United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Write-ins: set up information

nellmorningstar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:56:42 +0000

Welcome all Twin City Wrimos!
One of the best parts of our regions, is how many active participants we have, and it grows each year. With an area as large as ours, it is to be expected that we would have write-ins throughout the entire region, and the only way to do this is by asking all interested participants to consider hosting write-ins when and where convenient to them.

Write-ins are a useful way to get out of your ordinary environment full of distracting excuses not to write. Coffee shops, libraries, café areas in bookstores, and common study areas in colleges are all possibilities. Any public space, which provides tables, outlets, access to food and drink and doesn’t mind a group taking up space for a few hours can work. Other things to consider might be accessibility, parking etc.

At a write-in, primarily we write. The host will have an area marked with a sign so we know how to find each other, and after some initial introductions, silence falls (although some of us bring earphones in case conversations around us are too distracting) and we write. Most rimes bring laptops, but a few brave souls have pen to notebook. Word wars (short timed blocks of a few minutes for all out writing) and dares might be exchanged, and often yield large word increases for all involved.

So, the steps to hosting a successful write-in:

1 – choose a location.
2 – choose a date, just one day, or every Saturday.
3 – choose the time, both beginning and ending.
4 – post your write-in information here in this thread so one of the Mills can post it to our calendar.
5 – be there, a few minutes before your start time so you can be ready with signs etc.

A few niceties, call your location before the write-in to give them a heads up. Also, consider bringing a power strip, or asking someone else planning to join you to bring one. Also, check to see if another participant is hosting a write-in next door at the same time on the same day, team up and do it together.

Feel free to ask any questions here.

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"The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected." Swedish proverb

United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

* Write-ins: Addendum *

sapphirestar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:16:51 +0000

Hi 'Wrimos--- now that we're really getting into the write-in season, I wanted to just put out there a few reminders. I know we have a lot of newbies, or even oldies who really haven't been out to write-ins before... but even some of us write-in veterans could use a reminder (even me!) since it's been like a Whole Year since we've done Nano!

If others have any reminders or helpful hints to add, please do!

-- If you're organizing a write-in, it helps to put out a sign, a table-tent, a sticker, a copy of "No Plot? No Problem!," or even a torn piece of paper with the words "Nano" scribbled on it--- somewhere on your table, just to let other 'Wrimos know you're there. Or wear a Nano t-shirt.

--If you go to a write-in, it also helps to have some little Nano hint like that, to make it easier to find others. In the way past, I've been to some write-ins where a lot of people were in a busy cafe, and none of us knew the others were doing Nano too until someone walked in and asked outright.

--When in doubt, ask! You can alwasy just ask someone, "Are you doing Nano?" And if they give you a strange look, you will be embarrassed for about 10 seconds and life goes on. Been there, done that! It's no big deal. And who knows, you might then tell the person what Nano is and convert them!

--Here's the deal: you may organize a write-in, or you may go to a write-in, and there's the possibliity that no one else will show. We have lots of write-ins in this region, people are busy, and it's nothing personal, but that's the way it works out sometimes. It reminds me of Natalie Goldberg (of "Writing Down the Bones"), who says that she'd often make writing dates with friends, "meet me at this cafe at such and such time." And she'd tell them not to tell her if they couldn't come--- because she'd made the date, she'd go to the cafe and write, whether or not the friend showed up. It was really a writiing date that she made with herself, and it was a bonus if the friend showed up. So make every write-in a writing date with yourself, and even if no one else shows up, you'll have a great time writing your novel, drinking a good cup of whatever, nibbling on a treat... make it your special time.

--Don't forget to be generous (if you can) to the cafe or restaurant, and the barrista/server. You're taking up space in their business, and getting to be out in some swell environments. Order something extra, leave a nice tip. They are helping to support us by letting us write for several hours.

--Don't be afraid to organize a write-in... it really doesn't have to be a big deal. It can be as simple as you wanting to write at a certain cafe at a certain time, and letting people know that they can join you by posting it on the write-ins set up topic. Nothing fancy has to occur. Just show up and write!

Anything else? I'm blanking out for now.

BTW, my apologies to anyone who showed up at The Bean Factory this morning and didn't "find" the write-in. I did organize that write-in and found out that I had another appointment, and told a few people I wouldn't show up until after 1pm. I should have posted that on the forums. I did walk in to find a nice little group writing away, but I think there may have been a few people who showed up earlier and left without writing.
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Theresa, aka Sapphirestar
Twin Cities ML
http://sapphire.albatross.org
2003: Out of Houdini's Trunk
2004: Rita, Not the Hurricane
2005: Days of Confinement
2006: My Name Is Shay
2007: After 50 Years
2008: The Fat Lady Sings

United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Thread for the pitifully behind

SweetUsagi — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:27:07 +0000

I don't need to keep up with quota! I keep telling myself I need to stay a certain amount behind so that I can justify going to all the stops on the 28 hour write-in so that I can catch up my word count.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Reply to chart your progress.

expatrie — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:41:12 +0000

Maybe.

This post is deliberately blank since I need to get a post number and thread before I can post the link.

And if it doesn't work, well, sorry.

Brian.
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JanNoWriMo07 - Still Waters Run Deep - >70,000 won (didn't know there was a group!)
AugNoWriMo07 - The Wreck of the Day ->50,000 won (over on Proboards)
NaNoWriMo07 - Fever ->65,670 won.
NaNoWriMo08 - Abracadabra - >72,663 won

United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

write-in with Toe Jam and The Toenail Fairies at Kieran's: Tues, Nov. 10 @ 5:30 pm

john nielson — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:12:40 +0000

Coffee-shop circuit stifling your creativity one week into Nano? Then I've got the perfect raunchy, smelly, totally inspiring write-in for you!

Join me this Tues. Nov. 10 @ 5:30 pm at Kieran's Irish Pub in Minneapolis. Thanks to Dara at The Loft and the Raking Through Books series, I get to share the story behind the story of my kids' graphic novel I self-published last year, "Toe Jam and The Toenail Fairies."

All the details are on my blog at http://www.picklefeather.blogs.com/toejam/ ... book site is http://www.toejamandthetoenailfairies.com

After we meet Toe Jam, Korn, Gout & Rucas and return from Planet Fungeye, say 7ish, we can hang at Kieran's and crank on our own novels.

Best part for my Nano friends only: BUY A BOOK AND I'LL BUY YOU A PINT!

Hope to see you there.

Reek on!

john nielson
612.209.7230
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Sunday, November 8

Gwenn — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:05:35 +0000

They goal is: 13,333.

Squeeeeeeeek. Do you all know what that was?

It was me. Updating my word count at one minute till midnight. With 10k.

Told you I could do it. :P
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Highland Park or Merriam Park Library Write ins?

kiernan.hulet — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:42:30 +0000

Does anyone know if the St Paul Public Library system is hosting any NaNo write-ins? I checked the St Paul Public Library website and they didn’t show any Write In events for NaNoWriMo in their November calendars.

I really want to attend write-ins where I don’t have to spend a lot of money (i.e. food and bevvies), and weekends are about it for my availability to “go social”

I am willing to host a few Saturday or Sunday sessions at the Merriam Park or Highland Park location.

Kiera

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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Western Suburban Write-Ins: Anyone in Plymouth/Wayzata?

dec51995 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:02:46 +0000

I'm right around the intersection of 394 and 494. Would love to meet for write-ins in this area. Ridgedale library or coffee shops come to mind. Anyone else out here looking for write-ins?

NaNoWriMo Newbie
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2009 Meet-Up Tonight at Silverleaf Mall
"Death and famine stalk the land like two great stalking things."

United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Anybody else update their synopsis after writing the first 10,000 words or so? I did...

SynapticJam — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:00:39 +0000

Here's the new one...

An ancient and evil threat has surfaced to once again threaten humanity. What makes this all the more heinous is the lack of forethought and malice. Evil simply is. To combat this threat, a special team has been formed, with special skills and abilities. The future is in the hands of bunch of maladjusted, broken individuals. May God have mercy on our souls.

If you've updated ours, post it here...
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2008 - winner Compensating Control
Jim / SynapticJam - Hhhmmm... Tastes just like chicken!

United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Blue Moon Tomorrow - Be there or be square.

Gwenn — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:03:22 +0000

Plus you wanna see me, right? :P

*shouting is hear in the distance*

I am NOT distracting to write with!

*more shouting*

No, I will NOT stay home so people can get some writing done!

...

So, be there. At 7. Check the calendar for details.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

28 HOUR WRITING TOUR, NOV 14-15, 2009 FLYER AND SCHEDULE HERE!!!

CallipygianKing — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:43:46 +0000

The dates and time:
The tour starts at 10am on Saturday, November 14 and ends at 2pm on Sunday, November 15. We will spend a few hours at each writing stop. The only actual "food" stops are Denny's and Perkins, both back-to-back, but every coffee shop along the way has an excellent selection of sandwiches and pastries. Plus, there are other food options to grab a bite between stops if you're anti-coffee-shop-sammich.

The schedule:
10am - Depot Coffee House, 9451 Excelsior Blvd, Hopkins (on bus route 12)
2pm - Uncommon Grounds Coffee, 2809 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis (just north of the Uptown Transit center)
6pm - Blue Moon Coffee House, 3822 E Lake St, Minneapolis
10pm - Merlin's Rest Pub, 3601 E Lake St, Minneapolis (non-writing stop for those of us who wouldn't mind a drink... those who wish to not be around alcohol can continue on to Denny's)
Midnight - Denny's, 2700 E Lake St, Minneapolis
4am - Perkins, 1544 University Ave W, St. Paul
7am - Nina's Coffee Cafe, 165 Western Ave, St. Paul
11am - Barnes & Noble, Mall of America

The tour ends at 2pm on Sunday, 28 hours after starting in Hopkins. If you don't have a car, all of these places are easily accessible by Metro Transit or Kyteroo has kindly offered to pick people up (see the thread she started). Plus, people are usually kind enough to let you hitch a ride between stops along the way.

Here is a PDF flyer that you can download and print for your reference, or to hang up some place next to a NaNoWriMo poster or what have you:

http://homepage.mac.com/callipygianking/x/nanotour09.pdf

I plan on being there for the long haul. I hope you come along for the ride!
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I swear, I'll catch up with my word count...
Tomorrow.
http://matthew.kilanowski.us

United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

know anyone who recently acquired a HP Compaq nc6220?

kiernan.hulet — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:01:23 +0000

if they just got it "used' within the last day or two, it could be mine.

My house was broken into on Friday and my laptop was stolen. Along with my nano novel data, etc etc.

borrowing a laptop from a friend, but I ust don't know if I have the heart to even bother trying to start all over again this year for NaNo.

Kiera
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

East Side of St. Paul or Woodbury?

chibitoaster — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:33:40 +0000

I was thinking of organizing one somewhere in downtown St. Paul, or over on the East Side. Anyone interested? Perhaps at Black Dog coffee house in downtown or the Dunn Bros. in Woodbury.

Send me a nanomail if you're interested - even unofficially. I'm usually writing at either the carabou or the dunn bros in Wood. after work.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Weird Things to Put In Your Novel

SweetUsagi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:54:44 +0000

Has anyone come across anything weird lately that is worthy of inserting in one's novel? For instance, I encountered a patient with a third nipple at work and I can't get the vision out of my head so it may have to work its way into my plot.

Everybody share something weird and then put it in your novel! Or steal someone else's weird story for your novel.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

10,000 words - The big thing hidden behind the curtain.

expatrie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:28:20 +0000

At 10,000 words, you come upon a gigantic obstacle that you have to run your way around.

There's no telling what it is, they've got it covered by a gigantic tarp.

Looks like it's about a hundred feet tall and at least twenty feet by twenty feet.

I think it's a statue and they're repainting or repairing it.

What do you think it is?

Last person through tear down the curtain and tell us what it is, please.

And now that I get a look at the back side of it, there's a banner on it.

"Grand Reveal November 30, 2009."

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JanNoWriMo07 - Still Waters Run Deep - >70,000 won (didn't know there was a group!)
AugNoWriMo07 - The Wreck of the Day ->50,000 won (over on Proboards)
NaNoWriMo07 - Fever ->65,670 won.
NaNoWriMo08 - Abracadabra - >72,663 won

United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

I'm beating Chris Baty!

Gwenn — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:59:29 +0000

Hah! Suck it!

I am now officially making process. Soon, oh so soon, I will have 10k. And then I am going to BED. Sweet.

Then I'll be all fresh and awake for our date at IHOP tomorrow. Or Blue Moon? Oh the choices.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Is anyone else setting their novel locally?

SolidOwnage — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:58:31 +0000

I thought it would be a great idea, to get my ideas and word count going, to start my novel out set right here in the twin cities, and then maybe eventually move to my own fantasy world when my ideas begin to flow, and I get a comfortable word count. I just think that there are a lot of things around here that i'd like to do, places to go, but cant because of money or other issues, so I could use my characters to live those experiences, such as a massive MoA shopping spree, or playing as a band in a local bar.

Eventually when I get a good word count going, they'll teleport somewhere.....lol.

For a great example, I thought it would be hilarious, so I started my novel out with my MC doing KDWB's War of the Roses on her boyfriend. It turned out excellent, and I got an easy 2k words out of that alone.

Anyone else have similar ideas like this?
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Write-in "work-out"

evergreenthompson — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:53:20 +0000

Anyone else want to do a write-in at LTF Lakeville? Their LifeCafe actually looks fairly conducive to a write-in, most of the food is reasonably priced, and they've got wi-fi.

So why a health club of all places? OK, I admit it... to rack up my visit quota (12! ugh!!) for the $20 discount on my monthly club fees from my health insurance. Plus it might be a good change of pace from the usual write-in environment.

I'm thinking maybe this weekend. I NEED to catch up in a big way.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Saturday, November 7

Gwenn — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:32:11 +0000

The word count of the day is....11669. Heh, heh. 69.

Where are we meeting tomorrow to resolve this abysmal word count issue?
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Minneapolis Nano Twitterers?

myataylor — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:19:28 +0000

Is anyone out there on twitter and interested in following each other for support and such? I'm @mteg24.
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"Better never to have met you in my dream than to wake and reach for hands that are not there." -Otomo No Yakamochi.

United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Today's Write Ins? Who, where, when?

Gwenn — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:52:47 +0000

Are people (other than college students) going to the U of M wtrie in?

If not, where shall we meet? What's a good central location?

Anyone been to Minnehaha Coffee? I like it a lot, but don't know about the outlet situation. They are only open till 5 though....

Otherwise there's a Starbucks and/or a Caribou just around the corner from basically anywhere.

I suggest we meet somewhere near the 55 train, so people busing have an easier time.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Ring Mountain in Eagan

SweetUsagi — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:52:32 +0000

This sounded like a really cool place from what Ryan was saying last night. I wonder if we could reserve the meeting room for a night this week or next. Would anyone in the South of the River area be interested in a write-in there?
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United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

at the Wilde Roast Cafe, it is Saturday afternoon

moodswing — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:13:32 +0000

Word up. (and up and up and up)

I am currently writing in the Wilde Roast Cafe, at a high four top in the back of the room. There's an Obama sticker on my laptop, I've got an apple on my shirt and I couldn't find my copy of NP?NP! so I grabbed a worn copy of American Gods by Neil Gaiman. It's just me but ~~Fingerho~~ Gwenn should be here shortly. She's got lots of curly hair.

Anyway! Come out! Wilde Roast has good coffee, good food and even better atmosphere! Woo!
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here your poems still warm me when memory drains

United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

Maple Grove Write-ins?

Random_Highjinx — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:54:05 +0000

Anyone planning on hosting any Write-ins in Maple Grove?
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Computer: $3000, Internet Subscription: $29.99 a month, NaNoWriMo Account: $0, Keeping you busy with this message: PRICELESS
NaNoWriMo/08: Guren
NaNoWriMo/09: Strange Circumstances

United States :: Minnesota :: Twin Cities

NanoPlaylist

eyesofshade — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:09:30 +0000

Does anyone else listen to music? If so, what do you listen to?

I'm listening to Agalloch right now. The Ashes Against the Grain album, the song Our Fortress is Burning II - Bloodbird.

I was listening to Gordian Knot and Summoning last night while outlining. I'll come up with a comprehensive list that I listen to while writing over the weekend.
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