USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Hello? (echo echo echo)

riverchic1998 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:11:52 +0000

Hi Fort Smith (and surrounding area) Wrimos!

Sorry the Fort Smith forum has been uber quiet this year. I usually let my co-ML Shay do all the spastic posting, but she's been a bit busy on account of cheering along her daughter as she brought a beautiful boy into the world. That's right! Our dear Shay is a grandma to a truly adorable little boy, and dealing with all the stress and hectic running around has zapped her word count right up.

And I just fail all over the place at posting here. What can I say? I've gotten lazy in the past few years with Shay whipping the internet into shape for us. :P

So how is everyone doing? I'm so close to 40K I can taste it (and it tastes like the nummy coffee I had this morning) but it was not easy getting there. I got to the point where I would only write at write ins or when we did online word wars (which Shay organized and when her daughter went into labor she was understandably preoccupied). I hit 30K and stayed there for about a week and a half. It was prime writing time too! My boss has been absent from work and I've been sitting at the computer staring at the background as if it held life's answers, which it didn't. I was disappointed.

I knew as soon as I was given work or was too busy to write, I would get the urge, and wouldn't you know that after catching New Moon at a midnight premiere, the urge to write pretty much overcame me. I blame it entirely on Alexandre Desplat, who composed the music for the movie. I've been playing certain songs on repeat and writing to my heart's content.

Now, I have to rush to finish NaNo since Thanksgiving is coming up. I have tons of food to cook and tons of cleaning to do, and I need another month to do it. Oh well!

Is anyone else having the problems I am? You know exactly what happens but your fingers absolutely REFUSE to cooperate? What helps you get over the humps that is the NaNo writing road? What are some of the many sparkly distractions that are keeping you from your word count? My iPhone has been the bane of my existence this month. So many apps, so little time...

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~Laura
NaNo Winner 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
NaNo Writer 2009
Fort Smith, Arkansas co-ML

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Just Keep Writing

shay85 — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:37:46 +0000

How is everyone doing? Did you survive the first week? Are you on target with your daily word count goals? Have you hit the first stumbling block of the month?

Remember to just keep writing. Keep putting words on the page and the problems will eventually work themselves out. and before I forget....

NaNoWriMo Survival Tip #3

Remember to eat healthy during November because you don't want to spend December trying to lose the extra pounds you packed on grabbing sugary fat filled snacks. They might be more accessible at the time, but you will pay for it later. Try to maintain a healthy diet and keep the energy drinks and sodas to a minimum. You will feel better and be able to write more!

Now get out there and get those words! You can do it!
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Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Mena, Arkansas

jackspicer111 — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:26:30 +0000

I'm in Mena, Arkansas. I was wondering if there were any other people out there who were in Mena, Arkansas for the month of NaNoWriMo. If there are. Maybe we can meet eachother. I only know of one other person who is writing for NaNoWriMo, and that's my best friend from highschool. But she lives in Conway, Arkansas. So, I was hoping maybe there'd be someone else who was working on NaNoWriMo who I could get to know. If not, I've always got my internet buddies.
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Zen - "Verily verily verily verily. Life in a boat is a dream."

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Howdy! What Are You Writing?

shay85 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:55:38 +0000

Welcome Back Everyone!

Anyone else excited about November?

I am eager to begin working on my new story. I'm switching from urban fantasy to woman's fiction this year.

What is everyone else writing?

It's so quiet in here right now. Let's get the party started. :)
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Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Searcy?

soph_philer — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:41:35 +0000

Hi!
I'm in Searcy and was wondering if anyone else on here is in Searcy. So far the closest write-ins I can find are in Little Rock and Conway. So, I haven't been to any.
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"Why shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense."
-Mark Twain

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Little Rock 2009 meetings

Gammy-the-slug — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:17:21 +0000

Hello, Central Arkansas WriMos!

I am NOT an official Municipal Liaison; however, last year we had a few impromptu meetings which I found encouraging, so thought I'd grab an unofficial gauntlet and run with it. (Oooooh, that mixed metaphor stank!!!)

Have secured the McMath Library on John Barrow Road in Little Rock (south of Baptist Hospital, not too far from I-630, right near Parkview High) for a few dates:

Thursday, 5 November 2009 : 6 PM - 8:30 PM
Thursday, 12 November 2009: 6 PM - 8:30 PM
Thursday, 19 November 2009: 6 PM - 8:30 PM
Saturday, 28 November 2009: 9 AM - 1 PM

**for the evening dates, attendees MUST be there BEFORE 6:30 PM if they want to get in the parking lot** If you come after that, you may park in the circular driveway and walk up the sidewalk to gain entrance, but someone will need to open the door for you.

I realize the Saturday is right after Thanksgiving/Black Friday, but some folks may want to escape from the family or the dirty dishes or whatnot. It can be a combo Finishing-Up and/or Thank God It's Over affair.

We may bring food & drink as long as we are careful; there was a small deposit for that, so no problema.

You can PM me or email me at mahaliaretha at sbcglobal.net if you have questions or suggestions. If you think you CAN come to a meeting, please do PM me so I can psych myself up to crawl out of my shell and meet'n'greet. Otherwise I'll be there floundering away at my laptop all by my lonesome. :-)

Peace,
gammy-the-slug

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^o^ ^o^ ^o^
Reality is for people who can't handle writing fiction.
"It is perfectly okay to write garbage -- as long as you edit brilliantly." ~ C. J. Cherryh, quoted in _The I Love To Write Book_ by Mary-Lane Kamberg

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Southern Arkansas!

kiptripsyc — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:46:20 +0000

Hi! My name's Damien and I'm 20 years old. I live in Southern Arkansas- I'm about an hour and 30 minutes away from Little Rock. Just wondering if any one else is in the same area... I see a lot of people from the Northwest and Central Arkansas but not many from Southern Arkansas.

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USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Hydration Isn't Optional

shay85 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:15:36 +0000

NaNoWriMo Survival Tip #2

Make sure to drink plenty of water during November. Taking care of you body and keeping it hydrated will help you to be more productive. I am having to take my own advice. It's easy for me to forget to drink water and consume massive amounts of soda while I'm spending hours in front of the computer writing.

Are you guys hanging in there? Have you been meeting your daily word goals?
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Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Soundtracks

shay85 — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:37:53 +0000

I know many writers create special soundtracks for their novels. I haven't gone that far yet. I do have a certain mix of music I like to listen to when I write.

Have you ever created a soundtrack for your WIPs? If so, do you go as far to create one of individual characters?

This year I think my writing soundtrack might be composed of mostly Fall Out Boy songs, mixed with a bit of Blue October and a dash of Coheed and Cambria. It will set the certain tone I'm striving for with my novel.

Feel free to post examples of your writing soundtracks in the comments.
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Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

NaNo Chat and Word wars! ^_^

Raethin — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:03:18 +0000

Hey, I've been doing NaNo since '03 and I want to do something different this year. (different yet unoriginal)
I want people in Arkansas to get together on AIM or some chat to do word wars. I think it'll help my writing tremendously.
A good place where we could make this happen: www.fmwriters.com
This site has a good chatroom, forums, and plenty of helpful writers to chat with. It even has a NaNo room in the Forward Motion chat.
Please leave a message telling me what you think about this idea.

PS - Meetings IRL would be nice too.
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USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Northeast Arkansas

JohnFM — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:09:20 +0000

Hey all! Is anyone in the Jonesboro, Paragould area participating this year? I haven't participated since my first time in 2007. Drop me a line if you're nearby!
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USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Conway group

Ann Poindexter — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:18:13 +0000

Is anyone from Conway working on this stuff this month?

Ann Poindexter
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USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

It Has Begun

shay85 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:50:37 +0000

Wow!

It sure is quiet in here. I hope that means everyone is busy working on their novels. :)

NaNoWriMo Survival Tip #1

Don't forget to take frequent breaks and to get plenty of rest.

This might be the most important tip to surviving November with your sanity. I know the temptation is to burn the midnight oil and ignore your body's signs of fatigue. DON'T!!!! Keep getting at least 6 hours of sleep at night and take time out during the day to clear your mind and relax. This way you can avoid the dreaded mid-month burn out!

Hang in there!
Happy Writing!
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Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Are You Ready?

shay85 — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:43:51 +0000

NaNoWriMo begins in four days.

Are you ready?

Do you have a plot?

Are your characters chomping at the bit?

Do you have a strategy for "winning"?

I have a basic plot and my first sentence. I'm sure it might warp and change before November ends. Even with the prep, I don't think I'm ready. I'm starting to get butterflies in the pit of my stomach.

My strategy this year is to write as much as I can during the first few weeks because I always seem to run out of steam after I hit the 30K mark. My region is planning to have two write-ins a week with inspirational word wars. My writing group is having a NaNoWriMo retreat where we spend the weekend holed up in a mountain cabin writing. (I can't wait)

Please feel free to share your fears or strategies for surviving November. :)

Good Luck everyone and Happy Writing!
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Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Writers' Groups in Central AR

Gammy-the-slug — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:18:52 +0000

Thought it might be nice for us to share info on any writing groups in case people's creativity flares up during NaNo and they want to commune with others who suffer from the writing gene. We could ask questions of members or extend invitations to visit, etc.

I belong to Fiction Writers of Central Arkansas http://www.fwca.org. We meet the last Saturday of the month (most months; check website for exceptions) from 9 AM - noon at a meeting room near the cafeteria of Baptist Health in Little Rock near I-630. BTW, if you order from amazon.com, we would LOVE and APPRECIATE it if you went to our website, clicked the amazon link, and then shopped as normally. That way we get a margin of the purchase price at no added cost to you . { /brazen plug}

I do not belong to Penpoint, but they also meet last Saturday of the month. Penpoint Group Writers' Club meets (according to my last info; haven't checked in a while) 2 p.m. last Saturday of the month, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 4000 McCain Blvd., North Little Rock. Contact person would be Del Garrett. http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=80404

If you are a bit further removed from Little Rock, in a northeasterly direction, you might want to check out White County http://www.whitecountycreativewriters.org/id56.html.

There is also a Poets' Roundtable in Little Rock, and a Penwomen's chapter (for published writers), but I am woefully uninformed about their meeting times.

Shayla belongs to a romance writers' group; I have heard tremendous things about it, even for those who do not write in that genre. Perhaps she will post a link and info in this thread.

Some of you may wish to chip in and invite others to your groups, or even mention online groups, but I was thinking of this as a more face-to-face sort of thing.

Anyone else?
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^o^ ^o^ ^o^
Reality is for people who can't handle writing fiction.
"It is perfectly okay to write garbage -- as long as you edit brilliantly." ~ C. J. Cherryh, quoted in _The I Love To Write Book_ by Mary-Lane Kamberg

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Beginning of the Month Write-In and Word War

shay85 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:54:18 +0000

A group of the Ft. Smith Region WriMos are meeting on November 2nd at the Sweet Bay Coffee Shop on Rogers Ave. (NOT THE ONE BY THE PARK) across from Lowe's. We will be writing from roughly 9 am-till?????

Please feel free to join in the fun! We will be in the study writing and having word wars. This is a great way to get your word count up at the beginning of the month.

(this is an extra write-in for the beginning week. We will also be having our weekly scheduled write-in Tuesday night starting at 5 pm at the Sweet Bay Coffee Shop)

If the door is closed, just walk in. We don't bite!

I hope to see you there!
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Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Newton/Boone County

Blue_Rose — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:32:40 +0000

Is anyone else from Newton or Boone County doing NaNoWriMo other than me? It would be good to know that someone else from this area is participating.
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2007 - I'll See You In Forever - 50,111
2006 - Lily's Crhistmas Wish - 57,064 words

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Ft. Smith Region Kick Off Party

shay85 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:24:52 +0000

I would like to invite anyone who wants to attend to The Ft. Smith Region's Kick Off Party.

Our party will be held on Tuesday, October 27th at Sweet Bay Coffee Shop on Rogers Ave. across from Lowe's(NOT THE ONE BY CREEKMORE PARK) The festivities will start at 6 pm and continue till ???? We will have goody bags and refreshments. This is a great opportunity to meet other NaNoWriMos.

RSVP by October 20th if you plan on attending, so we can have a clear head count. We want to have plenty of goody bags for everyone.

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Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Staying focused...

helenaxfrank — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:35:46 +0000

I've always had a hard time staying focused on one thing at a time and staying interested in anything I'm writing. Does anyone have any advice on staying interested?
Please and thank you? :)
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USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Planning Vs. Organic

shay85 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:11:46 +0000

Do you work from an outline, plotting every detail of your story? Or are you more of an organic writer, content to fly by the seat of your pants?

I've done both and I'm not sure which method works best for me. I love knowing exactly what will happen in my novels, but I also dig the element of surprise. That said, this year I will probably work from a loose outline that allows for surprises to happen.

Feel free to share your writing process!

The count to November has begun!
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Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/

USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Questions

kswope — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:08:00 +0000

Hello, everyone! I'm not actually in Arkansas, yet, but it looks as though I may be transferred to the Little Rock area for work next spring, and I have a few questions about NaNo in the area. Right now, I'm in the Austin, TX area, and we are a ... lively crew. We have tons of events and write-ins throughout the month. It tends to be about the only time I'm actually sociable, and I've gotten used to it over the years. So, I'm wondering, are there many write-ins in the Little Rock area?

Kendra
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USA :: Arkansas :: Elsewhere

Hey~

Ikitsumi — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:47:35 +0000

This is my second year around, I didn't finish last year because I lost my computer... >.<

But this year, I'm switching to something a bit less romantic, not involving as much teenagers as before...I guess it'd be sci-fi compared to fiction and romance.
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