United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Winners from Minnesota::Rochester

improg — Mon, 1 Dec 2008 13:11:43 -0800

1337Larry
Andywritingfiction
annasprey
bellawriter
CallipygianKing
DeanJohnson
Diane K Chisholm
Dracia
ericavetsch
horse_chic11
improg
JeremyAtHome
live.laugh.love.
live_your_life_09
Lyss_K
Mari432
Meteoricshipyards
MsDarkstar
NeverEndingNights
paperbulletspress
progeny4
redoctober91
Robyn Mulder
rock_and_soul
satachan
ssheire
SueSuzanne
wonkypenguin
WordSlave
xcskichick
ZipMaster

31 Winners who belong to the Rochester group. I don't know how many of those have Rochester set as their home region though.

Congratulations everyone. And for those who didn't quite make 50,000 words, you still did more words than you would have written if you'd have gone the whole sleep, soap, and speaking in complete sentences route.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Thank God It's Over (TGIO) Party

improg — Mon, 1 Dec 2008 09:56:34 -0800

What: NaNoWriMo 2008 TGIO Party

Where: Buffalo Wild Wings (map)

Date: Saturday, December 6, 2008

Time: 2:30pm until 4:30pm

Attention Novelists. Yep, that's what we get to call ourselves now. We have a bit more work before we get to add "best-selling" before the title, but right now we have bigger issues to concern ourselves with -- like how many different types of cranberry dishes there will be at Aunt Gertrude's annual holiday party.

So before we dive into whatever it is normal people do after the Thanksgiving Day break, lets meet up and pretend we're as cool as we think we are one last time. Yep! I'm talking about the TGIO (Thank God It's Over) party.

Come on out this coming Saturday (December 6) at 2:00 to Buffalo Wild Wings in the Walmart North shopping center. There will be free air for everyone and laminated sheets of colored paper called menus for those of you who didn't blow your entire life savings on mocha lattes and potato chips last month.

Hope to see you there! :-)
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

End of the Show party

JeremyAtHome — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:10:28 -0800

Is it too early to start planning for the party to celebrate the end of November?
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Getting close...

JeremyAtHome — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:35:58 -0800

Man, I'm just about there! This is the worst part, for me. I'm so close that I can taste it, but not close enough to relax!!!!

improg, I keep thinking I'm going to catch and pass you, but you keep adding words! Thank you! you're helping to drive me forward...

Jeremy.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Vocabulary

DeanJohnson — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:16:47 -0800

At the end of the month, it might be fun to have every run their literary masterpieces through a counter that figures out the number of unique words that were used. Does anybody know of some web-based tool that would be up to the task? I know some people barrel ahead repetitively with "he said"'s, in the name of efficiency, but I have very specifically opted to be non-repetitive where I can. I've had to rely not only on vocabulary, but also structural tricks to keep this up.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Countdown

SueSuzanne — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:36:46 -0800

Ok, let's go like blazes and finish this thing! Congrats to those who already have. I'm hoping to go to Carribou tomorrow and strive toward the finish line with those of us who haven't yet crossed it but are getting close. I figure once I hit 40K, the last 10K will be a breeze.
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Suzanne
Writing since I was 5

United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

I have a DAREing Proposal

improg — Fri, 3 Oct 2008 09:03:43 -0700

Hey everyone. Does anyone here like the TV program Psych? It's a detective show with a bit of a twist. The main character is an unusually observant individual who falsely claims to be psychic. It isn't large on realism, but it does have a playful charm and sharp sense of humor.

One of the show's playful affectations is every episode (with one distinct exception) has a pineapple written somewhere into the script. It may be a pineapple danish, a pineapple upside down cake, or as in the case of the pilot, a whole pineapple. It has become a game for regular viewers to find the pineapple in each episode.

In keeping with that example, I would like to propose that the Rochester, Minnesota group choose one item or concept that all of us have to incorporate into our novels. It could be something simple, like the pineapple idea above, or something a bit more complex like we all have to have a hobo who wins the lottery but donates his entire winnings to a favorite charity or something.

The point is that we all have to work on a common thread at some point in the month. As we finish, we can post excerpts of the part of our story that deals with our chosen prompt here.

Is everybody game? If so, let's get some suggestions as to what our common dare should be and take a vote.

Here's my suggestion:

Since we're from Med City, we have to include a character who lives in a decomissioned ambulance.

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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Time Zone Settings

improg — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:43:12 -0800

OK everyone, the word count validator is up and running. We all have until 11:59 and 59 seconds PM on November 30th to get our 50,000 words validated. For that to work properly, though, you need to have your time zone setting in your account set properly.

To do that, click on the My NaNoWriMo tab above and then click on the User Settings link off to the left. Around the bottom of that page, under the Locale Setting heading, is a Time Zone drop down box. Make sure it's set properly for wherever you're typing from and then click on the Submit button if you made any changes.

Good luck everyone. Victory is in sight. :-)
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Tonight!

xcskichick — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:25:47 -0800

Just letting everyone know I'm at the 2nd St SW Caribou writing tonight until they close (probably... I have a lot of catching up to do!) if anyone wants to stop by. I haven't been to any of the write-ins so far, but it'd still be nice to meet some fellow writers!
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

The Write-In that's Right On

improg — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:03:02 -0800

Attention Rochester WriMos. We'll be having a special guest for our write-in on November 29th at the Caribou across from St. Mary's Hospital on 2nd Street SW. Susan Schuyler, writing for the Post Bulletin, will be on hand to interview anyone and everyone who wants to talk about their NaNo novel or their NaNo experience. Come on down and be part of the excitement. You might even get to see your shining mug featured in the newspaper.

What: Newspaper Reporter at Write-In

Where: Caribou Coffee across from St. Mary's Hospital.

When: Saturday, November 29, 2008

What Time: 2:00pm to 4:00pm
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

A Message from Management

improg — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:37:10 -0800

Hello Rochester NaNoWriMo participants. The Office of LIght and Letters, the organization behind NaNoWriMo and its little brother, Script Frenzy wanted me to remind you that National Novel Writing Month is an event supported by voluntary donations. I hope everyone who is able can donate five, ten, or more dollars. Remember, you get a halo on your account, and all sorts of goodies, depending on how much you donate. :-)

So without further ado, here's the letter from headquarters:

Quote:

It’s NaNoWriMo’s tenth year! From Adelaide to the Yukon Territories over 115,000 adults and 21,000 kids and teens are taking up the challenge of writing a novel in November.

NaNoWriMo and the Young Writers Program are possible because of the energy and optimism of a tiny staff at the Office of Letters and Light and an army of volunteers. Because the Office is a nonprofit, your tax-deductible donations are essential. It takes a lot of money to keep servers humming, websites up and running, forums moderated, pep talks flowing, the office functioning, and the coffeepot perking. NaNoWriMo is free to everyone, but it has lasted this long because people like you donate to the cause.

There are many ways to give something back to the organization that gives so much to you, and many of them take no money at all. You can:
* Donate directly by credit card, PayPal, or check
* Purchase some fine and stylish merchandise from the store
* If you are monetarily challenged, set GoodSearch as your search engine, and Yahoo will donate a penny for every search
* Set up a sponsorship page at Firstgiving.com and invite your friends and family to donate on your behalf
* Or, see this page for more ideas on donating when you are broke

Please donate today to keep NaNoWriMo alive and strong!

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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Late Night Write-in

improg — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:56:57 -0800

DeanJohnson mentioned in the Write-In thread how he is most productive with his writing late at night and how it would be cool to have a late night write-in at Perkins or somewhere.

I think it's an awesome idea and would love to know what weekend night would work good for people.

Friday the 21st, Saturday the 22nd, Friday the 28th, or Saturday the 29th.

We had a late night write-in the first year I participated, in 2004, and it was loads of fun.

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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Write-Ins?

JeremyAtHome — Wed, 5 Nov 2008 10:27:51 -0800

Do we have any write-ins scheduled? If so, when and where?
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

only after a long day of work

dabrownofmn — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:29:01 -0800

"So what exactly do you do with spriggan's blood?" asked Gavin nonchalantly. Brinna looked at him crudely. Ingrid smiled to herself. Fergus did not show any emotion, only looked at Gavin calmly. Fergus aloofly straightened a stack of papers before answering.

"I need it for an experiment I am conducting for my own personal scholastic interests."

"An experiment? Sounds intriguing. Something to benefit people?"

"If you must know," said Fergus arrogantly, while putting a quill back in its place in the inkwell, "I am testing the hypothesis that white fluffy bunnies float in spriggan blood, whereas brown fluffy bunnies do not. I also intend to determine the bouyancy and displacement mass of said white fluffy bunnies." The narrator must intercede at this crucial moment, and admit that he really has no idea what Fergus is doing with spriggan blood, except testing a spell in the infamous black tome. Sorry, back to the story now.

*maybe I'll stick with the title "Fluffy Bunny Chronicles" after all :X
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Karaoke writing break?

JeremyAtHome — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:55:52 -0800

Well, I'm done for the weekend. I'll be trying to sing karaoke down at the Viking Lounge tonight (get there about 11:30p) in case anyone needs a break from writing or a new venue for writing...I hear rum is excellent and dissolving writing blocks...

Jeremy.
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

How much dialogue

SueSuzanne — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:26:00 -0800

Wondering how much all of your characters are talking. And are they talking just a line at a time or are they talking more in-depth to express themselves.

As for me, I have lots of dialogue and most of it is one-liner talk -- and once I get done with NANO, I'll need to go back and have each one talk more in a unique voice. Right now, they sound like they all talk in the same style and manner.

Hope today's write-in was fun. I wrote in my living room pretty much all day long.
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Suzanne
Writing since I was 5

United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Meandering

SueSuzanne — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:20:28 -0800

I'm feeling a little tired of my characters. I've heard that if you are bored with what you are writing, your readers will be, too. Not sure I'll have readers of this novel, but I'm wondering what any of you have done when you feel dullness creeping in. Don't get me wrong, I still LIKE my characters, they intrigue me and I want to see what they decide to do next. and where and how the plot continues to manifest itself. Maybe it's just fatigue, trying to write so much so quickly and I just need to get some sleep.
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Suzanne
Writing since I was 5

United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Progress?

SueSuzanne — Sat, 1 Nov 2008 19:51:07 -0700

Hey everybody. The site seems slow and keeps closing down on me, must mean there's a lot of activity. Hope the enthusiasm keeps up and hope the site gets quicker responsivness. Wondering how much writing got done since midnight by all of you? I've got about 1,500 words in today -- I don't know if they are words that I'll keep, but it feels good to have that kind of momentum. I'm not going to edit myself, instead will just keep ploughing forward. Also wondering if any of you work at Mayo and would want to meet at Harwick for lunch sometime?
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Suzanne
Writing since I was 5

United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Books

SueSuzanne — Sun, 9 Nov 2008 10:58:51 -0800

Wondering what some of your favorite writing books are. My all time fave is Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott. Also any that you would stay away from?
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Suzanne
Writing since I was 5

United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Naming Technology and Other Quirks

Hilton — Fri, 7 Nov 2008 18:01:50 -0800

I was writing in the back-up thread, and I was wondering if anyone had any quirks or strange habits that they wanted to admit to. For me, and I haven't met many people who do this, but I name my possesions. Not all of them but the ones I use everyday. My lap-top is Nicholai. My cell-phone is Nathanial. My three USB's are Remington, Celeste, and Delita. My once devoted care was Levine (Levi for short) the Seventh. I guess even though I grew out of stuff animals and toys (well, mostly :P) I never quite grew out of the naming stage. Quirky, I know I am, but how about you? :P

Night!
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"Cross a perfectionist with indecisiveness and you get a person still stuck in the bottomless pit and thinking, 'Is this the best and only way to get out of here?', which is the one of many ways to describe me but not the best, I don't think."

United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Seasons

SueSuzanne — Sun, 9 Nov 2008 07:45:21 -0800

Wondering how much the time of year is playing into everyone's novels. I often use it to help show progression of time and some for setting mood. Do you ever want to change the season to fit with what is happening in your story?
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Suzanne
Writing since I was 5

United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Non-Linear Writing

ssheire — Sat, 8 Nov 2008 14:19:13 -0800

Anyone else having a problem with writing from beginning to end? I'm finding myself being able to picture certain scenes, only way out of order. Now that my document is pushing 25 pages, its getting harder and harder to figure out where the scene I'm picturing belongs. That, and its like I can see everything that happens throughout my novel in my head at once - I know there's an order to it, but its kind of crazy to be able to see it all. Am I the only crazy one out there?
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United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Lull between scenes

SueSuzanne — Tue, 4 Nov 2008 19:02:10 -0800

Have any of you experienced this -- when you have written a great scene and then feel like your next scene is slow and boring because it doesn't have action like the previous scene did? I keep thinking that having too much action close together seems like a soap opera and that's not good.
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Suzanne
Writing since I was 5

United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Homages

1337Larry — Sat, 8 Nov 2008 00:42:30 -0800

This is gonna sound weird, but [fanfic writers excluded] have you ever unintentionally or intentionally thrown in a a movie or book reference into your books?

Me, since I'm writing an action novel, threw in a Dirty Harry reference. It is in my excerpt.

**BE WARNED: Some material may be considered inappropriate for those ages 17 or under**

That's just a consideration, as I'm writing it, and am, myself, under the age of 17.
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~ Don't be stupid, guns don't kill people, people don't kill people, bullets kill people.

United States :: Minnesota :: Rochester

Backups backups backups!

DeanJohnson — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:39:29 -0700

Now is the time to think about your backup strategy for the month. It'd really suck if you lost a bunch of writing due to not backing it up properly. As a Mac user (w/leopard), I am quite enamored of TimeMachine for its utter simplicity. It pretty much takes me out of the equation. It's already saved my bacon once this year. I'm setting it up on Nick's mac tonite.

Anybody have input for PC users?
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