Are you ready?

The countdown has begun. Wrinos are wishing luck to fellow wrinos. I am shaking with anticipation. Can I do it? Will I do it? Is it within me? I suppose I shall find out.

Good luck to all of you participating in NaNoWriMo this year. I hope to see you at the finish line, with the certificate of completion in hand, if that is what you are aiming for. I doubt you'll see much of any blogger this month who is taking the challenge unless, of course, we are seeking a way to avoid writing.

Here's to words. 50,000 of 'em.

Here's to what we'll feel like by Nov. 15 (viewer discretion is advised):

A roaring success!

Melly and I are pleased to announce that the first session of the Writing Session Group was very successful. Here is the final tally:

Melly - goal: editing and writing 500 words. Result: 90%
R - goal: coming up with 3-5 scene ideas and write smthg up on each. Result: 100%
T - goal: finish reviewing my NaNo outline and to make the difficult changes I know are necessary. Result: 100%
L - goal: 500 words in new short story. Result: 100%.
M - goal: work on character development, further story building, read over/edit existing section. Result: 100%
S - goal: wiring a certain year of memoir. Result: 100%
Nienke - goal: work on outline. Result: 100%

And, as Melly put it, "Yay us!"

Doesn't this make you want to come join? Huh?

Oh, and I also want to mention that I popped in on young adult novelist Arthur Slade, who was at the library near my work last night promoting his new book, Megiddo's Shadow. What a great show he puts on. The kids just loved him. I know Arthur because of his podcast for writers.

Writing Session Group is a GO

Those of you that expressed an interest in the Writing Session Group can now sign up here. Your administrator is Melly and she has the first post up. The first scheduled writing session (ws) is tomorrow (Thursday) at 8:30 pm EST. Hope you see you there!

Let's get writing!

NaNoWriMo Tools & Tips

For those of you participating in the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year, I’ve compiled a list of tools and tips to help you get started and keep you going along the way.

Nanowrimo Podcast 2006 – back by popular demand
Character Questionnaires - Get to Know Your Characters
Steve's Columns – lot’s of motivational stuff
Feaths Bookcase: Writers resources, random generators, progress bars – fun!
The Writer's Software Companion – just in case you get lonely
The Scriptorium - writer's toolbox – for the writer who has everything
Language Is A Virus – NaNoWriMo tools & toys – for the writer who has more than everything
How to "win" National Novel Writing Month in 5 (no, 6) easy steps – courtesy of Write Now Is Good
National Novel Finishing Month – what to do with your manuscript after November 30
NaNoFiMo Resources Page

What are you doing to prepare for NaNoWriMo 2006?

Let's get writing!!

Most writers often complain about lack of discipline. Why not try and inject some discipline into us?

Well, Melly from All Kinds of Writing has come up with a brilliant idea.

We will set up a group in, say, Google or Yahoo! or something.
We won't talk about writing in the group, but we'd write.

Here's how Melly thinks it might work:
- We'll "meet" twice a week at set times, let's say (this can all change). For example: Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET. We could communicate via a Yahoo conference chat.
- Before 9, all participants will post their goal for the hour-long-session. Examples:

• - My goal is to write 500 words.
• - My goal is to finish chapter 4, or that complicated fighting scene
• - My goal is to work on the outline for chapters 11-20.
• - My goal is to find a market for my latest short story and submit.

You see, very specific goal.

- Then, at 9:00, I'll sound the bell and everybody would start working.
- The session will be an hour-long and at 10:00 I'll sound the closing bell. Of course, you can continue working.
- After the session has closed, all participants will send me a quantifiable success rate. 0%-100% of goal accomplished. No reasons, no excuses. Just goal and success rate.
- Melly will compile the results and either post it here on our blogs, or in the group.

So what do you think?
Please leave your comments and ideas and let us know if you'd be interested in joining such a group.

If you think it is a good idea, then tell us if you would like to participate and what would be good times for you.

If we get a move on it, we might be able to have it ready for NaNo.

Now it's up to you.

Snow & NaNoWriMo

Happy Friday all! My condolences to those of you living in the Buffalo area. But hey, maybe if you’re home for a snow day you’ll be able to get some writing done! Although I suppose it will have to be with pen and paper with no power!

Eric has a great pre-NaNoWriMo post over at Quantum Storytelling: “Cooking Up Some Creative Constraints.”

Angela Booth also has some NaNoWriMo QuickStart posts to help participants get ready. Check ‘em out here.

I have entered NaNoWriMo this year – my first time. My user name is Nienke. Who else is going for it this year?

So you think you're good with words?

Let's just see how good you really are!
**evil laugh**



Also, link of the day:
"Write Now Is Good."

Back with working links (and a hat!)

Well, I'm back from an awesome week. I hope all my Canadian friends had a nice Thanksgiving. I certainly did. Spent lots of time with family all weekend and also had the pleasure of some down time. Now, I'm at the computer, and aside from blogging, I'm also writing!

What did you do this weekend?

Thanks for letting me know about the bad links on my last post. I blame Blogger. In any case, I'm reposting them and hopefully the links work this time.

Between Your Sheets
We Write Romance
Access Romance
Suite 101 Creative Writing Workshop
Romance Ever After – The Writing Craft
Myra Nour on Writing
Little Willow’s Archive of Author Interviews
Top 10 Blogs About Writing and Publishing
43 Things – Write A Novel
43 Things – Write a Book
Karen Kelley’s Writing Tips (some funny pieces!)
Lucy Monroe’s Articles for Writers
Evolution (a writers' group dedicated to free and open creative expression in all genres)

Oh, and S. William, thx for cleaning out my fridge and feeding my cat. Mysteriously, you left a red hat with a white pompom behind. Shall I fedex it?

conference, links

I’m off for a three-day business trip to Deerhurst Resort. It is a beautiful place but, unfortunately, I am solidly booked day and night for the entire time I’m there. Oh well. I am bringing my Alphie in case I get some time to myself.

And, for your surfing pleasure, some links I’ve come across in recent Net travels:

Between Your Sheets
We Write Romance
Access Romance
Suite 101 Creative Writing Workshop
Romance Ever After – The Writing Craft
Myra Nour on Writing
Little Willow’s Archive of Author Interviews
Top 10 Blogs About Writing and Publishing
43 Things – Write A Novel
43 Things – Write a Book
Karen Kelley’s Writing Tips (some funny pieces!)
Lucy Monroe’s Articles for Writers
Evolution (a writers' group dedicated to free and open creative expression in all genres)

Okay, that’s probably enough to keep you occupied till my next post.

Keep on writing, folks!