Welcome (or welcome back) to NaNo 2009! Less than a month until the novel-writing frenzy begins! Are you excited yet!
Please feel free to introduce yourself in this thread to your fellow Lawrencians. As the month moves forward your municipal liaisons (Sara & myself) will fill you in on plans for our Kick-off event, write-ins, contests, and everything else that will happen during the month of November. 2009 promises to be Lawrence's biggest and best NaNo so far.
I look forward to hearing from everyone and getting started on our novels!
-T
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17,437 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 09 30
Yay! I can't wait to meet all of you in person as the write-ins start.
----------47,120 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 09 51
Hello everyone!
I'm really excited to beTed's co-liaison this year. I'm looking forward to meeting all of our newcomers and getting reacquainted with many of you whom I haven't seen since LAST Nanowrimo.
For those who don't know me, my name is Sara and I've lived here in Lawrence for the past ten years. I graduated with a Creative Writing bachelor's at KU and I now work as a member of the support staff there. This will be my fifth year doing Nanowrimo, so I feel the need to do something spectacular and over the top, since it's my five year anniversary!
Of course, becoming a ML is pretty spectacular. :)
See you all soon!
Sara
47,120 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 09 52
Oops, double post, sorry guys.
27,152 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 18 47
Please excuse my cruise control but I AM SO EXCITED I AM BOUNCING IN MY CHAIR. Man, there is just so much to do beforehand, not the least of which will be trying to find a story! Won't that be fun? Congrats to you, Sara, and I'll be glad to see you and Ted and everyone else again soon.
I'm Stephanie, stuck in Leavenworth (they let me out on day passes >__> ) and this will be my third year doing NaNo and will be my second win. Oh yes, I will not go quietly into that dark night. If you come to the meetings (in Mirth again, I assume?) you will remember me easily, trust.
Yeah, I still have no ideas what I'm gonna do with this one. I'll probably come up with something driven five days in, as usual.
----------_________
2007: Hotaru (unfinished)
2008: WoWNoWriMo (won!)
2009: Ghedflaeg
60,032 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 19 28
Don't worry, I'm also terribly excited - logging onto the NaNo website today was amazing!
Most of you know me already, but I'm Jessi. I've lived in Lawrence for four years now, and have been doing NaNo since 2003 - though 2004 was the first year I beat 50k words! Having a group of people to get together with once a month and discuss writing with has been a huge boost in my confidence and self-esteem. I'm not kidding. You guys are an amazing group of people and I REALLY look forward to another crazy month of writing!
...which is why I am BEGGING to PLEASE Keep write-ins on Sundays! If they are on Saturdays it is impossible for me to come, and I look forward to write-ins so much, just like I look forward to every one of our meetings! I can't wait to get started!
----------2004: Eversnow • 2005: Aeternum Vale • 2006: Scala Caeli
2007: Fortune Favors the Bold • 2008: To the Stars
65,585 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 19 31
I think I'm going to do write-ins (at least, I'll be there) several times a week. Mainly in the evenings. Either at Mirth, or Java Break.
60,032 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 19 55
I did that last year; I was at La Prima Tazza or Panera or House of Cha ALL THE TIME! So lots of mini-write ins sound fabulous to me!
----------2004: Eversnow • 2005: Aeternum Vale • 2006: Scala Caeli
2007: Fortune Favors the Bold • 2008: To the Stars
2,349 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2009 - 15 35
Logging into NaNo today was like returning to a mental institution. I need it, but god damn do I hate it sometimes!
My name's Victoria. I'm currently a freshman at KU, and this is my fourth year doing NaNo. I'm crazy excited, even if I have no idea what I'm writing about yet. I have no idea how I'm going to juggle school and NaNo, but I'm sure I can do it.
And maybe this year I'll actually get to 50k. >:[
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Oct 4, 2009 - 18 47
Hello, my name is Beth. This is my second year and the first taking part in group activities. I hope they help motivate me to reach my word count this year. I'm currently a full time student and I work full time, but I've decided to cut TV for most of November and use the time to write. I'm really looking forward to the write-ins. I wish I had found the calendar sooner and not missed today's event. I hope to see you all on the 22nd.
8,341 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2009 - 04 49
A lot of you crazy people already know me, but I figure I should do this right. None of that lurking business.
I'm Missy. I have a billion and one writing projects going on between school and the paper, but who can't squeeze in more? Like Jessi, the monthly meetups have really helped to push me along to feeling more confident. Between the writing group and support from KU faculty, I've been working on making my writing goals more of a priority in life. NaNo just seems like a natural result of that.
I made one prior NaNo "attempt." I stumbled across it, wrote a few pages, decided I was way too busy. Now that I realize I will always be too busy, this year's efforts won't be half as lame. I'm in it to win it.
----------http://www.happygothproductions.com
http://twitter.com/melissalytton
25,019 / 50,000
Oct 6, 2009 - 20 03
Hey all,
My name's Alex, this is my 6th year doing nano, I'm a KU sophomore and I came to a pre-nano meeting at Mirth last year...and then kinda vanished )*woops*(
I probably got 5,000 words done during the course of the month last year, but between homework, various events and a total collapse in my beliefs as far as writing ability, things didn't get far.
This year, writing will become a stated priority with nano at the forefront.
...and now that I think about it...it's October 6th and I have NO CLUE what I'm writing about...I've gotta get on that!
Hope to see y'all!
-----------There's no excuse not to dream-
0 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 16 22
I gave this a shot last year but fell very much short and had to abandon the project. The fact that I started about two weeks late didn't really help matters either I suppose. I'm a sophomore at KU and I'm planning to make it to at least a few write-ins. Just have to figure out something to write about now! haha
-Mac
0 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 18 03
Hey, I'm Jesi. I'm a sophomore at KU. This is my first year doing NaNo. I have writing buddies from the writing workshops I've attended that convinced me to do NaNo this year. Not that I have a plot or anything.
----------"I'm afraid that one day the fate of the world will lie in my hands, and instead of fixing it I'm just gonna play Minesweeper."
49,089 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 18 37
My story from last year came to me mere hours before the kickoff deadline, and it's by far the best thing I've written to date. So for everyone that's struggling to come up with a story idea, never fear! That's the magic of NaNo: the unexpected can result in wonderful things.
And welcome to our new members! I hope to see you at our first meeting on the 22nd!
17,202 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 20 42
Hey all! I figure last year's crowd, or at least anyone who was really active on the Lawrence boards last year already knows me, but it's really good to see all the newbies this year (or just the people we didn't get to hang out with!) I'm Claire, a second-year graduate student at KU, in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department, studying the anatomy of frogs. This actually brings it up to my fifth year doing NaNo, in three different cities, with three wins under my belt.
Last year was my first year in Lawrence, my first year back to NaNo after (I'd thought') giving it up forever mid-November in 2006. It was by far my favorite NaNo experience, with the best, most active, and most supportive local community I've been a part of. I cannot imagine missing a write-in (knock on wood; Murphy's law comes out in full force during NaNo), and the rampant silliness and friendliness we get to on these boards is so often just the five-minute breather and laugh that I need in the middle of noveling.
By which I mean: New kids, stick around and stay in touch! We really want to see you at the kickoff, the write-ins, and on the forum. And we are awesome and your noveling experience will be better for knowing us, so there. ;-)
49,089 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 05 38
Well said, Claire!
13,437 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 05 38
Hey, everybody! I'm Rachel, or Caera on most of the forums. This will be my fourth year participating and winning ( ^-^ ). I'm a Sophomore English major at KU. I'm so excited for NaNo to start!! My girlfriend Lily will be joining me again this year I think, and a few of our buddies might participate, as well. I won't be able to make the meeting on October 22, I don't think, because of my work schedule, but I'll definitely see you guys on October 31st.
Those of you at KU, by the way... I'll probably be spending a lot of evenings in the Studio (on Daisy Hill), so if you ever want to meet up and write together, contact me and we'll make it happen!
----------"I traveled the world
Looking for lovers
Of the ultimate beauty
But never settled in
I'm Wonderlust King! "
-Gogol Bordello
47,120 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 07 39
Well said, Claire!
I second that notion! Couldn't have expressed it better myself.
It's great to hear from all of you. Sounds like we're going to have another awesome group this year!
846 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2009 - 21 10
My name is Liz aka Lizard. I am a friend of Claire and Hayley (who I notice hasn't said hi on here yet!). I am a senior in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at KU. This is my first year doing Nano. I love to write and this gives me an excuse. My only goal for this year is to attend write-ins and to write consistently throughout the month.
47,177 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2009 - 04 42
I'm Jason, and this is my second year in NaNo. I decided in October last year to write like mad and see if I could do it, did it and then just kept on writing. I'm in this year and really looking forward to it. I have pages of notes/ideas to explore in the work and just want to emphasize that the local group is really supportive and super nice.
I'll make at least one write-in and if you're passing through the Underground at KU, you may see me there. Say 'hi' and introduce yourself.
I'm online here and there:
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/ajasont
LIVEJOURNAL: http://ajasont.livejournal.com
FACEBOOK as Jason Arnett
and you can read my short stories on www.jasonarnett.com
41,232 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2009 - 09 00
Hey-o, Aspen here.
3rd time doing Nano, 3rd (hopefully) victory. I already have my story idea, which for all I know will change in the next 18 days, but what the heck?
I'm also hoping to drag a couple of newbies along this year.
------------ Aspen
The perfect is the enemy of the fast. The good is the enemy of the fast. The halfway decent is the enemy of the fast.
--- Gail Carson Levine
13,123 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2009 - 18 04
Hey everyone!
My name is Lillian and I'm a freshman at KU studying Computer Science.
I was here last year, and I managed to complete the goal in the late hours of the last night. X.x
Due to odd work hours last year, among other constraints, I managed to make it to very few write-ins. Hopefully I will make it out to more this year.
I have yet to decide what my novel this year will be about, but hopefully something will come to me soon.
----------"What am I fighting for?
There must be something more.
For all these words I sing."
2,090 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2009 - 19 11
Hey, all. I'm Rosie! I'm a senior at Lawrence High. Hey, Lily :D (and Rachel. We've only met a few times though.)
I've participated the last few years but never actually won, and never made it to any of the write-ins last year, unfortunately. I may make it to a few this year, if I end up coming with some sort of story that might actually be written :) we'll see!
49,089 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2009 - 19 21
Rosie, I'd very much like some help getting the word out to more high school students. If you have any ins with the English department or other folks at Lawrence High that would be willing to talk to me, please let me know. ted.boone at gmail.com.
Thanks! And COME TO THE WRITE-INS! :)
2,090 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2009 - 06 45
I'll try and shoot you an email sometime today/this weekend, Ted. I think I know of a person who'd be willing to talk to you!
And although I know I won't be coming to the Oct. 31 midnight write-in, I'll try to come to some others me thinks :)
13,123 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2009 - 12 06
Ted,
I'll go talk to one of my old English teachers from when I went to Lawrence High last year. She let me leave class during days where I had already completed the work to go work on my novel, so she should be super supportive about it and try to at least get the word out to her students.
Rosie,
Hiiiiiii!
----------"What am I fighting for?
There must be something more.
For all these words I sing."
2,090 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2009 - 13 10
Trix, who're you talking about? I'm gonna give him Carriger's email, I think.
HIIIII :D ♥.
10,307 / 50,000
Oct 18, 2009 - 09 52
Woah! Hi, everyone! I'm so excited to see you all!
I'm new to NaNoWriMo this year. I'm just a baby! And I can't wait to see everyone on the 22nd! I'm a freshman this year at KU and my major is Japanese, but I want to minor in English.
I mean, there's not much to say, but I can't wait for the meet up!
<3
60,032 / 50,000
Oct 18, 2009 - 15 14
PapaWolfie, my wife is a graduate of KU with a major in Japanese! She doesn't do NaNo herself, but she tags along to the occasional write-in so maybe you'll get a chance to babble at her about the program!
----------2004: Eversnow • 2005: Aeternum Vale • 2006: Scala Caeli
2007: Fortune Favors the Bold • 2008: To the Stars
64,504 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 09 54
Wow, this is so cool - when I did NaNo in 2004, my hometown didn't have an active regional group. I just thought I'd check the Regional forums on a whim, and wow, guess there's an active group here! Awesome.
I'm Haley, a senior in biology at KU. I'm not a great plotter or writer, but I love everything about a good story and am hoping to have some fun with mine this year.
Looking forward to putting my actual classes on the back burner, getting my AlphaSmart out of storage, firing up the coffee pot for the whole month, and meeting you guys at the write-ins!
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