So, What's On Your Page?

I'll give it a shot:

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?
I guess since this is my first time around, I would be an egg. I am not published in any format other than online, however, I have been working for several years to modify that situation.

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?
Historical Fiction ... I am making a slight departure from my Civil War centrality and am planning to write a Western sequel to a Civil War trilogy currently in progress

3. What's your word count goal for November?
50,000 words

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?
If they are scheduled at a time I have free in my incredibly busy schedule, yes.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug
for raw material for novelists). I'm a Boy Scouts of America Scoutmaster for Troop 729 (bsatroop729.org)

Sure am anxious to get started on my third book!

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?
Probably I am a hatchling as this is my third year of writing and my third year in Austin.

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?
This book will be a continuation of the other years. My travel through life. I have 68 years worth to write about and when my memory is gone, I can look up the answers in my writings. Guess I had better hurry!! heh, heh.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?
I am sure hoping to get the 50,000 count for the third time.

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?
Sure wish I could join you in some of these as they sound like fun, but don't get out much.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).
I love to travel, or rather did love to travel, having been in all 50 states, Europe, Asia, Canada (lived there for a few years) and of course Mexico. Ate at the top of the Eifel Tower and took the mule train into the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

With many medical conditions plus pain, writing with everyone else in November makes me feel a part of something big and gives a feeling of accomplishment! My daughter and I have been doing this together and encourage each other.

Thanks for all your comments as it is wonderful to hear what everyone is doing!!

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madness have you endured?
As-of-yet unpublished (planning on changing that -- but aren't we all?) third-time NaNo-er. This year will be my fourth novel. (Or fifth. I can't remember.)
2. What's your field of writing for this time through?
Generally I'm modern fantasy, but I'm straight up Young Adult this year with a sprinkling of some literary fiction.
3. What's your wordcount goal for November?
*holds breath* 100,000.
4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?
Kick-offs, midnight write, all-night write, as many Thursday write-ins as I can, and the TGIO.
5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).
I'm a certified fake psychologist. My friend, who is currently a psych major, gave me a notebook-paper certificate since I had read/learned about/Wikipedia'd just about every mental disorder known to man and could recognize most of the symptoms on paper, etc etc etc.

Sure, why not?

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?

This is my fifth time doing NaNo, though only my third or fourth year even remotely associated with a group like the penguins.

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

Hard question. Either fanfiction or urban fantasy of some kind, I think. Maybe space opera again, but that bunny isn't biting.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

As usual, between 75-100k

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

I'd like to, but between my job and my lack of money, I doubt I'll get to as many as I'd like.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

I work at Dragon's Lair Comics & Fantasy, surrounded by stories and crazy people. I got the job because I went to the Austin Penguin Midnight Write last November. I ended up talking to the sales manager and he offered me a job.

~alan m rogers

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?

Am I a what?

Don't know much about penguin life cycles, but I suppose the mamallian equivalent for my stage would be "fetus."

I've been a struggling screenwriter for some time now, dabbling in TV and short film and the like. After all, everyone in Austin has either a band or a script, and I can barely play Pac-Man, much less a musical instrument! So after dabbling in struggling screenwriting, I figured I'd go back to my roots and try my hand at struggling novel writing. Can't hurt, and sounds like fun!

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

I've done a little bit of everything by this point, keeping mostly to modern drama or fantasy, but I've tried my pen at just about everything. Most of them are so bad I that it crashes my computer, but since I will be 100% writing-driven and not doing any research, I suppose it'll be whatever keeps me rolling first. Most likely I'll take one of the treatments I've been lining my birdcage with and try to pull a full novel out of it.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

Well, 50,000 is the goal, right? Everyone else here seems to be reaching for double that! I suppose the reasonable thing to do would be to just try and pass the basic 50k mark my first time around, but I pride myself on being most unreasonable. 75k sounds like a good lower limit!

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

I will not deny that I have had simly TRAGIC experiences whenever internet groups try to meet in real life. However, novelists seem like a far more worldy bunch than many other cyber-sub-cultures I am involved with. I acutally think it'd be really good to get out every so often with people in the same mind-set and breaking any blocks I might have. Sunlight is a good thing every so often, I've heard.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

Qwizybuk!

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?

This will be my second NaNo, my second year with the truly amazing Austin Penguins, and my second time putting aside World of Warcraft in favor of my writing (albeit for a very brief period of time).

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

Still undecided. 2/3 of my ideas are fantasy (either a sequel or a prequel to last year's NaNo), and 1/3 involves modern, mainstream fiction.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

Last year, making it just over the 50k mark was goal enough. This year, I'm thinking I'll up the ante a little bit and push for 75k. I certainly won't be disappointed in myself if I only make it to 50k again this year, though.

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

Yes! Last year, I was severely limited by my lack of fully-functional laptop, and only made it to a few minutes of the Midnight Write, and then the TGIO. But this year, I'm really going to try to make it to a few other things in between, hopefully including the lock-in.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

I have a cat who is adept at assigning random phone numbers to speed-dial on my cell phone. Which I guess is really something special about my cat, and not about me, but... whatever.

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?

Adolescent? Is that an option? Slightly more than a hatchling, whatever the case may be.

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

Semi-parody of high school and the horror genre (mainly Stephen King).

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

Ideally, 50k. Realistically, I'd be happy with anything over 20k.

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

Most definitely.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

I love music of any kind, recently started playing violin (it's electric blue with rhinestones along the scroll), and I'm going to Canada to see Emilie Autumn for my sweet sixteen, which is right smack dab in the middle of NaNo.

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?
- I've got two NaNo's and two Script Frenzy's under my belt, all met the word goal yet none were quite finished. Where does that put me...penguin-lite?

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?
- Straight up fantasy.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?
- Anything above 50k. The last couple novels, at 50k, were barely a third of the way into their respective stories. I'm hoping by the end of November this year that I'll be closer to the end of my story.

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?
- Hope I can hit a couple. Have always at least made it to the TGIO party.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).
- A former marching geek, I have marched baritone/euphonium a total of 18 seasons with various bands and drum corps, including some of the best in the world. While my marching days are behind me, I still play regularly with the Austin Wind Symphony. (Shameless plug - The AWS has a music of Star Trek concert on Oct.24 - details at www.austinwindsymphony.com )

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?

This is NaNo #7 for me, so I guess that makes me a Super Penguin. I've participated every year since 2002 and won every year but 2003. I think I came to my first event thing in 2004.

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

Not sure yet. I started a chick lit/literary fiction trilogy in '04 that continued in '05 and '07, but I don't think I'm going to do a part 4 for NaNo this year. I'm still (very slowly) working on the trilogy, but I'm considering either magical realism or an idea I had this morning for this year....

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

Real life is nuts, so I think I'm going to get to 50K (possibly in 2 weeks like last year! - kids, don't try this at home!) and see what happens after that. Last year was my best ever at 65K.

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

Yep. I've recently discovered the Georgetown Library and I'm looking forward to stuff there and Pflugerville.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

I collect penguins, and not just because of NaNo. : )

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?

Can a hatchling regress...? I participated and won for 2 years, participated and didn't hit 50K a 3rd year (however, I still consider that one a success in that I return to the story and still write on it, which means I love the story and it can still go somewhere). After that, in '06 and '07, I worked at a job where I typed all day and couldn't risk the carpal tunnel complications of typing all night, too. This year, still typing, but not as heavily, so I'm giving Nano another go.

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

Naturalist fantasy? Main character's a tracker in a forest with supernatural abilities. Supporting cast may be a psychic (not sure yet)

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

An even 50K - I know from experience that I have a hard enough time keeping up with that, without attempting to go over.

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

Heck ya! They make this whole thing worth it!!

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

I love to knit. And rather than just aimlessly starting projects, I've finished three items this year. It's a first for me. Also, I got married last year, so I have a new last name to be addressed by at Nano.

jayiin -

The Dragon's Lair on Burnet? I drive past that place on my way to work every day!

I think my post to this thread got deleted in the server crash, so here I go again:

1. Well, this is my 4th Nano, but my first NaNo in Austin, and I haven't actually won a NaNo yet, so I'm sort of in-between.

2. Mainstream fiction

3. I just want to hit 50k one time!

4. Hopefully I'll be hitting some write-ins. The past three years, I've been a full-time worker AND a full-time grad student, so they never fit into my schedule. But this year, I don't have any academic committments, so we'll see.

5. I'm obsessed with the Mountain Goats and have the title of their latest album ("Heretic Pride") tattooed between my shoulder blades.

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madness have you endured?

I'm a hatchling. First time taking part in this, and I'm psyched~

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

Probably fantasy, although I don't want to tie myself to one genre before the madness actually starts.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

The minimum 50k, haha. I'm amazed at people who write 500k and above. Anyone forming carpal tunnel at the end of November?

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

I'm a bit of a hermit, but I'll try and push myself out for some events if time (and my car XD) permits.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

I'm a very clean person, but I love mammals, reptiles, and insects of all sorts, and would gladly surround myself with them if my apartment would allow it :D

The D-Lair = Nerd Mecca of Austin. Yay!

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?
This is my third Nano. I won the first year, but didn't do so hot last year (to be fair, I was moving to Austin during the month of November.). So I think hatchling.

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?
Literary fiction. I love it.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?
At least 50,000, haha.

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?
I would love to. Would be fun to meet some new people in the area.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).
I'm a giant fan of Cricket. I was real surprised to find some leagues and pick up games happening in the area when I moved here.

Yes. I had surgery in January to relieve the pressure. Hence the more modest goal.

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?
Super penguin, I suppose. This is my sixth year, fourth in Austin.

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?
Literary fiction, again

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?
Anything past 49,999 ;)

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?
I usually try to go to as many events as possible.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).
I can cross one eye.

Hey C!! Welcome to Texas hon!

Lets see, I am going to be a New Mexican come November but what the heck, I will answer too. I love my Austinite brothers and sisters!

1. Ummm compared to you C no one is a super penguin, but I have my hopes that one day I will get a cape too. ;) Just a penguin(ish, give me a 'rita I am from Houston after all)

2. Heh I am going for erotic fiction this year with a heavy leaning towards chick literature. or maybe i have that backwards...

3. November...I will be taking it easy this year... I say 250k. I did that really easily back in '06. 400+K was too hard last year. I was so tired. LOL

4. Yeah, if I can find them in a whole new city. GO TO WRITE INS, KICK OFF PARTIES, TGIO Parties, Skirmishes!!! They are the BEST and keep you motivated. I can not express how motivating it is to hear several other people clacking away at their keyboards. :)

5. I am going with blind faith to live in a state I only know 2 people in, knowing full well it will work out. Ike wiped me out, lost my job and everything, figured I may as well start over somewhere else. I am either brave or stupid. Only time will tell.

Also, I can curl, fold, turn, roll my tongue, as well as touch the tip of my nose with it.

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?

This is my second year around, but I'd really only consider myself still in the egg with just a couple of cracks in the shell.

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

I like to write fantasy, but that's what I tried last year and didn't get very far, since I became to bogged down in the world building rather than the storytelling. So, I have decided to stay in the modern world. I'm going to start with whatever conversation pops into my head when I sit down on the first and go from there.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

I want to hit the 50,000 mark this year. I'm going to aim for the halfway mark, though, since it's a more manageable goal for me.

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

I'd love too. I've never been to one before.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

The thumb of my right hand is shorter than my left, but I can stretch it to make it longer, making it the same length as the left, and then shrink it again. It's my one super power.

Are there any other people over age 65 signed up to write? Or am I the only one?

grandmaf, as far as Austin, there's no easy way to tell. Though there is a hard way I have access to - and I might take that up if I get bored or desperately want to procrastinate. We have had other people over 65 writing in our region in prior years, and there's no reason there won't be some again this year. Maybe they'll post and tell us so!

There is also a forum for all 50+s in NaNoLand. It's here. But we hope you won't spend all your time over there. We like having you here!

I picked up and moved halfway across the country to a place where I knew no one, once. I'm still here, and it worked out great for me, so I think the fresh start will work out fine for you, too. Hope you love NM! And check in with us often!

Yes, I intend to stay here! This is my third year of being with you and I enjoy hearing from everyone! We sure have a great group of talented writers and I am proud to be with you when I go for my third win!

My first year I finished with a broken arm and last year finished in spite of a brain trauma. This year hopefully will be without incident.

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madness have you endured?

Hmmmm..just a penguin? This is my third year participating and third year participating in Austin. And this year should be even better than last year as I have my own laptop!

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

I have two plot bunnies nibbling...one is post-Apocalyptic, and the other is Romantic Suspense.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

I think I am going to try for 75-100k, but it depends on a lot of things. I am taking the first week of November off, but part of that time will be setting up my new apartment/room.

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

As many as I possibly can!

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

I work overnight shifts and I like it!

eli.

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?

I suppose I would be an egg. I got to over 30,000 words the first time I did it in high school; I watched from the sidelines in college. Now I recently graduated and I am ready to get writing!

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

I have no idea. Ask me again on Oct 31 at 11:30pm :)

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

50,000

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

Yea!!! I am new to Austin so, I am looking forward to checking out the NaNo events!

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

I won a trophy with a surfer on it after placing 2nd in a 5k race

Wow, I'd been half-kidding, but I can see how that would really happen. Did the surgery go well for you?

I'm trying to get my mom interested (not that she's 65 yet, but still), but she's a teacher and is finding it difficult to make the time.

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?

To quote an earlier post, I'm also the equivalent of a fetus. I only managed a measly 10k last year in my first NaNo attempt, and I just moved out from California, so I'm new to the Austin group. Technically, I'm in Salado, which is roughly 45 minutes away, but the Bell County forums aren't too hopping, (I don't think there's even an ML...) so I'll be making the drive to Austin!

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?

Sci-fi, and I'm pumped for a more realistic endeavor than last year's debacle.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?

50K

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?

I would love to, and I'm looking forward to them! I know attending the write-ins will give me the little boosts I'll need, and I haven't done much exploring in Austin yet, so just seeing the city will be good fun.

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).

My family owns Skydive Temple, which is the closest drop zone to Austin, so if anyone has any interest in Skydiving, be sure to let me know, and I can hook you up. :) Everybody needs a break from all that writing stress sometimes!

I also love to crochet, and I'll be stupidly juggling some crochet swaps, as well, during November.

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured?
Uhm, definitely an egg. I just joined yesterday!

2. What's your field of writing for this time through?
I'm hoping to go for real life, if not, something in the fantasy genre. I would try and write in something I've never dealt with . . . Actually, I think I will. Well, I haven't really written anything for real life. All my attempts go down the drain, so I might do it.

3. What's your wordcount goal for November?
I'm hoping to go the whole way, baby! Yeah! coughcough. But you know, if I don't, 30,000 is reasonable. We'll see, eh?

4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc?
Does TGIO stand for Thank Goodness It's Over? Cause if it does, then yes! I'll be so happy once it's over that I'll buy snack food and throw a party!

5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists).
Hm, something special. Uhm, I had a paranoid fear that someone was watching me from the sky when I was like, seven. Three years later, when I learned about God, the feeling went away. . . . Well, I thought it was special.

1. What's your experience level (egg, hatchling, super penguin, etc) or, if you like, how much of this madnes have you endured? - I guess I have hatched at least, although I would hesitate to go as far as super I would definitely say that I am no longer covered in fuzz... (Also, since I no longer even live in Texas, I am an Honorary resident of New Antarctica!)
2. What's your field of writing for this time through? Hmmmm... I will say Fantasy, just because I have no clue.
3. What's your wordcount goal for November? 50k! What else?
4. Are you planning to hit any write-ins, kick-offs, TGIO's etc? Not in Austin... airfare from Virginia is pretty expensive, even if you get to hang out with this bunch! But maybe I can make it to something here...
5. Give us one special thing about you (yes, this is a shameless plug for raw material for novelists). - I won the school spelling bee in 6th and 8th grades. I won two gold medals in the academic decathlon in high school - one for my essay, and one for winning the most medals for my school. (I was the only one who won a medal for my school!)

Battling the soul-stealing weasels of despair!

Tweetywill

This is my annual (ok, I've only done it once before, but it was a year ago) shout-out to the person who maintained the balance of the universe by moving from Texas to Virginia after I moved from Virginia to Texas. :D