Southwest Georgia

Well, I'm from Albany. Which I'm pretty sure that's Southwest and if it's not someone needs to tell our newspaper and local new station because they've been lying for years and that's just shameful (And pretty sad on me that I had to stop and google it just to make sure *Fails*).

I'm in Early County... Blakely =)

NaNo 08- Quest for Blood- Fantasy Adventure
NaNo 09- Perilous Tides- Pirate Adventure
"Yo ho ho and a bottle of NaNo-RUM-o!"

I'm just south of Albany!

I'd be the lone Tiftonite here. o/

I'm in Americus, not sure if it counts. (But then I'm still fairly new to Georgia)

http://twitter.com/sparrowhawk17

I'm about 20 miles from Americus

Hanne-Marie
Montezuma-Oglethorpe

“Even the Dead have business, there on The Other Side, and it doesn't always concern us.” Mary Grace Hicks in Mediumistic Mary at the Old Railroad Trestle (2007 NaNo Project)

"She was dead and still wouldn't stop giving advice."--Stephen King, UNDER TH

I'm in Americus too!

I'm one of those notfit Tifton peoples. HELLO SOUTHWEST GEORGIA!

Ok, I see that there are several of us in Columbus, several in Tifton, several in Albany, and a couple in unique areas. The Columbus group is already getting together, and a group in Valdosta. I was thinking maybe a few of us could come to Albany to the library and just meet and bring our laptops, those of you with a working one. They probably have a cluster of computers for those without a laptop. I could come next Saturday in the afternoon. Or, someone in Albany could suggest an alternate location/day/time whatever.

Everyone write in and tell me if Albany might be good for you! I'll try to pop in more often; had computer problems again, but solved the ones preventing me from doing much online.

Let me know what you'd want to do. Remember, I can't be an ML because this is my first year, so this is just a suggested informal get-together. Happy to let an ML-eligible person do the leading :) I use a scooter for travel, so the place will need to not have steps or a high step more than about 2", for me to enter. Libraries are all pretty much wheelchair/scooter friendly, even most of the small-town ones in newer buildings. I can come late-afternoon or early-evening during the week, and Saturday afternoon.

What shall we do? Test out our ideas and offer to read for anyone needing a reader? This would be optional because I know some folks don't want others reading their stuff. Just converse and give moral support? Have a several-hour write-in together? Go to a fast-food for supper before or after, or just for coffee/hot chocolate/milkshake [there goes my diet!]

I would also like to see some kind of chat/video link for those whose computers can do it. I have used Skype and Google Talk with video, and they work easily. Skype now works beautifully on Win Vista, and it also works on Linux and Macs, too. Skype is the best cross-platform video chat software out there, and it's a free download from www.skype.org; there is a paid service for calling phone numbers, but calls are free to anyone on Skype. A lot of Ham radio operators [like me] use it. Google Talk has a voice/video option that's about a 15-second download for anyone with Gmail. It is also free. Libraries usually have to set up something in advance for this, because they have online video blocked. But, this would be fun at home to set up some video chats, maybe these would have to be voice-only for more than two people, or there's always typing chat. My Skype handle is dannistories, and you may Skype me if you see me online. Let me know you're doing NaNo so I know you didn't just appear out of the ether :)

Please post here so others can see, as well as Skype or Google Talk [I'm dannistories@gmail.com on Google Talk] so everyone's on the same page.

Have fun with your NaNo, and don't give up! Some days are better than others. Sometimes you get more ideas of where to go in the oddest places [while watching a totally unrelated movie, or talking to someone about something different]. Just sit in front of the blank page for 15 min every once in awhile; remember if you tell the story in your mind while working out details, this counts, too. I usually do a lot of my writing mentally as I fall asleep, or while doing something else, then write like fury to get it all down while I struggle not to forget my scene! Even if I do, I'm fleshing out characters or working on plot, or whatever; practice helps. If you get stuck, mark where you are and just talk to your character while typing. This helps your word count, and you can always copy and paste it into another file after NaNo if you mark it [I put a heading that says Start Here or Mindless Jabber or something, and another header that marks the end of that]. Don't edit 'til after NaNo!

Most of all, ignore that inner voice that asks, Is this good? Am I doing it right? Will anyone like it??

Just write it. Every word you write is helping you get to know the character, the story, the setting, or whatever. It's useful. Don't obsess with how it sounds or whether it's good writing. You, as writer, cannot judge your own work. Editors are paid to judge it, and sometimes the book sells, and sometimes it doesn't. If you listen to every voice, yours is lost in self-doubt. Instead, write it so you will enjoy it. Chances are, someone else will enjoy it, too. This is not the time to worry about if you're doing it right. There is no magic 'right way' or 'wrong way'. My sister is Diana Palmer, bestselling romance author. She hit the NY Times Bestseller list with a genre novel, which not many people do, and many times. She never went to a writer's workshop like Clarion. She never let anyone but me read her books. Yet, she made it. Her advice to me is, don't read books on how to write, and don't listen to the critics. Just write. So, I'm passing that on to you. Diana sez, editors often don't know why they reject a manuscript, except that it just doesn't fit their view of the market right then. If an editor can't put it into words, how can you say your work's no good? Don't judge it. Don't measure it against other writer's stuff. Don't stress out over it. Write, for the sheer joy of writing. Go where your character leads, or not. Follow an outline, or not. Find your unique voice; every writer has one. It doesn't matter if I like your book, or if your sister likes your book, or if a complete stranger likes it. Writing is a fire inside, that has to be written. It is unstoppable. If you are blocked, ask the character why. Write something that you want to write then. I think the source of writer's block is self-doubt. Show yourself that you CAN write. Do it. Describe something. Put your feelings down about being blocked. Have a conversation with your character. Do a journal in your character's words. Just be sure to leave it in your manuscript until after NaNo, to help with your word count - it's legal! Edit in
December, not now.

Fellow SW Georgians, Unite! Have fun with your NaNo!

Dannis
http://dannistories.com [down for moving to a diff registrar]

Dannis
1st Year NaNo
http://dannistories.com
http://www.examiner.com/x-26892-Altanta-Low-Income-Issues-Examiner
Here 'cause I love to write and encourage folks!

Hi! I'm in teeny, tiny Ellaville.

Aunt Roni

I'm right down the road in Ellaville. :0)

Aunt Roni