United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

New to NaNoWriMo

lframe — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:45:34 -0700

Hi. My name is Lisa Frame and I am new to the NaNoWriMo. I threw my hat in today after debating for several weeks and feel that it will be a good thing for me as I will have to turn off my worst enemy, my self-editor.

I am so glad that these boards are here for support!

Lisa
----------

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

2008 Schedule Updated - All Writers Welcome - Please Read!

BJLee — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 23:30:14 -0800

Some of you feel like you need a formal invitation....
SO Consider this an ENGRAVED OPEN invitation to you and all your friends that write....

Charlotte Writers Round Table....
• First Saturday of EVERY MONTH in "NaNo" Off Season
January 5th, February 2nd, March 1st, April 5th, May 3rd June 7th, July 5th, August 2nd, September 6th, October 4th

Caribou Coffee @ Park Rd Shopping Center:
Address:
Caribou Coffee
(704) 523-6822
4327 Park Rd Charlotte, NC 28209

Writers Gather 'round some tables 10:00am to 12pm These will feature these elements (among others):
- ice breaker
- writing exercise (and editing)
- Q&A
- Plot preparation (and editing)
-character development
ANYONE who writes is WELCOME! (YES EVEN YOU!)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
2008 October NaNoWriMo Prep Sessions :
Three intense preparation workshops:

• Thursday, October 9th, 7 pm-9 pm
(Barnes & Noble Arboretum cafe)

• Tuesday, October 14th, 7 pm-9 pm
(Barnes & Noble South Park cafe)

• Saturday, October 18th, 1-3 pm
(Barnes & Noble Huntersville cafe I77 Exit 25)

These will also feature elements geared specifically towards NaNoWriMo (among others):
• ice breaker
• writing exercise
• Q&A
• Plot preparation
• character development
Attend one or attend them all--each workshop will have a different focus but all will feature a Q&A session designed to help newcomers learn about NaNoWriMo.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
2008 October Pre-Kickoff Party
Saturday, October 25th, 12:30-3:30 pm LOCATION TBA:

This fun-filled pot-luck event is a great time to nail down your plans for your November novel and meet and socialize with your fellow participants before the NaNoWriMo madness begins November 1st. There will be some prizes and everyone will receive a Charlotte NaNoWriMo Survival Kit.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
2008 November Events
• Write IN Kick-off, November 1st, 9am-1 pm Location TBA
• All Saturday Write-ins Nov 8,15,22,29 from 9am - 1pm Panera Bread South Tryon
• Sunday write-ins November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 :from 1pm-4 pm Library on North Side
• Wednesday write ins Nov 5, 12, 19, 26 (Near Matthews: The Arboretum Barnes & Nobles Cafe' )________________________________________________________________________________________________
2008 December Events
• TGIO Party, December 6th, 9:30 am-3:30 pm Location TBA

----------
Sincerely.
BJ LEE : Ghost.Scriber@gmail.com
- 2008 Charlotte NC Co - ML with Psuedo Joe
- 2007 Charlotte NC ML & NaNo WInner
- 2006 Charlotte NC Co-ML with Richard Smith
- 2005 NaNoWriMo Participant & Winner
- 2004 NaNo LURKER & unofficial winner

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Corporate Sponsors

BJLee — Wed, 2 Jul 2008 19:39:53 -0700

We are lining up our Charlotte Metro 2008 corporate sponsors.

As you may/may not know it takes great efforts to lead and love y'all. Corporate sponsors make it easier. THE EASIEST sponsors to get, the companies you work for.

What do we need?
Any promotional items your company is willing to donate logo'd items for door prizes - or giftcards to CHARLOTTE area restaurants/bookstores/coffee shops SMALL AMOUNTS ok!

Where do you shop ALOT????
Does the manager know you???
ASK for a gift card donation... or ask if I can contact them directly.

I have a donation request letter/email I am willing to forward for your use.

We are a community - let's work together.

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

July 5th meeting BUMPED one week to July 12th

BJLee — Wed, 2 Jul 2008 18:29:28 -0700

Due to OVERWHELMING demand.... Charlotte FIction which normally meets the first Saturday of every month at Caribou Coffee in Park Rd Shopping Center - has been BUMPED one week to July 12th. We'll forward additional information Monday July 7th.

See you then. Have a great 4th of JULY weekend.

If you have any questions please email me directly at:
BJ_Lee@CArolina.rr.com

Sincerely,
BJ Lee & Pseudo Joe
Charlotte Metro ML's Nanowrimo.org
----------
Sincerely.
BJ LEE : Ghost.Scriber@gmail.com
- 2008 Charlotte NC Co - ML with Psuedo Joe
- 2007 Charlotte NC ML & NaNo WInner
- 2006 Charlotte NC Co-ML with Richard Smith
- 2005 NaNoWriMo Participant & Winner
- 2004 NaNo LURKER & unofficial winner

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Fantasy Event in Charlotte NC

Misty Massey — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:16:10 -0700

Joseph Beth Books will host a fantasy panel on Wednesday, May 28, beginning at 7 pm, to kick off ConCarolinas. The panel features Faith Hunter (the Rogue Mage series), Gail Z Martin (Chronicles of the Necromancer) and Misty Massey (Mad Kestrel), who will be discussing fantasy and answering questions from readers, and signing their books. There will be a costume contest with fabulous prizes, so put on your fantasy best and come on out for the fun!

For information and directions, go to www.josephbeth.com
----------
Misty
Mad Kestrel, coming from Tor in March 2008

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Moving to France

jojolafrite — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:33:44 -0700

Hey All!!! I know November is way off but just wanted you all to know that we are moving back to France for two years (through my husband's job). I'm already a member of the France: Lyon forum for NaNo, but I'll also be peeking in here to see how you guys are all doing.

News: I FINALLY got my MS sent out to that agent. As you know I was supposed to graduate in December, but I ended up having to do another semester for NC state public library cert. But two days after I graduated, I sent my MS to the agent.... So, cross your fingers for me.

Take care everyone! And keep in touch!

Soon,
Joelie
----------

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

101 Fabulous Writer's Websites

BJLee — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:47:23 -0700

101 Best Sites: Best websites for 2007

Absolute Write www.absolutewrite.com WD Contributing Editor Jenna Glatzer's site has something for you, no matter what you write.

Agent Query www.agentquery.com This free searchable database allows you to spend less time looking for an agent and more time writing.

Agent Research www.agentresearch.com/agent_ver.html Agents shouldn't have secrets. Use this free service to check an agent's public records for any negative reports.

AgentQuery.com www.agentquery.com Agent Query offers lists of established literary agents seeking writers. It also offers tips for formatting your query letter and packaging your submission. Best of all, it’s free.

American Writers & Artists Inc. www.awaionline.com Looking to improve your copywriting, travel-writing or résumé-writing skills? Check out this site and its free newsletter.

Arcaedia arcaedia.livejournal.com Literary agent Jennifer Jackson dishes out writing advice and her thoughts on the publishing industry.

Arm Chair Interviews www.armchairinterviews.com Eyes hurt? Take a break from your writing and grab your headphones. These online author interviews inform and inspire.

Ask Oxford www.askoxford.com/betterwriting/classicerrors Confused by “who” and “whom”? Don’t know what a dangling participle is? This site offers the answers to classic grammar questions.

Authors In Your Pocket www.authorsinyourpocket.com For those needing a break from writing, tune into this site’s weekly podcasts covering the latest book news, one-on-one interviews with literary personalities and monthly bookclub Q&A sessions with authors.

Autocrit www.autocrit.com AutoCrit automatically identifies weak words and structures. It’s a great tool for cleaning up your writing before you pass it on to your human critique partners.

Backspace www.bksp.org Backspace features articles, columns and news from industry insiders. Check out the forum, which hosts guest speakers, including literary agents, editors and authors.

Bartleby www.bartleby.com Need a quote? Want the inside scoop on dinosaurs? This reference site for literature searches other databases to get the information you need.

Book In A Week www.book-in-a-week.com Forget about outlining. Forget about editing. Just sit down and write. That’s the motto of this site. You get one week (usually the first week of the month) to write as much as you can. Of course, to finish in seven days, you’ll need a strong will—and lots of caffeine.

Book Promotion Newsletter www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com This biweekly newsletter contains great tips, reviews and interviews, plus the chance to sound off on issues. While there’s a charge for new editions of the newsletter, each is archived three months after publication and is then accessible for free.

Brady Magazine www.bradymagazine.com Looking for advice on the business side of writing? Brady Magazine has tips on marketing and publicity, along with a free markets newsletter.

Carol Kluz www.carolkluz.homestead.com/index1.html If our list of 101 web resources doesn’t keep you busy, Carol Kluz’s site is filled with dozens more. Check it out.

Christian Storyteller www.christianstoryteller.com As advertised, it’s a nonprofit website of Christian authors for Christian authors by Christian authors. The site highlights up-and-coming authors and books, and offers marketing seminars on cruises—what’s not to like about that?

Constant-Content www.constant-content.com Write about any topic, name your price and place it on this site. Folks in need of web content can browse the work and buy what they want at this online store for freelance work. The cost to you is a 35-percent commission, but there are no upfront costs and you can work at your own pace.

Cool Stuff 4 Writers www.coolstuff4writers.com A great place to find gifts for writers, such as a Writer At Work/Do Not Disturb/ doorknob hanger.

Creative Writing Prompts www.creativewritingprompts.com If you need a quick and easy writing prompt, this site provides more than 200.

Crime Writers www.groups.yahoo.com/group/crime-writers With more than 500 members, this group is a forum for those interested in writing or currently writing crime fiction, including police procedurals, noir, hard-boiled, etc.

Critique Circle www.critiquecircle.com This online workshop is home to writers of all genres and includes tools for manuscript progress, submission tracking, character generation and more.

Critique.org www.critique.org Serious science fiction, fantasy and horror writers need look no further, as this group will give you an honest critique. The cost? You must critique another group member’s work.

Dragon Writing Prompts www.dragonwritingprompts.blogsome.com Choose from hundreds of writing prompts to inspire you or ward off that pesky writer’s block. Separated into categories, prompts can be found to suit your mood.
Duotrope www.duotrope.com This database contains more than 1,525 current markets for short fiction, poetry and novels/collections. Some of its features include the ability to search by pay scale and submission length.

Edit Red www.editred.com Besides basic writing tips, this site offers a free personal webpage, promotion and marketing tools, and a supportive writing community. Some of the work posted is printed in anthologies that Edit Red sells.

Editor and Publisher Jobs www.editorandpublisherjobs.com Looking for a job? This site has searchable classifieds so you can find a writing-related job in your area.

Erotica Readers www.erotica-readers.com The writing may be too steamy for some, but it hits the sweet spot for serious erotica writers. If you’re under 18, you’ll need to find your tips elsewhere.

Fandangle Magazine www.fandanglemagazine.com With a name like Fandangle, what’s not to like? The virtual library of free children’s e-books and audio books is a nice touch. The site’s writers’ resources include a comprehensive index and links to sources that promote and educate writers.

Fanstory www.fanstory.com If you’re looking for peer-to-peer reviews, this site can help. All forms of writing are welcome, including poetry, stories, book chapters and scripts. If you want only to read others’ work, it’s free, but submitting your work will cost you a small monthly fee.

Fiction Factor www.fictionfactor.com Not only does Fiction Factor want you to get published, but the site also post warnings so you don't get taken in by publishing schemes.

First Writer www.firstwriter.com With an advanced database of more than 650 literary agencies, this site will help you find one to fit your needs. It also boasts contest, book and magazine searches.

Freelance Writing Jobs www.writersrow.com/deborahng/freelancewritingjobs.html
Stop by this great resource for freelance writing jobs. The list pulls from all over the place and is updated frequently.

Funds for Writers www.fundsforwriters.com With a focus on earning money as a writer, this site lists paying markets and features grant listings.

Google Book Search www.books.google.com This section of the Google empire allows users to search the full text of books and find topical sections of books based on keywords and phrases. While you can’t get to everything, its index is pretty large—but then again, what part of Google isn’t?

Gutenberg www.gutenberg.org Check out this collection of more than 20,000 free e-books.
JacketFlap www.jacketflap.com This site has a comprehensive database of statistics and information on children’s book publishers. Plus, if you submit contact information on a publisher that’s more up-to-date than what’s on the site, they’ll reward you with points that you can redeem for Amazon gift certificates.

Jewish Writers www.geocities.com/jewishwriting/Start.html If you’re a Jewish writer, this site will help you not only connect with other Jewish writers but also navigate today’s market.

Kid Magazine Writers www.kidmagwriters.com Kids read magazines, too. Visit this site if your writing would fit better in the pages of Highlights or Humpty Dumpty's Magazine than in book form.

Knight Agency www.knightagency.blogspot.com The Q&A sessions at this site give you a chance to ask your most pressing writing questions to authors and agents. The agency specializes in romance and women’s fiction, but also represents literary fiction, African American, religious, financial, self-help and health nonfiction.

League_XRevisionists www.groups.yahoo.com/group/league_xrevisionists This site employs the “Pay it forward” philosophy—when someone helps you, help the next person in the chain. It’s a group for working writers. Its motto: “A Writing Group for One to One Aid in Conquering the Writing World.”

Literary Law Guide www.literarylawguide.com/resources.htm Looking for the latest in copyright news? Visit this site run by an intellectual property lawyer to get answers to legal questions facing writers today.

Long Story Short www.longstoryshort.us This writers’ e-zine is filled with stories written by many of its members. For a small yearly fee, the site offers personal webpages to promote your writing.

LuLu www.lulu.com If you’d like to see your book in print, this site offers a self-publishing option with no upfront costs.

Marcela Landres www.marcelalandres.com Stay on top of the latest Latino/Hispanic literary events, contests and writing opportunities by reading this former Simon & Schuster editor’s site.

Mediabistro www.mediabistro.com From news in the publishing world to writer opinions, this site has everything you need to stay up on the freelancers’ world. A must for all trying to survive in today’s competitive journalism market.

Merriam-Webster www.m-w.com Dictionary and thesaurus too heavy? Merriam-Webster online provides both and more, including word games, “Word of the Day” and the “Word for the Wise” podcasts.
Miss Snark www.misssnark.blogspot.com This anonymous agent gives an honest, harsh and hilarious look inside the publishing world by answering readers’ questions and critiquing queries.

Mom Writer's Lit Magazine www.momwriterslitmag.com Writing moms, look no futher. This online literary magazine for moms, by moms, features stories on the ups, downs and challenges of motherhood. It publishes creative nonfiction essays, columns, book reviews and profiles about mom writers.

Movie Bytes www.moviebytes.com Winning a screenwriting contest could be your ticket to fame, fortune and a date with George Clooney (or Keira Knightley). Find the one that suits your needs in this site’s database.

Muse It Up Club www.museitupclub.tripod.com Do you prefer small critique groups? This site matches authors who have common writing interests/goals and are willing to revise one another’s work into groups of five or fewer.

Muslim Writers Society www.writers.oneummah.net Muslims can gather here to exchange ideas, post writings and offer one another encouragement.

My Writer's Circle www.mywriterscircle.com Apart from review boards for prose, poetry and scriptwriting, there are general advice boards, writers resources, a chat room and even a coffee shop (for off-topic conversation). It supports writers of all levels in a friendly, informal way.

NaNoWriMo www.nanowrimo.org November is National Novel Writing Month, and this site offers support, advice and a page to monitor your progress as you attempt the NaNoWriMo challenge: 50,000 words in 30 days.

Novel In 90 www.community.livejournal.com/novel_in_90/profile The goal: 270 pages of a novel in 90 days. The concept: to help members complete their novels in a reasonable time, taking into account real-life conditions. At three pages a day, it’s worth a shot.

Novelspot www.novelspot.net “If books were people, they’d mingle at Novelspot.” This funny motto is fitting for the site, which features interviews and tips for writers of action-adventure, fantasy, historical fiction, romance and sci-fi. Note: There’s adult content, so keep those youngsters away.

Novice Writers www.novicewriters.net For beginning writers, this is a nice place to test the waters. Fan fiction is welcome here, as are those who not only write but also express themselves through other artistic mediums.

OnceWritten www.oncewritten.com Update your blog more often with the free “sticky” content (writing prompts and/or writing contest information) offered by this site.
Our Echo www.ourecho.com This site believes everyone has a story and wants to know what yours is. It offers creative writing themes and a chance to learn about local communities.

ParaPublishing.com www.parapub.com Dan Poynter’s site is filled with useful information. Don’t miss the section dedicated to book statistics—slightly dated, but still one of the most comprehensive we’ve seen about the industry.

Preditors & Editors www.anotherealm.com/prededitors With a few clicks of the mouse, you can find out which writing-related services, contests, organizations, etc., are on the up-and-up and which should be avoided.

Pub Rants www.pubrants.blogspot.com The tagline says it all: “A very nice literary agent indulges in polite rants about queries, writers and the publishing industry.” This blog includes links to an array of even more writing resources.

Publicity Hound www.publicityhound.com Don’t have the funds to spend on self-promotion? No need to worry, as this site offers tips on how to get free publicity.

Rachel Vater raleva31.livejournal.com Former Guide to Literary Agents (Writer’s Digest Books) editor and current literary agent Rachel Vater gives her take on the inner workings of the publishing industry. She also offers plenty of tips and suggestions for writers looking for an agent.

Reality Copywriting www.realitycopywriting.com The tagline, “Real life stories explore the day-to-day successes and failures of freelance copyrighters,” is fitting. Many tips here on how to increase your confidence and income.

Refdesk www.refdesk.com This site is a one-stop resource for weather, world clocks, Internet search engines and other facts you might need to verify fast to meet your deadline.

Romance Divas www.romancedivas.com Need to unleash your inner diva? If so, stop by this award-winning Web site for romance writers.

Romance Junkies www.romancejunkies.com Get your romance-writing fix with interviews, contests and chats.

Romance Writing Tips www.groups.msn.com/romancewritingtips While this site boasts that it’s strictly for romance writing tips, it has links to several other lists of critique partners, writing partners and message boards.

Script-o-rama www.script-o-rama.com One of the best ways to improve your craft is to study the best. This site offers free scripts for almost any movie and TV show that you’d like to take a shot at.

The Dabbling Mum www.thedabblingmum.com Pick up writing tips from other busy parents using this site's selection of articles.

The Freelance Writing Organization-Int’l www.fwointl.com The Freelance Writing Organization-Int’l has excellent, searchable databases for many of your writing needs, including contests, articles, contests and classic literature downloads.

The Front List www.thefrontlist.com The Frontlist is a partnership between a publisher and literary agent (seeking new writers) that supports a peer-review process, where work that is highly regarded by the community is sent to both for consideration. They essentially ask the reader to help weed through the slush pile for them.

The National Federation of State Poetry Societies www.nfsps.com The National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering poetry on the national level and uniting poets in the bonds of fellowship and understanding. There are currently 23 states under its umbrella, and it’s growing.

The Next Big Writer www.thenextbigwriter.com With a wide variety of services in tow, this site has a forum where folks can post their work and get comments from other writers. For more in-depth resources, they do charge a fee.

The Poetry Market www.thepoetrymarket.com A poet’s paradise, this site offers a free monthly e-zine featuring poetry contests, markets, book reviews and a message board.

The Six-Word Memoir Book www.smithmag.net/sixwords This site offers a fun contest to write on different themes using only six words. It’s a challenge that can help remedy writer’s block.

The Writing Bridge www.thewritingbridge.org This group requires you to apply for membership, but once you’re in, you can participate in its forum, writing prompts and critique sections.

Think Baby Names www.thinkbabynames.com Don’t let your character names seem out of place for their era. This site offers a decade-by-decade breakdown (starting with 1900) of the top 100 names for both genders.

Toasted Cheese www.toasted-cheese.com a€?Hunt the snarka€? (find and rid your writing of all that keeps it from being the best) with writers of all genres at Toasted Cheese.

Todays-Woman.net www.todays-woman.net This site offers peer-to-peer feedback, a weekly contest and more. By joining, you receive your own personal page (with photo option) and blog. Men, you’re just as welcome as the women, but kids have to stay home (site is for 18 and older).

U.S. Copyright Office www.copyright.gov Your writing is copyrighted the minute you’ve put it in a tangible form, but if you want further protection, you can register it here. There’s a price, but the FAQ is free and very helpful.

White Paper Source www.whitepapersource.com Learn how to write white papers — proposed government policies — with the site’s free guide. Don’t hesitate to check out the tips, either, no matter what type of writer you are.

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.com While most pages of this online encyclopedia are pretty accurate, the entries can be updated by anyone who can access the Internet. A great starting point for information, but make sure you cross-reference with another source.

Wild Poetry Forum www.wildpoetryforum.com Share your poems and read others’ work on this popular forum. It’s user-friendly and accepts members as young as 13 years old.

Winning Writers www.winningwriters.com Revamped and ready to lay it on the line, this site is a great place to check the validity of poetry contests or enter the site's own contest.

Wordtrip www.wordtrip.com Discuss your writing or what's hot in bookstores in one of the many forums this site offers.

Write Side Out www.writesideout.com Need something to lighten your mood? Check out these humorous items geared toward writers. We recommend the “Wet Your Pants Mug.”

Writer Beware www.sfwa.org/beware Writer Beware alerts writers to writing scams, companies that don’t deliver what they promise and more. Can’t find a particular company? E-mail the founders—they’re quick to reply.

Writer Gazette www.writergazette.com This online gazette functions as a newspaper, bringing you writer-related articles, freelance job postings, tips, contests, resources and a classified section of magazines to pitch.

Writer Unboxed www.writerunboxed.com Let this site “unbox”—that is, dissect—genre-fiction writing through a discussion of craft. The author interviews are definitely worth a read.

Writers Chatroom www.writerschatroom.com This site has Celebrity Sundays, where up-and-coming authors, famous writers and other writing industry professionals stop by and chat online. The chats are moderated to allow attendees to get the most information from each chat.

Writers' Dock www.writersdock.org You name the genre, there’s probably some advice for you on this international writing resource site.
Writers Remember www.writersremember.com Tired of writing to please others? This writing group focuses on reigniting your creative candle. It features an e-zine/newsletter, forum and a warnings/bewares section to help you avoid writing scams.

Writers Write www.writerswrite.com This site has a lot of useful information, if you’re interested in self-publishing. The articles and interviews section makes for a good read.

Writers.net www.writers.net Use this site to have other writers, agents and editors answer your writing questions or to search for an agent or editor.

WritersBreak.com www.writersbreak.com This site has a bit of everything—from interviews to marketing tips to publishing resources—it covers all the corners of getting your work in print and out to a mass audience.

Writing Shaw Guides www.writing.shawguides.com Find a writing conference that’s right for you using this in-depth database.

Writing.com www.writing.com The largest online community of writers offers free and upgraded memberships to foster a sense of community for writers.

WritingTime.net www.writingtime.net This blog offers tips on many writing genres, inspiration to fire up your creativity, exercises to jump-start your writing and guidelines to help you with the craft. There’s also a list of must-read books and access to an online writing group.

Young Writers Society www.youngwriterssociety.com College-age and younger writers can hang out here and critique one another's writing.

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

NaNo Stats for Charlotte Metro Area

BJLee — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 18:37:02 -0800

Ranked: 120 out of 349 regions

Location: United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Total Words: 2,116,545

Average Word Count: per 364 registered writers : 23,517

Dollars Donated directly to NaNoWrimo: $170.00 (does not include store purchases)

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

New Descriptor for our Forum

BJLee — Sun, 9 Dec 2007 20:42:00 -0800

You know where you click on our regional louncge and it says...The whole "Pretty People Pretty Novels...????." Yeah buddy that gets on my nerves....not to OFFEND anyone but let's ask to change it.....

Y'all start throwing out other suggestions so I can ask for it to be changed......

Or if you don't give a rats butt--- tell me that too....

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

writing (editing actually) on Saturday 12/22/07

pseudojoe — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 08:31:27 -0800

As usual, I'm planning on writing tomorrow morning. If anyone is interested, I'm open to a different location in Charlotte other than the Panera on S. Tryon as some of my other new friends tell me this is too far away. So...throw up a suggestion. If no one posts, I'll either be at Panera on S.Tryon or Caribou in the Park Road Shopping Plaza.

Joe

Happy Holidays.
----------
"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." - Augusten Burroughs

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

sup?

pseudojoe — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:50:49 -0800

so what's going on people?

how's everybody doing?

still writing or did you finish?

are you editing yet?

what do you want to do with your manuscript?

happy holidays? oh wait, happy holidays.

joe
----------
"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." - Augusten Burroughs

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Panera on S. Tryon tomorrow: Saturday 12/15/07

pseudojoe — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:50:39 -0800

Writing in the morning in the usual spot. Feel free to stop by, drop in...you get it.

oh...and i'll be finishing the novel this weekend. come watch.
----------
"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." - Augusten Burroughs

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

www.nanowrigro.com now has message boards

pseudojoe — Sat, 8 Dec 2007 19:56:48 -0800

Hi guys,

My little experiment of www.nanowrigro.com now has it's own message boards with a couple of topics and polls i put up tonight. Come say hi.

Joe
----------
"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." - Augusten Burroughs

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Send BJ Lee your warmest thoughts today!

pseudojoe — Tue, 4 Dec 2007 06:02:11 -0800

Hi everyone,

If you know what I'm talking about, please spare BJ some time today.

Joe
(pseudojoe)
----------
"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." - Augusten Burroughs

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Surgery / Recovery Update

BJLee — Sun, 9 Dec 2007 16:30:47 -0800

Everyone,
George didn't know who to call /email to update. Sorry.
Tuesday morning's surgery did not go as expected.
Due to complications surgery had to be stopped.
Only 60% of thyroid and masses have been removed.
The surgery resulted in my left side vocal chords and left throat muscles being paralyzed.
I then had an emergency surgery because I began to bleed out during recovery.

I went home late Wednesday; returning to the ER Friday re-admitted to the hospital again and came home late yesterday.

So how am I? Thankful.

I go for a check up tomorrow.
The surgeon and my ENT Doctor say the damage to my vocal chords may heal in 8 days to 8 weeks or could remain damaged. Can you imagine me not being able to like...BE LOUD??????
If they do not heal; no more thyroid surgery the remaining 40% will just remain - however I will most likely have to have radiation treatment. There hasn't been any change in voice since Wednesday. So we aren't hopeful :(

Teaching - My surgeon assures me I can teach with accommodations for volume. I agree. I want to go back to my students. With a microphone system I can get the volume I need to teach. Anyone know a good one?

Things I can do:
- WEB MAVEN
-Talk just below normal tone.
-Breathe, or talk - (not both at same time)
-Swallow - very carefully with chin tucked and head turned to left (Yes I actually look mentally handicapped drinking my Starbucks....Power to the people...)
-Drive (as of Monday)
-Use my brain
-Smile & Write
-Other things not rated G :)

Things I can not do yet:
-Lift or carry more than 5 pounds (HA see he gave me directions to be a PRINCESS!)
-Breathe and talk at same time. (I only have right half my throat working)
-Laugh and breathe (maybe breathing is just overrated)
-Argue & Breathe
-Project my voice - It's not a whisper but not full volume either without left vocal chords I have no ability to raise volume
The Above rules out yelling at ANYONE...Where's the JUSTICE?????
-Phone conversations - limited it's very hard for others to understand me over the phone
-Be understood in public places.( I can not be heard over background noises hmm now Joe doen't need those earplugs...)
-Drink from a straw (that's over rated anyway....)

Thanks everyone...Your Thoughts, Prayers, and Emails have been wonderful....next time just send money...I accept PayPal(Just Kidding)

Sincerely,
B.J. Lee

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.
--Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Writing...Saturday 12/08/07

pseudojoe — Fri, 7 Dec 2007 06:15:47 -0800

Hi guys,

As I'm still not done with the novel, I was planning on headding over to Panera on S. Tryon tomorrow morning just like it was still November. If anyone wants to join me, you're more than welcome.

If anyone wants to get together somewhere else, just post a reply and we can do it there instead.

Joe
----------
"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." - Augusten Burroughs

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Anyone interested in starting a post-NaNo writers group?

pseudojoe — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 06:15:14 -0800

So…I’ve been having a terribly good time with this whole NaNoWriMo thing. Not just the writing part but with the people I’ve managed to meet because of it. I was wondering if anyone would be interested in starting a post-NaNo writing group where we could still get together and work on our stories, new stories or anything really? If you’re interested, let me know and we can try to work out the details.
----------
"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." - Augusten Burroughs

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

NANO WRAP PARTY Whether you make 50k or not

BJLee — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 18:28:08 -0800

Saturday 10am - It's a wrap!
Give thanks to the almighty keyboard that its OVER
Gather to form Edit groups (if you're ready)
Exchange contact info (If you want)
Eat (if you want to)

Where? Panera Bread 8152 South Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28273 (704) 583-3046
Why? Because you really weren't in this alone!
How Long? Until you leave :)

OOOOHHHH YEAH - and get some stuff that says NANO on it... couple other door prizes too.

Meet the other crazy folk who were out here doing NaNoWriMo with you - even if you never came to a writein - you can still come to our WRAP party!

We'll be done early enought for you to go CHristmas shopping....

You still have time to make 50k

Just Write Right NOW!

BJ Lee
Your friendly neighborhood ML

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Rewards? How are you "rewarding" reaching your "Finish Line"?

BJLee — Sat, 1 Dec 2007 01:07:06 -0800

Whether you met 50k
Or Made it through the month without killing your cat/friends/roomates/spouses

How will you reward yourself?

I SPLURGED!

I bought a Ipod Touch tonite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wooo hooo 50k feels good....

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Do A little Dance...Party like a rock star....

BJLee — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:28:36 -0800

Popped cork on a nice bottle of wine...
My under 21 crowd.... non alcoholic sparkling grape juice

Pass a glass
do a little dance
---
We HIT 50k!
__

Post your deserving self praise here when you hit 50 K!

___

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Urgent!!! Help!!!

jojolafrite — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 18:38:15 -0800

Hey, I just noticed that we're supposed to make sure we have the right time zone on our profiles. I'm a little confused about how to set it. Can someone look at my post and make sure that mine is set correctly?

Freaking out cuz I have 4500 to go and only 2 1/2 hours to get it in.

----------

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Anyone want to close out NaNo with a write-in?

pseudojoe — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 11:46:04 -0800

So with November being almost over, would anyone like to get together for a big end of the month write-in on Friday night? I wasn't exactly sure where, so I'm open to suggestions. Somewhere thats open until midnight would be helpful too, that way we could all finish up together. Let me know what you guys think.

Joe
----------
"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." - Augusten Burroughs

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Weirdest place you've made novel notes...

BJLee — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:11:19 -0800

I heard someone say...
They made notes in the potty on TP
:)

Where's the oddest thing you've written on, with, or location -- time of day???

I woke up and wrote in the middle of night ONCE

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

It's the last week! But you're a writer now...so keep writing.

pseudojoe — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 19:46:28 -0800

I once heard Neil Gaiman, among others, say that all you need to do to be a writer is write. I didn't believe him until I started NaNoWriMo. As far as I'm now concerned: if you've written one word for all November, you're one word more of a writer than the person who hasn't yet decided to take a shot and write that word down.

For me, It's been a very enlightening month as far as what people are capable of when they get out of their own way, even a little bit. Its also been a pleasure getting a chance to meet so many of you and being able to talk to people who are so motivated that they're willing to even give this crazy month a try, despite having a personal life. Thank you all, it's been an honor to write along side of you.

So...we're down to our last week and come Saturday morning we're done with NaNoWriMo, if we're done or not. The big thing here is that being done with NaNo doesn't mean that you have to be done with your writing. Don't be bummed if you're behind and don't think you'll finish on time. By all means try, but don't stop writing now just because you think you won't be able to finish it by Friday night. Keep going.

Because, guess what?

Just by writing...you've become a writer!

How cool is that?
----------
"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." - Augusten Burroughs

United States :: North Carolina :: Charlotte

Anyone in South Charlotte?

thevenetianswife — Fri, 2 Nov 2007 19:19:16 -0700

Just out of curiosity, are there any writers in the (very) South? I live in the Waxhaw area (told you very south), and I'm wondering if I'm geographically isolated from any fellow NaNo-ers or not...
----------