Let's all introduce ourselves!

Hmm. Not a popular topic so far.

I'm on disability leave, and have revived a childhood ambition to write as a way of coping with my situation. I wrote a textbook years ago, which only proves I have one instance of sticking with something long enough to publish. My first attempt at fiction since grade school was last year's NaNo.

Maybe this thread should have been titled, 'Whatever you do, do NOT introduce yourself!'

I first participated in NaNo in 2004. We set up a get-together for the various participants at the Brew Pub and only two of us showed up after a dozen said they'd be there. Are all writers anti-social by default?

So I'll take the plunge. I'm 43 and I've been writing fiction since I was 15. I have a diploma in Advertising and Public Relations; I thought I would like writing copy for advertisements as a living, but I never did get around to it. I have published quite a few news articles and editorials over the years, I've written a lot of promotional stuff for charities, and political stuff for provincial and federal campaign brochures, not to mention speeches and so forth. I've put all the politics behind me now, as I want to concentrate on writing a book and getting it published.

I used to read mostly horror and espionage novels, but lately I've been reading mostly mystery/suspense and historical fiction. I write in the same genres I'm reading. Compared to most people, I write pretty fast. I had no problem finishing my NaNo novel the first time I tried it, although I was gifted with a lot of spare time back then (otherwise known as being unemployed) so this time around should be interesting, as I work 48 hours a week and have other demands on my time outside of that.

It is nice to discover there are other writers in Kingston crazy enough to take on this challenge. I look forward to possibly meeting some of you or at least exchanging e-mails during November.

Movies I like; Fargo, Ocean's Eleven (the remake), Rear Window (the original), Cape Fear (the remake), The Seven Year Itch.

TV shows I've liked; The X-Files, Picket Fences, The Trailer Park Boys, Dead Like Me.

Why am I doing NaNo again? I have no reasonable explanation, except that I enjoyed it the first time. I have so much other stuff to do this November, attempting it is pure folly, but then it wouldn't be a challenge, would it? I want to see if I can do it the hard way and come up with something workable as a draft novel. I re-read my first NaNo novel recently and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it after ignoring it for two years. I've really got to put the finishing touches on that sucker and get it out to a publisher or two.

I don't know that anyone will ever read this post, but the best of luck to you all.

MadMike

I'm Alan, turning eighteen during November, which undoubtedly makes me the youngest participant in this region until I manage to lure my classmates into joining. The fact that I'm valiantly trying not to make a joke about "queens" probably tells you all you need to know about my personality.

I've participated in NaNo every year since grade nine and have always ended up copping out after the first two weeks, which makes me really wonder why I keep coming back. I guess I just like the atmosphere. And this year I've got a plot I'm very fond of but that's sort of intimidating in that it's a subgenre I've never really done before (darkish urban fantasy with nods to Silent Hill), so NaNo should help me actually get started on it instead of just sitting around as I might be wont to do otherwise.

As for music, I listen to early Marilyn Manson and the Scissor Sisters. Give me any genre and I guarantee I'll find at least one artist I like in it. Movies are more or less the same - two of my favorites favorites are Fight Club and Breakfast on Pluto. I don't watch TV all that much, but I'm very fond of Batman and Doctor Who right now.

Hi,

I'm 18 and I'm originally from Richmond, BC. It's my first year at Queen's (yay for froshies!) and Kingston. I've done Nano for 2 years now, but I could never make it past the 3rd week. I don't have much else to say, I'm usually rather quiet around new people.

Anyway, good luck people!

Unless your little brother carries through on his thread to join!

Tell us a little about yourself?

I'm a 40-year-old Bear (imagine a Kevin Smith who doesn't just JOKE about certain types of intimate acts, and you get the image...the kind of gay man that makes Queer Eye for the Straight Guy die on sight (if only)). I am, as you might guess from the preceding, a rather warped individual with a sick sense of humour. I have no wife, no daughter, no husband, no son...I do have a dog (and a boyfriend - arguably, there may be little distinction between a dog and a boyfriend ;) ).

What made you decide to do nanowrimo?

I keep thinking that SOMEDAY I'll get that book which is lodged in my duodenum out of me. :)

Favourite movie?

Hmmm - I like a lot of indie films made on budgets that make the Blair Witch Project seem massively expensive. Yo Yo Gang, Troublemakers, Green Pubes, Plan 9 From Outer Space...

Favorite music?

A little bit of everything, though, based on the last time I listened to the radio (1984), very little that's currently on the radio... :)

Favorite All-Time TV shows

Are You Being Served? Antiques Roadshow. CSI. Law and Order.

The bankers and the diplomats are going in the army - it seemed a shame to keep them from the wars that they have planned. MALVINA REYNOLDS

Hey everyone.

Ha... I've been so busy between classes and midterms and trying to get out words that I forgot about posting on the forums. Anyway, here's my introduction. ^^

Let's see...I'm 21 and close to finishing school at Queen's. And by close, I mean I'm going to be here for another year after this one. Wee~! I've live in Kingston for...umm...about 18 years, I think. Not continuously either. I was born here but got carted off to Ottawa when I was 4, came back the year after, and then did the same thing when I was 12. Although I've been lurking about since 2004, I haven't really done nano till last year. This year I'm doing a fantasy-ish plot, but I'm not exactly sure of what it is. o-o It's kind of apocalyptic, but not really. Eh...it's kind of hard to describe.

I like all sorts of music, but I'm really into rock. I don't have a favourite movie, but I do enjoy watching Hocus Pocus a bit too much. I don't remember how many times I've seen it. As for TV shows, I like Chuck, Heroes, and Doctor Who. Even if I don't get to watch them much anymore.

Hi there,

I replied briefly to a different post (re word count) but then realized I ought to have replied to this one. (duh) Anyway, I'm 43 and female. I have a husband and 2 kids: 9 yr old daughter and 5 yr old son. I have a part-time (off campus) job with Queen's and otherwise am a stay at home mom. I saw a poster at the library about NaNoWriMo and thought it might be fun to try. I used to joke about my "Great Canadian Novel" and list absurd names for characters (Toombs's Funeral Home, that kind of thing) so I thought, hey, I'll go with my original ridiculous idea and have some fun with it, see where it goes.

As it turns out, my 14 yr old niece who lives in Maine is also doing NaNo, so we'll compare notes as the month goes on.

I'm a member of a couple of book clubs and reading is my passion. I just finished Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb and The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. My favourite writer is probably Edith Wharton.

I write the occasional piece for the Whig and would like to do more writing: whether fiction or non I'm not sure. I like humour and parody (that's where I classified my novel, perhaps flattering myself into thinking it will be humorous!), but I don't want to get into the chick lit rut, so my novel is about a boy working for the summer in dead livestock removal.

Even after 4 days of this I can already feel the tedium setting in. I have a very vague idea of what's going to happen in my novel but how to get there, I'm not sure. I'm definitely not doing this with the hope of someday publishing this novel--it's totally for fun so I hope to push through the tedium by making outrageous things happen that will free me from knots in my plot. I also picked a setting that (I now realize) I know too little about so I have to fake my way through it.

Happy writing everyone!

Yeah for faking it!!! Nothing wrong with being outrageous. (Shakespeare had characters landing on the coast of Bohemia, which has no coast.) Besides, editing is something you can do in December.

Well, I guess i may as well introduce myself. I am an 18 year old male. I'm still in high school, doing an extra year, otherwise known as a victory lap. I only have three, very easy classes, so i have lots of time to write. This is my first time doing NaNoWriMo, and i'm really enjoying it so far. A novel idea has been kicking around in my head for a long time now, so it's great to finally get some stuff down.

As for reading, i read almost exclusively high fantasy, which, incidently is the genre of my novel, but i also read science fiction and random other books.

Yeah, that's about it for me.

Hi all,
I'm 27 and not actually in Kingston at all. I'm ~midway between Kingston and Toronto, but I thought that allying myself with the Kingston region would mean I'd have more reasons to visit. I graduated from Queen's a few years ago, still wear my GPA, and still feel that Kingston is home.
I'm returning to the writing gag after too long away, meaning that every word is an effort. But I've passed the one quarter mark, so I'm planning on finishing no matter how dreadful this gets. I have started two writers' groups (both of which slowly withered away to nothing) and have participated in two more. I have never published a story, and have no intentions of doing so - unless posting fanfic online counts, and then I'm three chapters guilty.
What I'd like more than anything else in the world at this point is to be able to move to California this year.

I'm a grad student at Queen's in the Classics department with absolutely no free time on my hands and am trying to write my thesis. This means I need a distraction. Besides, what is 50,000 words when you have to write a 100+ page thesis?

I decided to try Nanowrimo because many of my friends have had so much fun with it (even if they didn't finish). I've had a few ideas (okay, read many) for novels over the years, and now I'm actually getting down to writing one. I've planned this particular one out obsessively for the past five years, so I feel confident about my attempt (but who knows when I'll finish it).

I would have to say that right now my favourite movie is "Paris Je T'aime", a series of short films stuck together around the theme of Paris and Love (and really, Paris Je T'aime aussi!). I also really enjoy cult films like "The Graduate", foreign films like "La Vie Secret Des Gens Heureux", and more recent indie films like "The Darjeeling Limited" and "Kicking and Screaming".

Much like my taste in film, my music choices drift between the classics (like Jazz, Rock from the 60s-80s, and classical music) and modern indie music.

I guess even my TV choices follow those patterns. I grew up on "Star Trek TNG "and "Doctor Who". I enjoy most British TV shows (like "Spooks", "Life on Mars", and the newest installments of "Doctor Who"). And I like witting and interesting TV shows like "Six Feet Under", "Dexter", "the Tudors", "Californication" and "Slings and Arrows".

I suppose that is superficially it. They say your first novel is the most autobiographical, so, I guess, read it and see.