Welcome back to the forums!
A number of "new to us" wrimos had come out of the proverbial woodwork... We'd like to repeat a warm welcome to Dory [balistik] and Jason [jYO] (check out his website detailing the journey of writing his first book: http://www.writingventure.com)! Greetings to Amanda [AmayaNyx], who is a returning wrimo new to the Everett area. We are all pleased to hear that Sharon [queenie16] and kellyjene are hoping to be more visible at the write-ins this year, and of course and giant "welcome back" to Kat, Mark [pirho] and Leonard [LeonardStephen] as well.
I know that there are more of you out there, cuz some of you are coming to the kick-off party (details further down), so welcome to all the folks who just hadn't posted before the forums were wiped. Actually, I just checked... there are 68 of us!
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THE NEWS:
We're getting a new calendar! A link to the calendar will (hopefully) soon be added to this regional forum...we'll make sure you know when it happens.
Some (a lot) of us could benefit from more knowledge of the calendar. At this time, the only person who will be able to post to the calendar is Claire [BFootNovellista], and it will probably stay that way. This is only to avoid confusion... anyone can arrange a write-in! Just nanomail the details to Claire and she'll add it to the calendar. There will be some differences between write-ins cuz we're all very different people. Being the designated-dork [xenachick], there will be the 1000 word prize bin and plot ninjas at every write-in I attend (which will be all the ones I host, but probably more). There might be W-R-I-M-O cards at the kick-off. I'll put up a separate post describing these.
Speaking of the kick-off party, here's the link to the evite:
Link to Kick-Off Invitation
You should all be able to see the invite. Claire points out that because we don't have all of your emails, we can't invite you on the invite itself UNTIIIIIIL you reply to this email and tell us to add you! So! Please do :) She'll take care of it immediately, and you'll get a nifty Evite request to your inbox.
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THE GOSSIP:
When last we saw our intrepid authors…..
jingly noises & wavy vision aka flashback
Kat was greatly in need of a plot, when Claire inspirationally suggested the following approach:
1. Buy the paper.
2. Read the paper.
3. Choose three unrelated (but odd or intriguing) articles and cut them out.
4. Read the articles thoroughly.
5. Begin plotting a story about how a character is involved in all three events, and why. The more wacky or weird, the more interesting, the more likely it is to hold your attention :)
Heidi [xenachick] advocated for the "why are my characters doing *that*?" approach to plot development.
One way or another, Kat came up with something "amazing", "grand" and "epic"…. Which she still hasn't shared with us (hint, hint).
Kat eased the new wrimos into the reality that we're all "crazy" and/or off our meds. She also pointed out that we have a lot of fun at write-ins.
Claire had moved, but confessed that we Everettonian-ite-isms-ers are all sooooo cool and wonderful and awesome that she refuses to NaNoWriMo with her neighbor Seattlites….. thus remaining one of our overly energetic Co-MLs. She also claimed to be only "a LEETLE crazy".
Heidi, true to form, used *way* too many words (good NaNoWriMo form) to basically say that she agreed with *everyone*, was in need of a meds refill, and had a great plot idea (which has since evaporated).
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Carry on, then. More to come!
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-Everything turns out right in the end, so if it's not right.... it's not the end.
7,581 / 50,000
Oct 6, 2008 - 14 24
Hello! I just wanted to introduce myself.
I wrote (and won) in 2006, and wrote again in 2007. Our family is new to Everett- we were in California the past 8 years.
I'm not sure if I'll make it to any write ins this year, although I hope to make it to at least a few. I have a non-separating infant. Should make nano extra interesting!
Thanks for the ideas and inspiration,
----------Laura
--
Blah. I have no plan. I have no story. I have a list of crap to write about and that's it. Maybe I'll string it together by the end of the month. We'll see.
Laura, mama of four needy children and irritating little dog.
55,841 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2008 - 12 33
Welcome aboard, Laura :) We're always glad to have returning writers. Heidi and I are your Co-MLs and we're both a little nutso, but I promise we don't bite.
As to the rest of them....well, be careful, they have sharp teeth.
ALSO HEIDI -
Another really good plot brainstorming thingy is to grab someone who knows you really really well and say, "I want to write something, but I don't know what. I'm thinking maybe a (insert genre here) novel for Nano. I just...can't come up with anything that hasn't already been done."
The other person will likely go, "Hmmm... how about a (whatever)? You like writing about (blah)."
And from there, the dual-brainstorming session begins. My sister and I did this last week and OMG I have the BESTEST novel idea evuh (maybe even trumping Kat's! Who knows?)
----------c[_] Claire :)
Your slightly insane Co-ML
0 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2008 - 04 03
Introducing myself, since I'm new to the area. I'm Vanessa, mostly called Captain by everyone. I just moved up here in September and I don't know many people. Hoping to finally finishing this year, unlike the threes I participated. I'd like whatever help I can get and meeting people would be cool as well. I have sharp teeth too, so the biting could be mutual.
0 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2008 - 11 48
Just saying hello, I am new to the group, but not to being a wrimo by any stretch. I should have joined up last year but last year was one of the only years I failed at finishing, so I didn't do well in general with it. However I don't intend to repeat that again! :-)
I am sad I won't be able to make the kick-off party; I'm a season ticket holder to the Silvertips and there's a game that night, plus I'm taking a friend of mine's 8 year old to said game so she can participate in trick-or-treating with the players after the game. But I will be looking forward to write-ins as they happen and I can make them!
I'm glad to see there's a good group here. I look forward to getting to know people as the insanity ensues.
~Brynna
22,754 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2008 - 11 32
Hi, all. I'm back for another year of literary mayhem. I won't be able to attend the kick-off but hope to make some of the write-ins. I enjoyed meeting everyone last year and look forward to meeting the new folk. It's been a crazy year (I left a certain infamous bank prior to its utter meltdown... and hired on to a new cool company), and I'm grateful for the chance to get involved in some controlled craziness. Take care. T-minus 16 days and counting... Sheesh! Didn't I just leave this party?
33,440 / 50,000
Oct 18, 2008 - 10 09
Vanessa and Brynna, welcome aboard! It should be a fun year. Yay Steve!
Vanessa/Captain, I think you'll find the write-ins to be immensely helpful. Ask me about the lobster chestnut bisque sometime. ;-)
Brynna, good call. IMHO, 8-year-olds definitely trump kick-off. Have fun at the game, we look forward to meeting you later.
Hey, Steve! Dude, it was great to meet you last year.... lets try the same thing a little sooner this year, eh? ;-) Seriously, tho, we look forward to seeing more of you. I'm sure it'll be mutually beneficial. Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but you're the guy with the pod-cast, no?
Cheers, all!
----------Heidi
-Everything turns out right in the end, so if it's not right.... it's not the end.
22,754 / 50,000
Oct 18, 2008 - 21 15
Yep, that was me... The podcast that went no where, but, hey, sometimes it's okay to be involved in hopeless escapades. There's always something to learn even in the midst of disaster.
You are all an incredible group of loonies, which is exactly where i like to be.
I encourage everyone to make at least one write-in to find out just who ends up doing NaNoWriMo. You'll find that you're not as alone as you think.
52,767 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2008 - 20 42
Hi,
I'm new to the official nanowrimo as well. I did it on my own two years ago in March and am still revising the novel which has doubled in length. Hope to make it to some on the write-ins, but can't make it to the kick-off party as my 5 year old has other plans.
Linda
33,440 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2008 - 23 34
Welcome, Linda!
We look forward to meeting you at the write-ins. I'd say something quirky, but dang, I'm tired. sorry. :-P
Heidi
-----------Everything turns out right in the end, so if it's not right.... it's not the end.