Hey guys,
If anyone is in or around the Basingstoke, Hampshire area and would like to meet up with fellow crazy NaNoGoers, I'm going to be organising some meetings at Basingstoke Waterstone's before, during and possibly after the event. The plan will be to have the chance to chat about our novels in progress and take advantage of the motivated atmosphere to get some writing done!
I've not quite finalised the dates yet, but are there people in the area who are interested? If so, let me know :)
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Bookseller. Journalist. Tea Drinker. Procrastinator. Part-time Pirate....
2,200 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2009 - 13 01
Hi kiiabby!
Basingstoke meetings sound great! I will definitely try and make some. Oh, and do some writing...
D
39,003 / 50,000
Oct 14, 2009 - 06 34
Me too! I'm in Farnborough and this will be my first NaNo.
50,269 / 50,000
Oct 14, 2009 - 07 03
Another Farnborough person! Want to meet up in town sometime? I'm down in North Camp.
50,091 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2009 - 02 01
Yay! I'm Tricia - a second-time Wrimo in Basingstoke. I joined the Southampton group last year but ended up not joining in on any events as they were all in Winchester/Soton and I couldn't really afford the train fare :)
I'd be really interested in coming along to write-ins and things.
Oh, I'm so glad I decided the browse the regions again :D
4,968 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2009 - 09 52
Hmm... I'm in Midhurst, so Basingstokes a bit of a push. Know any easy buses? Or any chance you could move it down to Petersfield or Alton?
----------4,968 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2009 - 09 53
LOVE your signature under your posts kiiabby!
----------13,031 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2009 - 12 29
Why thank you, Moth! :)
I'd love to be able to move it, but the Waterstone's in Basingstoke is a perfect NaNo hideout - lots of books, a coffee shop that has wi-fi (suspect you need to pay for it though!) and it's open til 8pm weekday evenings!
I was thinking of the following dates for the meetings -
Wednesday 28th October - initial meetup to befriend people, discuss plots and previous attempts (or lack of!) running 6- whenever
Wednesday 4th November - first proper mid nano meeting. I am going to arrange to get hold of some extension leads so we can pinch electricity to power laptops from the coffee shop. 6-8pm
Wednesday 18th November 6-8pm
and then possibly celebratory drinks on December 1st?
How does that sound to people? The shop is open til 8pm every weeknight, so I think it would be best if we arrange our meetings then. However - There is a big knitting group that meets on a Monday so I'd warn against this night for it. I also run a sci-fi and fantasy group in store that will be meeting on November 12th, so that day wouldn't be good either.
So guys and gals, it would be brilliant to meet up with you! I'm so happy I won't be alone in my literary madness this November! I've befriended a few people in the shop whilst working so there may be a few more people joining us as well :)
----------Bookseller. Journalist. Tea Drinker. Procrastinator. Part-time Pirate....
4,968 / 50,000
Oct 17, 2009 - 08 19
No probs! I might still be able to make it, it'll just mean a bit of travelling on the train. I'll let you know. :)
----------50,269 / 50,000
Oct 17, 2009 - 10 52
Another Farnborough person! Want to meet up in town sometime? I'm down
in North Camp.
0 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 14 53
I'm well up for that
50,269 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 07 24
Cool! I can do the odd Monday or Wednesday evening, or even bit of a weekday, now and then, or weekends except for the last one. There's the Costa in Farnborough town centre... maybe not the most inspiring location, any ideas? Anyone else?
0 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 13 10
I live near Basingstoke !! Yay, I'm not the only person in this part of the world that takes part NaNoWriMo xD
13,031 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 13 24
Hey Zara! You should come along to a meeting then - I think us crazy nanogoers shouldn't feel like we're alone in our literary madness hehe!
Have you started working on a plot yet? I have been trying to tame my idea into something more structured tonight... I'm so unbelievably excited about writing my story now!
----------Bookseller. Journalist. Tea Drinker. Procrastinator. Part-time Pirate....
13,031 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2009 - 04 07
Okay guys, I've checked with the cafe and they are more than happy to let us take over their shop of a wednesday evening! They're even going to provide us with a stack of buy one get one free cards to keep us all pepped up on coffee! Power shouldn't be a problem if you work on a laptop - just remember your charger!
Can't wait to get going on NaNoWriMo this year, I'm so excited about my novel and it should be fun meeting up with fellow NaNoManiacs :)
So, to confirm, meetings in store on:
Weds 28th October (initial meetup if people would like to have a chat and get to know eachother!) 6pm-8pm
Wednesday 4th November 6pm-8pm
Wednesday 18th November 6pm-8pm
But I suspect I'll probably be hanging out in the cafe from about 6pm most nights after I finish work since there are far fewer distractions and much nicer coffee than in my house! I work for Waterstone's so if you're coming along for a meeting, look out for a girl with a waterstone's shirt and a white laptop! :)
----------Bookseller. Journalist. Tea Drinker. Procrastinator. Part-time Pirate....
50,091 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2009 - 04 46
That all sounds great (especially the BOGOF cards for coffee!)
I'll do my best to make all three meetings :)
Now I just need to get down to a bit of pre-writing stuff and try to convert my fluffy strands of plot into something I can turn into a novel...
8 days to go. Aaaaarggghhh!
40,695 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 01 32
I'll definitely attempt to turn up - is it walkable from the station?
(Presumably the trick is to look for lots of people with laptops!!)
Depends on me actually being able to leave work at a sensible time though...
Mx.
50,091 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 02 52
Mx.
@Minks - it's a very short walk. Cross the road to The Malls shopping centre and head for Festival Place, past the Tesco Metro and turn left past the Sports Centre. Waterstones is one of the first shops you'll see on the right (opposite H&M and Next).
40,695 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 05 00
Muchas gracias - will hopefully catch you all there....
Mx.
13,031 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 16 19
Thanks to everyone who attended the meeting tonight, it was fantastic to meet you all!
Same time, same place next week? :)
----------Bookseller. Journalist. Tea Drinker. Procrastinator. Part-time Pirate....
31,247 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 17 15
Er... hi. *waves*
I feel like I'm intruding on other people's regions, lol :p
See, my uni (Kingston University) had the brilliant idea that the first week of November was a good time to give us a week of no classes. So even though there are nanoers at the uni, they're all going to be disappearing back home instead of being around to get together *sigh*
So we were wondering if you'd mind a few outsiders sneaking in on your meetings, at least for a week or so :D It'll only be between 1 (just me if I give up on everyone else :p) and about 4 people.
Since Google Maps can't decide where it is - and I'm directionally challenged :D - someone give me the directions from Basingstoke Rail station? Or from Nandos... apparently if you're driving, it's in front, but if you walk it's to the right. I think it's playing games with me.
Or it may be a false alarm and the others decide it's too far away. But they seem to have decided I'm the one that has to find out :P
----------50k. 30 days. No Plot? No Problem!
40,695 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2009 - 01 35
Hey all -
It was great to meat you all last night! Looking fwd to 1st, and to next Wed - bring it on!! Will also be interested to hear how the ones with no plots yet are getting on. also, have just found some notes from the creative writing class I did and it has some idea-generating exercises so if you're stuck and want a prod, happy to mail them out!
Jozie - it's about 5mins walk from the station, 10 if you meander! You come out of the station, and basically straight on; down the stairs, across the road, straight on through the scrufffy mall past Tesco Metro and then through the posh Festival Place mall. At the first cross-roads-thing in Festival Place, Waterstones is on the left. Go up the escalators, turn back on yourself and Caffe Nero is just there. There were about ten of us last night. I'm guessing next week it'll be laptops-a-go-go so we should be easily recognisable.
Failing that, I can meet you at the station if you want - I'm heading in that way myself.
Minks.
31,247 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2009 - 09 25
I may take you up on that offer, at least for the first time :p Still waiting for an answer from the others... I'll wind up coming alone if they don't get more enthusiastic :D
----------50k. 30 days. No Plot? No Problem!
13,031 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2009 - 11 11
Oh, please do feel free to attend - the more the merrier and even if it's just for one week it would be lovely to meet more nanowriters and see how you're getting on with your novel! :)
----------Bookseller. Journalist. Tea Drinker. Procrastinator. Part-time Pirate....
40,695 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 09 39
ARE WE NEARLY THERE YET?!!!
.....might be slightly impatient....
< drums fingers on table >
< drums fingers on table >
< drums fingers on table >
Ho hum.
Mx.
13,031 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 16 38
Meetings in Basingstoke are going to be on every Wednesday throughout November now, 6pm-8pm so we can all geek out about NaNoWriMo with understanding individuals more often :)
----------Bookseller. Journalist. Tea Drinker. Procrastinator. Part-time Pirate....
40,695 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 10 26
Come on, Basingstoke!!
Looking forward to Wednesday!
Mx
37,568 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 12 53
Hey, i'm Roxy. =)
I'm not even sure how far i'll get with my NaNoNovel this year, i'm so bogged down with real life. Still, I'll go as far as I can and provide encouragement for anyone who wants it.
I don't know if i'll be able to make this week's meeting, but i'd love to try and come to the next one.
----------Help, real life's starting to take over my life!
It's distracting me from my home on Atlantis. :'-(
40,695 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 13 41
I only did about 12k words last year, but enjoyed it so much am coming back for more this year!
2,200 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 05 15
I have to work late tonight (boo hoo) so either won't make the write-in or will be massively late.
Try to have fun without me :)
D
13,031 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 03 01
I wasn't able to attend either since I was working late thanks to our massive campaign changeover, but every time I ran downstairs I was quite jealous of everyone productively tapping away at their laptops! :)
Looking forward to next week however :)
----------Bookseller. Journalist. Tea Drinker. Procrastinator. Part-time Pirate....