So who's back for another go and who is new to NaNo? Drop in and introduce yourself. When we put NaNo to bed last season, Spokane had 152 subscribers. Somehow over the intervening 10 months, we've gained 21 new members, and I'm hoping even more will join us soon. It doesn't matter whether you're new to NaNo or a returning old-timer, local to Spokane or just remember the area fondly and want to stay in touch, we'd love to hear from you.
Most NaNo participants never post to the forums, but I'd love it if everyone in Spokane would at least sign in here. I'll start.
I'm Samantha and this will be my ... *counts on fingers* ... 5th NaNo, as well as my 5th year as Spokane's Municipal Liaison. While I've managed to write the requisite 50,000 words every year since 2003, I've never yet finished even a 1st draft of any of my NaNoscripts. I'm hoping this year will be different.
I live and work on the South Hill. I'm a paralegal for a small law firm as my day job, and I also occasionally pick up some freelance work. My goal is to limit the overtime / extra jobs during November, but historically that hasn't always worked out. Most of my NaNo wordcount is added during write-ins, so if you have a requested time / place for a write-in, let me know and I'll try to add it to the schedule. If I can't make it, maybe somebody else will.
Is anybody else here?
Samantha
Municipal Liaison for Washington::Spokane
spokane_wa@nanowrimo.org
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50,039 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2007 - 22 07
Hello, my name is Shawna. This will be my 3rd NaNoWriMo. And my first one in which I will make 50K words. I made it halfway last year.
I work 9-5 Tuesday through Saturday, and have signed up for all sorts of extra activities... naturally occurring in November. Extended Learning classes, mostly. I'm hoping the "the busier you are, the more you get written" rule works. This month will be spent getting my apartment spotless, a month of freezer meals made and put away, and all my christmas presents made. Theoretically.
I can't wait till November 1 :) Plus I've decided to rent a hotel room at least once, possibly twice, during the month so I can have a totally distraction free environment for a while. And I plan to attend whatever write-ins I can. And I will also see if I can get an all-night write-a-thon set up again.
Edit: I work 9-5 Saturday through Wednesday. Unless they change my schedule again.... But I told them no changing anything in November else I'll go postal.
50,184 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2007 - 12 33
I'm Kate and I'm here...sort of. I'll be here through October and the beginning of November, but my husband is deploying in early November and I'm going to my parents' in NJ with the little guy for the holidays. So I don't know if I should keep you guys as my official location with an affiliation in Jersey, or vice versa. Anyone want to claim me? :-) I will definitely make the opening write-in and maybe one or two more before I head East.
It's my second NaNo and I finished the first one last year. I don't have a job and since I'll be at my parents', I don't even have to pay as much attention to my child. ;-) I think I'm going to write based on my sister, who also lives with my parents, so I'll have my inspiration around every day for more words. I desperately need to start outlining - I'm going in with a plan this year!!
50,124 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2007 - 15 12
Hi, I'm Patti/Pacifika. this is my 2nd NaNo.
I am in Spokane Valley.
I owned a business last year so I didn't make it to many write-ins. Now however I am doing temp/freelance work (Jill of all Trades) so I should be able to make it to more. I am minus a car now though.
I've been working on a couple of stories over the year so I've been writing off and on.
For this NaNo I might write from an idea my hubby came up with. Who knows.
See you all soon.
Patti
50,008 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2007 - 00 31
It is I! Kate aka Tunguska, back for a 3rd year and hopefully my emplyers will see fit to free me couple extra days so I can play more this year. Forward thinking I have a new computer and better days off! Wheee!
0 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2007 - 10 10
Greetings!
My second year for NaNo -- didn't quite make it last year, so am going to try something different this year. New username for a start. :-) Yes, Samantha, I unaffilliated my old username.
Live in North Spokane, but work downtown. Did most of my writing during the write-ins at Riverpark Square, so hopefully we can continue that this year.
Here's to hoping...
8,412 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2007 - 16 35
Hi all,
My name is Rachel and this is my first official NaNoWriMo... I tried doing it (under a different profile) a couple times in college and never got off the ground, but now I've graduated and am working for a software company downtown. I'm dying to get my writing fix outside of work and I think this will be a great jumpstart. I'm looking forward to talking to all of you - and maybe meeting? - and I can't wait to get started!
11,347 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2007 - 13 02
Hi, I'm Ami, or Camilla for those of you brave enough to try to pronounce it (cam-ee-lah, not cam-ih-lah). I live in the Spokane Valley, but spend most of my time on weekdays in the SCC area, and on weekends I can be found behind the counter at the Sullivan Jack in the box.
I actually have a fairly structured plan for my NaNo this year, so despite an insanely busy schedule, I'm even more optimistic about finishing this year than I was last time. We'll just have to see if optimism translates into word count. ;)
This is my second NaNo, and the first I'll be able to attend write-ins since last year I was stuck at home with pneumonia. (the only downside to being healthy being that I actually have to leave the house this year, and not spend my waking hours writing or on the forums) I did have the pleasure of meeting Patti and Samantha at a Script Frenzy write-in this summer, and am looking forward to meeting the rest of you soon!
See you at the write-ins!
54,262 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2007 - 19 48
Hey,
My name is Kristina. I'm a Valley Girl---in the geographic sense only. Last year I was a winner of Nanowrimo. Currently, my first revision is undergoing critical perusal by some very special guinea pigs. I'm looking forward to many more revisions in the months ahead. Last year I wrote what I'd like to call a humorous fantasy mystery with some social commentary sprinkled in for fun. Goofy, I know, but my novel ran a bit amuck last year. Hopefully, this year I can rein things in a bit, but that is my inner editor speaking and she won't be around when I'm writing anyway. Who knows what genre I will be living in for the month of November? I just know I can't wait to find out.
Good luck to everyone and Happy Writing!
Kristina
527 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2007 - 00 20
Spencer here. Gonzaga University Junior. This is something like my fifth year here at Nano, though I've never come close to winning. This year I'm actually aiming for something less than 50k. Instead, I'll have a shorter daily word-count and use the month to work on the next part of my novel-in-progress (which is already 50,000 words done).
50,264 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2007 - 08 44
Hello All!
I am Lynn, the one from Davenport and I'm back to write my second novel. Last year I did win and even got so crazy as to edit it in time for the Lulu.com offer of a free book! It's called "Even Hippos Can Drown" and while it has not yet taken off in sales, a good number of people in Davenport tell me it's worth the read. Hooray!
I am back for my second go-round. I have pared down my outside commitments and I may undertake a couple of high school students on who want to do this too (but their parents have to ok it). I have my outline ready, my family is ready (they get totally behind me on this) and I hope to produce some meals this month for next month.
I can't wait for the pounding slowness of this website to be overcome. I look forward to getting together with everyone.
44,062 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2007 - 00 03
Hey All!
I finally got to sign in! I've been trying since the first with no luck, this is a very busy place.
This isn't my first NaNo but I'm hoping it will get me to 50k this year, I have several projects to finish by a few deadlines and this is the kick in the pants to get me going.
See you All soon,
Merris
50,243 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2007 - 13 24
My name is Vernona and this is my first NaNo.
(I half expect everyone to answer like an AA meeting over such a self-intro.)
I am a stay-at-home mom from Cheney.
I might be interested in a write-in, now that I've figured out what they are.
I just finished writing a novel-- or maybe three. "I musst ssplit ssthe monsster in ssthree, masster!"
Anyway, *pushing Igor back into the dungeon, locking the door and tossing the key out the window* I'm looking forward to a break from all editing and work I'm putting into my current work. I'm going to treat NaNo like vacation time.
50,391 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2007 - 19 21
Hey all. I am new to the Spokane area forum but this will be my third Nanowrimo. I won both years, although last year's story is still sadly unfinished and both novels are in various stages of revision. Never the less, I shall boldly undertake another project. This year I actually have an idea already and am anxious to get underway. If there are any other wrimos out there in the more northern climes, I'd sure love to get together for write ins. Spokane is logistically difficult.
35,203 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2007 - 23 11
Hi everyone! I was only technically signed up last year - a friend told me about it after November had already started and I only got a few thousand words in before I floundered. This year I'm ready to start on the 1st, though! =)
My name's Roxanne, I'm a student at EWU and live and work in the Valley. I used to write a lot but not so much recently (except for papers, of course) so I'm hoping this will give me the kickstart I need. And also possibly an excuse to not work too much during November . . .
11,484 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2007 - 23 31
I won't have any eyesight left to read what I'm writing if I keep doing this every year. *lol*
Anyway, I'm Lisa, currently a sophomore at UW... but I'm from Spokane :)
I think? I'm not sure -- but I may be the oldest of the Spokane writers, since this will be my sixth year if I decide to do it (and inevitably I probably will because nothing bugs me more than a broken streak). Last year I had way too much time on my hands -- evinced by writing over double the novel I needed to, IIRC -- but now that I'm actually doing fieldwork for my major who knows.
I guess a little more about me?
My current major is Japanese linguistics -- this is my third year of university-level study; basically it requires both learning the language and also specialized linguistics study, which means I have to interview native speakers and transcribe their speech patterns to understand grammar rules, why X particle is used at Y, and so on. I'm also an officer of UW's Japanese Student Association, basically a full-time job I never get paid for :p but it's a lot of fun (and gives me plenty of opportunity to interview the other officers for my fieldwork, haha). It's nice to be half-fluent in a foreign language :)
Recently though I applied for a scholarship from the Japanese government to study full-time at vocational school -- but I don't know if the Japanese government would think fashion is a valid road to pursue, so we'll see. *lol*
Good luck writing, everyone :)
0 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2007 - 23 43
Andrew here. Long-time attempter, no wins so far. I feel more prepared and gung-ho every year, so maybe this year will be the tipping point.
I was in Spokane for school (Whitworth College) the last three years, but I've moved back to Los Angeles since last November. I think I'll stay Spokane-affiliated for old time's sake, and in case we get in another word count challenge.
50,879 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2007 - 23 49
Hey! Andi here (again) - my second year; a little terrified because it came too easy last
year which is a curse for this year.
Can't wait for the kick off party - PLEASE don't have it before the 27th of Oct b/c I'm popping
over to Indiana for a long-overdue visit with family (hmm.. fodder for a story?)
I'd like to encourage those who can to cough up at the $100 level to do it because you
get a cool poster! Oh, and that warm fuzzy feeling of supporting something good.
Oh, and stickers! And a halo!
We got our very own laptop this year, so expect to see me, the spouse or the kid (or combo thereof)
at many of the write-ins; they are so helpful.
933 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2007 - 23 58
Hi, my name is Amanda and I am currently a Literary studies major working on a creative writing/screenwriting minor at EWU. I work four days a week at a movie rental store and have class at night during the other nights. I love to read and write and find even the smallest joys in life empowering. I am addicted to going to see movies - I just can't help myself and hope to someday be a successful screenwriter. I have learned many invaluable lessons regarding story structure in my screenwriting class and hope to use that knowledge when writing my novel.
52,118 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2007 - 00 05
Sarah here. This is my 2nd time around. I swore this time I would have an outline finished in October so I wasn't staring at a blank screen come November 1. Not looking so good for that goal LOL but I did finish last year, so probably be another down to the wire one for me, but hey, I am starting to think that's half the fun :)
933 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2007 - 00 06
As far as write-ins go, however, I could make it in the afternoon Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday or in the evenings on wednesday, or anytime on Sunday, or Saturday morning. Not that that was nearly a good sentence, but it is far too late in the evening to press the delete button.
50,670 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2007 - 00 25
Hello all. Really looking forward to nano this year. Moved to Spokane last year and loving it! This is a great city. I work for the Spokane Public Library and I'm hoping that being around all the books will really get the juices flowing and the muse howling. :) See you all in November.
26,353 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2007 - 09 34
Heyla My name's Courtney and this'll be my escond year of Nano, though my first in Spokane. I live on the South Hill and go to school out at Eastern
25,085 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2007 - 13 00
Hi, I'm Sara, and this is my 4th year doing NaNo, and I've "won" the past 3 years, although I've only continued to plow through and reach "The End" on one of those-- last year's ended up clocking in at around 102k, but I did 52k in Nov. I still plan on editing and better shaping that one, as well as finishing the story from the year before that. My first year's NaNo was a load of crap though... just more of an exercise to see if I could reach 50k and I did.
This year I hope to be sucessful again, but it's tougher this year--- I'll have my 2 month old son and a 3 and a half year old daughter (who is only about 90% proficient in potty training) to wrangle. So I may not make it to many if any write-ins, since my husband doesn't work a consistent schedule. Sometimes it's late in the afternoon and evening, sometimes it's a regular 9-5.
(However, on a side note-- the Hastings on 29th and SE Blvd. would make a great write-in location. Plenty of parking and plenty of outlets. There is wi-fi to distract you though....)
My husband has done 3 NaNos too-- he finished two, but wasn't as successful last year. This year he plans on writing, but doesn't necessarily have 50k as a goal in mind. So you may or may not see him on here with a word count.
On the plus side, I do have a decent story in mind. Well.... I have a decent set of characters and a setting in mind and only a loose plot, but hey, that's a good start!
11,029 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2007 - 13 41
I back you another month of NaNo! I failed pretty badly last year, but this year I'm pumped and ready to go! I think I'm seriously going to win this year... or at least, I plan to. =3
My name's Kaitlyn, but I can go by either Mixtape or Kain on the 'net. I've only done NaNo one other time, last year. I didn't win, but I'm sure planning on it this year. I also want to see if I can go to all of the write-ins, because I always got a ton more than normal at those. So. 50k, you're going DOWN this year!
6,687 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2007 - 17 09
Hihi! I'm The girl of many names. (Brooklyn,Bazi,Babyblue...I seem to favor B's...) This is my first NaNo. My bestest friend from back in Oklahoma got me into it. I moved here not two months ago for my Husbands first station. Yay Air Force! Meep! Anywho I'm new on base so I need friends.... Anyone interested contact me at my nano thingy. *nod*
Oh, as for my novel It is going to be a fantasy/horror-ish type book about how I met my husband. *nodnod* Sound interesting? hehe. Yeah that's all.
50,110 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2007 - 13 33
Well, hello once again! My name is Kari and it's so great to be back, for reals this time. My first NaNo in 2004 was fun & exciting, and I "won" - even though my novel was garbage. My second winning NaNo was in 2005 with a novel that's actually not too shabby! I hope to get serious about that one someday. Last year I attempted NaNo while buying my first house and my heart just wasn't into it, what with all the distractions and the paperwork and the packing and the glavin. Now that I'm all settled and happy, I'm stoked that NaNo's finally here again so I can see how I do this year. I'm a little nervous - my creativity has waned considerably it seems, and I'm worried that I may not "have it" anymore. (I blame three college quarters of math.) But! We'll see. Being along for the ride with all of you defintely brings it out. Cheers! Kari :)
8,967 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2007 - 14 18
Hullo, I'm Maddison, and this is my second NaNo attempt. I'm a senior at Whitworth University, and I live in North Spokane, off campus. I'm also an art major with a full load of 17 credits, but so far I've managed to scramble through all the work without bloodshed. I play piano, ride horses, read like a maniac, do PR for Whitworth's Artist's Guild, and am working on production design for a *koffcrappykoff* play that will be coming out this spring.
Last year I got about halfway to the goal, but this year I'm going to put a lot more effort into finishing. Sure, I may give up meals and sleep, but I'll finally get that darn novel out of my head! I'm really looking forward to doing a few write-ins, so hopefully there will be at least one north of Francis this year- that way I can drag a few of my Whitworth cohorts along!
My story is literary fiction, focused on a past event in my character's lives and their method of processing it. Make sense? It doesn't to me either- the characters are just clamoring at me to write their voices and their story. Not that that sounds crazy at all.
Any expertise in the area of theatre is welcome- my characters are putting on a shakespeare production.
25,296 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2007 - 17 50
Hello everyone!
I'm swim_dragon, daughter of book_geek and hellomonkeylamp.
I get to be on the main site this year and look forward to NaNo starting, though I can't decide which of the storylines spinning around in my head I should actually use.
You can call me Kaira...
312 / 50,000
Oct 14, 2007 - 08 01
Hey gang...
Can't believe it's been a whole year!
I'm working for the Better Business Bureau in the mornings now and teaching a comp class at SFCC in the afternoons. Since I was only working part-time at Auntie's last year I really don't know why I think I'm going to have time to finish Nano this year...but crazy or not, I'm going to try.
Will post more later when the site speeds up. It's driving me nuts.
Last year I wrote a historical novel about Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria. This year I'm going to do a mystery about the Dukhovars up in Canada.
312 / 50,000
Oct 14, 2007 - 08 02
Oh, I see I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Holly.