United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Your Daily Kick-in-the-Pants

aesthetic42 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:10:44 +0000

Hey Y'all,
So here we are on day one. It's here. It's Here. IT'S HERE!!! How are your characters holding up? Has one of them scheduled a vacation and forgot to notify you, the boss? Has a character called in sick, stepped out for cigarettes and not come back? Has a character strolled off the end of one page and found herself in the Amazon jungle with a spider on her left shoulder, a macaw overhead, speaking in the long, lost language of the Zanzow tribe and you, being unprepared for such a turn of events, forgot to pack your universal language converter--the Babel Fish?
Never fear. Such eventualities are bound to happen. Who hasn't suddenly found himself or herself surrounded by bandits in the Gobi Desert, when all you were looking for was gelato and other people crazy enough to sit down and write, in the course of one month, 50,000 words that are somehow related in some fashion?
Which brings me to your daily kick in the pants. Here it is WRITE ON! - which is not to be confused with the seventies expression 'Right on!" Just go with it. Sometimes, indeed, characters have a mind of their own and the worst thing you can do is stifle their creativity. Think about your own lives, for instance. Sometimes you simply have an intuition about some action you should take or not take. When someone asks you afterward about why you chose to act in such a manner, you don't really always have a logical or evidential reason you can put your finger on. Rather, you had a feeling, a hunch, a Magnum P.I. voice in the back of your head pushing you one way or the other. Maybe your sidekick character knows (even if you don't) that in four pages, if you continue along this course, you're going to find yourself in a room with no windows or doors or light.
No matter if you have meticulously outlined your story or are starting each day with the word you randomly chose from the dictionary (today's word is 'flourescent' or 'flour scent' if you want to write about cooking) or exist in the somewhere between, don't be afraid of the u-turn, the forgotten left at Albuquerque, the sun rising from the south. Just Write On!

Oh, and here's a little praise poem I wrote a couple of years ago when I was ML in Syracuse.

Praise Poem to the Nanowriter

Paragraph maker, paragraph maker,
breaks, breaks be to you.

May dictionary deities inspire your fingers,
grammar gods drown in your verbal volcanoes,
writing programs splay on the altar of your keyboard.

You the writer, righter of wrongs, wronger of rights.
You the system builder, world creator, prime mover.
You the seer, the knower, the chaos imbuer.

Praise to you flighting fancy,
pen clicker, paper toter,
between the lines scribbler.
May your ink keep pace always with your lines.

For you morning riser, before the children wake,
grail seeker. For you, character clamorings in the quiet
of curtain climber snores. For you, for you,
the first elevated cups of the day.

A toast to lunchtime huncher, sentences sandwiched
with sandwiches. You the earth mover and shaker,
clockwork grinder, breadmaker. The bewitched boss
to you, the lighter load, the clear commute.

You the 3am caroler, the singer by cathode flicker light,
by candle, by phosphorus. The renewing power of blinking
to you, the steam of tea, the thick of coffee, the 4am second wind.

Praise to you student stippler, piler of papers, compiler of knowledge.
You the keeper of classes, recorder of classics. For you the quiet corner,
postponed paper.

Praise to you the 50,000 word club, the scrappy scrawlers, the twilight quillers.
Praise to you in the midnights of your nights,
the noons of your days. May your insomnia provide solace,
your socks keep you warm. May your fingers flutter,
your mind compose, your computer behave.

Praise you writer. Praise to you.
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Check out our events! (Last updated Nov. 3)

Elisha Colter — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:10:18 +0000

For those of you who still aren't used to the new regional headers, I should point out that we have a lovely Google calendar at the top of the forum. We're still planning and adding, so keep an eye on the calendar in the lead-up to November!

Here's the list of what's coming up:

WEST PHILLY/UCity WRITE-INS: Mondays 4 - 6 (or maybe 7), Lovers and Madmen Coffee Lounge, 28 S. 40th St. Philly

MAIN LINE WRITE-IN: Saturday, Nov. 14th 1 - 3, MilkBoy in Ardmore
(By the way, if people could send me a message or post here if they're planning on making it to this one, I'd appreciate it.)

THE COMMUTERS' WRITE-IN: Wednesday, Nov. 4th CANCELLED DUE TO STRIKE - WILL BE RESCHEDULED
(See below for more info.)

DelCo WRITE-INS: Tuesdays and Fridays 7pm - closing, Borders Bookstore, 1001 Baltimore Pike Swarthmore. (organized by mcuret)

GLENOLDEN WRITE-INS: Saturdays 12:30 - 4:00, Glenolden Library, 211 South Llanwellyn Ave. Glenolden. (organized by mcuret)

20th ST. WRITE-INS: Sunday, 11/8 and 11/29, 3-8pm at Square Peg Artery & Salvage (20th & Chestnut St. - on 20th between Chestnut and Sansom)

This list will be updated as new events are added, so keep checking back!
(Last updated 11.03)

Amy and I are still going through the locations that people have suggested for write-ins. Some will happen, some won't, but we're still totally open to suggestions. And if you have a great location that Amy or I can't get to (time, distance, etc) you can always do what the fabulous locals of DelCo have done on another thread and set up your own!

Also, if you can't make it to any events in our area, check out PA:Elsewhere. I got a message from their ML a few days ago that she would be happy to include Philly-area people in her events. She's planning some more online events, so if you can't make it to Philly things you're welcome to take part.

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"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."
ML for Philadelphia

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

What We Have Learned So Far

TheseusBlue — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:04:34 +0000

Writing 1000 words seems to take about an hour +/-. This is much less time than I expected and may be due to the steam-of-character-consciousness writing style that I've been using
I'm thinking that about 2 90 min sessions per day will get me to where I need to be and I wonder if I can keep up that schedule?
My characters are still figuring out who they are and coming to terms with my ideas for where I want them to go. We're still learning how to communicate, and I think this is a fine place to be on day one.
As a consequence, the shape of the novel may (will) change and I've already mapped out (in pencil on the inside of an m&m wrapper :-) a different structure that I or the characters may find easer or more palatable to navigate.
And all of this may change as I become more thoughtful or careful in my choice of words, or as the plot becomes more present in the story.

It's been a fun day of writing and regular life today. I even went to church and did some yard work -- sometimes home ownership is overrated -- in the late afternoon. Tomorrow is a work day, but at 5pm when the whistle blows, look out! Yabadabadoo!

What have you learned so far?

Write On Everyone!
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Leaves of the Body -- A journey through desire, boundaries and New England.

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

NaNo In Your Cubicle

PhillyFlash — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:24:15 +0000

Okay, time to 'fess up! How many of you have been writing at the office? I have, in fact, I managed to find time to sneak away from doing actual work to crank out 5,480 in my cubicle during the first week. Not bad! I'm thinking I can manage at least 20 percent of the 50K total before it's all over. So, who else is writing at work?
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I write, therefore, I have fun! ^_^

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Our Challenge Has Been Accepted

aesthetic42 — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:35:23 +0000

Ok Philly.
Pittifulsburg and PA Nowhere have accepted our challenge (you like that? trash talking is my new middle name). So Philly, let's show them how it's done. Bring on the wordage. Our counts must be high (pollen count smollen count), our sentences can run on and on and on and..., our characters must embody the linguistic voltage of a really, really stereotypical teenage girl who is having three conversations out loud, another three via text, twitter, and facebook, all the while doodling (like, that could so like be true... four conversations is like the bare minimum {eye roll}).

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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

More Main Line write-ins???

ECDawson — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:38:35 +0000

I see that the one Main Line write-in has been rescheduled for 6-8 pm on Saturady the 14th.

Since it's the only one for Main Liners, I fear it will be swamped! I've been in the MilkBoy, and it's fabulous in part because it's (shall we say) cozy.

Is there any interest in scheduling additional Main Line write-ins?
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

CHESTER COUNTY NANOWRIMO WRITE and EAT!!! FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2009

HeatherJo715 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:41:50 +0000

Hello Everyone! It's day 4 and I'm behind already but still determined!! I could use some group motivation though so...

CHESTER COUNTY NANOWRIMO WRITE and EAT!!!
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2009
7pm till as long as we want!!
LIONS SHARE DINNER
RT 100
JUST SOUTH OF 113 ON THE RIGHT
(or just north of Exton on your left past Marchwood)

182 S Village Ave
Exton, PA 19341
(610) 363-2130

*This is a 24 hour dinner with friendly service, good food and GREAT desserts. I'm going to post this on the Philly list also!
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Heather

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

M&M's...

circleologist — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:49:42 +0000

Oh no, I've found a quick munchie to toss into my mouth while I write, M&M's plain and peanut. This isn't good... I'm supposed to be eating healthy, maybe I should switch to pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds...
Oh well, I'll just pass the possible poundage onto some unsuspecting, insecure, male character. Ha!

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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

what happen to Mt Airy Infusion at 7

PolarTwin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:27:45 +0000

they just had loud music-- no writers.

Also went to Commuter write in at 30th street cosi-- didn't see anyone.

So now I'm at Starbucks in Chestnut hill but would really like to get to a write in.

whine whine

okay off to up my word count.
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I wouldn't be here if I wasn't stubborn.

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Any writers in CC or Italian Market area in Philly?

kmcquain — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:51:24 +0000

Any writers in CC or Italian Market area in Philly? Looking for writing buddies to hang out in coffee shops a few days. Can't seem to find the info I need on here. New to the site.
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Write-Ins

mcuret — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:54:35 +0000

Hey, we need to gets some write in together here in Delaware County. I'm in Glenolden just a hop from Springfield, and a skip from Prospect Park. Anyone want to get something going? I'm still kind of new to the area so any suggestions would be welcomed.
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Michelle Curet-Caporiccio

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Having fun??

marzockk — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:09:30 +0000

So is everybody having fun? I'm actually enjoying this because after I had finished my last novel, "Raven's Rage", I was sort of pooped out and with other personal problems at home with an ailing husband, wasn't feeling that I was disciplined enough to write everyday. This is making me do that and I'm thankful so I'm happy that I took up this challenge. Plus, it's giving me a chance to write something different other than my Raven series and that's always cool.

Currently I'm ahead of the game and hope to keep writing over the weekend to get comfortably ahead for those times when I just don't have it. But this is also proving one major thing to me. No matter how much I have going with work, my sick husband, and other crap, I can always find time to pound out at least four pages or so everyday. I needed the swift kick in the pants to figure that out because I can allow myself to get lazy at times.

Any tricks anybody can pass on, I'd be glad to have them. Oh, plus now that baseball is over and our Phillies lost, there is more time to write and the Eagles are on at 8:00 tomorrow night so plenty of time.

K*rry Marzock

www.kmarzock714.wordpro.com

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Author of the Raven series, "Raven's Way" and "Raven's Rage - Order of the Claw", with the third installment currently in the works, "Raven Unleashed"

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

First Weekend Word Push

eruditus — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:35:58 +0000

Okay I'm going to be home watching my child a good portion of today and tomorrow and I won't have much writing time Sunday. So I need to get caught up. I'm at 4800 words and I should be around 13600 by Sunday (I rounded to 1700 a day). I figure I have 20 hours of good writing time.

So I took what I had left (9200) and divided that by 20. That leaves me with 460 words an hour and I'll round up to 500. By the end of Sunday I'll be 800 words up.

I can do 500 an hour! Go the push with me for our first weekend!
-Don
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Introductions!

Elisha Colter — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:12:21 +0000

Welcome, Philadelphia!

Here's where we take a minute to introduce ourselves, get to know one another a bit.

I'm Elisha, and I'm going to be one of your MLs this year. I'm in West Philly. This is my fifth year doing NaNo, second as ML, first as ML in Philadelphia.

Looking forward to this November, and to seeing all of you at the Kick Off and write-ins!
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"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."
ML for Philadelphia

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Phillies?

bflytwo — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:23:58 +0000

anyone else too distracted by the World Series to get any real writing done since 11/1? anyone else too depressed today to consider writing? or, anyone else have that voice in the back of their head that says 'well, at least i have my life back now'?

just me? really?

last year my MC was a huge Phillies fan who wrote a Nano. this year i'm writing about teenage witches. maybe i should stick to what i know?
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Found this free Mac writing software

BuzCranne — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:31:23 +0000

This is a bundle of Mac software, free for the next 6 days from MacHeist. It includes a really good program called WriteRoom for distraction-free full screen writing. Check out: http://www.macheist.com
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Upping the Stakes, Word-War Style

aesthetic42 — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:10:18 +0000

Dear Philly and surrounding outstanding attached Locales--

It appears that from the "How are you preparing" posts, that we're cracking our knuckles, cutting into our characters' skulls and outlining, researching and doing just about everything else.
So, how about we add an incentive--state-wide bragging rights--to our preparations and writing during the month:
According to the 2008 breakdown
see them here http://graphing.teiru.net/2008/regions/
provided by NewMexicoKid
Philadelphia placed 42nd in total word count, behind both Pittsburg and the Elsewhere regions of Pennsylvania. Our individual average word count was much much higher (we really smoked them), but they had more people submitting word counts which is why ranked lower than them in total word count.
As of right now--
Philadelphia has 203 wrimos
PA Elsewhere has 194 wrimos
Pittsburgh has 228 wrimos

How about we challenge these two to a three sided word war? What say you Philadelphians?
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Jay Rush

tjayrush — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:53:18 +0000

Hi,

Jay Rush from philly suburbs - first time writing a novel in a month, first time writing a novel, first time writing anything over ten pages. Three days in - 12,000 words - holy s***. Hope to make it to the end.
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Late Night Writing Haunts

TheseusBlue — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:03:44 +0000

In order to remove ourselves from the distractions of home life -- roommates, spouses, children, pets, dirty dishes, dirty litter boxes, television, bills, lawn, neighbors, clutter, telephone, doorbell -- it is sometimes necessary to find a haven, some nearby comfortable establishment, usually with a caffeine and sugary-treat supply, that is open late into the evening for after-work, after-dinner and after hours writing.

If you do leave the house for Prime Time weeknight writing, where do you go?

I'm especially interested in late-night haunts in the Delaware County / Media area, Rittenhouse Sq and Old City. However, I encourage all Philly-regions to chime-in here.

Borders in the Springfield Square Shopping Center in Springfield is open until 10pm weeknights / 11pm Fri & Sat.
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Leaves of the Body -- A journey through desire, boundaries and New England.

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Kick-off party

nijusjaanu — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:21:09 +0000

does anyone know when/where this will be this year?
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2008 - The Silent Treatmet - WIN!
2009 - Awake - outline finished ... we'll see!!

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Time Zone

DestinationNovel — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:44:32 +0000

I'm in Philadelphia and I don't know what time zone to check off in my user settings. What should I put?
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Any writers in CC or Italian Market area in Philly?

kmcquain — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:51:19 +0000

Any writers in CC or Italian Market area in Philly? Looking for writing buddies to hang out in coffee shops a few days. Can't seem to find the info I need on here. New to the site.
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

Something of a favor

Elisha Colter — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:04:27 +0000

I know it's a long shot, but does anyone in the area have a spare power cord for a G4 Powerbook?

My bad luck has picked a wonderful time to rear its ugly head. I have a feeling the cord is finally dead for good (please let it be the cord and not the computer itself...) and it'll be at least a couple of weeks until I can get a new one. So if anyone happens to have a spare I could borrow for a bit, it would be a HUGE help.
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"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."
ML for Philadelphia

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

How Are You Preparing?

aesthetic42 — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:20:08 +0000

Hi.
Amy here. Not sure why my caption still reads Syracuse. I am in Philly. I guess this just reinforces that you can't always believe what you read. . .
[Hey, it's been fixed.]
Anyway, I am your other ML for the Philadelphia area. I met a few of you last year, then proceeded to fall off the face of the earth. My apologies. Gravity just isn't what it should be some months.
So, here we are at d minus 26 days and counting.
Are you training? Are you ramping up your caffeine intake so that that first 2-pot coffee day/night doesn't compel you to go streaking through the neighborhood at 3am trying to outrun the bees in your bonnet and the ants in your pants? Are you double-brewing your herbal teas so that the first time you need that 4th cup of lemon zinger, your significant other doesn't have to pry you loose from the ceiling fan as you circle round and round and round? Are you doing some extra finger crunches, working out your fingers so that on the 24th day you don't suffer debilitating pinky cramps and the letters p, q, a, z and the capitals and semicolons, colons, commas, etc. don't fall right out of your novel of awesomeness (think grand canyon awesome, not surfer-dude awesome)?
Are you staring off into space at work, preparing for the necessary daydreaming/creative writing that must occur when you are away from your novel? Just think people, one day we could rival March Madness for the hours lost to obsessing about things not in our work contracts. Dream Big, folks.
These are just a few of the things I may or may not be doing currently in preparation for November.
How about you?
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United States :: Pennsylvania :: Philadelphia

How I will stay Inspired...

circleologist — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:29:33 +0000

Every time that I want to quit I will think of Christopher Nolan an Irish author and he may help you to do the same. He was a a 43 year old man who was born mute and a quadriplegic. He not only wrote but published short stories, poems and an award winning autobiography.

Now I say to myself, if this beautiful soul with all of his physical challenges could somehow dedicate himself tirelessly on a typewriter and produce award winning work, why can't I? I don't want to hear me whine about being tired or without thought. I can't... because Mr. Nolan will be one of the angels showing me that I can do whatever I choose.
There is no reason that I can't show up for me. I show up for work, I show up for gatherings, I WILL SHOW UP FOR ME!

I will remember ALWAYS those who came before me and were denied, beaten,or killed for wanting to learn how to read and write. I will be gratefully inspired by every crummy sentence as well as every well strung pearl of words that I SHOW UP TO WRITE.

I will stay inspired by camaraderie of Nanowrimo writers as well as the fun, the challenge and the pot of literary gold filled with pieces that read "I won" at the end of the rainbow.

Circleologist-Write On

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