135,172 words (9,574 per Wrimo with wordcount)

Wrimos in Canada :: Saskatchewan :: Saskatoon
* There are 85 Wrimos in this region (active and homed) - 49% are new to NaNoWriMo
* 3.53% of Wrimos in this region have donated 120.00 so far (thank you!)
* Wrimos in this region have written 652,890 words (10,530 per Wrimo with wordcount)

As you can see, we are kicking everyone to the curb in donations (you guys are amazing - thank you so much!) but we're getting our butts handed to us in wordcount per user! So get out there and get writing, you lazy slackers! No s'mores until you post another thousand words! *laughing*

We've added a lot of new users since my last e-mail, so if you haven't yet, check out the instructions on how to set your home region in this thread here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3282026

And the increasingly random introduction thread here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3282014

The next virtual write-in is November 22nd, and there are some instructions here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3433904
-- please note, if veterans want to host word wars in the channel on non-event days, just post times and availabilty to the write-out and coffee klatsch thread, located here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3303063

I'll send a different e-mail specific to Winnipeg events. You are all doing great - just keep your head down and keep writing. You can do it! Once you hit 25k, it's all downhill from there!

If all else fails, do what I do and change your playlist to something incredibly fast-paced and make your poor fingers try to keep up to the tour. There's just something about high energy music, in whatever flavor you like it, that seems to improve wordcount.

-Betty and Heather-
Winnipeg, MB Co Municipal Liaisons
(and general Manitoba moral support...)

---November 8, 2009 #2---
[[Nanowrimo::Winnipeg]] Week Two: Camp Coffee and Singalongs (Event Listing)

First of all, we are now accepting RSVPs for the Mid-Month on Saturday November 14.

The Mid-Month Kvetch Session is exactly what it sounds like. We make a lot of coffee and bring a few toys and share a maxiumum of two single-sided pages (Times New Roman or similar, twelve point font, one inch margins) or five
minutes, whatever comes first, of our story - if we want to. Yes, Betty is as much of a culprit as anyone about reading half her novel, which is why we're being specific this year. :)

It's a come and go kind of affair, where people drop in to visit, add to the tickle trunk, entrap their inner editor, sign the library card, sign the contract or just generally connect with other participants.

Official posted hours are 12:30-4:30, please do NOT arrive before 12:30 as we are still setting up.

RSVP to: winnipeg.nano-at-gmail.com

Secondly, we have a veritable feast of trail rations to keep you going this week (if we miss anyone, sorry!)

-----------------------
Monday: Second Cup on Graham 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. (10k Club Write-Out)

Tuesday: Red River College: Princess Campus 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. (Randilin)

Wednesday: Second Cup on Graham 1 p.m. - ?? (Several people - if cafe is open)

Thursday: OFFICIAL Write-In at Millennium Library 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (Co-MLS, get your stickers et al)

Friday: Pendragon Games 8 p.m. - ?? (RNWS Write-Out - please RSVP to randilin-at-mts.net for these)

Saturday: MID-MONTH Kvetch Session at Millenium Library: 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Please RSVP to winnipeg.nano-at-gmail.com)
------------------------

Planning a write out on any day but Thursday night or Saturday afternoon? Feel free to invite others to come out and write with you in our Write-Out and Coffee Klatsch thread, located here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3303063

Wondering when "official events" happen? See the list here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3282097

Got a name tag and can't decipher it? See the Name Tags Demystified thread here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3430560

Now if someone could hand us the toasting forks and the bag of smokies, we're going to pause to enjoy a well-deserved snack before the epic trail hike this week is going to be. Week Two and its irritating tendency to bog you down will be over before you know it.

Just remember that extra dry socks are never a bad thing when hiking uphill!

-Betty and Heather-
Those crazy Winnipeg, MB Co-MLs
----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

[STICKY] Randomized Self-Introduction Thread

bpunkert — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:17:13 +0000

Every year, we pick some questions that give people an opportunity to introduce themselves to the group in a way that's a little more fun than "Um, hi... I'm Joyce... and er... I write?"

Because we've got to get back into the habit of 'filler' somehow... ;)

Copy and paste (or quote) the questions into a reply and go...

(With sincere apologies to those who answered before the forum wipe and have to do it again - hopefully you remember what you said...*grin*)

=====================
1) Name/Handle:

2) Hometown:

3) Gender/Age (optional):

4) Years Done Nano:

5) Years Won Nano:

6) Number of Friends Recruited Into Nano:

7) Technology / Method of Writing:

8) Genre:

9) Title (if known):

10) What kind of characters do you like to write?

11) Favorite Self-Bribery Mechanism (PG-13 please):

12) Favorite Music to Write To:

13) Favorite Place to Write:

14) Favorite Procrastination Method:

15) Best Nano Moment:

16) Worst Nano Moment:

17) Funniest Nano Moment (if not above):

18) Hobbies / Volunteering Outside Nano:

19) What's your 'day job'? (Or your major, if you're in school.):

20) Have you ever been published (and/or do you want to be)?:

21) Script Frenzy Veteran: Y/N

22) Suggestion for the Co-MLs (Municipal Liaisons / Real time event hosts / Cheerleaders):

ADD A QUESTION:

A) Chris Baty and the NaNoWriMo Staff suggest planning a 'hooky' day during November (a day of planned not-writing to give yourself a mental break). What's yours going to be and what are you going to do with it?

B) Do you find that you base characters on people you know, and if so, are you careful to disguise them so your friends and family don't recognize themselves?

C) Do you let your family and friends read your WIP NaNo novels, or do they have to wait till your done? Do they get to read them at all?

D) Do you plan on taking your NaNo farther after November? Editing, printing off, going for publishing etc.

E) Where or how do you get your best creative ideas?

F) What has been the most boring character, in your opinion, you have ever created?

G) What is the most embarrassing thing you have ever written?

H) Will NaNo affect your other writing? Will you start a blog to post your novel, give up your normal blogging, blog your frustrations and your successes? Will your papers be late because you're novel-ing?

I) Will you play hookie from work - even once - to get those extra few thousand words you'll need to complete to win NaNo?

J) I've noticed people mention Twitter. We have a Facebook group for the community as well, and I know quite a few people do LiveJournal, WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr and the like. How big of a role will the support of your electronic social network and your online friendships outside of NaNoWriMo play in keeping you going?

----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

[STICKY] The Name Tags Demystified -- and offered to all NaNoToBans to share in!

bpunkert — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:11:55 +0000

Winnipeg has had name tags for a number of years. What started out as a simple square with word count goals around the outside has become increasingly complex over the years. I got... a little carried away this fall and they probably won't be this complex EVER again, but whatever...

While putting together the slide-show for the kickoff, it occurred to me that while our more distant participants might not be able to attend events here in town, it might be fun for them to make checklists of their own.

Sorry, you'll have to buy your own stickers, but I'll list all the boxes on our name tags and indicate which ones are specific to Winnipeg events. The rest of them, anyone can do, anywhere, so print them out and get your stickers at the ready!

1) Word Count Goal Boxes: 5k, 10k, 15k, 20k, 25k, 30k, 35k, 40k, 45k, 50k, WIN!
2) *Winnipeg* Kick-off and Kit Bag boxes (came to launch party and got starter bag)
3) *Winnipeg* Write-In #1 and Idea Seeds boxes (came to WI#1 and got your 'idea seed' vial)
4) *Winnipeg* Write-In #2 and Worlds boxes (came to WI#2 and got your 'worldbuilder' tube)
5) *Winnipeg* Mid-Month and Toys boxes (came to mid-month party and got your 'toys')
6) *Winnipeg* Write-In #3 and Surprise! boxes (came to WI#3 and got your 'surprise')
7) *Winnipeg* Write-In #4 and Stick It boxes (came to WI#4 and got your sticker[s])
8) *Winnipeg* TGIO and Purple Bar boxes (came to TGIO and got your 'purple bar')
9) Virtual Write-In #1 - Attended the Virtual Write-In on November 8 in #nanotoban
10) Virtual Write-In #2 - Attended the Virtual Write-In on November 22 in #nanotoban
11) +1 Make a New Friend (x2) - introduce yourself to a participant you don't know / make noveling buddy
12) Write-Out [Attend] - go out and write in public at a non official (Write-Out and Coffee Klatsch) event with others
13) Write-Out [host] - post an invitation for others to join you at a non-official (Write-Out and Coffee Klatsch) event to write in public
14) 5k Day - Write a minimum of 5000 words in a 24 hour period
15) 15k "weekend" - write a minimum of 15,000 words in a 48 hour period
16) Use Dare / Tickle - use a dare or an item from the Tickle Trunk or the Local Dare thread in your story which is NOT already specifically listed on this card (you cannot get this star for the Agent of Darwin; it is its own category)
17) Contribute Dare / Tickle - contribute an item for the Tickle Trunk (or if you are a distant writer, contribute to the Local Dare thread)
18) Stealth Noveling - noveling when you are supposed to be doing Other More Important Things, such as working, looking after small children, having sex, performing CPR, studying for a test etc.
19) Protect the Guilty - 'any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental' Pfft. Have someone in your life do a cameo in your novel who is SO OBVIOUSLY that person that changing the name to protect the guilty is a pointless exercise
20) Weird Noveling Place - the bus, the bathroom, the checkout line at Sobey's, the top of a hydro pole, the bar, the local drunk tank... find somewhere you would never normally novel and let your muse out to play
21) Communal Noveling - write with other people; better still, steal ideas from them in the process (write-outs and write-ins count or this star)
22) Donate / GoodSearch - Donate to Nanowrimo and get your halo; or if too broke to donate (it happens), then set up the Office of Letters and Light and use GoodSearch for the month of November (they get a penny a search - which doesn't sound like much until you factor in 130,000 participants...)
23) Set Home Region - set your home region to Canada::Manitoba
24) Forum Introduction - introduce yourself on the forums in the increasingly random thread n introductory questions **remember to add a question at the end!!*
25) Agent of Darwin - The Agents of Darwin are a special category of plot ninja. Attributed to ChaosHippy from a mid-month a few years ago, they are effectively 'chlorine for the gene pool' - someone in your novel gets eliminated from the genetic material (they don't necessarily have to die) as an improvement to all humankind, because Darwinian selection doesn't work fast enough for the terminally stupid to get weeded out on their own...
26) Caffeine or Sugar Abuse - pretty self explanatory
27) Creative Non-fiction - work something that happened in your day into your novel; kudos if you can make something utterly boring sound really cool (and take forever doing so)
28) Eureka! - celebrate that moment when your plot comes together and everything suddenly makes sense (especially if you started out with no clue...)
29) Stalling / Avoidance - you ought to be writing, but there's a new episode of Lost....
30) Rainbow Plot Ninja - Kill 'em all and let God sort them out. Or at least a few of them. Ninjas swoop in, utterly disrupt your story, and then swoop out, often leaving your characters baffled. Sneak-sneak-sneak...
31) Popular Music Reference - most of us run on caffeine, sugar and music; insert a reference to some song that speaks to a scene or situation in your story
32) Hooky Day (Self-Care) - take a day off and do something nice for yourself; remind your family that you exist, treat yourself to a movie or dinner
33) *Winnipeg* Signed "Thank You" Card - signed the Thank You card for Winnipeg Public Library
34) Gauntlet: Calgary - posted to the Calgary word war thread (will also honor this star for the Saskatoon word war thread)
35) Gauntlet: Postcard - participating in the never-ending story postcard dare for the Tennessee ML - see the forum for more information and PM me for the mail address)
36) Use a different sense - we depend very heavily on sight and sound when we write; do a scene that uses scent, taste or touch as the primary sense for description
37) Back Up Your Novel (Nov 7,14,21,28) - it is imperative to regularly back up your work; keep it on a flash drive, save it to Windows SkyDrive or Google Docs, e-mail it to yourself or do all of the above frequently and regularly. Nothing sucks more than losing the only copy of your work at the 48k mark. Really.

That's everything on the badges. So now, whether you're in Emerson or Cranberry Portage, you can try to work through the same bizarre checklist we all do. *grin*

Feel free to post your progress to this thread; there's just something about those shiny, shiny stars that speaks to our monkey brain and motivates us ....

-Betty-
(Who really ought to be writing... does this mean I get my stalling star?
----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

[STICKY] NaNoToBa - Official Event Dates and Times List

bpunkert — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 22:10:19 +0000

'Social / Support' Events (RSVPs appreciated) -- winnipeg.nano[at]gmail.com
Sat Oct 24 12:30pm – 4:30pm -- Nanowrimo Winnipeg Kick-Off
Sat Nov 14 12:30pm – 4:30pm -- Nanowrimo Winnipeg Mid-Month Kvetch Session
Sat Dec 5 6pm – 10pm (RSVP *required* - skywalk access only!) -- Nanowrimo Winnipeg TGIO
TGIO is in the Carol Shields Auditorium, Millennium Library, 251 Donald Street (2nd Floor)

'Official Write-Ins'
Thu Nov 5 6:30pm – 8:30pm -- Nanowrimo Winnipeg - Write-In
Sun Nov 8 2pm – 5pm -- Nanotoba - Virtual Write-In - irc.goodchatting.com #nanotoban
Thu Nov 12 6:30pm – 8:30pm -- Nanowrimo Winnipeg - Write-In
Thu Nov 19 6:30pm – 8:30pm - Nanowrimo Winnipeg - Write-In
Sun Nov 22 2pm – 5pm - Nanotoba - Virtual Write-In - irc.goodchatting.com #nanotoban
Thu Nov 26 6:30pm – 8:30pm - Nanowrimo Winnipeg - Write-In

All in-person events happen at the Millennium Library, 251 Donald Street in downtown Winnipeg.
(Except for the TGIO, all Library events happen in the Buchwald Room on the 2nd floor.)
(MEETING SPACE GENEROUSLY DONATED BY WINNIPEG PUBLIC LIBRARIES. SAY THANK YOU TO THEM WHEN YOU VISIT. LEAVE THEM RANDOM CHOCOLATE. WE LITERALLY COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT AND ‘AWESOMEOSITY’!)

Please do not arrive before start time indicated, as we will still be setting up.

-------------------------------
Additional Information:

Social events are just that. People are welcome to bring supportive partners or non-participants to meet the rest of the community. There's some talking and some fun and usually a few silly treats or a game, and they're just an opportunity to help build community. They're not working events. We may or may not talk about writing or our novels, although people often bring samples to the mid-month and TGIO to share. The MLs talk some, we try to get the participants to talk some, and just generally hang out and chill for a few hours. All the social events are very come-and-go, there is no need to stay for the whole thing if you don't want to.

Write-ins are an active "working on your novel" event. Doors open at 6:30 and a timer is started at 7:00. We write for one hour solid, and sometimes there is a brief discussion period afterwards while people update their name tags. Non-participants are NOT encouraged to attend these sessions unless they are working on something of their own. It is a room full of people listening to headphones and typing or scribbling - it is deathly boring to a non-participant and if they become bored, can be distracting. There is very little conversation during these events - if the MLs can hear you over their music, you will be asked to keep it down.

Virtual write-ins are a combination of the two. Typically they work with fifteen minute word wars at the top and half hours, and fifteen minute discussion blocks in between. More on this when I find a good CGI IRC interface and post instructions.

=====================

Facilities are provided for free through the generosity of the Millennium Library, however, we do encourage people to purchase their caffineation from the Human Bean downstairs and contribute that way. We also have a thank you card for participants to sign that we then pass along to the Member Services staff which will be at every library event.
----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

[STICKY] A Few Guidelines (How to Home Region, Forum Conduct, Event Attendance)

bpunkert — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:23:05 +0000

I'm Betty; one of your two Municipal Liaisons for the Manitoba (Winnipeg) Region, along with Heather (heartweaver). This is my 7th year participating in NaNo, hopefully my 7th win, and it's also my 6th year as a Municipal Liaison. We've never posted anything like this before, but the region is getting bigger every year.

NaNoWriMo takes place on two levels --
1) online, through the regions and general forums, and
2) local events.

A few notes on the online forums and regional lounges:

1. Regional Participation. If you're reading this post, you've found the Manitoba regional lounge. You may even be affiliated with Manitoba and receive periodic ML Messages from Heather and I. But if your profile does not show Canada::Manitoba as your home region, your word count won't be tallied along with the Manitoba region. During November, it’s fun to compare word counts and see how our region stacks up against all the regions in the world. For these stats to approach reasonable accuracy, we need YOU to affiliate with Manitoba and set Manitoba as your Home region.
~
* To affiliate: Click My NaNoWriMo, and then click My Regions (on the left of the screen). On the Regions tab, locate Canada :: Manitoba (just search for Manitoba), and click Join. Then, click the Join button on the next page.
~
* To set Manitoba as your home: Visit the Home Region tab, select Manitoba, and then click the Set Home Region button.
~
* Even if you belong to ONLY one region (Manitoba), you must still select that region and click the Set Home Region button.
~
2. All-Ages Posts. All regional lounges and many general forums (those marked with a sun icon in the topic list) are rated all-ages. Content in an all-ages forum should be on topic and not contain any strong language or sexual themes. In addition, be nice, no name-calling or picking fights. You're free to disagree with a stated opinion, but don't denegrate the poster. Remember, we're here to support each other.

If you are under the age of thirteen, check out the Young Writers program on the site. If you are between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, you may participate without parental consent forms, however, if your parental unit wishes to meet us and talk to us ouside an event to make sure we are not complete sociopaths, please have them e-mail us at winnipeg.nano(at)gmail.com to arrange a meeting. Similarly, if you are married or otherwise partnered and your spousal unit wishes to ensure we are not building a harem, have them contact us. It may seem silly to some of you, but especially in the case of some of our younger participants, it's important that parents feel safe sending their kids off with the weirdo.
~
3. Do not double post. If you post a message and it doesn't show up, do not post again. The website has a 15-minute cache and it may take up to 15 minutes for your post to appear. If your post is still missing after 20 minutes, contact an ML (in the regional forums) or Moderator (in the general forums) for guidance.
~
4. Signatures - Signatures appear intermittently. If you added a signature to your profile, please do not also type your signature, this will only result in duplicating your signature within the post under the conditions that signatures do appear. For an explanation of how and when signatures appear and disappear, see: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3000040.
~
5. Remember that this is a fun event that welcomes everyone, regardless of experience. Please be respectful and encouraging to veteran and newbie writers alike. We're here to support each other in our own personal writing goals!
~

While it's not required to take part in any of the local events or participate in the online forums -- all you really HAVE to do is sign up, start writing after midnight November 1st and verify your wordcount online before 11:59pm November 30th -- you're more likely to successfully complete NaNoWriMo if you take part in both the online and local communities. It's certainly more fun that way -- now your challenge is to find the balance that works for you.

An important word of caution; sometimes adult topic matter will come up on the forums or at write-ins (sex, use of addictive substances, death, alcohol use etc.). If someone says or does something that offends you, come and talk to myself or Heather and we'll deal with it, but I am assuming that we're all grown ups here, or at least (in my case) can pass for one when needed.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Heather and I through the ML Contact form: http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact
or contact me (bpunkert), or Heather (Heartweaver) using the private mail system on this website.
----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

Moments of Bizarre Pride

Chaos Hippy — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:02:36 +0000

As we near the end of the month, we all have tens of thousands of words under our individual belts. If you're like me, many thousands of those words are of the sort that you'll never even want to look upon again, for they would bring you much shame and embarrassment in times that are not November.

BUT!

No doubt, amongst the mad rambles, the single descriptions that use seventeen adjectives, and the scene descriptions that include the precise physical dimensions of the letter opener at the bottom left corner of the desk (that's the corner faceing the north west of the room, slightly off centre from the wall, etc.), there is something worthy of pride. Perhaps it is not a normal sort of pride. Perhaps it is pride derived from writing a coherent scene while impossibly drunk. Perhaps it is the defiant pride of finding a way to coherently include lemurs fighting over a crazy straw into the plot of a medieval fantasy. Whatever the reason, there is surely something in your work that inspires the affection and the "look what I just did!" glee normally reserved for mad scientists. Tell us, in this thread, what is the source of your misbegotten joy.

For my own part, I spent approximately my last six thousand words on an extended dream sequence in a mind touched by the gentle caress of morphine. This has included a deadly clowninja duel, a five year old's bedroom whose occupant is a four-foot spider, a scene described entirely in smells, an elaborate sequence following the path of an arrow as it passes over field and flower, zips through the many tunnels of a giant honeycomb chamber, deflects off of countless mountain rocks and finally aims itself for the sun to pierce its burning heart and so pierce all living hearts at once.

Also, tiny kittens on the moon, with antennae, formed out of the fragments of giant monster fighting robots as they explode from being excessively squeezed by their half-human half-insect skyscraper sized opponents. The kittens were last seen piling into a crater, where they polymerged together to form CATGLOR, formless, faceless scourge of the universe.
----------
http://hypnerdic.wordpress.com/
http://z3.invisionfree.com/10kClub/
http://twitter.com/Zenbomb

Canada :: Manitoba

Unofficial Write-Outs and Coffee Klatsches

bpunkert — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:47:26 +0000

As much as we'd like to, Heather and I can't be everywhere all the time.

We recognize that for a number of people the whole Thursday night write-in just doesn't work. You're busy, you can't get downtown in time, you have agoraphobia and can't be in a room with ten other people.

It's all cool, really.

What this thread is for, is so that participants can say where they'll be writing if you want to invite other people to come and join you. This might be in the library, or a coffeeshop, or the student's lounge at the university. One year we had a few at the Second Cup on River and Osborne, and a few at the Park Theatre. Be imaginative - invite people to get on the 77 bus with you and write through the whole route from the U of M to Kildonan Place (trust me it's a good solid two hours).

We only have a couple of rules about posting write-outs:

(1) Please do not offer a write-out on the same date / time as an official event as posted in the Events thread:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3282097
...because it is not fair to expect other participants to have to choose between hanging out with you and attending an official event. We only book seven official events - nine if you count the virtuals - so that leaves you twenty-one other days to work with.

(2) Be safe. This rule encompasses several things.
a) Do not ever, under any circumstances, host a write-out in your home. Use a public venue for all write-outs
b) Do not, ever, post your home phone number to this forum. It is readable by anyone, anywhere, whether registered or not.
c) If attending a write-out in an area you are unfamiliar with, bring a writing buddy and/or make sure someone knows where you are and when you are expecting to be home. Humor aside, laptops make tempting targets.

Happy random noveling!

=Betty & Heather=
----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

RNWS Unofficial Late-Night Write-Outs

bpunkert — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 22:20:24 +0000

Registration is required, as space is limited. E-mail randilin[at]mts.net to register.
LATE-NIGHT WRITE-OUTS ARE HOSTED BY THE RAINBOW NINJA WRITER’S SOCIETY – SEE HTTP://GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/NINJAWRITERS/ FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Late-Night 'Write-Outs' (RSVPs *required* - see above)
Sat Oct 31 10:30pm – ??? - RNWS 'All-Night' Write-Out - Pendragon Games and Hobbies - 1354 Main
Fri Nov 13 8:00pm- ??? (Times TBA) - RNWS 'All-Night' Write-Out - Pendragon Games and Hobbies - 1354 Main
Fri Nov 27 8:00pm- ??? (Times TBA) - RNWS 'All-Night' Write-Out - Pendragon Games and Hobbies - 1354 Main

(Posted on behalf of RNWS - if the times need changing, let me know)
----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

University of Winnipeg Writers?

IvorySilk — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 22:40:18 +0000

So I posted this last year, though nothing really came of it (I'm lazy... what can I say?) so I'm going to make another attempt. Have we got any NaNo participants at the University of Winnipeg? Anyone who wants to get together, do some writing, hang out, etc?
----------

Canada :: Manitoba

The Excerpt Update Thread

prairiecrow — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:47:28 +0000

Got a novel excerpt? Updated yours recently? Post about it here. :-)

My excerpt: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/240900

Read an excerpt? Really liked it and want to recommend it? Share feedback!

(Can I write in compound sentences? Well... yes, just not before I've had my first cup of coffee.)
----------

Canada :: Manitoba

Off Topic: The Graveyard Book Party Content

paladin7979 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:08:59 +0000

Since it came up at the Kick Off, I figured it was appropriate to say CONGRATULATIONS!!! and GREAT JOB!!! to all involved.

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/11/revealed-rulers-of-darkness-of-thi...

Sincerely,
The NeilGaimanite Teacher who shortly thereafter dropped off the face of the Earth :p
----------

Canada :: Manitoba

Local Dares thread

bpunkert — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:15:55 +0000

For all those things that come up in conversation....

...also a way for distant participants to contribute to the Tickle Trunk!!

To get the ball rolling...

"Oh I'm just watering the piano..."

Two ghosts, a guy in a huge sombrero, a rabbi, and an old woman are on the bus together.... (true story)

---
Feel free to suggest silly things for others to add to their novels. Scenarios, snippets of dialogue, character traits, writing techniques, odious personal habits for main characters, world quirks...

Bring on the insanity! :)

=Betty=
----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

One Great Thing About Manitoba

CryingtheOptimist — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:49:50 +0000

Now, of course we all know that there are many great things about our fair province, but I would like to draw are attention to one thing that we get that many others will not this noveling month - Rememberence Day. For us in Manitoba, we are fortunate enough to have the day recognized as a Stat Holiday, giving us the time off work and school to give thanks and reflect upon the sacrifice that Canadian soldiers have given. It also means that we have the time off work and school to write like the crazy monkeys that we are. We are lucky in the fact that not all provinces get this extra day. So, after taking the time to pay our respects and attend any Rememberence Day activities that you might have planned, what are you planning on doing with your day? Catch up? Get ahead? Get your normal word count in and then find a non-NaNo activity to relax with?

~CtO
----------

Canada :: Manitoba

Got Plot? Share what you'll be writing about this November!

bpunkert — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:48:59 +0000

Sometimes throwing out a brief precis of your novel can help gel ideas in your head.

What will you be tackling this Nanowrimo? No idea? Okay, share that too!

-Betty-
(Who is suffering from too many plots and no bucket...)
----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

Red River College - Downtown Campus

Randilin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:55:38 +0000

I'm going to be at the Red River Downtown Campus Tuesday night writing. If anyone wants to join me I should be getting around 7pm and working until 9.. They have lots of great chairs with little swivel desks so it will be nice and comfortable. You'll be able to find me across from the book store.

Hope to see someone there, I'll be sure to put out my noveling sign.

Randilin
----------
Blog - http://betweentheticks.blogspot.com/
Web Novel Carpe Arcanum - http://www.carpearcanum.com

Canada :: Manitoba

virtual write-in

lady bhugg — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:56:50 +0000

Okay, it's been a year. How do I find the virtual write-in again.

Lady Bhugg
----------

Canada :: Manitoba

Gauntlet: Saskatoon Word And Donation War...

bpunkert — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:29:33 +0000

Hey folks.. we've had another offer of free pants! (Mmm. Pants. I'm cold today, how can you tell?)

Saskatoon has put it to a vote and decided they want to challenge us to put out money where our mukluks are. (Well, okay, we came in just behind Wales, but they're not answering, so we'll have to do...)

Once I have a region number I'll add them to our word count API. In the meantime, feel free to start throwing snowballs. Wait, we have no snow yet. Okay, maybe throw leftover Hallowe'en candy, since everyone I know who was giving it out had an amazing scarcity of kids come to the door and has a lot left over. :)

=Betty=
(co-ML for Winnipeg, MB)

(PS: As always, remember, this is a FRIENDLY competition. Good-natured teasing is one thing, but we're all here to support each other, so be mindful and remember there's no need to be unpleasant. I don't want to have to get out the big floppy moderator hat; it clashes with my ML shirt.)
----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

University of Manitoba Writers.

Jimmy the hand — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:56:54 +0000

Since there's a UofW post, I though I should set a UofM one up. I'd love to meet/write/hang out with any writers at the University.
----------
NaNo 2008 - Death Sentence (won - 90,112)
NaNo 2009 - Shift

Canada :: Manitoba

Gauntlet: Calgary Word And Donation War

bpunkert — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:06:11 +0000

Our expatriate participant, Huushita, is now a co-ML in Calgary and has asked if we want to resurrect the Calgary/Manitoba word war for this fall. I'm in - anyone else game?

Last year we compared average word count by individual and that worked well to balance out the difference in numbers.

If people are interested, post here... this worked really well for us as a way to get people involved and active last year... (Please remember, a little good-natured ribbing between the cities is fine - personal attacks, flaming, and just plain nastiness are not. Be. Nice.)

-Betty & Heather-

(For the record, we beat their pants off. Which means there are now a lot of pantless Calgary wrimos facing the winter....)
----------
Participant / Winner: 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 ...09
Winnipeg, MB Municipal Liaison: 04, 05, 06*, 07*, 08*, 09*
* with help
-=-=-=-
Reach the Winnipeg co-MLs at
http://www.nanowrimo.org/mlcontact

Canada :: Manitoba

Beyond the Perimeter

Losgann — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:42:58 +0000

Outside of Winnipeg shout-out!

I'm in Thompson. Anyone else?

*crickets*
----------

Canada :: Manitoba

Expats Unite!

Lanois — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:13:43 +0000

I know I'm not the only one who has migrated out of the NaNoToban area... but it looks like I'm the first one to pop by and say hi!

I miss you all! This is my third NaNo down south, and while I definitely appreciate the weather, I miss my Canadian friends. You know, the people who understand that the letter 'u' is very important in words. ;)

Best of luck to all of you, and if I make it home for Christmas again this year, I'll try to arrange something to see lots of you (well, the ones who remember me and like me...)

Danielle
Former NaNoToban, Current Mooseling
Co-ML, Georgia::Macon
----------

Canada :: Manitoba

Brandon Anybody?

Spiderfly — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:05:27 +0000

Just wondering who all is from Brandon, and what genre you're doing! I can't possibly be the only one from B-Dot can I?

I'm doing a fantasy genre. I'm playing around in Liquid Story Binder at the moment, getting my thoughts into a coherent form. My problem is that I always think in images, and not in a general arch. Can't see the forest for the trees and all that!
----------

Canada :: Manitoba

After writting the beginning...

hengeworks — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:45:59 +0000

... of the story I had planned to write, I paused to think. My mind began to turn as I listened to the song currently queued in my playlist ran through my head and formed another plot, completely different, albeit still fantasy, formed. I had to at least get the beginnings of it down before it disappeared, as I have a horrible memory and must write things down or they will be lost to the chaos that is my head.
I now have two plots and two beginnings to stories. And I'm torn as to what to continue with.

Do any of you have similar stories, or just other funny/disastrous, from the first day of NaNoWriMo?

Sean
----------

Canada :: Manitoba

eeek! two more days to go and I'm sitting here with nothing to start with

ButterFlyInk — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:51:42 +0000

Only 2 more days until the festivities start and I've got nothing planned, or any back up and I'm kind of freaking out a little. Is anyone else in the same boat as me? got any ideas how I can pull a miracle out of thin air?

----------
"Life
isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.... It's about learning how
to dance in the rain"

Canada :: Manitoba

Beyond the Bounds of November: The 10k Club

Chaos Hippy — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:27:49 +0000

NaNo is a fantastic event. A great challenge, a good way to meet like minds and an excellent way to get a lot of words written. Unfortunately some folks; me, for example; have a problem. The problem is that the words we write during NaNo are the [i]only[/i] writing we get done through the whole year. And if one wants to turn writing into something more than an entertaining hobby, one must write more often than thirty days out of the year.

But what can we do, who are unable to write without the encouraging structure of NaNoWriMo? I have found the answer. We take that structure; the challenge, the support, the unrelenting peer pressure; and we turn it into something we can do all year long. 50,000 words a month is an unreasonable goal to set every single month. Leave 50,000 to November. For the rest of the year, I propose 10,000.

Why 10,000? It's an attainable goal, one that can be reached without sacrificing all contact with the outside world. 10,000 words in 30 days is fewer than 350 a day, not even 2500 a week. In November, some of us average 2500 a day. But being easy to achieve doesn't make 10,000 an insignificant number. 10,000 words in a month is progress. If you reach the goal consistently, every month for ten months, you've written a novel. If you begin with 50,000 in November, and continue with 10,000 every month after that, you've got a novel in six months.

A reasonable goal, that can be repeated indefinitely without interfering with normal life, that promises tangible, sizeable results. Just what the writer ordered. So how do we start?

To paraphrase Alan Moore, I did it three months ago: http://z3.invisionfree.com/10kClub/

We've been active since August. Though only a couple of us post wordcounts at this point, there are a few who are preparing themselves, or participating incognito for the moment. The more of us there are, the more it will feel like the real thing.

We are a community created by NaNo veterans, dedicated amateurs and semiprofessionals, for anyone who wants to write more, and needs someone to write with. Come for the wordcount, come for support and resources, or come for the community.

[b]PLEASE NOTE:[/b] The 10k Club is not intended to compete with NaNoWriMo in any way. While there will be a wordcount thread for November, the forum will be largely inactive for the duration of NaNo, as the majority of our members will be focusing our attention here, where it belongs. Come and introduce yourself, jump in for October if you feel up to it, but make sure you're back here on November 1st. I don't want to steal writers away from Betty and Heather. They work hard for us.
----------
http://hypnerdic.wordpress.com/
http://z3.invisionfree.com/10kClub/
http://twitter.com/Zenbomb

Canada :: Manitoba