USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Pass the Hat - Don't forget to Donate!

leighlady — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:25:11 +0000

NaNoWriMo is a super fun event for all of us! And while it is free, it is put together by a non-profit which survives on donations. If you enjoy Nano, please support them in some form or fashion. I know money is tight all around these days. Gas still isn't "cheap," that landlord wants the rent every month for some reason, and the cats have to be fed or they will eat your face. It ain't easy. But let us count the ways that we can still help out the Office of Letter and Light

You can donate the ten dollars or more and earn yourself a halo. (As was stated at the meeting it might the only chance some of us have to earn a halo. Heehee.)

You can buy some goodies from the store.

You can even donate when broke: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/donatingwhenbroke

Also to aide those who might not be able to spare 10 dollars, but have 5 - we will have a hat at all events this year. You can toss in a buck, or a penny, whatever you feel you can. All funds will be donated to Nano in the name of Baton Rouge at the end of the month.

There's lots of ways to support this event that we all love, so let's be sure to do so!
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***Courtney
Red Stick WriMos' Municipal Liaison
redstickwrimo@gmail.com

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Monday Night at Borders

leofungo — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:00:51 +0000

I will be at Borders tomorrow if'n anyone's down for some Monday night writing. I'm aiming to be there around sixish.
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-James Brown
"Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often."
Mark Twain

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

TGIO Party!!

leighlady — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:58:42 +0000

Option A - December 4th, evening at a restaurant.
Option B - December 5th, evening at a restaurant.
Option C - December 5th, afternoonish picnic in a park.

You have this weekend to weigh-in. I will make the final decision and set up the location on Monday.

Opinions: GO!!
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***Courtney
Red Stick WriMos' Municipal Liaison
redstickwrimo@gmail.com

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Daily Prompts and Challenges

leighlady — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:10:07 +0000

Here there will be daily prompts and challenges to help you along your way if you need. And to earn you stickers!!

Post here if you meet a challenge/ complete the challenge to earn your sticker.

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***Courtney
Red Stick WriMos' Municipal Liaison
redstickwrimo@gmail.com

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

HOW DO I FINISH THIS

citywings — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:00:50 +0000

My novel has been:

1) kidnapped by pirates
2) invaded by mermaids
3) devolved into philosophical discussion of the nature of love at least twice
4) had so many subplots I am not sure there is even an actual plot anymore

That said, I love it. A lot. I am quite fond of it, it is my friend, etc. etc.

HOWEVER.

Everything I look at or think of or is casually mentioned in a ten-foot radius makes me want to give up and write something else. Anything else. Please, for the love of god, ANYTHING NEW, sobsniff, et cetera.

Advice? Commiseration? Free lightsabers to a good home (and I assure you, I can provide a very, very good home)?
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USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

All night write in?

leighlady — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:02:34 +0000

It has been suggested we have an all night write in.

I think it sounds like fun. Investigations have begun for a spot that we could have such a thing were people could actually bring a pillow and sleep on the floor if they needed a break. This is of course ideal.

IF however, such a plan falls through, perhaps we could have just a late night write in similar to the Night of Writing Dangerously , just not as big, but still as dangerous!

Thoughts?
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***Courtney
Red Stick WriMos' Municipal Liaison
redstickwrimo@gmail.com

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

A great big shout out...

pocketjoey — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:04:58 +0000

(and a very literal shout out at that!)

to Bennu who just reached 50K during the all-night write-in!

Hooray!
Hooray for Bennu!
Bennu's our Hero!
Our tiaras are off to you!

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hoc sit negotium tuum
hoc otium
hic labor
haec quies
- Pliny the Younger, Epistle I.3

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Thanksgiving Write-ins

leighlady — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:25:23 +0000

There is still a write-in on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I am not sure I am going to make it, but when I brought up canceling it, people said they would still go. So get thee to Borders on Wednesday at 6:30 unless you will be busy prepping/traveling/or getting your long overdue haircut.

Just for a little fun there will be a write-in on Black Friday. There is a new CC's on Airline and Bluebonnet and that is where we will meet, as I think it will not be slammed with the Black Friday shoppers, as it isn't close to the Mall and I don't see too many people hitting Elgin's Fine Jewelry or Party Time for Black Friday sales.

I also have coupons for this location so be prepared to get them as prizes for things like most words written, winning a word sprint, or just showing up!! I'm saying from 3-6, but come anytime you wish!! (Just don't bank on the coupons.)
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***Courtney
Red Stick WriMos' Municipal Liaison
redstickwrimo@gmail.com

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Let's Beat BAMA!!

leighlady — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:00:44 +0000

Another word war on Sunday. Get there at 2:00 and the words start flying at 2:30!
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***Courtney
Red Stick WriMos' Municipal Liaison
redstickwrimo@gmail.com

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Turkey Time Challenge

leighlady — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:56:28 +0000

This is tradition and why shouldn't be?

Four days of freedom from jobs and school (for some of us) is the perfect time to catch back up, to finally break 50,000, or to pad our word counts and help the regions over all total!

From Thanksgiving at midnight until the following Sunday at 11:59 pm. There is a contest. Who ever writes the most words wins and is not a turkey.

Participants must post their starting word count in this thread as well as their final word count. I will verify the count on their bar graph, so make sure you update your count as you go!! (Or at least at 11:59 on the 28th!)
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***Courtney
Red Stick WriMos' Municipal Liaison
redstickwrimo@gmail.com

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

I Got to 50,000 Words!!!!!

NaNoMidnightWriter — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:18:54 +0000

Hey!! I just wanted to shout out that at 7:35 pm pn Nov. 18, 2009, I wrote my 50,013 word on my first draft of my novel for NaNoWriMo 2009.

I had a three subject notebook and the last word at the end of the last page. Only one page was torn out because I wrote down prayer requests on it at church one night. (oops) I used at least 6 and half brand new pincils and I had to go out and get the big pink erasers to use after all the earsers on the pencils were gone. My kids will be glad now that they don't have to come to me to get a pencil for homework and have no earsers. I'm giving them the pink erasers since I used up all the erasers on all the pencils in the house. And I have two blisters on my fingers. One on my middle finger and one on my ring finger. Maybe I was holding the pencil wrong. I get confused on the proper way to hold a pencil, but I write neater and faster holding it with my index finger and middle finger and resting it on my ring finger.

My goal this year was to have it finished by Nov. 15, but because I procrastinated by surfing the web and reading fanfiction, some, when I was supposed to be writing, I was three days late. Oh well. I missed the Dalily prompt for Nov. 18, because I finished my word count before it was posted. I went to bed at 8 pm. After I updated the word count. My computer lost signal and it took a while to get it back so I could update the word count. I just woke up and thought I would come here and send out a shout out that With the Grace of God and God's Almight help, I got to the 50,000 word goal!!! I know that I could not have done it with out Him!

Now, I just have to type it up. LOL So, while I'm typing it up, I'll try to add in the rest of the word promts as well. Next goal: Have it all typed up into a word doc and in order (I wrote it out of order because I got blocked and then had ideas for earlier scenes) by 11:59 p.m. on Nov 30. While I write faster by hand, than I type, I think that I can do it, because I'm not creating, I'm just typing up something that I already have written down on the paper. (Although I'm not sure if anyone else can understand what I wrote durring the word war and I'm not sure if anyone else could understand my symbols for certian words.) LOL Wish me luck with my next goal!

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Midnight Writer
Grater Baton Rouge Area

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Just 1K more--help!

Bennu — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:09:14 +0000

I need to add about 1,000 words to my novel for the win. Problem is, I am officially out of plot. Guess I need an epilogue after all. Please help me get some ideas for what else I might legitimately write about, that any reader might care about!

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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/4009837578_cd52debacf_o.png

Her Brother's Keeper
Number of deaths: 4
Number of chapters completed: 23/23

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

How to divide chapters?

NaNoMidnightWriter — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:12:52 +0000

OK, I have a mjor pronlem. I'm about to start to type up my novel. Problem is I have no idea where to end and start a chapter! I just write until I get the story out of my head and then I stop. So can anyone help me with this problem? How do you know when to end Chapter 1 and start Chapter 2? And I'm not sure about naming htem. I can't name chapters very well.

Thanks for the help!!!
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Midnight Writer
Grater Baton Rouge Area

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Prizes!!

leighlady — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:28:11 +0000

We all know that winning Nano is its own reward. Or even participating. Right? Of course!

But that doesn't mean we don't like to win physical things, like stickers, candy, a pet duck or pony! So this year I am announcing two contests with PRIZES!

The Sticker Competition: Who doesn't like stickers? Every time you come to an event, every time you meet a challenge, or use a word prompt, or tons of other things you'll get a sticker! (I'll have sticker sheets at the Kick-off party for people to fill out and extras to fill out as the month progresses.) The person who has the most stickers at the end of the month wins. If there is a tie there will be a five minute write-off at the TGIO party.

The Merit Badge Competition: Nano's more fun when you MAKE it fun, so for some crazy, err FUN, moments this year you can win a Merit "Badge." Jury's still out as to whether these will be physical badges or no. But the person who collects all ten (or nine or eight or seven) WINS another prize. If there is a tie there will be a five minute write-off at the TIGIO party. The badges are as follows

NaNo Socializing - come to an event, Any event
Word-Count Padding - Your characters pray the Lord's Prayer or recite the Pledge of Allegiance, ten times - its all words to me!
Procrastination - Do you really need to do the laundry? Or feed the kids? But you put it off by writing? WIN!!
Caffeine Abuse - Be it chocolate or coffee, or soda or any combination there of
Secret Noveling - I won't tell that you're working on your novel instead of next month's budget or your science homework!
Creative Nonfiction - Transcribe events around you. Add in a Great Coffee Spill or a suspicious money exchange as it happens!
Rally Day - Are you behind? You can catch up! You can!! Or if you have a 5 digit day.
the Eureka Moment - A character makes sense! You've figured out how you're going to make 50K! Or you just shout Eureka!
Random Ending - November is ending, 50K is close and you still have much more story to tell - until you make sure you don't.
Victory - 50K!!!
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***Courtney
Red Stick WriMos' Municipal Liaison
redstickwrimo@gmail.com
- USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

One of my MCs just died....

Bennu — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:04:45 +0000

Another must die tomorrow. (He has just informed me of this.)

And I can't write anymore today because---I'm just in shock.

I knew that this MC would die, even the method of it, several chapters ahead.

I thought that I loved the surviving MC more than the one that died, though.

I was dead wrong. I love them both equally.

Must go back to my writing tomorrow and deal with surviving MC's grief--but right now I don't have the strength to do that.

I've got to deal with my own.

Please tell me someone else here has felt this way about your own fictional characters?
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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/4009837578_cd52debacf_o.png

Her Brother's Keeper
Number of deaths: 4
Number of chapters completed: 23/23

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Where to put "The End"?

Bennu — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:24:21 +0000

OK, I know this is a nit-picky question, but I am writing a book with an epilogue, and I don't own many books like that.

So, where do those magical words "the end" go? At the end of the last chapter, or at the end of the epilogue?

And yes, I need to know this now. I am writing the last chapter--the big climactic chapter I have been holding in since December of last year, the one that made me adopt this particular plot bunny and run with it--tomorrow.

Whee! The ending has changed a bit since I first saw it, but I think that's because my message changed a bit. And I grew too attached to one of my MCs to let him be seen as the "bad guy".

The scene is still going to be dramatic, though, and action-packed. Gory, and very, very sad. Downright tragic.

Squee! Why am I so excited about this? (Gives self weird look.)

Anyway, pardon my rambling. Is it OK to put "The End" at the end of an epilogue, which I've seen so many authors write as a sort of afterthought anyway? (Mine won't be. Important things will happen in my epilogue, not just wrapup, and no sugaring over.)
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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/4009837578_cd52debacf_o.png

Her Brother's Keeper
Number of deaths: 4
Number of chapters completed: 23/23

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Today's Inkygirl cartoon

leofungo — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:21:10 +0000

Hey, I wasn't at the Great incident, but today's cartoon reminded me of the tales of yore that y'all have been sharing.

http://www.inkygirl.com
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-James Brown
"Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often."
Mark Twain

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

The NaNo-ness has kicked in...

shiningkira — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:31:38 +0000

So, this year I haven't been able to write as much as I would like to--busy with work and etc, and I don't have the word count i know I could/should have (also due to procrastination). Well, after typing in my recent word count, and then looking at what I'm supposed to be at if I actually wrote 1667 words a day, this is what I actually said to myself:

"Psh. Well, I'm only 3000 words behind."

Have any of you started sinking in the hole of being behind this year yet and had a similar thought, acting as if your obstacles and challenges aren't that big of a deal and that they'll work themselves out? It'd be nice to know that i'm not alone :)
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USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Halfway!!

Bennu — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:12:32 +0000

I posted in the "shout outs" forum, but also wanted to share my joy and triumph with all my Red Stick Wrimo friends. Y'all rock.(Or, for the purposes of wordcount, that should be, "you all rock", LOL.)

Hooray!

Don't give up on your masterworks. We can all do it!
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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/4009837578_cd52debacf_o.png

Her Brother's Keeper
Number of deaths: 4
Number of chapters completed: 23/23

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

A question for veteran WriMos

dmanuel08 — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:46:10 +0000

Do you feel more calm about NaNo this year, like you have it under control?

I outlined the first few scenes of my novel and a few of my characters before I stared the actual writing, then just let it go from there. Now I've just written extensive backstory for a character that barely had a name when I started and at least one of my characters is going to have a different job when I get to revising, and instead of freaking out and wanting to give up, I feel invigorated. I feel like I've discovered another piece of the process that had never really fit into my theory of writing before. Anyone else having a similar experience?
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USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Help! I'm running low on motivation...

Bennu — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:59:37 +0000

Will all my Red Stick Wrimo friends please help me? I have been doing magnificently this week (just broke 20K today.) And, as I said in an earlier post, I just ordered a shirt, so I HAVE to finish the novel now.

But I am just so tired and drained! It's not that I don't know where my novel is going--far from it. It seems to me that, for all the hard work and time I have put into this novel, I should be a lot further along than 20K. My husband is on a business trip, and has been since Thursday morning before I got up. He won't come home until Monday or Tuesday--maybe even Wednesday, in the worst case scenario. That leaves me in sole charge of our three year old. I am just so tired and lonely, and I feel like nobody is going to care about my characters and my wonderful book but me. That makes me very sad.

Where does a second wind come from when you need it? Please help me get motivated--pumped up and rearing to go again!
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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/4009837578_cd52debacf_o.png

Her Brother's Keeper
Number of deaths: 4
Number of chapters completed: 23/23

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Oh my!

EDYboo08 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:10:12 +0000

I just realised that I had chosen the wrong time zone!
It all makes sense now! I was trying to figure out why I could still submit a word count for the eleventh, when it was past midnight, well into the twelfth!
I can't believe it! Now my results are all skewed! All those times I updated after midnight the words went to the wrong day! :(
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"I like rudeness a great deal better than flattery" ~Jane Eyre
2009- Leader---in progress

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Write-in Tonight!

leighlady — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:37:14 +0000

There is a Write-in tonight at BrewHaHa on Jefferson.

I will not be there due to unforeseen Kickball playoffs. Please still go! Ask for the backroom as they are supposed to set it aside for us. Write, write, write! And let me know who went so I can add stickers accordingly. :)
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***Courtney
Red Stick WriMos' Municipal Liaison
redstickwrimo@gmail.com

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Hooray for Leighlady, our awesome ML!

Bennu — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:51:17 +0000

Thanks, Leighlady, for all your hard work and cheerful devotion to us Red Stick Wrimos. You've had lots of ideas for really fun regional events, and they all seem to be going as smoothly as humanly possible. (Thanks for keeping us in the loop in decision making!) I love how active this board is; I think you've helped keep us lively. Thanks for the great idea of the daily word prompts, thanks for the stickers (grin), and thanks for being an all around great ML.

Three cheers for Leighlady!

Huzzah!
Huzzah!
Huzzah!
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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/4009837578_cd52debacf_o.png

Her Brother's Keeper
Number of deaths: 4
Number of chapters completed: 23/23

USA :: Louisiana :: Baton Rouge

Life imitates Art imitates Life

cat vacuumer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:58:58 +0000

Or, how to pad your novel.. In one of my story lines, a young couple is thinking about buying a house. I had a dream last night about me moving into a weird spooky house. So, of course, my MC dreams of a weird spooky house after touring an open house on a Sunday afternoon! And I may go back and throw in a few more details---or maybe she'll keep dreaming about houses. (It's such fun to run your characters dream lives as well as their real lives!)
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