Hello, fellos DFWrimos!
October is finally here!!! We can start planning our novels and our events with frenzied abandon!
Synthetic_Jesso is in negotiations with The Coffee Haus to let us have the Night of Writing Dangerously all-night write-a-thon there, in the Arlington area. Those of you in far-flung remote locations might want to think about planning your own all-nighter, but hopefully Arlington will be central enough for most of us to have one huge get-together.
We need to plan the Kick-Off Party; the way I envisioned this, to spread out the driving, we'd have the Kick-Off in Fort Worth and the TGIO in Dallas, or vice versa. Does that still sound good to everyone? (That way, no matter where you are - unless you are in those far-flung remote locations - everyone get to have at least one event "close to home.")
Should be flip a coin to see if we're in FW or Dallas first?
Give me locations! Last year we met at the Ol' South Pancake House in FW (however, I believe we were not entirely impressed with the service... several members expressed dissatisfaction with that choice) and Two Rows in Dallas (I believe we did not have any issues with that establishment). Usually we try to meet somewhere where there is food, but it doesn't have to be a restaurant - a coffee shop will do!
Also, do we want to have the Kick-Off on Thursday, Oct. 30th or Friday, Oct. 31st? Should we do it the first weekend of November (Sat the 1st or Sun the 2nd), even though that would cut into our precious writing time? Or do you want to meet the last weekend in October (Sat the 25 or Sun the 26)?
Please give me your input!
Thanks!
:) Criss.
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Criss, la Reina
DFW co-ML
www.crisswrites.com
http://crisswrites.blogspot.com
50,173 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 08 22
If we do it either of those days, I won't be able to make it. I could come November 1st in the evening, but Thursday and Friday will be consumed with WILD CRAZY HALLOWEEN PARTYING. WHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I have no suggestions for locations. We did Crystal's one year and that was kind of fun, actually, except I think they took their sweet time getting back to us. They did have a big enough room to accommodate everyone, though!
How did the whole splitting up Dallas and Ft. Worth go last year?
50,576 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 09 07
I kind of liked the splitting up thing, because no one complained and if anyone REALLY wanted to go to both they could, but I would drive out to Dallas if necessary - I think I know enough people now that I could find a few people to tag along with me! I really don't care which is first which is second.
If we did Thursday I could come, but halloween is reserved for my kids, period, no regrets ;) Saturday or Sunday would be fine too, a break from writing in the afternoon ?!? We could share first sentences, that might be fun. I don't think we've done the kick-off *after* november already started.
Are you doing the ML thing? Yay!
aisling
65,479 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 09 22
I would love to have the kickoff be a big halloween party.
No suggestions for a specific location, but it would be awesome if it could be a place that will let us stay until around one or two in the morning, so we can kick off NaNo and all start writing together.
53,193 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 10 23
I wouldn't mind joining anything in FW, I'm quite excited to see other people doing this as well! I figured if either party was going to be in Dallas (I'm not up to driving that far since I've got to watch the gas money) - I'd just go to a bar (Flying Saucer -woot! Wi-Fi - even better) and drink and write...and write and drink, lol
So if anyone likes good beer and free wi-fi - I'll most likely be at the Saucer!
52,635 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 15 43
I'd prefer the Kick-Off being on a Sat or a Sun, though Sunday is best for my mom and I.
Holli
63,105 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2008 - 07 46
Can't on a weekday, weekends work far better...
50,264 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2008 - 09 42
Criss, just a heads up. Two Rows on Greenville in Dallas is closed down, has been since this summer sometime. Spider and I were out that way in July and August for book signings and it was completely shut down.
Also, while we are on the subject, The Coffeebeanery in Colleyville is also shut down, so there won't be any getting together there either.
50,200 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2008 - 14 11
!!! Small places need to stop closing down! Pretty soon we're going to be stuck with nothing but Starbucks' everywhere!
24,915 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2008 - 00 44
The lack of a laptop will prevent me from going to any Kick-Offs or writing nights, but I will definitely plan on going to a "OMG IT'S FINALLY OVER" shindig!
66,371 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2008 - 09 22
The Half Price bookstore in Dallas (the flagship store on Northwest) has a meeting room in the back that they offered up to us last year during NaNo. That might be a consideration for the kickoff and/or TGIO. They could probably be convinced to allow us to bring snacks (everyone could share their favorite NaNo snacks), they have a coffee shop in the store, a Starbucks right across the street, and they keep pretty late hours on the weekends.
Just a suggestion :)
edit: I'm unavailable for Halloween, too. And I can't do a bar because my 10 year old has joined NaNo this year and wants to come to the event as well.
56,270 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2008 - 12 46
Cat,
There is generally no writing at the Kick-Off, it's more of a before-the-madness meet-and-greet. Please come!!!
:) Criss.
56,270 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2008 - 12 54
I like the Half-Price Boks idea - very fitting for a bunch of novelists! I'll try to get in touch with them this week. We'll have the Kick-Off in Dallas, and we'll look for a happenin' place for the TGIO in Ft. Worth.
As to the date, it looks like we're looking at a weekend - Saturday? Sunday?
Also, please let me know your preference between the last weekend in October (25/26) or the 1st/2nd of November.
Thanks!
:) Criss.
50,002 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2008 - 14 46
Yay, the HPB in Dallas is one of my fave places in the world...that back room would be perfect for the Kick-Off! :-)
I would prefer the 1st/2nd instead of the 25th/26th...I have a big work project that gets wrapped up on 10/31 (whew!!) that will probably be occupying a lot of my time right up to NaNo. I want to make sure to get it out of the way so I have all the time possible to write! :-)
66,371 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2008 - 15 53
1st or 2nd for me too :)
I like the idea someone mentioned about letting everyone read their beginning. Assuming they'll be some weirdos like me planning on starting at 12:01 am on Saturday we'd be able to exchange our first 1,667 (or whatever we get). It would be a nice way to meet each other and find stories that we really want to keep up with during the month.
50,264 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2008 - 16 46
*Shocked* Why, whatever for do you mean? I had no idea people started right at midnight at the earliest possible moment!?!
*grin* I'm guilty of that last year too. I finished off day one with something around 2500 words. Hoping for more then that this time.
Indecision May Or May Not Be My Problem.
50,200 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2008 - 19 06
I vote for the last weekend in October just because it seems weird to have a kick-off party in November, after we've started writing :P
I can come on either weekend, though.
68,250 / 50,000
Oct 6, 2008 - 09 10
The 2nd is my bday and I've got the whole day BUSY as heck with family stuff and then hubby stuff. So if we do it that weekend, I'd rather it was Saturday. Plus there's a huge Halloween shindig at The Church (lizard lounge) on the Sunday after Halloween every year, which I love. So I'm game for the first, but not the second.
Or I could def make it to the 25th weekend cuz I've got NO obligations the last few weeks in Oct.
50,302 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2008 - 18 22
I love the idea of going to the HPB at Northwest Hwy. My hubby's and my favorite location. Either weekend works for me. ;)
65,479 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 05 29
If it's going to be the last weekend in October, I would prefer Sunday, as I have to work until 9pm on Saturday, and can't get the day off. Any time on Sunday is great for me, though.
50,044 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 07 34
I'll throw my vote in for both the last weekend in October and having the kick-off at the HBP Mothership. I love that store, and the location is excellent.
50,899 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 07 35
Personally, I'm available on 10/25 for sure. I'm totally booked on 10/26, though. I would be available 10/30 or 10/31, as well, but I bet most people will have Halloween conflicts. I like the idea of doing it 11/1 or 11/2, but my sister's birthday is that weekend, so it would totally depend on what time was picked.
I like the idea of having one party in FW and one in Dallas. Nice way to split it up. I'll definitely try to make at least the one in FW, depending on when it's scheduled.
I will ponder the idea of FW locations, and if something strikes me, I'll let you know.
50,899 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 09 27
I polled my writing group for some party location ideas on the FW side of the metroplex, and here's what I got:
1. The Fox & The Hound in downtown FW (they have a second floor with pool tables and regular seating, that is sometimes used for events -- they have a bar, but they also have a full menu and non-alocolic options).
2. Pappasito's off of I30 (they have a patio that can be screened in that can be used for private events).
3. Chadra on Park Place (they have some rooms that can be curtained off, though I'm not sure if they are large enough -- they're more a sit-down and eat type of place).
4. Hoff Brau on University Dr.
5. Angelos Bar-B-Q.
6. A couple more votes for The Flying Saucer downtown, if the party was at a time when the place wouldn't be crowded.
I hope that helps with y'all's planning. Looking forward to hearing where and when the kick-off and TGIO parties will be.
6,974 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 10 44
My brother and sister and I will be having a ''mini'" Kick-Off night on October 24th, which is the only time my brother (who works nights) will be off on a weekend evening. We'll be having him spend the night, so we can plot and plan and not-write until the wee hours if we want to. :-) He wouldn't be able to make it to any Kick-Offs otherwise, since he'd either be at work already, or sleeping, no matter when it was scheduled.
As for my sister and me, though, we'd LOVE to make it to the FTW meeting, whichever it will be. Dallas ... we don't drive in Dallas if we don't absofrigginlutely HAVE to. ;-) However, we live two blocks from the B&N on Hulen street, so we'll be doing little write-ins there ALL the time. :-D
Ms_Tamany
9,200 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 13 47
For Ft Worth: I like the 24th or 25th, though that would rule out the Flying Saucer, as I imagine they're busy on Friday and Saturday nights. I went there on a Sunday night a few weeks ago and the joint was dead, so that might be a good place for Sunday write-ins.
56,270 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 16 29
Egads! I should have started a making tallies, or something...
It looks like the last weekend in October is inching ahead in the polls... I'll have to do some further research to find out if Saturday or Sunday has more votes.
Does 2:00-5:00 work for everyone? That's the time we've usually held these shindigs in the past. Hope that works with everyone's work schedules!
As for FW locations... please remember NaNo is a family-friendly event. While most of us are "of age," we do have many participants who are in high school, or at least under 21. We also have many participants who have families, who are welcome at the Kick-Off and TGIO parties. Therefore, a bar or pub (Flying Saucer, Fox and Hound) would not be an appropriate location for one of these events.
(If you want to organize write-ins there, feel free! I've spent many an evening clickety-clacketying away at karaoke bars! But we want to make sure the general events are open to everyone.)
To sum up: we're looking at Sat, 10/25 or Sun, 10/26, from 2:00-5:00, at the Half-Price Books on NorthWest Highway (http://www.halfpricebooks.com/001.html). You still have time to get your Sat/Sun votes in!
:) Criss.
50,200 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 18 45
I vote Sunday!
50,002 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 18 46
Sunday would be good for me too!
0 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 18 50
Sunday is better for me! So I've been trying to sort through these posts. Are we having a kick-off party, a Night of Writing Dangerously, or would Sunday be just a first writing day where we can all get together?
0 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 18 51
Sunday is better for me! So I've been trying to sort through these posts. Are we having a kick-off party, a Night of Writing Dangerously, or would Sunday be just a first writing day where we can all get together?
56,270 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2008 - 19 34
There is no writing until Nov. 1st. Them's the rules.
We are having three "big" events:
-Kick-Off Party: before November (and the frenzied writing) starts. It's a big meet-and-greet, to get to know your fellow writers. Looks like this year we'll have it in Dallas, at the HPB on NW Hwy (unless they say something mean to me when I call them...)
-Night of Writing Dangerously: mid-November, we'll have an all-night write-in/fundraiser. This will be in Arlington (the "in-between" city), at the Coffee Haus (unless they say something mean to Jess). If the stars are properly aligned, Bearded Coffee Man will be there, and good times will be had by all.
-TGIO ("Thank Goodness It's Over") Party: after Nov. 30th. Here we meet to celebrate our trumphs and, well, not-so-triumphs. Usually excerpts are read. Caffeine is consumed. Final word-counts are boasted. Will be held in Ft. Worth, but we have some time to figure out when and where.
This thread is my catch-all for the planning details for each of these events. I'm sorry if this made it confusing - I have a very nasty habit of starting a conversation inside my head, then forgetting to bring the other person up to speed on the part of the conversation inside my head. I knew what I was talking about! Didn't your telepathic powers fill you in on the rest?? :P
:) Criss.
Criss, la Reina
www.crisswrites.com
crisswrites.blogspot.com