Howdy All-
This year we want to institute a new annual tradition within our NaNoLanta group – adopt a newbie. Or, "The Annual NaNoLanta Adoption Program."
We have some totally amazing old timers here in NaNoLanta, those of us doing nano for many years.
We have a heck of a lot of people trying out NaNo for the first time.
Now, come on old timers, we all know we have some tips for the new folk. Tips on making it to 50k without going insane. The ability to wordpad like nobody’s business. The ability to squeak in 15 minute word wars before bed. Or even while sleeping.
Newbies! We know you have questions you are slightly too embarrassed to post in the full thread. Like, how can I do nano and not murder my significant other? Or pet? (which, really, are often much more similar than different.)
Now, old timers, I’d really like to encourage you to sponsor your newbie with the 10 dollar donation. If they hit their 50k goal, you chip in a 10 buck donation in their name for their first ever victory and they get a nice shiny halo to brag. And you get to brag too as their NaNoParent. Think of this as a way to start some NaNoFamiles here in Atlanta.
So, if you are either a newbie wanting to be adopted, or an old timer willing to adopt, post here.
Newbie: Name, goal, and genre (if you have decided.)
Oldie: Name, years done nano, and genre (if you have decided.)
Note: Adopters may adopt more than one person. So, every newbie who posts *will* be adopted by someone. Even if I end up having 20 little NaNoChildren :-)
Interested List (will update as people post):
Adoption Queue: saielle
Adopters:
Current Adoptions:
Sushi - TheGrumples, Georgia Correy, beelzebram, efellai
Year_Seven - tnlately, theatrefreakk
Tiakall – rswinehart3, woundedhealer76
Hype - tyger, classa, slater221
Sarashay - xxjessicajlsxx, Everlasting.Dreamer
MattKinsi- double.shelix, TaylorGS, GentlemanOfWar, AJWB, TheBeege
Allison L Pope - Dindy, Takushi Rena
CitizenMike9 - Novelmiss, MelinaD
Joyce S - sbragg87, Lizibear
Klepto von Umbre - latonyataniel, vampgrrl101
RouletteC - serena.dame, BellaStrange13, Mermayde
----------
Back for year #6, and MLing for the first time. Go NaNoLanta!
Co-Moderator of LitFic Genre Board
This year's Novel: "Just A Normal Thanksgiving."
Goal: 135k (9 chapters, 15k a pop)
Genre: LitFic
POV: Rotating First Person Stream of Consciousness
134,699 / 50,000
Okt 9, 2009 - 17 34
I am in for adopting a few folk.
This is my sixth year doing nano. My first year sucked, but I've hit at least 75k every other year. I have no clue what I'm writing about (am paranoid about pre-planning) but I always seem to have crazy Unitarian spiritual themes in it somewhere. Most of my stuff is more on the reality based side - no epic fantasy or scifi here. My goal is always high, and I'm in the Marietta area.
----------Back for year #6, and MLing for the first time. Go NaNoLanta!
Co-Moderator of LitFic Genre Board
This year's Novel: "Just A Normal Thanksgiving."
Goal: 135k (9 chapters, 15k a pop)
Genre: LitFic
POV: Rotating First Person Stream of Consciousness
205,176 / 50,000
Okt 9, 2009 - 17 52
I volunteer! I've done nano and won nano five years running. Primarily my genre is fantasy, some light sci-fi, plot-driven stuff (see also: Wall O' Text on the 'What do you write?' thread.) I totally bribe my newbies :)
----------Goal:
200k260k. My wordcount was going to be an average, but we need to beat the pants off Denver, right?Part of the evil triumvirate of Atlanta and Shoutouts moderator.
106,253 / 50,000
Okt 9, 2009 - 19 08
C'mon, the proper term is oldbie! Anyway, volunteering myself to be an adopter.
Hello, I'm Sushi. Call me Sushi or Sujin. I'm not picky. After seven victories, this is year eight of the life-changing insanity. I'm 22 and a recent Agnes Scott graduate, where I majored in math and French only to face questions like "What are you going to do with that?" The answer to that question, apparently, is graduate into a terrible job market after deciding not to go to grad school and become a statistic. I live near the Indian Creek MARTA station, an area that interestingly has a Stone Mountain zip code. No, I haven't seen the mountain. According to friends, this makes me a bad Georgian, as I've lived in Georgia my entire life.
Now, on to NaNo. I haven't decided on a genre yet, but to give you an idea of what it'll probably be, I've written YA, romance, chick lit, crime, mainstream fiction, literary fiction, post-apocalyptic lit, and even a little erotica. Fantasy, sci-fi, and horror will probably always be the banes of my writing existence, yet I still enjoy reading these genres.
I'm aiming for 66666 words this year on a dare from a friend of mine and because, well, why not?
-------------
Witty signature feature broken. Please try again later.
http://www.sushimustwrite.com
40,083 / 50,000
Okt 11, 2009 - 00 30
Hey guys! I'm Tessa and I'm a newbie. I would like to be adopted because I always say things like "I'm writing a story, it's really cool, blah blah." And people reply, "Awesome, how many pages is it?" And I give them quizzical stares like, really? You expect this story I'm writing to be a physical thing that is written with words? That's crazy talk.
Anyway, I've been thinking (note missing keyword: writing) out this particular story for a while, but it always reaches some dead end such that I have to completely scrap it and start all over. At this point, I guess it's a young adult/fantasy fic hybrid thing. I don't really have a specific word goal (mostly because I can barely conceptualize how many 50k even is). I just want to get this story out onto some pieces of destroyed forest. Any expert advice/criticism/whatever along the way will be greatly appreciated.
----------Lucius Malloy's boy?
98,584 / 50,000
Okt 10, 2009 - 07 41
Hello!
My name is Lucy and I'm an oldie willing to adopt, although I'm new to the Atlanta area. Started doing NaNo in 2004 down at Georgia Southern University, lost the first three years and then won for the last two. I'm going for 100K this year and I'm really excited to be in a place where there will be write ins and fun meet ups. I tried to organize meet ups in Statesboro, but those usually ended up dwindling to nothing after the first kick off.
My genre this year is science fiction, though it's more light science fiction. No aliens or spaceships, just an interesting new disease gone horribly awry. Last year I did mainstream fiction, and before that my plots were mostly fantasy based.
4,637 / 50,000
Okt 11, 2009 - 09 41
Haha, I'd love to be adopted.
My name is Jessica (I have no idea what I'm doing) and I'm currently being informed about everything who has done just as much as me.
She's amazing, but both of us are, like I said, clueless.
Then again I feel like I'd just screw you up if I were adopted with way too many stupid questions, or a horrible novel.
And I don't want anyone to regret having their name assosiated with me.
Because it is my first year I'm aiming for 50k, though I'd love to write so much more. I've always loved things with a darker twist, so I'm going with horror this year. And I think that's about it.
----------38,924 / 50,000
Okt 15, 2009 - 17 58
O HAI!
Let's see, I'm Sheila, aka Sarashay, I'm a five-time NaNo participant and four-time winner. (The first year, I got my characters as far as Florida and got stuck. I've learned from that experience.) Two of my NaNovels have been merged into a unified manuscript (that took longer to revise than to write!) that I'm currently showing to a trusted circle for feedback.
I'm itching to NaNo again this year and wouldn't mind taking a newbie under my wing if there's need of it. (Though as I'm writing this, there are more veterans than newbies signed up!) The genre of my upcoming work will be sci-fi romance (if I'm feeling lazy) or a sort of supernatural investigative thing (if I'm more ambitious.)
I think that answers everything. How will we be keeping in touch with our adoptees, anyway? In email, here on the boards, via the PM function on the site, exchanging phone numbers, what?
489 / 50,000
Okt 21, 2009 - 15 41
One more n00b to add to the list!! My name is Darbi (yes, that's my name; no, it's not short for anything) and I am a 20-year-old girl (is it odd that I don't feel like an adult yet, and that the idea of calling myself a "woman" seems laughable to me?) taking the semester off of school to work on stupid medical crap while earning some money at a full-time job, which involves a lot of editing rather than writing.
I have done NaNoWriMo before, but never as a registered participant on this site -- I honestly never even knew this site existed until this year, lol! And I also never really took NaNoWriMo seriously, because I figured if I was just doing it for myself, there was no accountability if I couldn't meet the goal, so I never did. And, of course, it doesn't help that I have been stuck in a writer's block for the past several years. ;_; So yeah, while I've (sorta) done NaNoWriMo before, it's always just been me writing random tidbits here and there, then throwing them out in frustration. So even though I'm not sure I qualify as a newbie, I figured I would put my name up for consideration in case anybody wanted to take pity on me.
As for a genre, I'm still heavily in debate (I know time's running out, but I just can't decide what I want to do!!!!!!). I have an idea that involves putting a sci-fi spin on a traditionally fantastic subject, but I'm worried that it's too similar to something written by one of my favorite authors (it's the same basic concept, but I would be taking it way further, and the plot would be insanely different -- and in case you're wondering, I had completely forgotten about the other author's book until my brother asked if he could borrow it, so I thought of my idea without consciously considering its similarity to his). I also have a fantasy story I wrote back when I was 14 that I would love to re-write, but I'm not even sure if that's allowed (I wouldn't be editing -- it would be a COMPLETE OVERHAUL, using the old version as pretty much just a pre-write, since I would be changing absolutely everything, from the characters' personalities to the writing style), so that one is currently also something I'm only tentatively considering. Realistic fiction is also a possibility, because I figure if the best thing is to "write what you know," then what could be better than a fictionalized memoir? And I've also got one more story I'm considering, although I'm probably not going to do it for NaNoWriMo, just because it's about time travel (so science fiction, but also with some religion thrown in) and the idea of trying to write 50,000 words of something that even thinking about hurts my brain, in only one month, for my first official NaNoWriMo, just seems like something of a no-no to me. I definitely want to meet the goal of 50,000 words, but I would love to exceed that goal, if possible. Meeting and beating challenges is a thrill for me, so if I get past 50,000 and still have time before the month is up, you will probably find me working furiously towards 100,000 words, just to prove that I can do it. And if you doubt that I can, just look at how insanely long this post has gotten. Yeah... I am exorbitantly verbose.
----------We are ALWAYS attacking, even when it doesn't seem like we're attacking. We've invested in silencers. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, being a grammar Nazi with a silencer... You'd figure our weapons of choice would be more the megaphone type.
50,086 / 50,000
Okt 22, 2009 - 09 22
Hey, I'm Tally. This is my third year doing NaNo...I've won the past two years with Young Adult novels. I balanced NaNo and my Senior year in high school my first year, so I'd be happy to "adopt" any high school n00bs.
I went to Alpharetta High School, and I'm now at Agnes Scott. I'm also addicted to talking about NaNoWriMo (just ask anyone), and I'm more than willing to answer any questions.
----------Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes.
2007: Roommates (Won!)
2008: Love on Location (Won!)
2009: Crushing the Competition (We'll See!)
781 / 50,000
Okt 22, 2009 - 12 19
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a great book that might encourage more men to read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. Can anyone else think of another book they could parody? The plot does change, but the structure is there. How about Tele tubbies? Egads!
If not Zombies, then what? The Blob? Swamp Thing? The Birds? (Alfred Hitchcock), and what else can be used to look at some traditional literature in a different way?
Can we take some sci-fi and make it more feminine so that women might read it more? How would that happen? How could Rambo or Star Wars or Apocalypse Now become chick lit? Moby Dick?
I am writing about Hugs, so not to worry about me using an existing plot. Although I did look at Love Story and consider making it into a Hug Story. . . .
----------Charlottefairchild@gmail.com
http://www.fearthounot4.blogspot.com
16,457 / 50,000
Okt 23, 2009 - 09 24
Hi! I'm Tiffany, I'm 19, and I am a newbie looking to be adopted.
as i am trying to balance school, portfolio work, part time job, nanowrimo, and life i would definitely welcome anyone who wants to accept the challenge of helping me!
i promise i am nice, don't bite, and i ask many questions, but am receptive to the answers. :)
7,393 / 50,000
Okt 23, 2009 - 11 40
*clears her throat, stays seated as she is short and she is just about as tall sitting down as standing up* Hi, my name is Tyger and I'm a newbie to NaNo. Troilee is responsible for me being here, *points in her direction* it really is all her fault. I am a poet. What do I know about writing 50,000 words in a month? What am I? Insane? So... someone, adopt me? please? *big hazel puppy dog eyes* please?
0 / 50,000
Okt 23, 2009 - 19 02
Hi! My name is Rachel, and I am a newbie! I am a freshman at GA Tech, so it'll be interesting trying to juggle everything. A bunch of my friends last year thought about doing a group novel, but it didn't work out. Since it is my first time, I will be happy with 50k words. I am looking into the fantasy or sci-fi genres, but I have not decided on a topic/genre yet. I would love to be adopted!
134,699 / 50,000
Okt 24, 2009 - 06 55
Ok, the adoption agency finally had the time to look at this thread! Sorry for the delay.
First round of adoptions are:
Sushi - TheGrumples
Year_Seven - tnlately
Tiakall – rswinehart3
Hype - tyger
Sarashay - xxjessicajlsxx
and I'll be adopting double.shelix.
I'll be sending everyone a PM with this. Feel free to get in contact via NaNoMail, exchange emails, phone numbers if you are feeling comfortable with it, organize to meet up at a write in, etc.
----------Back for year #6, and MLing for the first time. Go NaNoLanta!
Co-Moderator of LitFic Genre Board
This year's Novel: "Just A Normal Thanksgiving."
Goal: 135k (9 chapters, 15k a pop)
Genre: LitFic
POV: Rotating First Person Stream of Consciousness
16,466 / 50,000
Okt 24, 2009 - 17 25
Newbie woundedhealer76 open to adoption.
Goal - survival
Genre - trying Christian Fiction/Romance
A 10-I near the Emory area looking for a completely virtual parent.
----------NaNoLanta: Writing on my Mind
(Like Georgia on my Mind, but not - get it?)
NaNoWriMo Journal - http://tinyurl.com/y932aya
40,537 / 50,000
Okt 24, 2009 - 19 41
It's another newbie. One of my friends has always been trying to talk me into doing NaNoWriMo, and when the year's finally come that I said, "Sure," she's not doing it, rawr.
I'm aiming to reach 50K, but not sure how it'll all turn out... by then. Hahahahahaha... hah.
Not sure what genre I'm writing in since I've never actually thought about it, even though I have an inkling of what I'm going to be writing about.
0 / 50,000
Okt 25, 2009 - 11 12
Please adopt me!
My name is Georgia, this is my first attempt at writing anything other than a college paper..
48 yo single, white, bisexual, bipolar, semi-disabled, unemployed, recovering alcoholic with tons of issues.
I'm going to write my own story ... oh do I hear a groan? I thought so.
Whatever, its my story and I think it needs to be written.
Genre? Where ever it fits. Not into labels.
Goal? Write more than one sentence, which is all I've ever done in the past.
Thanks!!
gcorrey@gmail.com
205,176 / 50,000
Okt 25, 2009 - 20 15
rswinehart3: Check your nanomail? :)
----------Goal:
200k260k. My wordcount was going to be an average, but we need to beat the pants off Denver, right?Part of the evil triumvirate of Atlanta and Shoutouts moderator.
8,051 / 50,000
Okt 26, 2009 - 06 25
Hello all. I'm Robert and I'm NaNo newbie of course looking a kind adopter. Or a mean adopter. Really, I'm not picky! ^_^ As a writer I lean heavily towards Urban Fantasy and Supernatural, which of course I like to read along with Thrillers.
950 / 50,000
Okt 27, 2009 - 09 11
Hey Atlanters. I'm gonna do this for the first time. Totally gonna do it.
I've got to use my computer for something other than hulu, right?
I could use a little bit of encouragement and reminders. And advice. Those of you who have done this many times, do you always start with an outline or at least a good idea of the structure? Is this whole thing just completely bonkers?
About me: I'm an angsty twenty-something female with a dull job.
About my novel: It will probably be about some of my current obsessions. Missing people, underground cultures, ball lightening. That sounds like it might be a thriller or mystery. I'm guessing it will turn out more navel-gazey, though. It might have long sections about my dog.
31,862 / 50,000
Okt 27, 2009 - 12 32
as this is my First year I will sacrifice myself to the Untested tradition of NanoAdoption.
----------Name: Roy Rutan
Sign in Name: Beelzebram
Goal: 50,000 words
Genre: Sci-fi Horror
Passion, Drive, and Desire are the keys to the Pleasure of imagination. it is fundamental that in your dreams for the future you never loose sight of the goals and structure of reality.
11,730 / 50,000
Okt 27, 2009 - 12 44
Hi, I'm Jeff. This is my first year doing Nano, but I've been thinking about doing it for the past three years (Novembers have traditionally been very busy months with marching band and school and whatnot). However, now I have nothing except my incredibly lame job to hold back my creative prowess, so bring it on!
I graduated from Georgia Tech earlier this year with a BS in Psychology. I'm breaking out of my traditional writing mold of fantasy stuff and going with a modern coming of age story about a couple college kids trying to figure out what life is all about. Essentially, I'm putting my college experiences and personal philosophies into a blender and seeing what comes out. I currently live in the Roswell area and work Sundays, so I won't be able to attend any of the writing meetings :(
I'm a glutton for pun-ishment and finally looking to take my own writing a little bit seriously. Any takers?
781 / 50,000
Okt 27, 2009 - 12 46
How many people are adopted so far? I don't remember adopting anyone!
----------Charlottefairchild@gmail.com
http://www.fearthounot4.blogspot.com
3,037 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2009 - 08 58
Willing to adopt! This is my second year in NaNoWriMo. Last year I came in at 54k once I uploaded onto the site. Goal this year is to pass 75k.
2008: The Black Widow (mystery/thriller) 54,872 (according to NaNo site)
2009: The Blacksmith (sensing a theme here... historical scifi/fantasy) Goal is 75k.
Happy writing, everyone!
4,377 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2009 - 10 57
Good afternoon NaNoLanta. I am a newbie (an new to Atlanta) and would appreciate being adopted. My name is Dindy, my goal is to hit the 50,000 word mark by November 30. Am still debating genre but something around my areas of interest listed below.
I have been writing forever - most recently articles and reviews about art, travel, culture & society, literature and food & wine. Am hard at work on a book proposal - creative non-fiction. Inman Park is my location but am more than mobile thanks to Hortense, my trusty GPS.
Thanks and happy writing, Dindy
----------Dindy Yokel
dindywrites@gmail.com
twitter.com/dindy
3,037 / 50,000
Okt 29, 2009 - 10 12
I will adopt you, Dindy!
41,706 / 50,000
Okt 29, 2009 - 11 09
I will adopt someone too. I won the last two years - and was finished with time to spare. Also, I write and work as an editor for a newspaper, so I have that going for me.
My novels have both had thriller, sci-fi, horror and fantasy elements - so I can also be helpful if you're writing in those genres, but I read just about everything, so it doesn't really matter.
Just let me know
20,865 / 50,000
Okt 29, 2009 - 18 58
Hi everyone!
I'm a newbie looking to be adopted... moved to Atlanta in 2006, live in the Decatur/Toco Hills area.
I've been married over 10 years now to my beloved science geek, I have two kids, and a dog that sheds way too much.
I have no idea what I'm going to write on Day 1. My reading interests are fairly vast, and novel ideas that have crossed my mind are equally as broad. Knowing scientists, lawyers, law enforcement, medical professionals, and all sorts of dysfunctional family members should give me plenty of book fodder, but ironically, I haven't drawn any ideas from that background.
Looking forward to November 1st and I hope to make some of the Write Ins this month!
----------Stacie
There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded. ---Mark Twain
0 / 50,000
Okt 29, 2009 - 21 19
Hi,
I'd like to be adopted. I have been "writing" this particular novel in my head for about five years. I really need to get it on paper because it's driving me insane. I also have another novel that I've been "writing" for about 8 or 9 years that recently got jealous and starting competing for attention with its younger sibling. The former is a family drama and the second is a generational sci-fi epic monster thing. As for which I'm going to write on Nov. 1? Your guess is as good as mine. My guess whoever wins my mental arm wrestling match.
I live in the Dunwoody area and I am entering the contest with my twin sister. I really want to beat her even if its by one word. That's my only goal to beat my sister. I'm looking forward to it.
----------Tonya Brown
30,778 / 50,000
Okt 30, 2009 - 19 07
Well, my name is Sandra and I'm new to this whole thing. I've wondered for a few years what nanowrimo was and what the big deal was and I finally learned this year. My goal is to honestly, just get the minimum word count, anything after that is peaches. I haven't really decided on what genre I want to write but it's been rolling around in my mind for a while it just depends where I take it. Probably romance of some sort though because it's what I've been imagining since I was a little girl.
Anyways, I'm up for being adopted!