Hey everyone!
It's another year of NaNoWriMo goodness. I'm your local Municipal Liaison (ML) for the region again, and I'm hoping to see some familiar faces making another attempt at a novel in a month. I'm also hoping to see some new faces - we're always happy to see people willing to join in the insanity of trying to crank out 50,000 words in just 30 days.
Like last year, I'd like us to get started with a kick-off party, either just before November, or at least somewhere near the start of NaNo. If anyone has any suggestions for times or locations, I'm happy to hear them. I'll start us off by suggesting the Lion's Head pub in Waterloo. They were very good to us last year, and are a nice place with lots of space.
Also like last year, I'm hoping we can plan at least weekly get-togethers to meet, to talk about our novels, and to maybe share a little of what we've written. I'm open to suggestions for times and places for these too. The requirements are that it has enough space for about 10 (sometimes more) people to sit down, have a coffee or cola, and that it is a space that doesn't mind if minors show up - we do occasionally have some younger writers join us.
I'd like to encourage everyone to participate in the forums and to come out the whatever meet-ups you can. Part of the fun of NaNo is joining in the community. Also, people who come to the meet-ups and other events tend to finish their novels - so participation really gives you a good benefit.
Hope to hear from you all soon!
Tim
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50,051 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2007 - 07 53
Hello again! *waves to all the locals*
I simply cannot believe that it's October already. But it wouldn't be autumn without random frantic novelling, so here I go again.
I live in Guelph, and while I didn't manage to make it to the KW kick-off or meetings last year, this year I have a car. Mwaha. So hopefully this time around I can actually meet some of you face to face.
Best of luck, all!
~JC
0 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2007 - 09 32
Hey kids,
Well, I might make it out to say hello to some of my Nano peeps but I won't be entering this year. In April I finally finished my 2004 Nano novel (woot!) and I'm hard at work editing that one, and I'm releasing my first non-fiction book in the first week of November as well (double woot!). So I won't really have space for a fresh attempt, either in my life or in my head.
But I'll be checking in when I can, to say hey to all you folks I've met in the last three years. Good luck to you all!
M@
50,583 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2007 - 09 43
Yes, it's me again. The one with the unusual name who is going to be doing NaNo for the fifth year. I was thinking of doing something different this year, but it doesn't seem to be working out. I have enough material to make a short story, or if I try hard enough, maybe a novelette, but 50,000 words? Only in my dreams.
So it looks like I'll be doing science fiction again... and my aliens are front and center again.
Good luck to everyone.
----------___________________
That's Tee kee' rahm
50,162 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2007 - 13 27
Hey Mattbin, Thekherham, and JC. Good to hear from all of you.
Too bad you won't be joining us Matt! Drop in on a meet-up or something if you can.
JC, hope to see you at the meetings!
Thekherham, if anyone can put out the 50K, it's you. You blew the rest of all away last year, not only in speed, but also in volume. What was your final word count last time around?
50,211 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2007 - 15 07
Hello!
I'm back for a third year and with luck will be able to get to some meet-ups. I'll be checking in for times and places anyway, in the hopes that the stars will align.
On another note, I think I've convinced my sister to try some Nano Madness this year. Heh! She's in Winnipeg though, so she won't be joining us but it'll be fun to have some competition.
Good luck all!
Siobhan
----------_________________
NaNoWriMo 2005: Into The Clouds (Winner!)
NaNoWriMo 2006: In Your Dreams (Winner!)
NaNoWriMo 2007: Final Fantasy
18,684 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2007 - 17 57
Well, I'm back again, and this year I'm hoping to actually finish the whole 50K for once.
Once again I'm doing fantasy -- actually I'm redoing an idea I planned for Nano 2005 but didn't end up writing. Urban fantasy with vampires, werewolves magic etc. Hopefully with a new plot I'll actually be able to write it this time.
50,583 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2007 - 06 00
You know what? The previous forum was closed about a week ago, and I can't remember the exact word count, but I think it was something like 77,000+ words.
----------I don't know if I'll get that many this year, but hopefully I'll have that 50,000+ again.
___________________
That's Tee kee' rahm
50,162 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2007 - 06 09
Buttercup! Hana Standish! Great to see both of you back again!
Buttercup, you and your sister need to encourage each other to get through the month. Make a side bet involving chores or something.
Hana Standish.... your novel plans are sounding a lot like one of my novel candidates.... it's about this tabloid reporter who finds out that some of the crazy stuff in the tabloid is real. But, we can talk about novel ideas in another thread or at the meet-ups.
It's great to see so many of the regulars back this year. I wonder if we can convince Rockinkitty and Audrey to join in this year.
4,811 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2007 - 17 38
Newbie*Newbie*Newbie*Newbie*Newbie*Newbie*Newbie*Newbie*Newbie*Newbie*Newbie*Newbie*
So I'm a newbie, both to NaNo and to the tri-cities (moved here at the end of April) but I'm up for what the group would like to do, like a meet-up before starting, some kind of coffee/hot beverage meet-up somewhere in-between...
Can't wait to get started!
0 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2007 - 19 45
Whee, Waterloo again. (Holy crap, it's my last year in university. I'm frightened, someone hold me)
I'll tryyyyy to get out to some of the meetings this year, I just usually end up forgetting about them with papers being due. ;)
50,162 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2007 - 05 40
femmusic, Riddle, welcome!
femmusic, always good to have new people. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, NaNo is hard, but certainly possible. I've done it five years in a row - this will be my sixth! Isn't that crazy? I can hardly believe it myself. I hope to meet you at the kick-off or one of the weekly meet-ups.
Riddle, welcome back! Papers get in the way of everything. I remember how that whole thing went. The good thing is, eventually, you don't have to write so many papers. Of course, by then you're usually a graduate.
We still haven't had any suggestions for kick-off times or places. C'mon people, feel free to throw out some suggestions.
50,109 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2007 - 08 40
Hi All, this is my first year out for nano even though I've been wanting to give it a go for many a year now. No idea how well I'll do, but you don't know if you don't try right?
I live in Guelph so I'll have an easier time making it out for meettings there then other places. Hope to make it out to at least a few.
10,035 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2007 - 19 37
Hey there~
Back for my second year. I only made it to around 20 000 words last year, but I'm hoping to go all the way this time. I'm pretty excited for it. I've managed to convince my friend to do it as well, so hopefully having her there will inspire me more.
Nice to see you guys again!
----------叶うなら誰か俺に生きる意味を教えて下さい -- 明日舞き幸福, 呼笑亡き明日
If it's possible, somebody please tell me my purpose to live. -- Asunaki Koufuku, Koenaki Asu
6,131 / 50,000
Oct 6, 2007 - 17 03
Hello again!
I was around a bit last year and I hope to be around a bit this year. Unfortunately I went out of town for University (Brantford, bleh) but I'm hoping to keep on eye on this thread and with luck I'll be home some time when stuff is going down so I can show up again.
I just hope I can do Nano and University at the same time. Its my fourth year for nano and I'd really like to win for once.
----------No Plot, No Characters, No Nothing yet- Its shaping up to be a good time round.
87,202 / 50,000
Oct 6, 2007 - 20 43
Hi everybody! My name's Jo, but you can call me merpy. :)
I'm doing my third year of Nano this November, but this is my first time in Waterloo. I was in Toronto for the last two years, while I was doing my undergrad at U of T. That's a big Nano group! But anyway, I'm at UW now, and I'm excited for trying Nano this year with the KW people. I don't really know any places in Kitchener or Waterloo yet, so I'm afraid I don't have any venue suggestions.
I write fantasy/sci fi, with this year's story definitively in the fantasy category. Witches and magic and all that. It should be a fun year.
I look forward to meeting you all!
----------"merp! merp!" --bunnyhero
2005: Eleanor's Story (unfinished) | 2006: The Alchemy Project (65K) | 2007: Normal as a Coconut
50,162 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2007 - 10 28
Well, the forum (and the NaNo site) has been having some problems. So, please excuse the lateness of my reply.
JH: Welcome! Always good to have new people joining us. I hope you can make it to the meet-ups.
MiyaTree: Welcome back. I hope you have as much fun this year as you did last year - or maybe even more?
ajswartzy: Too bad you aren't in the area anymore, but if you do get a chance to drop by our group meetings, please do.
merpy: The Toronto group is huge by comparison to pretty much everywhere else in Ontario. That's to be expected though, as a lot of the outlying places drop in on their meet-ups. I attended their kickoff two years ago, I think, and it was just packed.
And now, for the kick-off (since I don't know when this site might let me post again). I'm giong to make a suggestion of either the 27th or the 28th. In the early evening, say, 6:00PM. I'm also going to suggest we go with the Lion's Head Pub. It's a good place, and we can probably book the room again pretty easily.
Now, what I need from all of you is to tell me which day you can make (or let me know if you can't make either). Whichever date gets the most votes, is the day we'll go for. You can vote for both days if you like.
If you really can't make it out, but still want to do something, why not suggest an alternate time and place? Maybe we can arrange something that will work.
50,377 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2007 - 11 18
Hello everyone - I'm a newbie too - don't feel particularly prepared for this whole thing but it does feel great to try and enjoy writing!
I'm located in the grande ville of Paris, but signed up for this regional group because it gives me a solid excuse to get in visits to old friends in K-W. I would believe that regular participation in a regional group would help to finish, at least for me. Given the distance, though, I'll probably only make it out a couple of times. More south is better - Cambridge, Kitchener. Ayr ha ha. I can definitely scrounge up space in Paris but it's a bit of a hike!
The Lion's Head Pub - do you mean the Lion Brewery in the Huether Hotel? I am a big fan of that place and their brews. I am free either day, but would prefer Friday. I think early evening is a great idea although I might be a wee bit late coming - probably around 6:30. I'm looking forward to meeting you all.
Exciting!
duddy
50,377 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2007 - 15 55
oops - sorry - double post - must have gotten impatient
13,041 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2007 - 20 48
Awesome to see some participants from the KW area. I'm from Kitchener myself, and this'll be my first (hopefully not the last) year doing NaNoWriMo. I don't really know if I'll be able to join in on the meet-ups (last year of high school and all, so I'll be busy trying to write and keep up with school), but it'd be awesome to come meet up with fellow writers (does anyone else have a lot of trouble trying to meet local people who write?).
---------------
'Sorry' isn't an excuse when you do something stupid on purpose.
50,162 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2007 - 04 48
edud: Yes, that's exactly the place. It's got a good atmosphere. And showing up a little bit late is good too. Hope to see you there.
silamai: I think we all have some trouble getting together. But, if we try, it works out. I'll restate that the people who show up for the the meet-ups have historically done better in completing NaNo than those who don't.
50,051 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2007 - 05 02
I would probably prefer the 28th over the 27th, as I expect that if I attend any kind of Halloween party it will be on the Saturday night. I'm up for meeting at that pub, though; it sounds like a good place.
87,202 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2007 - 07 57
Hi Trafuse,
The location sounds good to me (I even know where that is!) and either date is fine with me. Will you be making a separate thread for events, or do all KW posts go in this same thread? Surely we're almost big enough to have our own board...
----------"merp! merp!" --bunnyhero
2005: Eleanor's Story (unfinished) | 2006: The Alchemy Project (65K) | 2007: Normal as a Coconut
50,094 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2007 - 08 45
Hello All,
I'm glad to see a good turnout already and even a few for Guelph. This will be my Fourth year doing this (I've won every year so far with my first year being my best performance). I'll be writing book three in my podcast novel trilogy. I'm currently working on book 2 and hope to finish it before the end of October. It could make for a big mess if I am not. At least I know how book two will end and where book 3 will start.
I would be interested in a Guelph meet up, but would also be willing to car pool to KW with anyone who is interested.
----------__________
Terry
Never Was
http://www.mcleanweb.ca/neverwas
50,051 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2007 - 09 04
tdm-- I think I met you last year, at one of our Guelph meet-ups. I'd definitely be interested in trying something like that again, it was fun to meet the other locals. ;) Good luck finishing book 2!
50,991 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2007 - 20 08
Hello! I'm a first-time NaNo-er from Cambridge, though I've known about it and wanted to participate for several years (but I was always writing papers for school)... myself and a friend are taking up the challenge and are currently in the process of thinking through and planning out our novels. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it out to events, but I'll give it my best shot. :) I already bought a t-shirt, so at the very least, everyone knows that I'm doing this and will (hopefully) keep me on task! Haha.
0 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2007 - 21 44
Hi,
This is my second year joining, and I am absolutly terrified! I wasn't able to finish my story last year, I ran out of steam half way through! I'm hoping to actually finish one, but right now I haven't even nailed down an idea. I've got about three running through my head right now!
I would love to get together with other nanowrimo participants, I think that might have been part of my problem I locked myself away trying to write with no distractions. I ended up isolating myself and my brain ran dry! I might not be able to get to any meetings outside of Kitchener/Waterloo though, no car:(
What about a meeting room in a Public Library or something? There would be lots of room, I don't know about drinks and food though!
Well talk to you later!
2,345 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2007 - 02 14
Hey!
This is my first time doing this, and I'm pumped! I've always wanted to write my own 'Great Canadian Novel', and this might just be the kick that I need to push me into that direction. I have no idea what I'm going to write about, so I guess I need to sit down and plan it out sometime- or just wait till Nov. 1st and write whatever slips into my head.
We shall see.
As for meetings, The Lion Brewery Restaurant at the Huether sounds a like a fine place (and they have the best Sweet Potato Fries ever- seriously). So yeah, I'd be up for going down there when we figure out all the logistical details- barring natural disasters, Halloween parties, and random journeys home.
xD
Take Care,
----------Uz.
"Let the world change you, and you can change the world."
20,123 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2007 - 10 50
Hi!
This is my second year doing nano, but I think this year I want to join in on the meet-ups. It depends where they will be since I have to ride my bike there, no car. :( Also depends on how my novel is going, because I'm trying to finish the 50k in 15 days. :)
Where exactly is the Lion's Head?
50,162 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2007 - 11 09
Almost, but not quite. We're a dispersed region, which is probably why we don't have a board of our own.
50,162 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2007 - 11 39
dark_phoenix: Great to see that you and your friend are doing this together. Having others to help push you along is always a good thing. Make sure they join the site too! If there's enough interest, I might be able to put some Cambridge area meet-ups on. Mondays are free nights for me, so I'll probably be down at the William's on Hespeler cranking out the words and eating cheesecake.
Chapterqueen: Meet-ups help so much! Joining in gives encouragement, especially during week #2 when everything seems so bleak. I hope you'll be able to come out. We've looked at Libraries and such before. They're good for small gatherings, but not really workable for a group of people talking and joking. I encourage you to post something in the Meet-up thread though. It's a good way to meet new people.
TheUz: Welcome, welcome! The Lion's Head isn't very central, but it's pretty well known. It seems like a good spot since it's on a bus route for the cities.
jolie007: Welcome back for a second year! The Lion's Head is near the corner of King and Princess in Waterloo. Under the Huether Hotel. It's pretty well known, so once you get in that area, you can just ask around. There's a website, which I will post in the meet-up thread.