Launch Party

From when to when?

-Jamwes

You can't edit a blank page.

"A gat in the hand is worth the world by it's tail." -Sam Spade, The Maltese Falcon

This is my first NaNoWriMo and I'm also new to Madison, so I'm pretty excited to attend. *waves*

Hi, I'm Carolyne. I was wondering, since I am disabled in a wheelchair, if I would be able to have my mother attend with me? I'd like to come & meet others doing this crazy thing, but I am not able to get around by myself. It sounds fun!

~CK

I see no problem with your mother coming as well. I will check on access for you. I know the front entrance has stairs, but I will find out and post it here.

And since the question of times has been brought up, what is everyone's opinions on times? I will likely be opening and closing the place up so our hours are open-ended to a point. ;)

I need some input on this launch party.

When do y'all want to start this shindig?

Current plan is to make coffee, bottled water, and some soda available.

Planning on some baked goods and possibly some chips/snacks or candy as well.

I will also collect up menus of places that deliver.

WIFI is already set up in the club and is open.

A projector is available if we want to start off with some writing sparks or the like.

Anything else y'all want to see there?

Noble Webtroll,

You've done a masterful thing here, netting us a PLACE - with Refreshing Drinkies, local menus and WiFi (wait - should we be USING WiFi? -- oh yeah, instant research) and it looks like everyone else is drawing stars in the dirt with their toes or wossname. So how's this: here are some possible times:

1:00 - 5:00 (allows for churchgoers, gets people home for supper)

11:00 - whenever (allows for EARLY churchgoers, allows for Halloween partyers to sober up, ends when we all either fall asleep or run out of steam)

7:00 am - 7:00 PM (I'M KIDDING)

10:00 AM to whenever YOU get tired and would like to lock up and go home.

Now then, there's a starting p lace.....oh, and put me on the list to help you tidy up "afters"; I have the luxury of an open schedule and no beholden to another human being for meals, &c (my husband is entirely self-reliant and very supportive of my participating in this insanity again........for the moment)

dale-harriet

I thought the whole idea was to start at midnight--00:00 a.m. of November 1--with sustenance and caffeine to keep us afloat until all the Hallowe'en revelers are unconscious in the gutters? To lessen confusion, future time suggestions should include the exact date, plus ante- and post-meridiemerie.

If people want to start at midnight, wonderful. I may join you all, but by long distance karma instead, working for an hour or so at home if I am lucky enough to stay awake. I'm old. I need my beauty sleep, and you'll see why when you meet me. haha.
I would be most likely to stop by mid morning through early afternoon. I'd have to be home for the Packer-Favre game at 3:15 as my fanatical Green and Gold blooded wife has invited friends over.

Support your local Elvis.

I considered a midnight launch, but honestly I think we would see a better turnout starting in the morning. Also, if I stay up to late and try and write, what I come up with plots out like a movie by David Lynch if he was ODing on meth. So I tend to not do much writing past midnight to 12:30. ;)

I won't be able to get there until after lunch but afternoon would be great. The Seeing Eye dog, who is my dog, not a fictional being, will have opinions about his dinnertime and we'll need to walk home so we may not stay forever and ever but I do want to check in and meet the people behind these posts.

Merrill

I can do 1 to 5. Bring some cinnamon-chip brownies or something else homemade. Will there be comfortable chairs? I always start out writing any story slouched down in a comfortable position, transcribing into a notebook as fast as I can by hand whatever my characters are saying.

LaureQ is A-OK, too

Late afternoon is good for me. I tend to stay up way too late... it's my personal best time to write. :) But I can always drag myself out of bed at an earlier time. I probably won't be able to stay long though. Sadly, I get tired after a couple of hours of excitement. I can say hello, what's up.... drop. Time to go home, haha!

~CK

Hi, my first time writing I didn't even try to attend of events, so I'm just wondering what we're planning on doing? Is it an introduction to the entire process? Or are we going to sit around and just write? Is it purely social?

My plans include coffee, snacks and a lot of public authorin' with a healthy dose of social interaction. We also have access to a projector so we could even do some exercises to get us in the writin' mood!

Apparently my plans also include sticking with the branding and nickname that seems to have stuck after the dust settled. Webtroll is no more. He has risen from his shallow grave as Zombie Joe once and for all. Serious... I have business cards and everything!

"Never be afraid to suck. We all suck!" - Anton Strout, GenCon '09

WELCOME, ZombieJoe! I was sort of fond of webtroll, but you know - zombies do have a unique personality type Business cards, I'm impressed!

dale-harriet

Revmerrill - I'm writing before reading the next posts, so I may not be the first to offer....but if you'd like, and Monsieur Dog doesn't mind strange vehicles, I'd be happy to give you a lift home (Subaru Outback) any time. Looking forward to meeting you too. (Are YOU the writer? or really the vehicle for the dog? 'cause I'm sure some of my writing is channeled through the cat.)

dale-harriet

Is it just me? I'm not sure I remember how to read these threads -- but have we decided on a time?? Actually, I'd be game to meet someone at midnight if there's someone equally wonky as to be up around then, at least for an hour or so. Otherwise whatever time Sunday November 1 that the most of y'all are gathering will work too.

For my part - the Perkins on University Avenue is a 24-hour concern; no WiFi that I'm aware of, but then....we're supposed to be writing, right? Open to ideas here. Also, I learned LAST year during WriMo that my best writing time seems to begin at 10:30 pm or so. I'm so far past "beauty sleep" that it doesn't matter and at my Advanced Age I get along nicely with a few hours here and a power nap there. I have no Circadian rhythm, apparently.

So - could someone please post a "Here's Where, Here's When until When and a See You There?" (for the advantage of the numerically-challenged?) Because I AM in High Anticipation. That's..."very excited", I haven't been actually high since the mid-1970s, as I recall....

dale-harriet

My opinion? Judging from last year (and we didn't manage to get together nearly often enough) it was pretty much a sitting-around-and-writing sort of deal which had its own social aspect. We had signs (who printed those, James, do you remember?) reading something like "NANOWRIMO GOING ON, do not disturb" or some such. MIght be sort of a "miserly loving company" deal, but it was nice still and all. Seems to me on one occasion we took turns going down for the beverages, although I discovered that we each had to go to the bif individually...........

dale-harriet

Bex had the sign. I believe it is something they give in a pack to the local heads or what ever the position is called. She made copies and gave them out. I still have the one I got. I should make up some photocopies so that people can have one if they are going to be out and about writing. It is a sheet of paper that you fold up into a triangle that says, "WRITE-IN Nation Novel Writing Month". Something that is very handy to have if you are out and about writing. I find it is easier to keep on topic if someone sitting next to you is clacking away on their keyboard. Keeps you honest and productive.

-Jamwes

You can't edit a blank page.

"A gat in the hand is worth the world by it's tail." -Sam Spade, The Maltese Falcon

I think you're right, James - mine might still be around here somewhere, but i f you could make up a couple of copies we could use them. I agree (as you recall) - let's see if we can plan some more co-writing ventures. Looks like there's an enthusiastic bunch this year, maybe we can get others to join us too. (Any word on the WHEN yet, near as you can tell?)

dale-harriet (who always thinks of you as honest and productive!)

Well I will be doing more "Public Authorin'" this time around for sure. I did draft up a little sign as well. Dunno, just seem to like the phrase Public Authorin' too much to not make one. Also, there is very little way for us to figure out who everyone is if we advertise "Do Not Disturb" or "Do Not Feed the Nanos". ;)

"Never be afraid to suck. We all suck!" - Anton Strout, GenCon '09

Hi all, sorry I've been silent, but I managed to squeeze a vacation in before NaNo. I'm back in town now, and I'll definitely have NaNo write in tents printed out to share everywhere I go.

I'll certainly be doing some midnight writing at the absolute start of the month, but I'm not sure if I want to drive downtown at those hours. I'm open to persuasion, however, and Perkins pie is a good motivator...

Let's settle this launch party time question. It sounds like this is what would work best for most folks:

Italian Workman's Club
Regent St just off Park
November 1
1-5 pm

As the guy opening shop, I am going to make a small modification to that.

Italian Workman's Club
Regent St just off Park
November 1
9am - 5pm

I plan on making a day of it, and will be stocking up a counter for us early. Cafe de Zombi will open at 9am for non-church goers and the truly insane. ;)

You may start the pool on what my word count will be after 8 hours now. lol

"Never be afraid to suck. We all suck!" - Anton Strout, GenCon '09

Bexdragon - Any thoughts on meeting at 12:01 AM on November 1 at Perkins on University? (just up from Taco Bell...that one). I'm for it! Maybe I can try to get there a bit early and grab a table or "in the back" -- I also volunteer to talk to the manager so he/she knows what's going on. I have no trouble occasionally buying things (tea, a wee nosh) now and then.

It would be fun if we could find someplace easy for ALL of us to get to that's open late or all night and try to get them to give us Wrimos our own spot. Not sure if that'd work, but we can work it out as the dust settles.

Last year I got one really HUGE benefit from being a WriMo -- I got the habit of writing every single day. It didn't last all year, but in my other Non-NaNo life I'm working on a legit novel of sorts and a couple of other things with the encouragement of a dynamite critique group.

IS THIS FUN, OR WHAT????

dale-harriet

A round of applause! Thanks, ZombieJoe. I'll see you there. All these little details (yes, there'll be a kickoff; yes, it'll be at the Italian Workman's Club; yes, it'll start at 9:00 am) -- all this makes it real-er (nope, not a word) and the Anticipation Builds.

dale-harriet

Afternoon works for me. I may be a little late getting there. I have this thing about lunch.

Merrill

I'll definitely try my best to get out there. Should be fun. I hope my external keyboard doesn't clack too loudly though. The O and I keys died on my laptop a couple months ago, which severely effects my ability to write, as I soon found out there isn't much that DOESN'T have one of those letters.

...And I just realized my headphones are also dead... This is going to be tough...

Hey, I just signed up for this. Hi, everyone! So, are teens allowed to come to this thing? My friend and I are only 13 and we were wondering if we could drop by too.

Save the Earth, it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!