Welcome, Edmowrimos!

I'm Sarah! This is my eight NaNo and my seventh as an ML here in Edmonton. I've won every time, and I fully intend to keep the streak alive.

I prefer to approach my ninja stealthiness in an unusual fashion. I'm SO loud that people sort of forget about me, allowing me to get up to no good without anyone really noticing.

Being Sensei of the Fire Clan is a logical one for me, as I am prone to getting worked up about things. I can occasionally be a bit fire-y, but really I'm totally a sentimental sucker and I just hide it under a sarcastic exterior. I also run the Nag List, where I will be lighting a virtual fire under your virtual butts to get you reaching new heights of word count glory. Stay tuned for details on that in another thread.

To make this year extra challenging, I've taken a leave of absence from work and gone back to school full time, and I'm also on staff for NaNoWriMo now, which means in addition to school, MLing, and, you know, writing a novel, I'll be running several things on behalf of HQ in California. This may lead to a spectacular flame out mid-month, but at least it would be clan-appropriate!

I'm Chloe! This is my seventh year doing NaNo and hopefully my fourth time winning it. I help mod the chatroom- I might not be on it as much this year because I, too, am in school! Balancing NaNo, studies, and a lot of choir performances will be an interesting task. Hopefully I won't crack under the pressure.

I'm big into cheerleading people, so if you want someone to say nice things about you, you just need to ask. Or, if you need encouragement, I can kick your gluteus maximus with my Boots of Encouragement (trademark pending).

Anyways, so thrilled for it to be NaNo time again! And looking forward to seeing everyone. :D

Greetings! I am Tiana and this is my fifth time doing Nanowrimo. Each year I have stepped up to a new challenge. Year one I faced the challenge of beating Nanowrimo. Year two I faced the challenge of 100k in two stories. Year three I faced the challenge of 100k in one story. Year four I faced the challenge of THE END (111k). I've made webcomics out of my ScriptFrenzies and won Nano every year I faced it (I didn't do ScriptFrenzy '09, however) and this year I am facing a new challenge... WHAT DO I DO NOW?! I've doubled the word count! I've written a finished story! I've illustrated one of my scripts! I have a poster on the wall for writing an insane amount of words in a short period of time! WHAT NOW?!

This year, my challenge will be facing Nanowrimo while working a job I cannot write during, I suppose. And overcoming writer's block. Which isn't true, I have ideas, they're just nothing well suited to Nanowrimo. I keep running into first person view ideas and I'll NEVER get enough words out of one of those! D:

I'm big on word wars and writing very fast. That's basically my Nano thing. I am an artist as well as a writer and am behind the webcomics Between Places and The Millennium House, both based on my two ScriptFrenzies.

I've been excited for this year's Nanowrimo, though. Totally excited. Even though, if it started tommorow, I'd have no idea what I would be writing. Though I sort of want to return to my second or third year's Nano stories... we'll see... I'm definately excited to be here!

05: Through Silver Glass- 50k
06: The Legend of Scarecrow-76k
07: On The Edge-103k
08: Revenant Lights-111k

Hi Everyone,

I'm back again this year... sort of.

The big news for all things Choppy:
My wife and I have moved to Lethbridge this summer. I'm currently busy setting up a new cancer center down here. So I likely won't be attending any Edmonton functions this year. Maybe I'll finally have to figure out the chat rooms. I've noticed that you've set up a whole clan for displaced alumni like me though. Awesome!

The other news is that we're expecting a member for the young writers program to arrive in February.

I've lost count of how long I've been doing this. I started the same year as Sarah. Here's something kind of neat though. I've noticed that every year I seem to get just a little bit better. Eventually I'm bound to write something that's decent. Maybe this year will be the year.

"Because creative people aren't always in charge. And when they do their best work, they're hardly ever in charge. They're just sort of rolling along with their eyes shut , yelling Wheeeee." - Steven King, Everything's Eventual

I’m Karen. This is my 7th year of NaNo-induced insanity and my 4th year as ML. This will be my 5th year winning NaNo, although I have yet to fully finish any of my novels.

As a master of stealth, I am strong in my ninja heritage. I’m so skilled in invisibility that automatic sensor hand-dryers refuse to acknowledge my existence. (I also look good in black.)

Given my handle (Canoegirl), my selection as Sensei of the Water Clan was a natural one. I enjoy all things water-related: swimming, paddling, ice hockey, drinking, rain, steam rooms ... I’m not much of a fan of drowning or having damp socks (in my estimation drowning is preferable) but you can’t have it all. I've also discovered that I do my best novel plotting in the shower (Note to self: invest in more waterproof paper).

This year I plan to have a plan but I may run out of time for any planning and will just have to hope I stay afloat.

Welcome, masters of stealth and novelling!

Canoegirl
Clan QWERTY
EdmoWrimo Literary Ninjas

*Ninja Appear*

First, I can't believe I'm not in Edmonton for this. CURSE YOU PIRATES!

Anywho, ShirtNinja here, otherwise known as Kiyoshi. I've participated in NaNo four years previous and won all four. This will be my first NaNo "away from home". For those who don't know, I moved to B.C. earlier this year and fervently wished to make it back to Edmonton for at least one event (seeing as I made to nearly every event last year). Sadly this will most likely not come to pass. Instead I shall be online in the chatroom as much as my two jobs will allow.

I usually write sci-fi oriented stories, but this year I shall be taking a break from my chosen genre to write a vigilante-based police story set in the present and in Vancouver itself (and the greater metro area. By the way, this city is a little too populated).

I wish you all luck and fortune in this coming November from 1200 kilometers (or more if you're farther East) West.
Ganbatte mina-san!

*Ninja Vanish*

I'm Talliana or for those who actually know me outside NaNo, Kathryn. This is my 6th year doing NaNo and hopefully my 6th win! I haven't actually finished any of my novels other than the first one, so my goal for this year is to actually finish this one and not hate it in the end.

I have recently moved back from Calgary (after 6 whole months living there) and I have to say I was worried about having to write NaNo there. My main challenges now will be juggling a full time job, after having moved into my new apartment (October 5th, I am very excited) and living without a car for the first time in 10 years. Sadly, it is my belief Calgary killed my car (it died on the final trip home just outside Innisfail).

I hope to attend a few more events than I have in the past few years, but we shall see how it goes with the lack of a car. Otherwise, I tend to be in the chatroom a lot, although I am not overly chatty. I also am trying to recruit one of my friends from work, which is very exciting for me at least.

I am working on two different ideas for NaNo, but I have yet to decide on one specifically. I am sure on October 31st, I will be makng a quick decision.

I'm Nikki, as far as I know!

This will be my third year both participating in and winning NaNo, and my first as an ML! I'm ridiculously excited about working behind the scenes with the other MLs to make this year fantastic and hope that my plan to use this as a first step to world domination doesn't get out.

... moving on.

I find stealthiness difficult, due to the size and shape of my feet. They're not overly large, but they are exceptionally flat and make slapping noises on linoleum or tile if I'm not wearing socks. So, rather than sneaking up on my enemies (because a sound reminiscent of a trout-tossing contest approaching you from behind would be a huge tip off, wouldn't it?), I choose to make them laugh until they asphyxiate. Also much better for the dry-cleaning bill.

Finishing my novel in around 47 hours last year might have played into my decision to head up Clan Like the Wind! Why, you might ask? Well, for starters - the story blows. I kid, I kid. I'm really quite fond of air - ask anyone, I breathe it all the time! I vow to those who find that the breeze has gusted them to dwell beneath my wings, we will leave the others in our dust!

My goal this year is to write a coherent story, to its end, and be the best darn first year ML I can be!

Ready, ninjas? Earth. Air. Fire. Water. Write!

-=-=-=-=-=- Earth. Air. Fire. Water. Write! -=-=-=-=-=-

Hello my name is Arnold and this will be fifth year of doing Nanowrimo. Happy 5th Anniversary to me! :D And here I thought this wouldn't be an energetic post. I might be sick because I usually get sick around October which is good news because I'm always better once November hits! I'm really excited to do Nano this year because I'll finally be closing off the trilogy that I started in year one, continued in year three and then yeah. Which begs the question, what will I do in year 7? Anyway, I'm also excited to meet new wrimos! It's great to see others go from 0 words to 50,000 and be able to cheer them on!

Outside of Nano, I'm a worker bee, I'll also be attending weekly poetry readings in November (or trying to!). I can't think of anything else but I've been waiting for this month frantically from August!

Hello, I am joe_da_bucket. I have done NaNo five times, and won four of them. Four of those year I was in school, and last year I commuted an hour outside of the city for work. If anyone ever needs advice or a pep talk for writing and being in school, feel free to pass me a message along. One piece of advice: get as much as you can done on school assingments before November!

Also I live in the university area, and have lovely free time on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. I will try to arrange a meet up or two around the university.

I am excited for the new year of NaNo! But this year won't be a cake walk for me, as I am applying for grad school. Which i am frantically trying to get all done before November.

Hopefully I will see you all at events!

Once more into the breach with you crazy sons of...well you know...

The real name is James, this will be my third year doing NaNo and hopefully my third win. My first year I planned my ass off in October and went into November with the worlds best outline (note: I love hyperbole) and squeaked into the winners circle with about 50,020 words. In year 2 I started out with the worlds third best outline and quickly discovered that my story sucked. So I threw it out the window and started with one word, 'Zombies!'. I finished November with a comfortable 75,000+ words and won the worlds most beautiful trophy at the TGIO party. I've even managed to sell over 50 (!!) copies of my book on Amazon after throwing it on CreateSpace so I could get a copy for myself, yay me!

What's my goal for this year? Beats me, but I managed a gain of 25,000 words last year so I'll see if I can do it again. The only thing standing in my way is that I have no idea what I'm going to write but I've been told that No Plot is No Problem by someone around here... I did zombies last year, I might to vampires this year, they seem to be in vouge these days. But I'm not doing any of thouse wussy Twilight vampires, blech.

I'll hang in the chat room from time to time and the wife (Amyro) and I will probable make a couple events this year, we'll be the quite couple in the corner talking to each other ;)

P.S.: After 11 years we finally get to edit our posts, hooray!

Greetings and feliciations, y'all.

I'm Alfvaen, a.k.a. Aaron, and this is my eighth or ninth time doing NaNoWriMo (depending on whether you count 2001 when the signup cutoff was before the end if October but I decided to write a novel anyway). I've completed all but two of those, one because I burned out trying to do NaNoWriYe (writing three novels over the year), and last year which I blame on a new job with a lengthy commute. That job ended in January, I've been working at this place since March, and the commute is only 10-15 minutes, so I might have a chance. There's still my TV-watching commitments to worry about, but we're getting a PVR next week, so maybe I can put off November TV until December. That leaves my creativity's arch-nemesis, The Sims 2. I'm hoping to subvert that by actually incorporating it into my novel somehow. And apart from that, I have no idea what I'm doing this year.

Oh, and luckily, the new Wheel of Time book is coming out in the last week of October instead of the first week of November, so hopefully that won't be a distraction either.

--
--Alfvaen (Web page: http://www.telusplanet.net/public/alfvaen/ )
Current Album--Krista Detor:Cover Their Eyes
Current Book--Robert Jordan:Winter's Heart
My stream of consciousness dried up--hope it rains soon.

Greetings assorted fellow ninjas!

I'm Harper, also known as Joce. This will be my third year NaNo-ing, hopefully my third win, and my first year as ML for all you marvellous people! I've been told I'm a solid and level-headed sort, so here's hoping that I manage to keep myself grounded as the sensei of Clan Commandment. We may not be as fast as the wind, but we've got the endurance of good, stubborn stone on our side. You'd have to, if you wanted to get much writing done on clay tablets!

As far as writing goes, I tend towards fantasy, and last year I was pleased to have successfully found the end of my rambling plotline, unlike the previous year. Maybe someday I'll finish editing it, and see whether or not I actually like the bloody thing...

With November fast approaching, this year looks like it's going to be my comfortable default of fanfic involving obscure fandoms, and I invite any fellow fanfic-writers to feel free to come chat with me about the different challenges associated with writing a novel set in someone else's sandbox. :)

Happy novelling!

Harper Grey
Sensei for Clan Commandment

Well Hi there and Hello!
I'm Rowan :)
This will be my third year of the literary bliss that is Nano. This will also be my third win (as I fully intend to win once more).
I'm writing fantasy this year as I failed miserably at sci-fi last year and though I'd better stick with what I know.
I'm the disorganized ninja... You know, the one that has no clue what she is doing but somehow manages to get it all together and make it work in the end.
I look forward to being able to actually make a few of the events this year :D
We had a pretty good finishing overall last year. I have no doubt in my mind we will blow last years results out of the water and kick some serious keester!
Hopefully I'll get to meet a lot of you at the kick-off this year too.

An Author is someone who gets paid to tell them where to go, and how to get there.

Hello all.

I'm eggs2laydirt2scratch / Samantha.

You might see me at a few events but I'll be fitting my writing around a part-time job, school council, 5 kids, etc. so I don't get out much. Last year I wrote with two Young Writers, Hannah and Malcolm. I don't think they'll be joining us this year, but my husband has a story that's he's itching to tell so he might sign up instead.

Last year was my first NaNo, which I won in terms of wordcount, but failed in terms of completing a full first draft. I started with an idea and some characters and wound up with a mess. Sooo, this year I'm doing it all differently. I've been plotting since, oh, 'bout June, and I hope to go in with a full outline that actually makes sense as a story. I've got a firm setting, a cast of characters, some themes and maybe even a story arc (gasp!). The thing is really starting to hang together, which probably means I'll get two days into writing and find out it's unworkable... :-) Oh, and it'll be what you might call a plausible fantasy.

My goal this year is to write a novel - draft it, revise it, and FINISH it (though not all during NaNo), so I've decided to double my wordcount to give me more to work with.

Can't wait to get writing!!!

This will be my third Nano. Won one, lost one. I know what I want this years tie-breaker to be. *starts sharpening blades*

As a past time I murder words and give English teachers angina, so here is my one and only apology.

Urban fantasy makes me giddy and Alfvaen's news of WoT nearly made me faint.

School, work, kung-fu, dodgeball, and grad-fundraising are on the timetable, but it looks like there are some here with far busier schedules, so no more whining for me.

Can't wait to see you all again!

Happy planning,
Andreanna

Hello everyone :) I'm Paige, and this will be my fifth Nano, hopefully my fifth win. My first three years I lived just over two hours away, so I only made it in for TGIO. I moved into Edmonton about 13 months ago, however, so I attended lots of events last year and plan on doing the same this year. A few of you may remember me as 'that crazy chick writing with her eyes closed.' In any case, I'm also a full-time student at Grant MacEwan University (taking Professional Writing, rather appropriate) and I work an average of six days a week. I survive on very, very little sleep. Looking forward to this year and seeing everyone again, as well as meeting some new Ninjas!

Yer lookin at a NaNoNewBie here, I am scared!

I've known about this for years, but have never been able to participate, either because I was doing some fool theatre thing or other, or I didn't remember it til sometime in December. But this year, I thought of it early and promised myself that if I got a good idea what to write about in time, I'd just do it. And the very next day I had a good idea. And the very next week I had a BETTER idea, so again, no excuses.

My reading habits tend to be "literary fiction", I guess, although I sorta feel that's just another genre. But I imagine my tone will be sorta sad-funny and dry. All that Miriam Toews I've been reading. Although my subject matter this year will likely tend towards the spooky, so I don't know what weird plot twists might manifest at 3am.

Looking forward to the crazy. Also, as I mentioned, SCARED!

Don't be scared Ryan! We're a very friendly bunch. Hyper, yes, a little crazy, perhaps, but crazy in a good way. A 'Hello Newbie lets be friends' kind of way. I know coming to events not knowing anyone can be intimidating, but I promise you'll meet people and have a blast!

Oh Dear,

Here we go I guess. My real name is Tina and this is my FIRST NaNo.

I've done the three day novel contest before, and won, but I've never had the discipline to write so much over the period of a whole month. However, I've had 5 short stories published this year and a publisher keeps reminding me to send him my first novel (which is near completion) so I figured I needed to give myself a bit of a kick to write book number two.

I'll post what I'm writing about in the appropriate forum, but if anyone is willing to have (and to be) an annoying & pushy cheerleader for the month of November let me know.

Cheers.

Website: http://www.TinaHunter.ca
NaNo 2009: Riot Girl

Hey, Edmowrimos!

I'm Heather, and I can't believe that it's almost time for another month of insanity. This is my 3rd year participating and hopefully my 3rd year winning. This year's goal is to actually finish a novel. Yeah, we'll see.

My first year's novel ended at 50,020 words, right at the climax of the story... I crossed the line at about 11pm on the 31st and was very happy to quit. Last year I was still going strong with about 60,000 words, at the end, with probably another half a novel left to write. I also won a wonderful trophy that I was so shocked to receive it almost brought a tear to my eye....the Hoop Jump. If I recall correctly this was because I managed to write 60,000 words while going to school, and organizing a fundraiser as president of the local Parents and Tots group, and I think the kid's hockey was involved somewhere, too.

This year I'm going to school full time at the University of Alberta and I have 4 term papers, two assignments and an exam to fit in somewhere between all the insane nano-ing. Oh and I also just started volunteering at a special needs junior high class, today, but that's only once a week so should be manageable.

This year the only idea I have is a romantic comedy involving Zombies, so I'm gonna run with it.

Like 'thefinn" said, you'll probably see us at a couple of events, and as i'm in the city every day anyway, I might just show up at some write ins, as well.

Nano History:

2007 - "In the Blood", historical drama
2008 - "Earth", post apocalyptic fantasy
2009 - "For the Love of Brian", romantic comedy and zombies

I just wanted to pop in and say a quick hello. ::waves::

This will be my third year doing Nano, and I can't wait. I won the first two years, and I plan on winning this year too.

Anyway, I like to write fantasy novels, and this year I'm going for a post-apocalyptic fantasy.

Tomorrow may be hell, but today was a good writing day, and on the good writing days nothing else matters. — Neil Gaiman

Howdy folks! I'm Crystal. This is my eight nano, and hopefully 6th win! I am also a mod in the chat room :)

In my spare time, I watch an obscene amount of TV. I am an avid costumer with special interest in historic costume and anime cosplay. I especially like to dress up for "theme" events - recently went on the steam train ride out of Stettler in full Victorian get-up, complete with bustle and parasol. I also like to write fanfiction.

Looking forward to another year of nanoing, even though I am soooooooooo not ready!

The one, the only, the amazing, the I-can't-believe-it's-not-butter Crystalkins!
@livejournal

I am an orphan looking for a home....

I am a 40 year old Canadian woman, who, though I call Edmonton 'home', no longer lives there. I have been overseas for most of the last 15 years. I have lived in China, Macedonia and Morocco and am currently living in Abu Dhabi. My so called 'home region' is Elsewhere, which covers such a huge geographical area that I don't feel a real connection to it. I wonder whether you will welcome me virtually to the Edmowrimos?!?!

If so, here is a little about me....

Until June 2009, I was a teacher but now I am taking a year off to rest and create, hoping to launch a permanent writing career even though I have never written seriously before. This is my first Nano (and first stab at any writing project longer than about 2000 words, except for academic writing- my Master's Degree papers). My plot is pretty thin (OK, non-existent) at the moment, but I hope by November 1 it will have gelled a little more.

Regards,
Tracey

I get knocked down, but I get up again. You're never gonna keep me down. - Chumbawamba

I'm biting my fingernails over here because it's the beginning of October and I have NO idea what I'm going to write about this year...

Anyway. I'm Becca-Ri, I like typing long forum posts, and this will be my second NaNo. It kept me sane last year during the avalanche of college projects and expos (I know, sounds weird, right? NaNo, the event of insanity, kept me sane? Eh-heh. This year, perhaps it'll drive me insane like it's supposed to) My favorite part about last year was actually having characters living in my head. However, I did have to censor my conversations with people quite a bit, as the main character was incredibly sarcastic and somewhat offensive...

I like writing fantasy/sci-fi mixes, and probably will do so again this year. Except that this time I won't make my world so big that I can write 50k and not scratch the surface of the backstory. I might just end up doing a bunch of fanfiction shorts. I've always had a mildly impossible dream to get published, though. Perhaps it would be best to go original again. As you can see, I'm a very decisive person. *coughs*

When not writing, I'm usually playing video games, lurking on forums, making costumes, or drawing.

Hopefully, I can make it out to some events this year, although we'll see what the work schedule has to say about that. I love the idea of clans, and definitely want to be a bigger part of all the crazy and fun this year!

NaNo 2008 || Dust and Patriots [ 50, 211 ]
NaNo 2009 || Parabola [ - ]

Welcome new wrimos!

And Tracey don't worry about being so far away, you're still welcome to make our region your home since we are the best region! Oh, and there is the chatroom if you can't make any events. Someone is usually there during Nano :).

Hi Arnold,

Thanks for the welcome; I hope others will be welcoming too! I am glad to be here as there is very little going on in Elsewhere at the moment, and I am sure they don't have any 'local' events. Besides, no matter where I am , Edmonton is home. I am not sure how well the chat room will go because there is such a big time difference (+10 hrs now and +11 by the time WriMo ends), but I will maybe give it a try. This is clearly not your first NaNo. How many have you done? What are you writing this year?

Cheers,
Tracey

I get knocked down, but I get up again. You're never gonna keep me down. - Chumbawamba

Hey all. My name is Louis and this is my third year doing NaNo with no successed yet under my belt. Both times I've done it before have coincided nicely with my failing out of engineering, so my performances have been less than impressive. I am certified engineering-free now however, so hopefully I will be able to finish up and rock this thing.

Hi all, like shirtninja I'm In Vancouver for this one, (and possibly the next one) but since Edmonton is my original nano home, I will always join in part of the festivities here. I won't be able to join the festivities in the flesh, but anytime there's a party online, I'll be there with my excessively small laptop. (unless it's during class time. then I'm screwed)

I'm working through 3d modeling courses at the Art Institute of Vancouver (Burnaby campus), so I expect about 20 projects due in that course of time (midterms at three month intensive courses) so yeah, I'm hoping for a miracle of some sort.

Oh, and stupid me, I got hooked on tabletop rpg's.

Body count:
Times used TSOD:
Nearly fell into an R-rated scene: 1

Well, intros time again, hey?

I'm Ambyr. The White Raccoon. And yes, I do respond to "Raccoon" or even "Rocky" on occasion.

ANYWAYS, on to something other than what to call me... This will be my third NaNo, and I'm striving to make it my third win. I love this month, it has helped me realise my dream of being an author, a full-fledged novelist. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again in the upcoming November, and wish everyone great amounts of luck, and hopes that the words will flow from your fingers like so much water in a waterfall.

Gosh, I need to work on my metaphors!

The illustrious Edward D (emdash) Ellipsipuff Jr...

Slew the fire dragon to save the Ellipsis...
From certain doom as a snack.
For the dragon thought the Ellipsis...
Was a line of marshmallows...
And had a craving for Smores.