With so many new members this year, it occurred to me that it might be a good idea for me to talk about our write-ins. After all, I know that we have many more members than all the folks who came out to our three preparatory events.
What are write-ins?
Write-ins are events where people come together at a pre-arranged public location to work on their novels. Typically they will bring their laptops (plus AC adapters) and just type out their novel for 2-4 hours.
Is that all?
Not at all! There is a little chit chat (probably less at the library locations and more at the Caribou Coffee location) and usually some mildly competitive games. A popular one is the write-in word war sometimes also known as word sprints.
What are word wars?
A word war is when you agree upon a period of time (usually 13 or 17 minutes or some other round number like those). People note their starting word count (if you are using an editor like focuswriter (which is a nice multi-platform, free, open source editor), then you can very easily see your wordcount). Everyone starts at the same time and ends at the same time. Usually the one who has the highest wordcount wins (but there are rules to say once you've won a prize, then the next highest wordcount will win the next time). There may be other variations to baseline wordcounts so that everyone is challenged.
My oh my! I could do my whole daily wordcount in word wars!
Yes, you could. In fact, I often do that using our online jabber chat room (which has a bot to time word wars). Of course, you need a jabber account, but you can get one free by NaNoMailing NewMexicoKid (me).
What if I need help with my novel?
Typically the write-ins are intended for writing. Some chit-chatting is allowed, but mostly people come to work on their novels.
But I want to chit chat!
Interestingly, sometimes people go out to dinner after write-ins or arrange to meet for lunch before write-ins. And, of course, you can make arrangements to do a meetup type of event if other people are interested.
Your write-ins sound like fun, but they are too far away for me
Our region definitely is geographically large. We encourage people who are too far away from our events to post in the forum and make arrangements for their own (unofficial) write-in events. Coffee houses and places like Panera are good locations for hosting these at.
Are write-ins safe?
We definitely want our events to be safe. We have MLs or long-time regional members hosting all of the official write-in events, which should help. Aurora librarians will also be available for the ones at the Aurora Public Library. Most likely the unofficial write-ins are ok to go to too; however, use common sense (meet up in public places at reasonable hours; if possible, come with a friend; exercise appropriate caution after an event when going out to your car, etc.).
I was really hoping for a party
Great! There's still time (as of this writing) to RSVP for our kick-off event. And we will begin accepting RSVP's for the TGIO (Thank Goodness It's Over) party about a week before the end of November. Both are pot-luck lunch events at the Naperville Municipal Center.
What if I don't have a laptop? :-(
If you go to the Aurora Public Library or Plano Library events, it is possible to check out a laptop. For the NPL ones, contact me (NewMexicoKid); I have one spare laptop I can let you use for the duration of the write-in (it's a Linux machine with OpenOffice).
... what if I think of more questions later?
You can always post your questions here or NaNoMail them to me (NewMexicoKid) or my co-MLs Katherine (KatherineWriting) or Dave (TRDEDEAN).
--Tim
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161,514 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2010 - 17 58
Nine people were at Caribou on Saturday morning--and we were able to really spread out--three tables since the place wasn't crowded. (unlike the Caribou in Wheaton which was packed this morning, sure glad our write-in is at the Caribou near Dominick's. )
Had two word wars. The owls were popular prizes. (Not hand made, but we can't all be crafty like Tim.)
Lots more write-ins this month. Come check one out if you haven't been. Lots of people seem to find them helpful.
Katherine
161,514 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2010 - 17 33
This came up in the Introductions thread, but I think it's worth posting here.
If you're wondering how we choose where to have write-ins, it's pretty simple--where are people willing to commit in advance to being in a public place that has free wifi and room for 4-10 people to gather. (Not a restaurant at lunch time, but meeting at one at 2:00 might be fine. Also, we don't do private homes for safety reasons. You're free to invite people you know over to write, but we don't want to advertise those to the entire world.)
It's easy to suggest a write-in if you're willing to host--where host just means you agree to smile at people who want to join you and you have something that identifies you as doing NaNoWriMo on the table so people can find you. (I use a bright pink folded piece of paper. Tim has a lovely large book.)
Pick a time, give the address, and write a note in this thread. Please also send a NaNoMail
to KatherineWriting (or NewMexicoKid.) We both read the forums, but we might miss it, but I'm having no trouble keeping up with NaNoMail.
You can send me a NaNomail from the left side of this page:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/133936
Happy writing.
Katherine
62,699 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2010 - 20 52
Thanks for setting it up, Katherine. I had fun and definitely needed the push to get started. Hope to see you next week!
----------cb
http://www.brennan-design.com/nano.html
161,514 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2010 - 09 46
We needed more than 'our' back table at Caribou to seat the seven writers who showed up at 9:30 on Monday morning for the first write-in. I personally really needed the caffeine hit as I struggle to match my son's (Raskolnikov93) word count. (Don't worry, Tim, he is homed to Naperville although he lives in Milwaukee.)
Good luck to Cee-Bee, Randy7, JeanetteFish, novena, CreativeWriter and ctnigg on the rest of the month!
50,038 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2010 - 21 00
I will be there with bells on! My days are pretty much all the same--whatever works for you will probably work for me.
Nikki
----------The day is slipping away, why am I
out here, what do they want?
I am sorrowful in November...
- Anne Sexton, from "Hurry Up Please It's Time"
161,514 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2010 - 16 07
You can show up later. (I just need to leave around 11:30.)
Will you be at Caribou on the 1st?
Any particular days that work better than others? (I still have 3.5 days of work I plan on taking off.) Am busy on the 4th, but otherwise am pretty open the first two weeks.
Katherine
50,038 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2010 - 14 17
I would love to have write-ins during the day, as I am a housewife and that's when I get most of my writing done! 9:30am is a little early for me, as I drive my husband into Chicago for work every morning and can't guarantee that I'd be back by then, but I'll try!
----------The day is slipping away, why am I
out here, what do they want?
I am sorrowful in November...
- Anne Sexton, from "Hurry Up Please It's Time"
161,514 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2010 - 15 51
Is anyone interested in write-ins during the day during the week?
I already scheduled one for Nov. 1st starting at 9:30 am, but can do some more.
http://naperwrimo.org/wiki/index.php?title=2010_Events
(Yes, I do work, but I have vacation days to use up so plan on taking a number of half-days during November. I'd take the whole day off but I end up checking work email, then working on something, so half-days work better.)
If you are interested in daytime write-ins during the week, let me know when & where you'd be most interested in. No promises, but I don't *have* to write at the Caribou at1523 North Aurora Road in Naperville.
http://www.naperwrimo.org/locations.php#Caribou
I also like Seattle Best Coffee in Borders (Wheaton) although they don't have as many outlets.
or other Caribous (one in Wheaton, one on 59, the one on Eola Road in Aurora or the one in Geneva.)
I can even do Starbucks now that they've got their wireless act together. Other possible locations include Panara (Meeting for lunch around 12:30 and writing afterward.)
Or I may attempt to write at Rock Bottom after lunch (no wifi, though.)
If there's not much interest, I'll mainly write at home, but if people would find a write-in helpful, either respond to this thread, or send me a NaNoMail.
If you're interested, but can't commit to a particular day weeks away, we can plan this out week by week.
Katherine