Anyone up for a kick-off and other meetings in Belfast this year?
Generally, the kick-off takes place the week before NaNoWriMo starts. It's a chance to meet some of the other people who are going to be partaking of the insanity and to just chat about what and how and why. The meetings - aiming for weekly ones - are both a chance to socialise and talk about NNWM, and also to do some writing (laptop/Alphasmart/pen&paper).
My best evenings during November for meetings will be Monday and Wednesday, although the Monday one is possibly mutable (Weds isn't, due to another NNWM committment) - it's really down to which two days that week I work in Belfast. Anyone got any preferences?
As for a place, I don't really have one in mind. Last year we met in the back room of Common Grounds, but that wasn't really ideal (it's a charity, they wanted donations for use of the room - however, NNWM is of course a charity in its own right!). We really need a largish cafe that's open till at least 8 or 9, with comfy seats and space for people to gather round.
There's a potential one near where I work (Undaground on Dublin Road) - although its chairs aren't that great, it's convenient both to bus routes and the city centre, and they're open till 11 (and have decent coffee and other food).
Other suggestions are very welcome though. I also considered the cafe in Belfast Central Library because, you know, the whole book connection - anyone know anything about it?
Bear in mind that even if you can't make the write-ins and meetings organised by me, you're very very very welcome to organise your own - just let me know so I can add them to the calendar!
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Municipal Liaison for Northern Ireland
WriMo Ireland - the place for all WriMos in Ireland - visit the chat room!
2,325 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2008 - 04 21
Hi, I'm definitely up for meeting at some point, if only to make myself believe I've really signed up for this! Monday nights would be good for me - I'm in a class on Wednesdays. Undaground sounds good. Roast on Royal Avenue has loads of comfy seats but I don't know when it shuts, probably too early. I don't know how late the Central Library stays open.
57,172 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2008 - 06 16
Belfast Central Library is open until 8pm Monday to Thursday but the cafe closes earlier and I'm not sure how they'd feel about being invaded though.
70,545 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2008 - 06 28
Let's drop that one off the list then. I thought their cafe was open later...
Anywhere that we pick, I will phone first though and check for times and whether they're ok with groups. We never got above about 8 or 9 people at the most last year (4 to 6 was most likely) but turn-out could be higher this year - every year, there are more of us. :)
70,545 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2008 - 06 32
For reference:
Roast - http://www.roastcoffeeco.co.uk/ (they don't have opening hrs, but I'll ring and check)
Undaground - http://undaground.co.uk/ (they're open till 11, although I'm really disturbed by their misspelling of 'Dehli' on their website)
50,529 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2008 - 17 02
Roast is great, it has free WiFi!
:-)
Subway is also great - free refills for your drinks. I don't know if they have plug outlets available for laptops, though.
And of course, there's Cafe India again! http://www.cafeindiabelfast.com
Come to think of it, Blick Studios might be willing to let us meet up in their place.
70,545 / 50,000
Oct 17, 2008 - 08 40
Drat, Roast closes at 7 most weeknights - that's really a bit early as our meetings generally run 6 or 6:30 onwards, often for a couple of hours.
Any more suggestions, anyone? :(
Cafe India's pretty good for a kick-off or TGIO, but seeing as it's a restaurant, we can't afford to go there every week!
Which Subway are you thinking of, Speculator? There are umpteen in the centre, I know, but they're all fairly small. And, you know, we're headed for the whole corporate thing there and might as well go to Starbucks... (Actually the one on Botanic Ave's not bad, or there's a new one at Victoria Square... although I've no idea of their opening hours.)
70,545 / 50,000
Oct 17, 2008 - 09 03
Oh, just wanted to add something for the benefit of the younger and more nervous of you:
1) I promise faithfully that I am neither an axe-murderer nor excessively weird and I'm reasonably hopeful that WriMos who already know me will attest to this.
2) However, I can't promise that about everyone else!
3) And as such, please feel free to bring a friend or relative with you to meetings. However, if they're not doing NaNo, they do need to know in advance that we will be writing and talking (mostly) about writing throughout the entire thing, and they might get horribly bored; they should probably bring a book or games console or something to keep them occupied...
4) If any young 'uns out there do have nervous parents, please send me a NaNoMail; I've got an official form letter that can be passed on (explaining what NNWM is and why we do it and so on), and I'm happy enough to give my phone number so they can speak to me themselves.
61,938 / 50,000
Oct 17, 2008 - 14 04
I'm in for the meetings. I might make it to more than one this time. Just tell me when and where
50,529 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2008 - 10 26
All subways are more or less interchangeable, I suppose. They don't have Wi-FI, though.
Waterstones does, though. And not only is there a Cafe inside, there's a Subway opposite ...
McDonalds in Victoria Centre has free Wi-Fi, but AFAIK Starbucks charges for it. :-(
70,545 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2008 - 10 02
Alas, Waterstones closes at 6pm, which isn't much use to us on week-nights (although it would do very nicely if anyone wants to organise a weekend meet).
We're probably better off /not/ having a net connection during write-ins, to be honest! Too much distraction. :)
25,023 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2008 - 12 16
The Waterstones cafe closes even earlier than the shop itself, they wouldn't give me a coffee at 5:15 last week. Oh and, err, hello, first time participant here :)
15,025 / 50,000
Oct 22, 2008 - 04 22
Just like to say hello, I am a newbie too, and I'd interested in attending any meetings that you manage to organise :)
I work over the road from Victoria Square if you'd like me to nip over and check their opening hours sometime - I'd guess though that since VS itself is open til nine from Wed-Fri, it'd be open to nine those nights too!
70,545 / 50,000
Oct 22, 2008 - 13 55
Right, after phoning/visiting a few places and checking their opening times and size (and other such interesting factors such as size of tables), here's a suggestion:
Kick-off - next Tuesday (28th October), Starbucks on Botanic Avenue.
Can change this to Monday or Thursday if necessary, but I'm afraid those are the only days I can do next week. And I'm open to other location suggestions, but there hasn't been much luck with the appropriateness of anywhere so far. :(
Please let me know if you can make it, or if you have a better alternative (viable suggestions are very welcome).
15,025 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2008 - 03 07
Can do that... what time would we be talking? :)
70,545 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2008 - 03 21
Oh, dimwitted me - I was aiming for about 6:30 to 8, people to drop in as they like.
And I realised I can't do next Thursday either, so it's Monday or Tuesday only for me, I'm afraid (next week anyway).
24,642 / 50,000
Oct 24, 2008 - 00 46
aloha! i'm new... well not new exactly, twenty six years old in fact! but new to this y'know...
i'll probably be able to call up to botanic avenue on tuesday 28th. half six, yeah? am i right or too hungover to make sense of all this.
;)
50,529 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2008 - 05 41
That's about halfway between the Cinema (it's crazy tuesday) and Queens (night classes), so I'll be able to drop by!
:)
2,325 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2008 - 05 07
See you tomorrow!
70,545 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2008 - 14 06
So as you can spot me if you're there before me... I will be wearing a long black coat to cover up my shockingly bright ML T-shirt, and will be carrying a basket. (Really.)
If you can't see anyone who looks like they might be NaNoWriMo people downstairs, check upstairs before running away, please? I'll try and remember to print off a table tent so we're more easily seen.
56,432 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2008 - 15 27
Hey!
So I just signed up yesterday and still haven't decided if that was a good idea or not, but I'll try to make it along tomorrow evening for a bit at least.
70,545 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2008 - 14 43
Well, it was a bit of a disappointing turn-out this evening (and I hope no-one tries blaming the weather, since I managed to cross the very snowy Glenshane pass this morning to get to Belfast!) - hopefully no-one came in and couldn't find us though. I was wearing my very bright T-shirt (which is being retired to the back of the cupboard again after tomorrow).
No decisions were made on further meetings, except that they will be happening on Monday evenings. I'll post about a venue tomorrow, because I had a bright idea on the drive home and want to check out a possibility before announcing anything definite.
25,023 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2008 - 14 54
I really wanted to come - I was only a street away! - but there was a Dylan Moran film on at the QFT for tonight only and we bought the tickets ages ago. I hope I can make the next one.
57,172 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2008 - 03 27
I'll try and make the normal meetings but I work on Tuesday night's or else I would have been at the kick off.
8,645 / 50,000
Oct 31, 2008 - 05 34
I'd love to have come along on Tuesday, but unfortunately couldn't.
Count me in for any future meetings!
70,545 / 50,000
Oct 31, 2008 - 05 44
For a city the size of Belfast, there are remarkably few cafes in the centre or even in the university area which stay open past about 5 or 6 at the beginning of the week!
So, having failed to find anywhere, and not having been very impressed with Starbucks this week, here is the date and time of our next meeting.
Undaground, Dublin Road (opposite the Movie House) - Monday 3rd November, 6:30pm. It's got big windows so you should be able to see me in there wearing a NaNoWriMo T-shirt (although not the bright yellow one) and with my pumpkin bucket on the table.
15,025 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2008 - 10 21
I couldn't make the last one due to family things, but this week, it should be all good. Hope to see you there :)
50,070 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2008 - 15 46
Hi!
I'm Sami and I'm new to NanoWrimo but I'm from Belfast and am interested in writing, though my ideas haven't had a lot of time to form. I'm 19 and not sure about going to the meeting on Monday but I think it could be good for me to talk to some other creative people. I'll have a think about it and if anyone wants to convince me, mail me or something, or just mail me for chat and motivation to get started/keep writing!
:)
2,023 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2008 - 05 55
I finally managed to sign in after I nearly gave up again (I was defeated by the website yesterday)!
Hurray!
I'll defnintely be coming to the meeting tomorrow!
See you then!!!
24,642 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2008 - 01 54
I'm notoriously terrible at fulfilling promises relating to making appointments and such. I work as a wb designer which means long hours and working until the client says stop. If I can make any of the meetings I will but rest assured I'm getting my own back on this evil corporate empire by scribbling down more and more ideas during downtime in work!
15,025 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2008 - 11 57
I really am failing at these meetings. This week, I'm not well. Rubbish... maybe I'll make it to one eventually!