The Official Sydney Nanowrimo 2007 Write-in Thread

...sorry for being ignorant and stupid, but what exactly is a write-in?

Yeah... I've never done NaNo before, nor have I written something other than a university essay in a REALLY long time... >_<

You think that people here are concerned about lack of knowledge or inexpertise? This is NaNoWriMo, the site that encourages ordinary people to tackle the feat of writing a novel in a month.

A write-in - people come together, interact and write.

I feel like I should say more in an explanation, and I haven't actually ever been to one, but that seems about it to my mind. Feel free more experienced people to add other things.

And share their caffine addictions. And family-won't-let-me-write woes. And work-won't-let-me-write woes. And school-is-a-pain woes. And all in between.

I really want to go to a write in. Unfortunately, I am only 17 and am only *just* able convince my parents to let me go into the city for the KO party - a write in is out of the question. I'll have to try for it in 2013 when I come back from Wagga Wagga Uni.

*cries*

Noveling can feel like a very anti-social experience if you sit at home for a month pounding out 50K words. So, we do all we can to make it more social; the forums, and mIRC room, kick-off and TGIO parties, general meetings on the weekends during the month, and write-ins. During a write-in, Nano'ers come together and sit around writing together. They can share their ideas, ask for help/suggestions, catch up, get others to read some of their manuscript, eat, drink, and most of all, write! Also, we have word wars, which is 'who can write the most words in a given period.' Note: it helps to know where you are going with your story during word wars, but it's not totally essential.

Anyway, hope that helps. I'm expecting to hear from missy.y and killraven in this thread soon, and anyone else that wants to host a write in, contact me through nanomail. I'd love to hear from you.

Ray

Ahhh OK, thanks guys! That sounds like fun! I'm interested to hear about the ones in N.Sydney!

Indeed!
North Sydney Write In:

Each Thursday, 5-8pm

Stanton Library
234 Miller St
North Sydney

BYO Laptops ( I couldn't source any spares here sadly)
But I will have free coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and nibblies.
If you're bringing your dinner along it's totally fine to eat in the Library - just NOT hot food yeah.
Ph: 9936 8449 for more info beforehand. Or 9936 8400 on the nights.

Hurrah!
-Y

Sydney City Write-Ins (to be confirmed)

Dates (tentative)

• Sunday, 4 November
• Saturday, 10 November
• Sunday, 18 November
• Friday, 30 November

Place
Star Bar (formerly Planet Hollywood)
600 George Street, Sydney (across the road from the Greater Union cineplex)

Times (tentative)

• 4/10/18 November - 12:15pm-10pm
• Friday, 30 November - 12pm-midnight

Provided (to be confirmed)

• Reserved table(s)
• power outlets for laptop PCs

Bring

• Writing materials - pen/pencil and paper, and/or laptop PC
• Writing resources - dictionary, thesaurus

Overview
Since early this year, because I find writing at home too isolating, I have done most of my writing in restaurants after I eat lunch or dinner. One of my regular haunts is Star Bar, which used to be Planet Hollywood, because it has a nice atmosphere and pretty-good food at pretty-good prices (pub-style, with decent-sized servings).

A few weeks ago, a friend and I came up with an idea - why not have a few Nano write-ins at Star Bar throughout November?

In particular, there's a table in an alcove underneath the Mad Max car that can seat up to nine people, is close to the bar, and has five powerpoints. My friend and I have thought that table could be perfect for write-ins, especially if Star Bar lets us use the powerpoints.

As well, the kitchen at Star Bar is open from 12pm-10pm; Star Bar is close to Town Hall station; Saturdays and Sundays are mostly quiet there; and if anyone wants to take a break from writing, there's lots of other places to go visit while others can keep writing and watch other people's stuff.

Finally, 30 November is a Friday, and Star Bar is open until after midnight, so we could turn that last day into a real party event (I'm taking that day off of work). I've also been thinking that, say, one of us could go to a nearby internet cafe or whatever from 11pm and act as a last-minute uploader for those who finish during the last hour (then again, we have the wireless internet option, if anyone has that - I can investigate if wireless is do-able from Star Bar).

If you're interested in coming along, please let me know ASAP, and especially if you want to bring a laptop PC. As I said above, the Mad Max table seats 9, but if more than that come along I'll have to reserve more tables.

I should be able to make it to the one on the 10th, save me a seat ;)

Great idea for the 30th, Killraven. Prob is, would anyone not finished on the last day want to spend the time travelling to a writin if they need to get their wordcout finished? It's a tough question. I'd like to be there that day, just to see. I should be finished by then (surely!).

Thanks to miss.y and killraven for setting up these events. Remember if you want a write-in for your local area there is one sure fire way to get one: get off your butt, organise a space, times and other details, and email me about it!

Ray

Put me down as a definite maybe. I've marked the dates into the diary and will be there depending on how things are at work. I might also be able to bring a spare laptop for anyone who needs one.

Though this year I'm going to be doing what I call "ShadoWriMo": not gonna worry about making 50K, not gonna worry about sticking to the NaNoWriMo rules (eg by continuing a WIP), but use the energy of the month to get some sort of writing done.

Are there enough people in the west to warrant a write in out this way?

Anyone in Parramatta, Merrylands, Liverpool, Blacktown etc who doesn't want to travel all the way to the city or Macquarie?

See if there is i would like to see if we could just get together at Borders in Parra or something of the like... Acces to hot drinks, lots of shops nearby that we can go get dinner and stuff... There are also LOTS of coffee shops there... We could also maybe talk to the Infinitas bookshop, as they have a fantasy writing group one sunday a month... So surely they wouldn't mind some of us on another night of the week of that one month... But i don't want to look into organizing it if i am the only one out this way who is able to/interested in doing a write in...

Let me know!

Figgy.

That's a no?

Hi AussieFigment,

I used to live in Campbelltown (moved out of my parents place into a shared house in Marrickville) and found it hard to get to stuff because of that.

I think it's a really good idea and I used to work in Parramatta so know Borders Parramatta would be a great place to do a write-in and the guys at Infinitas are nice enough so wouldn't be surprised if they'd let you guys to do it there.

Good luck with organising it; Even though I won't be part of it, I always like to know things like this aren't only kept to the Inner City.

Hey Figgy,

well that's a 'no one out your way has read this post - yet.'

It often happens like this, give it a few days. People are still escaping real life back to Nanoland.

I'll drop an email out to everyone with some news shortly, and will include your offer, to see if we can get some interest.

And thank you for being willing to do this. I greatly appreciate it.

Ray

I'd be interested in coming along, and I'd bring a laptop with me if I did.

By the 30th, I'll be back in Australia, hopefully with my 50,000 words already written.

Sel.

I probably won't be able to make any of the Macquarie write-ins this year. I return from Europe on the 28th November and will doubtless be extremely jet-lagged and only wishing to sleep.

But thanks for organising them and good luck to you all!

Count me in for the Sunday 4th at the very least. I don't know my schedule far enough in advance to commit to anything else just at this moment though sorry.

A question, for the star bar, it would be lovely, but is there an age restriction? Do you have to be over 18 to go in there?

Coff,

I don't think there is - I eat there frequently, and I often see families with kids there.

I can confirm for you, though.

Killraven

I love the idea of a western Sydney write-in, with only one problem....

I work at Dymocks in Parramatta. If we go with the Borders idea I'd feel horrendously guilty spending the whole day in a competitor's store, especially when they're our biggest competitor. And, more unfortunately, work doesn't have the same facilities Borders does, and is packed to the rafters in November, anyway, so I can't even organise something there.

If anyone's organising anything elsewhere in the west, please let me know. Anyone know a coffeeshop owner in the area who'd let us crash?

Hah! I was going to start a Macquarie uni Nano group except that exams are in November ><

Oh, don't feel guilty it's not your shop. You just work there. I work for Mission Australia and shop at the Salvos all the time ;)

Though, I would say Borders will be packed as it usually is.

P.S. if you can me a job at Dymocks, you'll be my best friend in the world. Really sick of my job at the moment and would love to work in a bookstore.

I'm in the Liverpool area. I'm a bit of a lazy bugger (with no license!) so Parramatta sounds like a good idea but I doubt I'd actually go. If anyone wants to do it at Liverpool Library I'm game, haha.

Could I put my name down for the 4th? Fortunately I'll have that weekend off, and had planned on a day or two in Sydney anyway. Only get two days off every 19 anyway, so it'll probably be the only write in I can manage, so I want to make the most of it. ^_^

I live in-between Parramatta and Liverpool, so Parramatta write-ins are fine for me, but I'd still need to know what times and days before I can confirm that without a shadow of a doubt.

I live in Greystanes. Can't say I'm a definite but I'd probably be interested.

Oh, and just a question to the Dymocks staff member, do you know if you guys are hiring casuals?

I saw that Dymocks and EB Games were both hiring a couple of weeks ago but I didn't end up going for either. Admittedly I've asked at Borders before though and they said you need at least 20hrs availability per week so that wasn't an option....

So they're hiring?

Hey Nyss,

if you look up at the top post, you'll find that your ML has already got a Mac Uni Nano Group going, seeing at that's where I work! ;-)

Drop into the Biological Sciences Department Tea Room E8A-290 on Wednesday nights from 6-9pm for write-ins.

Ray

Hangon... I have NO job whatsoever at the moment... So i should get it! :P

Coffee shops would probably allow us, because we would be likely to buy stuff! I will call around tomorrow...

What times and days are good for the people out this way?

Milady, would you feel bad about going to a write in at a small Speculative Fiction bookshop, namely Infinitas?

There will be three Star Bar Write-Ins with the following dates and times:
* Saturday, 3 November, 12:15pm-6pm
* Sunday, 11 November, 12:15pm-6pm
* Saturday, 17 November, 12:15pm-6pm

As well as getting a big 9-seat table in its own alcove, there will also be 5 powerpoints availabe for those using laptop PCs.

IMPORTANT!
Minors (persons under the age of 18) are allowed at Star Bar, but:
* they must be accompanied by a guardian at all times
* they must be out of the venue by 10pm
* absolutely no alcohol can be served to them

For more information:
* see the entries for the above dates in the Event Calendar
* NaNoMail me (Killraven)