Okay, on a smaller scale, this worked out rather well last year. This year, though, I think bigger would be better.
I use AOL Instant Messenger, aka AIM, almost constantly. Several others I know do as well. Last year, a small handful of us would keep a tally of our word count in the status message area along with a brief message about how the writing was going. If someone was lagging behind, frustrated, or needed some help with a writer's block we were able to identify this through the status message and do what we could to get them back on track.
Since it worked out last year better than I expected, I'd like to expand that circle a bit. My NaNo-specific AIM SN is MishaelaMK and is not hidden or blocked. I have a group in my buddy list named "NaNo Circle" that anyone who is doing NaNo this year will be on. If anyone wants to join the circle, just add my name to their BL and send me a message through AIM. In order to make sure this works out well, everyone should pass names around the circle so that others can be added to everyone's BLs.
In the status message of your AIM window, track your word count like this example: 1,600/50K (or 50,000)... Writing like mad.
If you're stumped or frustrated, change the "writing like mad." part to something appropos. Anyone in the circle who's on at the time will have a chance to see it and be able to offer assistance as needed. If it's really bad, the chat room feature can be put into play so multiple WriMos can offer assistance no matter what the problem.
It's an idea and, like I said before, it worked out really well on a smaller scale last year. Just toss me an IM if you want to be in on it or reply in this thread with your AIM screen name.
----------
~ Mish
"I don't merely write a story. I slit the wrists of my soul, bleeding it out in a readable form and hope that someone else can make sense of it."
~2008 - Dragonrise 50,562
~2009 - Witchery
0 / 50,000
oct. 2, 2009 - 07 45
I think that's a great idea. I'll IM you shortly so you can add me, but I'd prefer to PM others with my IM and not post it her because I don't have a NaNo specific screenname.
Would this include word wars too because those are excellent motivators as well. =]
----------If anyone else is interested, post here or PM me. I'll be happy to push anyone or get my rear end kicked as long as we all do well.
"There is not one big cosmic meaning for all, there is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person."
-Anais Nin
46,586 / 50,000
oct. 2, 2009 - 08 56
Last year I had a separate group in my AIM for NaNo, too, and the word wars that resulted wrote half of my novel!
AIM - blessedmortal117
Yahoo - jedielftinkerbell
----------"My doctor says that I have a malformed public duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber and I am therefore excused from saving universes."
_______________________________
2007: LONGA VIA - 50,057
2008: Tattoos and Dandelions - 51,252
2009:
16,339 / 50,000
oct. 2, 2009 - 09 17
Woohoo! What a great idea. I just created a NaNo-specific AIM account: Ruvontino
I added you, Mish, and I'll be messaging you shortly. Anyone participating in the NaNo circle, feel free to add me. :-)
57,492 / 50,000
oct. 2, 2009 - 09 21
There's a stickied thread of people posting their IM info over in the wordwars forum. :-D
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3263989
----------17,032 / 50,000
oct. 2, 2009 - 12 22
Just to let everyone know, if I don't get back to you right away, it's not that I'm ignoring you. I'm a third-shifter, so I sleep in the day and work at night. Don't worry, though, because if you IM me, I will add your name to the list.
----------~ Mish
"I don't merely write a story. I slit the wrists of my soul, bleeding it out in a readable form and hope that someone else can make sense of it."
~2008 - Dragonrise 50,562
~2009 - Witchery
30,889 / 50,000
oct. 2, 2009 - 21 44
My AIM is SteviexOctopus, I already IMed Mishaela and Atalanta. I also added blessedofmortals17. So yeah... feel free to IM me! (just tell me that your from the NaNo Circle, as my SN is not NaNo specific)
----------17,032 / 50,000
oct. 3, 2009 - 04 37
There are a couple of others on my list, but I need to get their permission before I toss their names up here.
----------~ Mish
"I don't merely write a story. I slit the wrists of my soul, bleeding it out in a readable form and hope that someone else can make sense of it."
~2008 - Dragonrise 50,562
~2009 - Witchery
1,931 / 50,000
oct. 3, 2009 - 07 39
joules2319
39,547 / 50,000
oct. 3, 2009 - 11 47
ophiuchagaunt
----------:3 AIM is being gay right now, since I downloaded the Mac update.
But I can still go on AIM Express, and I should fix the main bug by November.
"I would my love could kill thee; I am satiated
With seeing the live, and fain would have thee dead.
I would earth had thy body as fruit to eat,
And no mouth but some serpent's found thee sweet."
50,048 / 50,000
oct. 3, 2009 - 11 54
Sounds like fun! I'm Jaikeni on AIM as well.
3,293 / 50,000
oct. 3, 2009 - 16 18
Ooh! Ooh! Let me join! Let meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee join!!!
I'll behave! Honest I will! ^_^
I'll make an AIM SN specifically for this, but it might not be for a few days till my actual computer gets back from the repair place (this one is all crappy ^_^)
I'll post in here as soon as I have my SN!
43,840 / 50,000
oct. 3, 2009 - 16 19
Awesome! Mine is beeloveswriting
----------NaNo '08 - Blackholes & Revelations (Abandoned)
NaNo '09 - Monsters Among Us (Here's hoping!)
17,032 / 50,000
oct. 3, 2009 - 17 36
This is the current list as it stands now. I'll continue to update it as more join in... So far, though, it's looking a lot better than I originally expected. I'm thinking, at some point, we'll all have to "meet" in a full-bore chat room.
----------~ Mish
"I don't merely write a story. I slit the wrists of my soul, bleeding it out in a readable form and hope that someone else can make sense of it."
~2008 - Dragonrise 50,562
~2009 - Witchery
11,460 / 50,000
oct. 4, 2009 - 14 45
Please feel free to IM me anytime.
----------I'm InevitableLifeIM on AIM
Hope to hear from you!
6,216 / 50,000
oct. 4, 2009 - 17 23
I think this is a cool idea. I should go through and add people. You can add me on AIM as (what else?) ReticentPurple. Just let me know you're a NaNoer or I might be a bit confused as to why you're adding me! :P
----------NaNo '09 - A World Apart
(We don't talk about the pre-'09 novels...)
9,545 / 50,000
oct. 4, 2009 - 17 30
Hi Everyone!
I just created a new AIM name just for NaNo. It's mmzcreates. Please feel free to add me. I'll be adding everyone listed here.
To the fun times ahead.
----------www.mmzcreates.com
17,032 / 50,000
oct. 4, 2009 - 18 53
I'm so happy to see that other people liked this idea. I'm thinking we definitely need to arrange an online get-together before November starts. Introduce everyone around and make sure that all the members of the Circle get to know each other a little.
----------~ Mish
"I don't merely write a story. I slit the wrists of my soul, bleeding it out in a readable form and hope that someone else can make sense of it."
~2008 - Dragonrise 50,562
~2009 - Witchery
11,329 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2009 - 07 33
I'm totally up for this as well, I have a feeling I am going to need some encouraging.
AIM: nerdorfmeister
36,895 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2009 - 10 02
This sounds good, especially because I'm going to try and get 100k this year (double last years!)
AIM: vav2015
I already made a group for all the NaNo People so feel free to message me and say your from NaNo and I'll add you!
----------"I reject your reality, and substitute my own." - Adam Savage, Mythbuster
"All that glitters is not gold, not all those who wander are lost." J.R.R Tolkein
-------------------
2008: A Dance of Magic § Won! 50,449
2009: Dancing Elements § 0
22,077 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2009 - 10 18
This sounds pretty awesome, actually.
My handle on AIM is Dragoncritias, so feel free to drop me a line at any time.
----------NaNo '06--Epic (51k)
NaNo '07--I Don't Even Know Anymore (11k)
NaNo '08--Don't Stand Back (15k)
NaNo '09--Don't Stand Back (Now with 100 percent less urban fantasy!)
40,000 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2009 - 10 33
I'm skikidblues make sure to mention you're from NaNo the first time you message me so I don't block you. <3
----------There is too much blood in my caffiene system!
41,920 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2009 - 11 07
AIM: peepeelaureate
and, of course, let me know you're from here so I don't freak out.
EDIT: btw, as far as how active I am on AIM, it depends on how generous my sister is considering this is her laptop, but generally I'm on for at least two or four hours any given day. what times I'm online also depends on a lot of different factors. feel free, however, to IM me when I'm mobile; if I'm at work, I'll answer when the boss isn't looking, and if I ain't, I'll probably answer pretty much immediately. :P
----------30,401 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2009 - 11 09
AIM - rottingPOET
i'm often away from the computer so I'm not ignoring you, i'm just not there at the moment.
9,017 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2009 - 11 59
I added everyone who's already posted. My screen name is Cyendia, feel free to add me! :)
----------"Any sufficiently advance technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Arthur C. Clarke
'09 - Untitled
2,500 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2009 - 18 48
Aim: Fallenseraph79x
----------I love this. I can already feel that i'm gonna need a lot of motivation so hopefully this will work for me
I live on aim so feel free to im me whenever just make sure to tell me your a nanoer so i don't freak out. i already added everyone here which is easier said then done.
With Love Forever & Always,
Angel <3
20,347 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2009 - 20 46
AIM: fmiller1210
Feel free to im, please identify yourself as a wrimo, Also available for random chat/procrastination.
17,032 / 50,000
oct. 6, 2009 - 04 33
Welcome aboard to all the new WriMos. Glad to have you along for the ride. There's still plenty of room if anyone wants to hop on this party bus.
----------~ Mish
"I don't merely write a story. I slit the wrists of my soul, bleeding it out in a readable form and hope that someone else can make sense of it."
~2008 - Dragonrise 50,562
~2009 - Witchery
31,670 / 50,000
oct. 14, 2009 - 15 58
AIM: soccerlem1986
It's not nano-specific, but I have hardly anyone on it anyway.
Edit: I'm not much of a chatter/talker, but overtime maybe more... pretty open to topics/ideas.
----------~Louise
70,184 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2009 - 11 22
I have been adding people to my NaNo category on my AIM buddy list, and will contact you to let y'all know I'm not a stalker. However, I don't have a screen name per se (I log into AIM using my gmail address), and I don't want to put that email address online. So PM me if you would like my email, or just wait for me to message you. :)
----------www.allysonwhipple.com
My Lulu.com storefront
2005-2007: Epic fail!
2008: Winter White Lights (Winner!)
2009: Loveless Gospels
0 / 50,000
oct. 8, 2009 - 10 11
write x stuff
----------Can I do it? YES I CAN!