St. Louis Write-Ins at Bread Co - Now at Delmar!

I attend write-ins between Fenton and Sunset Hills and varying places (STL bread co, B&N, Borders).

This is my 3rd Nano and I did SF earlier this year. Can't wait!

Welcome to The Official Weekly WRITE-INS of the 2007 NaNoWriM-Olympics - St. Louis Region!

WHEN: Every Sunday in November from 3-5pm.
WHERE: St. Louis Bread Co at 10 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105 (ph: 314 725-9666 ) (aka, same as last year)

If you need directions, copy and paste the address into Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wl

Write-Ins are where some NaNos write like crazy, others just get crazy, and most do a little of both. If you can't stay the whole two hours, so what? Swing by for a quick Word War or just to say hi. Bring your laptop or Etch-a-Sketch or other noveling weapon of choice or just bring your adorable little self, and make the most of your NaNo experience. There's plenty of free parking and free Wi-Fi. There are only a couple of outlets, so if you have a spare power strip you could bring along, that would be great.

There will be additional write-ins at other locations throughout the month, organized by whoever wants to have them. It might be a good idea to start a new thread for each of the other write-in locations, so schedules and directions don't get mixed up.

Hope to see you all there!

Hi, all,
As a newbie, I'm not sure if there is already something set up for this that I just haven't found yet, but I figure that if I'm wondering about it, other people are too. Is there a calendar or a dedicated thread or anything that will collect the short-and-sweet details (when, where, stated purpose [meet-greet-answer-questions; write-in; after-party...], etc.) of all the NaNo events being planned in the area? I'm having difficulty wading through the seemingly billions and billions (shades of Carl Sagan!) of posts (interesting as they are) to find those nuggets of information about when and where there will be face-to-face, honest-to-goodness, live-and-in-person events! Can anyone help?

Thanks!
Cheryl, a.k.a. Julia

Yeah... unfortunately the events calendar is one of those things that aren't working yet. As soon as it's available, we'll post events there. In the meantime, this thread has all the Kick-off info, and you can check here and here and here for various write-in info:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/1001378

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/1006246

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/1006125

If anyone wants to arrange write-ins for other days/locations/whatever, start a new thread with all the info (please including a helpful subject heading like "Thursday Write-ins at AreaX"), then send me a nanomail with the link to your new thread and I'll try to add it into the list above.

Hope this helps!

Sadly, as a newbie, I'm not sure what all goes on in a write-in, and I'd be glad to be enlightened. Beyond that, as that I live in "West Overland" (a.k.a. between Maryland Heights and Overland), I was wondering if anyone would be interested in doing a Write-In somewhere in this neck of the woods. There's a Borders on Olive just east of 270, and the Edward Jones Family YMCA in Maryland Heights (south of Dorsett & McKelvey) has Wi-Fi both in the lobby and throughout the building, as well as free regular and decaf coffee. Mind, my druthers would be with Borders, what with the aura coming off all of the books, and the potential for a purchase of steamed milk with caramel and vanilla.

If anything, it would be a good way to get me out of the house so that I can focus; I have a 14-week-old son who can be tended to by family, but the greatest risk is my husband repeatedly interrupting me.

By the by, does anyone know if laptops can be rented? I have a home computer, but it's not exactly portable, and currently finances are tight in the household.

A write-in is an event where a bunch of NaNoers meet up and write. That's really all there is to it. The idea is that by getting together, there's a group of people to bounce ideas off of, an opportunity for word-warring (pick a time limit and see who can write the most words in it), people to make fun of (kidding!), people to help you get over your writer's block...hopefully you're at a place that has food and drink in case you can't work over the growling of your stomach...

In regards to laptops: I know that NaNo does have a lending program for Alphasmarts (a portable word processor), but looks like they've donated them all already. You are welcome to poke around the site for more information...I don't have it at the moment. Any chance a friend has a laptop he or she would be willing to donate for a few hours every week? That way you could at least have one at the write-ins...You might also take a look at rent-to-own places. Sometimes they sell computers, and you could decide if you wanted to buy it outright once you get going...

~j

And you don't *need* a laptop for write-ins. I didn't have one my first year. I'd write what I could longhand, or I'd work on the outlining I didn't do before Nov, or I'd people-watch to get ideas for characters, or I'd just goof off with the others who weren't writing at the moment. Don't let that keep you from going! Have fun!

Someone asked about this in another thread, so this is just a reminder:

The first pan-St.-Louis-area Write-In will be at the same Bread Co as the Kick-Off this Sunday and every Sunday in November from 3-5pm. (Check this thread for directions, etc.)

Hope to see all of you there!!!

limin-
co-ML for St. Louis

Paul and I will be there, with the Pointy Stick, and the Battle Hat. It's a bit big for me, but it should inspire people to write, once they've finished laughing at it..

Woohoo! Can't wait to see everybody today!

Don't forget to set your clocks back! And this time, it's *not* a drill. ;-)

If anyone has an extra power strip, please bring it. Thanks!

As we discussed at the write-in today, here's T.S. Eliot's "The Wasteland" rewritten in lolspeak: http://www.corprew.org/content/lolcat-wasteland/

Whooops! Was so busy writing at home, I forgot the write-in was today. Dave and I will try to make it next week if we are back from a trip. Sorry we're so ditsy!

-thystle

Don't worry! You didn't miss anything, except me flinging a wet tea bag at Mike.

Well, that and the official group mooning of IndiaNoPlace. (See Indy's WHAT thread.)

And our Word Wrangler's cunning battle hat.

And more than 20 (couldn't get 'm to stop squirming long enough for an exact count) nanos trying to get some writing done. Some wrote lots of words there - like Tom at over 2k. Some, not so much - like limin- at about 200. (She blames all the rowdies around her, btw.)

See you next time?

Sorry to miss it - my DH persuaded me to go see American Gangster with him. Ah, the things I do for love.

Hope everyone had a productive time, and I will try to make it next weekend.

Attention attention all you crazy St. Louis Wrimos! Er. I'm sure that most of you are completely sane in all things save word count, that was just a turn of phrase...

This is just a friendly reminder that the weekly StL write-in is tomorrow, Sunday the 11th day of the 11th month, 3-5 pm, @ the Bread Co on 10 S. Central in Clayton. Please come for writing, conversation, and word warring with Indy, Dayton, Louisville, Kansas City, Luxemborg, Iceland and France. (whew!) Yes, we are challenging entire countries. Isn't it fun?

Also, if you didn't come to the kick-off or first write-in and want your NaNo 2007 sticker, they'll be available at this week's write-in. Show your NaNo Pride!

We'd love to have you. We promise not to throw (too many) teabags. Go Go Gadget Word Count!

~jen

So if our Bread Co is closing at 5 now every Sunday, perhaps we should try the one on Brentwood south of 40? I think that one is open later. Just a thought. Might be better than having a bunch of NaNo Thugs hanging out on the street when the 10 S. Central Bread CO. throws us out at 5:00 PM.

Hey folks.

Due to the fact that the Bread Co on Central now closes at 5 pm, and we don't want to loiter right there by the Clayton Courts, Denise and I are looking into moving the weekly write-in to another Bread Co around town. We're thinking the one on the Loop, the one in the Galleria, or the one on Clayton across from the Esquire theater. None of these are too far away from the Central location. I don't have the addreses in front of me, but we'll link you when we know where...

We will try to keep it the same time, but obviously we have to wait until morning to confirm that a) they can fit us all and b) not all Bread Co's went loopy and decided to close earlier. We will let you know when we have a place, and whether we can keep the same time. We will try to choose the place that's most convenient for all, including those who need public transportation.

*off to write 90 more words to make it to 19k*

~j

The one on Brentwood, located (conveniently) between Manchester and 40, would be a fantastic location. You know the one, some of us randomly met there a month ago to chat about life and the upcoming Nano. I mean, the vote for the one has NOTHING to do with the fact of being spitting distance from our house or anything, its just convenient and has WIFI and power.

Actually there's one on Manchester a shade east of Lindbergh that is laid out nicely for a group to take over part without being to obtrusive, much like the Clayton BreadCo.

Someone - maybe somemadhope? - said the Brentwood one doesn't have public transport access. Anyone have definite info on that?

The Brentwood bread company is within long walking distance (probably five blocks or so-- this is very much an approximation) of the Brentwood-I64 station.

It's a bit of a pain to traverse the strip malls, though-- you have to go through past the one with Dierbergs in it and cut through the Promenade (there's a back entrance close to target Target to Brentwood Blvd. that you can take to cross Brentwood).

It might be easier to get off at the Richmond Heights-Galleria station and walk south on Brentwood Blvd.

You can also take MetroLink to Richmond Heights then take the WUSTL 01 or WUSTL 02. They both make stops right on Brentwood Square.

My personal vote is for the one on the Loop. It's got comfy chairs.

One huge thing in favour of the Loop is that there's a ton of places to eat around there. Or, go hit Cold Stone Creamery for ice-cream!!

I feel a pint of something dark and bitter at Blueberry Hill calling my name already! :-) [or maybe a root-beer shake from Fitzs]

I vote Brentwood. The building is nice and roomy.

I also live in spitting distance of Brentwood's location (if I were allowed to walk a few blocks before I did the spitting.). However, walking from the Galleria or Eager Road metrolink stop isn't convenient. I've done it. (From Eager Road). To walk from the Galleria you'd have to cross underneath the I-64 bridge. That can't be the safest thing to do. If I remember the conversation outside breadco Sunday correctly the WUSTL lines aren't always consistent about stopping at the Brentwood Strip Mall.

How's the parking for the Delmar Loop Bread Co? I know it's the weekend so the meters aren't the issue, but the Loop always seems very crowded when I'm down there.

The Galleria location would be convenient to metro, and good parking.
The Esquire location would also be convenient to public transport, and there should be sufficient parking in the Schnucks and Esquire lots.

Both are convenient distance for me, so I would be happy with either.

Alright, folks, since the Clayton Bread Co we had been meeting at decided to go all wonky for daylight savings time and close at 5 (the weirdos! they must like light or something!), we are MOVING LOCATIONS to the Bread Co on the Loop, 6630 Delmar.

Here's a map.

Same day and time, Sunday 3-5 pm, but as usual there will probably be people around before and after. This location is open until 9 pm on Sundays, so no one will get kicked out afterwards. We'll probably be in the section to the west of the restaurant (around the corner from the counter by the bathrooms). Also, since it's the Loop there ought to be some other things going on elsewhere, even though it's a Sunday night. I've heard talk of Coldstone Creamery or Blue Hill.

Tell your friends and enemies. Well, maybe just your friends. Good luck to everyone! Hope to see you all at the NEW LOCATION!

~j

ETA: there's lots of parking. Bread Co has a lot to the west of the store. If you're going west on Delmar, turn left at Kingsland and then left on the street you run into--I'm not sure if it's an alley or a street, but regardless you can't go straight ;) . If you're driving east on Delmar, take a right on Kingsland and then left on the alley/street. If that lot's full or you don't want to worry about running into a full lot, there is a huge lot behind the Blockbuster right across the street from the Bread Co. Instead of turning onto the side of the street that Bread Co's on, go the other way on Kingsland, and the first right you can make will take you into the lot. If you've gone to the stoplight, you've gone too far. Parking is free in both places.

Hey! Thats near the Zoo! Might even be able to find it on my own.
But I'm working Sunday. If anyone wants to drop in and say "heya" I'm working (at the zoo) from one o'clock on. Zoo closes at five.-Thystle

Just a reminder...

The gang will be at our NEW LOCATION (see details in etoiline's post) this Sunday at our usual time slot of 3-5pm.

Come out and play! Or write! Or write and play!

See you there!

I hope all the rest of you had fun after the write-in at Cold Stone, but Tom and Cheryl were left to witness history. :-D I finished my novel!!! I have a pretty green bar! Hooray!

And now I have 12 days left to write another one. Eeeexcellent.

Sorry, I'm just gloating a bit. C'mon, everyone! Keep writing!

Congrats, Hannah! Well done. Consider our Coldstones in honor of you :)

~j