United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

Life after November: Writing Group

weylyn42 — Sat, 1 Dec 2007 07:17:40 -0800

We spoke with some of you at the Final Push write-in, and some through-out the rest of the month about what happens after November. Well, a few years ago after November, some of us decided to create a year-round writing group, and we would like to welcome you to our ranks, if you'd like to join.

Gainesville Fiction Writers (as we call ourselves) is a smallish group of writers, but we have a good spread across different genres. We meet every other Sunday, and mostly communicate by e-mail.

Our first meeting in December will be Sunday, Dec. 2nd at 10 am at Books Inc (where we had one of the early write-ins in November.) We typically meet in the sci-fi room, but depending on space, we'll find seats somewhere.

Feel free to come and check us out, to see if it is a group you might be interested in joining. We read and critique each other's work, as well as work on group anthologies for those who are interested, and of course, talk about writing.

If you'd like to learn more, or to get on our mailing list, feel free to send an e-mail to me at weylyn42 (at) hotmail (dot) com, or you can contact Bethany and me at the gainesville_fl@nanowrimo.org e-mail - we both participate in this group, and both would be happy to discuss it with you.

Or, if you'd like, post a comment or question directly here. I'll keep an eye on this forum for a while.

-Christy

----------
Christy
Co-ML of Gainesville FL
2007 - Help me write Threepenny Novel - a novel where your two cents count, and I'm taking suggestions as I go.

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

Nov. 29th Write in - we need a possible head-count

weylyn42 — Thu, 8 Nov 2007 19:33:15 -0800

Hi everybody,

We have a write-in scheduled for Nov. 29th, a "Final Push" write-in, as it were, from 5 pm until 1 am at Library West on campus. Well, one of our own is a librarian for part of that library, and has submitted a proposal to make this an official library event. This means, if approved, there will be space set aside for us, and possibly even computers to use and refreshments provided.

It's still in the planning phase, but it looks like it will be a very exciting write-in event. However, in order to know how much space we need, how many computers we may need, and how much refreshments should be provided, we need an idea of how many people are planning to attend.

Please help me out by either sending an e-mail to me us at gainesville_fl (at) nanowrimo(dot) org if you think you can make it, OR, please post a reply to this thread. If you can give me your nano login name, too, that will help with the head count.

Thank you in advance, and please let me know if you are planning on attending - whether it is for the whole thing, or even if you'll only be showing up for an hour. We want to make this event the best we can for everyone.

-Christy
co_ML Gainesville, FL

----------
Christy
Co-ML of Gainesville FL
2007 - Help me write Threepenny Novel - a novel where your two cents count, and I'm taking suggestions as I go.

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

TGIO Party

weylyn42 — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 04:14:30 -0800

The end of November, and of NaNo WriMo 2007 is upon us. Let's celebrate!

Quick Facts:

TGIO party
Saturday, Dec. 1
7 pm - 10:30 pm
Library East, room 1A

We will be celebrating everyone in our region who crossed the finish line. We will be celebrating everyone who made it to the starting line - by up for NaNo WriMo. We want to celebrate everyone who took that first step, whether they finished their novel or not. Even considering an undertaking is an achievement in our book. We know life is crazy, especially in November, so it takes a special kind of person to sign up for NaNo WriMo.

The Thank-Goodness-It's-Over party will be on Dec. 1st from 7 pm until 10:30 pm. It is a potluck dinner, and for fun, you'll be asked to explain how your dish relates to NaNo WriMo – it can be something your characters ate, something you ate to get you through the month, or a food you really missed having because you were too busy writing to eat. However you can explain it – the more words the better.

We will be in Smathers Library, also known as Library East, room 1A (on the first floor) in the northeast corner of UF campus. This building is to the east of Library West, under the covered walk, there is a windowed door that leads in - I'll put a sign up there. Parking is the same for the Final Push write in event (so see that forum thread/ e-mail) We'll be monitoring the front door between 7 and 7:30 pm, after that you may have to knock to get our attention. We aren't allowed to prop open the door for security reasons, but if you let me know you'll be late, I'll keep an eye out for you.

Also, because our group has grown, I was unable to host this event at my house, and made a last minute change of venue. This entailed me putting down money for the room. Because I was unable to alert everyone of this at the beginning of the month, I am only asking for donations to the cost of the room if you feel it is something you'd like to do (though a couple of bucks from everyone would go a long way). If I get donations above what I paid for the room, I will contribute that money to NaNo WriMo, straight up.

Well, I hope to see you there.

As always, feel free to contact us with any questions.

-Christy
Co-ML Gainesville, FL

Come, join us. We want to celebrate with you.

----------
Christy
Co-ML of Gainesville FL
2007 - Help me write Threepenny Novel - a novel where your two cents count, and I'm taking suggestions as I go.

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

Nov. 29th Write in - Library West

weylyn42 — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 08:21:12 -0800

This is a reminder that there is going to be a library sponsored write-in on Nov. 29th in the Info Commons from 5 pm - 1 am.

Let's plow through the basics:

"Final Push" write-in
Nov. 29th (Thursday) 5 pm - 1 am
Library West - Info Commons (Third Floor - east side of the building - if you ask at the circulation desk, they can give you directions)

There will be:
--2 local authors giving motivational pep-talks; R. Michael Burns at 6:30 pm and Sandra Lambert at 8:30 pm
--Refreshments provided - Starbucks is contributing
--Plenty of electrical outlets, plenty of seating
--Computers available for those who don't have laptops - non-student access cards will also be provided for those who need them
--As always, the Jar will be present for those frustrating writer's block moments
--Display board with motivations, ideas from the jar, and author information

If you would like your writer information to be included in the display PowerPoint, please let me know. So far a handful of you have agreed, and I'll be happy to include more. I'll take a screen shot of your writer's page on Nov. 28th to include - or if you'd rather submit your own information or even an excerpt (no more than 500 words), feel free to send it my way before 5 pm on Nov. 28th, and I'll include it in the slideshow.

Parking is lifted around 4:30 or 5 pm depending on the lot (keep an eye out for signs -some lots are exceptions to this!)
The two closest lots are the one by the Chemistry building - on University Ave, and Buckman Drive (NW 17th St), and the lot in front of Criser Hall (behind the fountain). It is off of SW 13th St and Union Rd (SW. 2nd Ave).

-Christy
P.S. - feel free to post questions here, or contact me by e-mail or PM with them, or if you want your author info added to the display.

----------
Christy
Co-ML of Gainesville FL
2007 - Help me write Threepenny Novel - a novel where your two cents count, and I'm taking suggestions as I go.

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

How's everyone doing?

historicmoment — Tue, 6 Nov 2007 10:58:52 -0800

(I hope it's okay that I start a thread in here?)

I thought I'd see how everyone's writing is going? Are you where you thought you'd be? Further then you hoped? Is the story taking on a life of it's own?

I have some ideas, I just need to sit down and make some time now. I'm over 8,700 words... just need to keep plugging away!

What about y'all?
----------

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

Book reading by past wrimo

weylyn42 — Fri, 2 Nov 2007 19:50:28 -0700

I have received an e-mail by a local author and past year wrimo who has recently had a story published in an anthology. There will be a reading later this month at Wild Iris books.

Sandra has a story in "First Person Queer: Who we are (so far), and says "In celebration of its release, I'll be doing a reading
and booksigning at Wild Iris Books on Friday, November 16th at 7:30pm"

If you'd like me to forward you the e-mail, just drop me a line, and I'll send it your way.

And congrats to Sandra for being published!
----------
Christy
Co-ML of Gainesville FL
2007 - Help me write Threepenny Novel - a novel where your two cents count, and I'm taking suggestions as I go.

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

Handy links

weylyn42 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:56:49 -0700

This is a thread to post links for things that might be handy for other writers in our area.

elouai candybar doll maker 3 This is the site I use to make the images I have on my polls - many of you asked about them at this morning's event.

Seventh Sanctum A site full of random generators, I was speaking with someone about it this morning - I mean afternoon, and decided to post a link here.

Baby Name Wizard Another one that was mentioned this morning, it tracks the rate of occurance of certain "common" names from the 1880s through the 21st century.

----------
Christy
Co-ML of Gainesville FL
2007 - Help me write Threepenny Novel - a novel where your two cents count, and I'm taking suggestions as I go.

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

Introducing our characters

RedRaven — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:18:51 -0700

Hello everyone,
I'm Riva Hakon, age 48. My writer is RedRaven (Jane #1), and although we share some characteristics, I'm genuinely fictional. My husband, Sawyer, is an economist at UF, and we have 3 daughters, aged 16, 19, and 24. I'm a neurotic housewife who's a wannabe writer/artist, but all I get are rejection slips and paint running in the wrong places. I decided to sign up for the 2007 NanoWriMo, and I'm writing a novel about something (I haven't yet decided anything about it yet). I also joined an international art group that creates postcard-sized art quilts and sends them to each other. I thought that with quilts, I wouldn't have drippy paint, but then I find quilters who paint on fabric and fabric-like materials. Also, my thread doesn't behave like it's supposed to. I have a 75 year-old widower father who lives in a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Gainesville; he has 2 girlfriends, both rich widows who know nothing about each other, and I'm very concerned about what might happen when Shelia learns Daddy spends 3 nights a week with Simone. RedRaven needs help with what 16-year old girls these days are like since she doesn't have daughters. What kind of music do kids these days listen to? What are their worries related to this day and age (RedRaven remembers what it was like to be 16, 19, 24 many years ago)?
Are there any other characters living in Gainesville? I'd really like to meet you all even if you're from another world.

Here's to 50K by 11-30-07,

Riva
----------
Embrace wit; love wisdom.

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

Welcome Gainesville Wrimos!

weylyn42 — Thu, 4 Oct 2007 19:13:26 -0700

Howdy everyone from ye ol' Hoggtowne - that is Gainesville.

My name is Christy, and I am one of the co-Municipal Liasions for the region. Bethany and I are planning lots of stuff for November, from write-ins to socials. If there is anything you would like to do, let us know. Once we have hammered out the pesky details of such meet-ups (like time and place) we'll post them here for you.

As an icebreaker, please feel free to leave a reply here with the following:

Name (or screen name)
Have you done Nano before?
If so - do you have tips for new Wrimos?
Does your story yet have a Title? Plot outline? Characters?
What are you doing to prepare?
Anything else!

As I said, I'm Christy (aka weylyn42), this is my 6th year doing NaNo, and I my best suggestion is to get involved with the local community *cough* because it really helps to know there are other people who are undertaking the same wacky challenge you are who live in the same city.

My story this year is called Threepenny Novel. I don't have a plot, I'm starting to get characters (via polls over on the Character's forum), and this year I am relying on people to help with suggestions to write my novel. So to prepare for Nano, I'm using all the time I would have spent developing plot in making sure we have good events in the region.

Good luck everyone, welcome, and we're glad to have you!!!!

______

----------
Christy
Co-ML of Gainesville FL
2007 - Help me write Threepenny Novel - a novel where your two cents count, and I'm taking suggestions as I go.

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

Fundrasing ideas

weylyn42 — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:50:12 -0700

I got to thinking it would be really cool if we, as a region, did some sort of fund raiser for Nano Wrimo, so that we can ensure that it will be around next year.

I figured I'd start a thread to see if there was interest, and to see if anyone had ideas on how to raise money.

I've got one idea, but I'm looking for more. My idea: a book and bake sale - wrimos can gather up books they don't want anymore, as well as baking goodies, and we could sell the books and treats to raise money for Nano Wrimo and the Young Authors program. The one hitch I see in this idea is - where do we have it?

So, is there interest? Does anyone have other ideas on how to fundraise?

-Christy
----------
Christy
Co-ML of Gainesville FL
2007 - Help me write Threepenny Novel - a novel where your two cents count, and I'm taking suggestions as I go.

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

Events for Gainesville Region - UPDATED!

weylyn42 — Sun, 7 Oct 2007 11:00:32 -0700

Well, I'm starting this thread to keep everyone in Gainesville updated with events we have planned. Please check back here for updates. If you have Gainesville selected as your region on your profile, you will also get e-mail updates regarding events.

Right now we are working on finalizing locations for the events we are planning, but I wanted to post the tentative schedule we've come up with. *EDIT - final times and places now shown. If anyone has suggestions for other events feel free to post them.

Kick-off: The first meet-up
Sunday, October 28
1 PM
Maude's Cafe
A chance to meet everyone else in the region who is writing 50K in Nov.

Write-in
Saturday, November 3rd
10 am-2 pm
Books Inc.
Sit around and write with other writers

Fall-Back Write-in
Saturday, Nov. 3 - Sunday Nov 4th
10 pm - ??
Christy's House (we have wireless internet, too)
Take advantage of the daylight savings time switch happening in November. We'll write into the night, then when daylight savings time ends, we'll fall back and write that hour again. Get twice the writing time from 1- 2 am

Ice Cream Social
Wednesday, Nov. 7th
7pm
Sweet Dreams Ice Cream
a chance to take a break from writing, and gloat about how much you've gotten done. Take a break to check in with other writers, and get inspiration

Write-In
Sunday, Nov. 11
1pm--5pm
Millhopper branch of the public Library
Another chance to increase your word count in the company of other writers

Write In
Tuesday Nov 20th
5:30pm - 8:45 pm
Library Headquarters (downtown) Meeting room B
More words, More words!

The Final Push
Thursday Nov. 29
~5 pm - 1 am
Library West - we'll find a seating area on the 2nd or 3rd floor
Only a little over a day left???? Come get those missing words!

TGIO party
Saturday, Dec. 1
7 pm - on
Christy's House
We're finally done! Come celebrate, whether you got 100K or only a thousand words, if you are a Gainesville wrimo, you are welcome. Bring a dish, but be prepared to explain how it relates to your novel or your novel writing experience
----------
Christy
Co-ML of Gainesville FL
2007 - Help me write Threepenny Novel - a novel where your two cents count, and I'm taking suggestions as I go.

United States :: Florida :: Gainesville

Christy's on the NaNo Q&A Oage...

koalatywriter — Mon, 5 Nov 2007 12:00:10 -0800

Check it out on your next inspiration break
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/1049267

----------