Hey all!
I'm checking in to see who in all is in this awesome Elsewhere category! I'm thinking I'm a brand spankin' new ML this year and I'd like to get to know everybody, so why not start off with a simple forum meme, eh?
Will go with four questions, though obviously you don't have to share your location if you don't want to!
-Where are you located in Elsewhere, NJ?
Bright and glorious Monmouth County! Personally, I think NaNo is lacking a Jersey Shore region, so I'll be working on getting some meet ups and write-ins organized for the Shore this month!
-How many years have you done NaNo?
This is actually just my second year - I participated in 2005 and won with The Truth of the Night, and, much to my dismay (and much to the detriment of my writing output!) had to put NaNo on hold until I finished school. I've come back this year full force, signing up to be an ML and try to get some kickin' write-ins set up so this awesome NaNo community can stay strong in the Garden State!
-What's at the top of your reading list right now?
Actually, I've got two books (sorry if that's a cop out!). I picked up both Battle Royale (Koushun Takami) and Ecology, Community, and Lifestyle (Arne Naess). The former is about a futuristic hypercontrolling Japanese government that randomly selects junior high classes to kill each other off on an island, while the latter is about being able to create personal ecologically moral philosophies in a framework that allows differing opinions to come to compromise (though I might be a little off the mark on that - I AM only partly through it!)
-What are you looking forward to most this NaNo?
I'm really looking forward to getting on paper all these crazy ideas I've been having but haven't been able to solidify in any digestible, paper-worthy way! Lots of thoughts on life, infinity, cycles, and paradoxes, and I'm hoping to write a novel that manages to convey my love of metaphor as it relates to these concepts. Of course I say this now, 1 month away, sitting in the relative safety of October, haha, but hopefully this NaNo will produce at least a good springboard!
Also I'm super excited to get to know all of you guys out in Elsewhere with me - if you need anything at all, just pop me a message! The meet ups and write-ins should be pretty great!
So that's pretty much that - I look forward to hearing from you!
----------
-Frankiel-
0 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2008 - 11 23
Yup - the Shore is "Elsewhere". . .
I'm in Ocean County, and it's impossible to categorize exactly where we fit in - we're not North, South or Central Jersey - we're just sort of hanging out in space. . .
or maybe the ocean.
Anyway, looking forward to experiencing the process, as this is my first NaNo. . . pray for me, or what's more appropriate - pray for the state of Literature As We Know It. . .
0 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2008 - 18 27
I've got some write-ins planned in Ocean County (from the South Jersey region). These Jersey regions seem to be a bit of a mess, don't they?
0 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2008 - 06 55
Yeah - these NJ regions are CRAZY. I'll probably go haunt some other forums looking for misfits that might best fit in a Shore region!
-----------Frankiel-
0 / 50,000
Oct 17, 2008 - 12 01
Hi.
I'm from Bergen County NJ.. This my second NaNo. I'm working on my second novel and I'm hoping NaNo will give me the push I need to get at least half of the first draft done.
Nice to meet you!
Elizabeth
----------JunePhyllisBaker,Author No Regrets
It was the fifties a womens only decision was what shoes to wear on Sunday
0 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2008 - 06 35
Hi everyone!
I'm a first timer. And, I'm also in Monmouth County, GSP 105.
On Mondays and Wednesdays I travel Route 18 to teach at Rutgers-New Brunswick.
I'm up for helping to plan a launch party if anyone else is interested.
Holler!
Helen
0 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2008 - 06 39
Hey there! Good to see there's some more Monmouth/Ocean people in here! Where do we think we'd wanna set up a meet up or launch party?
-----------Frankiel-
0 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2008 - 07 08
Here are 3 party site possibilities for *our* launch with easy access right off GSP 105:
the Holiday Inn has a lounge (immediately south off exit);
There's also an Applebee's and a Redhead's (north on Hope Road from the exit, on either side of Hope; Applebee's is first and is about 500 yards on west side of road).
0 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2008 - 07 08
Here are 3 party site possibilities for *our* launch with easy access right off GSP 105:
the Holiday Inn has a lounge (immediately south off exit);
There's also an Applebee's and a Redhead's (north on Hope Road from the exit, on either side of Hope; Applebee's is first and is about 500 yards on west side of road).
0 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2008 - 07 11
In HS I used to hang around lincroft/red bank and the monmouth mall so I'm familiar with that applebee's and redheads... better for meetups than for write-ins, I suppose, but good ideas nonetheless!
-----------Frankiel-
0 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2008 - 17 34
I'm from Ocean County too, and this is my first NaNoWriMo!
I can never tell where we fit in, but being 5 minutes from a beach puts me in the ElseWhere category. Hi guys!
0 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2008 - 03 54
Welcome!
0 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2008 - 22 44
Exit 117, here.
0 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2008 - 03 56
Welcome Exit 117! There are also a couple of places to gather that are within easy access of this parkway exit, too. If our trick-or-treat duties conflict with Halloween (and Mischief Night) difficult, does anyone out there in Elsewhere New Jersey (who's near the Garden State Parkway) want to try a meet-and-greet on Saturday or Sunday?
0 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2008 - 14 58
-Where?
Monmouth County also!
(@ChuckTaylor/Frankiel: I totally went to high school with you.)
-How many?
This will be my first real attempt an NaNo, the last time was last year when I wrote a few hundred words.
-What'm I reading?
Anything Dick Francis and Terry Pratchett, this second, Monstrous Regiment. Gotta love old British authors.
-What'm I looking forward to?
Looking to establish something routine other than change in my life. I just moved halfway across the country, and am now moving back after a paltry three months in the Midwest. And even though I don't have any specific ideas, I've always wanted to write something, so why not now? Exchanging haikus with my boyfriend back East got me craving prose.
50,203 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2008 - 03 37
It's great to hear from the Monmouth/Ocean County people! I am a New Orleans transplant, now in Jackson, right on the Monmouth/Ocean border, about 15-20 minutes by car west from Belmar. It would be great to get together with anyone near. I am working on my second Nano, doing well so far, but could always use extra encouragement.
----------Kevin
50,005 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2008 - 04 40
Monmouth County also. GSP exit 109 or 117. I remember when the Monmouth County area used to be considered "Central" Jersey. I feel so displaced. ;)
This is my second year doing Nano. I did not finish last year, and am truly hoping to this year. Nice to see everyone else on here!
Michelle
50,203 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2008 - 02 43
This is my second year doing Nano. I did not finish last year, and am truly hoping to this year. Nice to see everyone else on here!
Keep on writing Michelle! You can make the 50K. An hour or two a night after my son went to sleep and a bit more on the weekends did it for me last year.
Kevin
----------Kevin
50,005 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2008 - 06 05
Kevin
Thanks for the encouragement Kevin!I have three children, two of whom are 2 years and 3 years. I tend to write in a notebook during the day if they are playing quietly. And then I can usually put in a good hour or so when they go down for naps. At nighttime I try to put in another hour or two.
Last year I kept trying to edit my writing as I was writing. This year I just decided to write. I created an outline and numbered how I wanted my plot to progress and I've been looking at that periodically as I write so I know I am staying within my self created lines. It's coming. I'm hopeful this year.
Michelle
50,203 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2008 - 19 30
I see that word count moving up Michelle...keep up the good work! I am coming off two days of no writing because work left me with no energy, but I plan to get some good time in this weekend.
----------Kevin
50,005 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2008 - 09 18
I see that your word count is coming along very nicely as well, Kevin!
I took off yesterday from writing as well. My grandmother went into the hospital and I couldn't seem to get moving, in regard to my imagination, well, besides worrying.
So I started again today. It's coming, today is a little slower than it's been, but, no big deal.
0 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2008 - 09 31
Hi, I'm on the Shore too, the Asbury Park area. "Elsewhere"?!?!
This is my first try and I am not entirely sure if I'm ready for this, but I figured what the heck?
Most of my writing lately has been on my blog, but it has gotten me excited about doing other things. I just wrote a story for my grandson that I am hoping to get published.
The enthusiasm here is contagious.
----------Marie
www.nourishourselves.blogspot.com
50,005 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2008 - 13 17
Good to see you Marie.
I'm sure you'll do great with your writing here!
Congratulations on the story for your grandson. I'm sure he loves it. My little ones always love when I write my own stories for them as well.
Michelle
16,008 / 50,000
Nov 15, 2008 - 17 24
My name is Anthony. I'm from Wall in Monmouth County, exit 98 off the GSP.
This is my first year of NaNoWriMo, but i'm afraid that I won't be completing it because college work is getting in the way of me actually writing. I'm not gonna give up though. I'll try to get as much done before the deadline. If I finish it, great, if not, oh well, at least it got me writing.
Umm... yea thats about it.
50,005 / 50,000
Nov 16, 2008 - 06 43
I'm reaching my "I can't think of what else to write about now" point. I made an outline of how I wanted my story to flow, and I've stuck with it. But I still need more filler. I'm reaching that semi-frustrated and worried stage.
It will pass.
50,203 / 50,000
Nov 16, 2008 - 11 36
Michelle:
At 30K you are on track to make it! Did you reach the end of what you had planned or did you get stuck somewhere along the way?
One thing that works for me sometimes is to "interview my characters." Get a magazine like People or one of the others that interviews celebrities. Ask the same questions to your characters. This usually fleshes them out to where you have a lot more to write about.
Best wishes on meeting your 50K goal.
Kevin
----------Kevin
50,005 / 50,000
Nov 17, 2008 - 07 46
Thanks Kevin, I really appreciate it.
After reading your suggestions I did something I hadn't planned on - I went back into the beginning of my story and added more to my main characters to give them more personality. I had originally wanted to not edit or add until I had submitted my story, but your message made me realize that I needed to to feel a bit more connected to my characters to get through these last 20,000 words. I've broken it down into how many words per day I need to finish. So. I'm going to try to not worry about hitting 50K and just worry about meeting my daily quota or hopefully, passing it. Oh, who am I kidding? I'll worry until I hit 49K and then I'll worry until I hit 50. But I think I can do it this year. I really really do, as long as I can keep going now.
Michelle
50,203 / 50,000
Nov 22, 2008 - 13 24
It looks like just you and me from Elsewhere, NJ going for the prize in the home stretch Michelle...let's get to 50K!
Kevin
----------Kevin
50,005 / 50,000
Nov 22, 2008 - 13 44
I'm trying Kevin. I'm trying. I see you're doing excellently! Way to go!
I'm also really hoping that everyone else who has posted in this thread just hasn't modified their word count yet!
Best of luck everyone!
Must go write some more!
Michelle
50,203 / 50,000
Nov 23, 2008 - 18 28
Made it! I had a great day on the computer today and cranked out a lot of words. There's no rest for the weary however. I have a presentation to finish for work on Tuesday and a deadline for an article in early December. Good luck to all other Elsewhere, NJ'ers!
Kevin
----------Kevin
50,005 / 50,000
Nov 24, 2008 - 06 22
Congratulations Kevin!!! I'm so happy for you!
Michelle