A little interaction, anyone? It seems like all us New Orleanians bury ourselves away for the month of November! I know we've got some WriMos out there, and even if no one's planning any NaNo events, we can still hang out on the forums!
So hello there. I'm Mary-Catherine, and this is my second year doing NaNoWriMo. I won last year, despite two computer crises, one jump drive malfunction, and a mysterious case of a disappearing scene. I don't think I did ANYTHING on the forums last year, but I'm hoping to change that this time around.
To all you first year NaNoers, I have some advice: 1) Always back up your stuff. 2) Don't let yourself get behind in your writing. and 3) You're in New Orleans! We have some pretty strong inspiration on our hands! If you're stuck, sit in a cafe in the French Quarter or grab a notebook and walk along the river. It almost always helps!
And if any experienced WriMos have some advice, I'm sure everyone would love to hear it. Even if you don't have any tips or stories from last year, why don't you come by and say hi to your regional buddies anyway?
First one to reply gets a cookie. : )
----------
2008: The Circular Path (Winner!)
32,135 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 18 00
Cookie? Did someone say cookie?
This is my first time but I'm quite excited by the idea. I'll be happy to join in on a gathering even if just to meet other folks. Maybe we can have a cookie and coffee gathering. I live uptown. If anyone actually wants to get together, I'll be happy to help with the arrangements.
----------~Moxie Malone Writes the Wrong
13,637 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 18 47
I'm a New Orleans WriMo. This is my 4th year, but I've never won. Hopefully this will be the year!
4,606 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 18 48
I'm Jaimie. This is my first year doing NaNo, although I've been tempted to start several times. I'm great at starting stories, but finishing is another matter. I'm determined to change that this time.
I may end up lurking on the forums since I recently found out that I get to spend the month of November serving Jury Duty. Great fun.
The upside is that I will have loooog hours sitting in the jury lounge with nothing else to do but write. If I win Nano this year I may volunteer to serve EVERY November!
Ummm...just kidding.
Good luck to everyone!
33,557 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 18 49
Hi Mary-Catherine and MoxieMalone (and others)!
I'd definitely be up for getting Nola WriMos together. This is my third year doing NaNoWriMo, though last year, I was trying to work on an ongoing book and didn't finish. I won my first year, 2007 and I'm looking forward to doing 50,000 words this year.
Mary-Catherine, your advice is good. My sister and I are also sending each other writing exercises every day till NaNo starts, to get warmed up. I think Write Or Die helped me finish, for sure.
Guess I don't get a cookie. :)
38,859 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 09 48
Hi Mary-Catherine, I'm Donald. I'm new to this contest. I like historical fiction and have something in mind in that genre.
----------Donald Joseph Broussard
Member, Order of the Crown of Charlemagne
29,081 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 18 55
Whooo! Cookies for everyone who replied. And Moxie can get two for replying first. : )
I'm confident that this year's gonna be a good one. I'll probably be posting "First one to 5,000" etc posts on the regional forum throughout the month, but a little friendly competition always helps me. 4 more days, y'all. Let's rock this thing.
----------2008: The Circular Path (Winner!)
50,871 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 05 54
I love friendly competition! It makes me happy to know there are so many NaNoers here in N'Awlins! I can people watch out my office window and think, Maybe that's one going by right now!
11,490 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 10 10
Hi, Mary-Catherine! I'm new to NOLA, but not to NaNoWriMo. I managed to finish in 2006, and last year I did an unofficial thing I called NaNoFiMo (meaning the month for me to FINISH as many stories as I could, with a word goal of 50,000) which I managed, with the help of Write or Die.
We should try to work up a write-in or something!
Happy Writing!
45,139 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 13 41
Howdy... I'm Rob, and this is my first time doing NaNoWriMo... I Did NaBloPoMo for the last two years, and realized my word count was enough to have won NaNoWriMo! So into the breach!
I have been actively recruiting writers in my happy little clique of friends for this, and am absolutely stoked, even if it's too late to get a cookie!
31,137 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 15 33
First time NaNo'er, long time lurker. Two things about me: I never lie, and I always tell the truth. And the truth is, I'm getting to 50,000 words. No doubt about it. I've got a story in my head, and late at night, as I lay in my bed listening to the deafening quiet, the plot unfolds behind my eyelids. So I take a couple of valuim and a shot of old grandad. That's when the story usually ends.
So yeah, pretty excited about it this year. Hope to derive some inspiration from this here forum, and all my fellow wanna-be novelists. Can't wait to get going. As my grandma used to say, let's get this party started.
0 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2009 - 07 52
Hi everybody! I did NaNoWriMo in 2006 and 2007 (didn't finish though!) but this is my first year participating on the boards. I'm hoping the camaraderie will boost my spirits during the late November mad sprint to the end.
39,010 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2009 - 08 19
Heya everyone! This is my first attempt, but I am determined to make it through.
Just wanted to drop in our region and say hello to everyone.
This is exciting!
33,557 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2009 - 11 50
Hi Everybody!
Anybody want to get together Sunday? We're never going to find a place that accommodates everyone perfectly, but I think we need to give it a shot. I suggested Balcony before just cause I thought we could probably take over the balcony in the afternoon or early evening. We're clear on both Saints and LSU games, which I just checked. Anybody got any other suggestions or preferences?
Emilie (thatagirldarling)
22,888 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 06 34
Hey everyone!
Ry here!
I'm new to NaNo but I did have quite a FAIL of an attempt at Script Frenzy in April. But I'm here now and so determined it's ridiculous. No back-downs this year. And I definatley agree, friendly competition definately fuels the fire!!!
I really hope we can organize a few write-ins! I don't think I want to take this journey with just my ipod and an obnoxious need to finish.....
It might get a little crazy up in here.
9,724 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 10 46
This is starting to sound like a twelve step program. In keeping with that spirit, Hi, my name is Steve. This will be my second attempt at NaNoWriMo. The first one, let's just say it didn't go so well. I'm rebooting the story I had in mind at the time, so we'll see how it goes.
Kahuna (Rob) reminded me of the challenge a few months ago, and it didn't really take much to talk me into trying again. So, if this is a twelve step program for compulsive writers, then that makes Kahuna my dealer and part of my support group. I think there's a conflict of interest in there somewhere... anyways. If this is wrong, I don't want to be right. Or, to paraphrase Bret Michaels, "genius" that he is:
"I raise a toast to all of us
Who'll be breaking our hands every day
If writing a good book is such a crime
Lord, then put me away.
Here's to ya."
Now, if only that was actual liquor instead of a dose of cough syrup. This could quite possibly suck.
54,008 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 16 51
My name is Suzie, and this will be my sixth year of NANOWRIMO. I completed (2005 & 2007).
I seem to finish on the "odd years" and my life falls apart on the evens...so this year I have a good chance of getting all 50,000 words down.
It's also nice to be back in NOLA after being gone for almost 7 years. But ironically, I'm not sure I would have found NANOWRIMO if I had not.
I am in the uptown area, so where the crowds gather, I may drop in for a line or two. This "Balcony Bar" sounds promising...
(Sidenote): I nominate Mary-Catherine as the local ML (if she will accept).
***giddy with anticipation, suzie***
31,137 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 19 50
I can feel the excitement building - we're almost at the beginning. I think my main motivation is I just turned 40, that's right, the big four-oh, and I just gotta get something down. You know, for posterity and all. In case on December 1st I get killed by a bear attack on the corner of Poydras and Gravier. Lots of wild bears in that area.
I'm getting pretty geeked about writing some truly awful prose and being cool with it.
5,085 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 23 19
I was so excited about that cookie!
You are 100 percent right, we have the best source of inspiration - our city!!!
45,139 / 50,000
Oct 31, 2009 - 13 53
That's right... come on and do NaNoWriMo, Kiddies... the first hit is free.
Rob (the bad/good influence)
29,081 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 14 03
I seem to finish on the "odd years" and my life falls apart on the evens...so this year I have a good chance of getting all 50,000 words down.
It's also nice to be back in NOLA after being gone for almost 7 years. But ironically, I'm not sure I would have found NANOWRIMO if I had not.
I am in the uptown area, so where the crowds gather, I may drop in for a line or two. This "Balcony Bar" sounds promising...
(Sidenote): I nominate Mary-Catherine as the local ML (if she will accept).
***giddy with anticipation, suzie***
I actually would've applied for ML this year, except for the fact that I have absolutely NO free time and would quite possibly have died if I had to organize a bunch of write-ins. Oh, well. Maybe another year.
But seriously guys, we need some good MLs! Anyone up for the challenge next year?
----------2008: The Circular Path (Winner!)
40,359 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 21 17
Hello! I know I'm slow, but I'm Amanda and I'm also a NaNoer! (Hopefully.) This is my second attempt at NaNo. I haven't been around this website too much, though. I'd love to have some meet-ups through November if anyone felt up to coordinating something!
2,381 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 09 36
Hi everyone!! I'm Sabina but please just call me Bree!
This is my first year and I am soooo excited. I have talked about writing a novel a since I was in middle school and now I'm finally about to do it. I don't know if I'll win though because I am doing this while in nursing school and we have finals coming up!!!! But, nothing is impossible and I have a PASSION for both of my pursuits so we'll see...............
So, it's back to studying for now and then later this evening I will WRITE!!!!!!
1,625 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 16 48
I'm Melanie, and I've been doing this for several years now. I think my first year was 2004? And even when I wasn't an official participant online, I still went for it. We'll see how it goes this year!
My tips?
~For the love of goodness, don't get too far behind. Of course, I'm saying that as I am already behind (on day 2!!), but I have found if I am more than about 10K behind where I am supposed to be, it gets harder and harder to write, seeing that deadline loom overhead. Get as much out at the beginning, and then you have some coasting room if (when) something comes up.
~Take advantage of every weekend, evening, morning, lunch break, down time possible.
~Tell everyone you know what you are doing in the hopes of them keeping you accountable. One year, I had a friend call me every evening to ask my word count for the day. It really does help.
~Get Writing Buddies!!! More people to hold you accountable, and also to have word count wars with.
~Check the forums for words of the day, inspiration, prompts, and more. Shout out when you hit the milestones. Give advice on things in your genre. Basically, be as active as possible. It makes you feel more like part of the group.
This was sent out a couple of years ago on one of the forums. Youtube being youtube, the track was disabled, because of permission rights, et al, but it is still inspirational. Put your favorite writing music on while you watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St7Jmv9PE9Y
PS - if anyone wants to join me at the CCs coffee house on Metairie Rd tomorrow evening (about 7-10), come on by!
9,148 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 11 36
Hey, I'm Tere and this is my 2nd year participating in NaNo. I didn't "win" last year, but I wrote about 40K words of the novel I have out on sub to agents right now.
This year I'm writing for fun and as an exercise to keep me away from the rough draft I just finished.
I like to update my progress on my blog to keep my spirits up, and I try to write 1700 words a day.
Good luck, everyone!
18,012 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 08 45
Hello, my name is Ringo, and I'm a writing procrastaholic.
*Hi Ringo*
This is my first NaNoWriMO and I wasn't really planning on taking part. Until I walked into an "writing intervention" (glares at Rob 'Big Kahuna').
Right now I'm keeping just ahead of the daily quota, I can already tell this is going to be 'sprint on the weekend, marathon durring the week' sorta project.
I'm going to hit 50K by the 30th, I'm not doing this to not finish.
54,008 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 11 58
*Hi Ringo*
This is my first NaNoWriMO and I wasn't really planning on taking part. Until I walked into an "writing intervention" (glares at Rob 'Big Kahuna').
Right now I'm keeping just ahead of the daily quota, I can already tell this is going to be 'sprint on the weekend, marathon durring the week' sorta project.
I'm going to hit 50K by the 30th, I'm not doing this to not finish.
***welcome Ringo***
(general welcomes from the group)
Just remember to keep writing and you'll make it.
Good luck and good writing.