United States :: California :: Sacramento

[sticky by request] Sactown dares!

katster — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:53:29 +0000

Put your Sactown dares here!

I'll start with:

Include Andros' imaginary friend in your novel.

-kat

[Edit: Stickied. Please feel free to add your own to this thread.]
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Kat Templeton, Sacramento Region co-ML * http://www.retstak.org
"If I have weaknessess, don't let them blind me now." --Paul Simon

United States :: California :: Sacramento

[sticky] Virtual Write-In and the #sacnano IRC channel

katster — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:47:27 +0000

[Edited to add a Chatzilla FAQ and a link to connect to the channel from Chatzilla.]

Yeah, we're going to try to use some of that new-fangled internet technology to have ourselves a virtual write-in. It'll be held on our regional IRC channel. I hear you asking me how you would get to such a thing, and never fear, I am here to offer some solutions!

For those who know what IRC is and how to get on it, the channel is #sacnano and the server is irc.goodchatting.com.

If you don't know what IRC is, well, there's a couple options to get you on. The easiest would be to access the server via the Java web client, which you can find here: http://www.goodchatting.com/rooms/sacnano.php. Please set a name in the box in the bottom right corner.

If you want an actual client, I'm hearing good things about Chatzilla, an IRC plugin for Firefox. It seems to work for several of our users. Here's a good FAQ on how to use Chatzilla. After you have installed chatzilla, you should be able to access the IRC channel from that link.

If you're on Windows, another option is mIRC. Here's a good guide on using mIRC written by the person who runs the server where our channel is hosted. (She shows how to get into the main #nanowrimo channel, but if you replace #nanowrimo with #sacnano, you'll find us.)

There are of course many other options. If you're having problems, post to this thread or find me, and I'll see what I can do to help.

Our virtual write-in will be 8-11 PM on Wednesdays, but if you want to drop by any time, there's usually a few users in the channel. Feel free to come say hi!

-kat
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Kat Templeton, Sacramento Region co-ML * http://www.retstak.org
"If I have weaknessess, don't let them blind me now." --Paul Simon

United States :: California :: Sacramento

Attention Bay Area Wrimos!

Tavia Stewart — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:14:34 +0000

We wanted to make sure you all knew about the third-annual NaNoWriMo Night of Writing Dangerously Write-a-thon. This noir-themed noveling event will be held from 5 PM to 11 PM on Sunday, November 22 at the beautiful Julia Morgan Ballroom in downtown San Francisco!

All you need to do to raise $200 in sponsorships through GiftTool from family and/or friends by November 18. And if you raise $300 or more you can bring a guest!

Not only is this a great chance for us to see the faces of those who support us, but all proceeds from the evening make our programs possible, including the classroom-based Young Writers Program. Come show your support this year by helping us reach our $25,000 fundraising goal! The more money you raise, the more tickets you'll get for our prize raffle. Plus, the top fundraisers will walk home with one of our grand prizes. Check out our Night of Writing Dangerously Write-A-Thon 2009 page to find out what this year’s grand prizes include.

Don’t miss your chance to come write with us for six hours surrounded by San Francisco’s city lights and 200 fellow NaNo-novelists typing frantically alongside you!

Already shopping for my Noir costume,

Tavia Stewart-Streit
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United States :: California :: Sacramento

[sticky - ew] Le Grand Write-In Calendar

underpope — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:07:10 +0000

Below are the days and times of the various write-ins that will be happening in Sacramento and the surrounding regions. Please let me know if there are changes or updates or if I've just gotten something wrong. But do so gently.

Sacramento

Sundays, 2:30 p.m. Naked Coffee, 1111 H Street
Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Temple Coffee on S Street (near Natural Foods Coop)
Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. Tupelo Cafe on 56th Street, near H
Saturdays, 3:00 p.m. the Fox & Goose, 1001 R Street

There will also be a write-in at the Del Rio Cafe in Old Sacramento, but the details of that have not been finalized.

Davis

Sundays, 2:00 p.m., Cloud Forest Cafe, 222 D Street
Wednesdays, 6:00 p.m., Crepeville, on the corner of 3rd and C.
Fridays, 6:00 p.m., 3rd & U Cafe, on the corner of 3rd and University Avenue

Nevada City

Fridays, 6:00 p.m., Cafe Mekka in downtown Nevada City

Folsom

Fridays, 6:00, It's a Grind, 2770 E. Bidwell

Roseville

Saturdays, 6:30, Panera Bread, 916 Pleasant Grove Blvd

Carmichael

Fridays, noon, Boulevard Coffee, 7901 Fair Oaks Boulevard

Online

Wednesday, 8:00 to 11:00 p.m., #sacnano channel on irc.goodchatting.com (see Kat's post for instructions)

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Richard Crawford, Sacramento Region Co-ML
Code Monkey by Day, Word Monkey by Night
http://www.mossroot.com/codemonkey

United States :: California :: Sacramento

[sticky] The Great Write-In Planning Thread

katster — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:37:03 +0000

So, to keep ourselves straight as to who are planning what write-ins where, I'm keeping this post with links to different threads on write-ins, so that I can be efficient at making sure they get on the Big Board. I'll put them here as I see them bubble up on the forum, and I'll link this post to the header.

Richard and I are setting up write-ins, but we can't set them up everywhere. We are only two people, and NaNo HQ hasn't finished the superhero modifications they've been planning for years now. So we need your help! Want a write-in in your area? Start a thread for it!

It is much more awesome if you make a thread for your write-ins as opposed to planning them out under this post.

The threads are as follows:
Carmichael/Citrus Heights/FairOaks/Orangevale Write-ins
Davis Write-Ins -- several, see thread.
Elk Grove Write-In
Folsom Write-In -- probably Fridays at It's A Grind on East Bidwell.
Nevada City/Grass Valley/Penn Valley Write-Ins!
Roseville Write-In -- probably Saturdays at Panera Bread on Pleasant Grove.
Sacramento Write-In

Monday Write-in

As we get more, I'll put them here. You can find this post by clicking the Regional Info tab on the header.

[Last updated 10/14/2009: Added Nevada City, etc. write-in thread, Carmichael write-in thread, and added possible places]
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Kat Templeton, Sacramento Region co-ML * http://www.retstak.org
"If I have weaknessess, don't let them blind me now." --Paul Simon

United States :: California :: Sacramento

Word War Updates

katster — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:38:56 +0000

If I've done this right, this should crosspost among all three regional forums that are in a semi-unofficial war with one another. Finland, meet Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh, meet Finland. Both of you, meet Sacramento. :)

Basic rules here is the regional average divided by the number of participants. The region that wins gets the warm and fuzzy bragging rights [nearly wrote "writes" there, heh] and the losing regions gets to stew in the cold harsh fact that they weren't good enough to win. (And who knows. There may be more awesome prizes, if we can be bothered to come up with any.)

Anyway, the tale of the tape under the regional tab seems to be that on this, the fifth day of November, the head of our leaderboard goes to....*drum roll please*

FINLAND!

Yes, those plucky Finns are out in front, having a large (but possibly not insurmountable) lead.

Here are the standings:

Finland -- 425 Wrimos in this region (active and homed) - 42% are new. Wrimos in this region have written 2,022,416 words (5,879 per Wrimo with wordcount) [89th overall in words per wrimo]
Sacramento -- 470 Wrimos in this region (active and homed) - 45% are new. Wrimos in this region have written 1,526,457 words (5,088 per Wrimo with wordcount) [229th overall in words per wrimo]
Pittsburgh -- 422 Wrimos in this region (active and homed) - 40% are new. Wrimos in this region have written 1,303,952 words (4,690 per Wrimo with wordcount) [341th overall in words per wrimo]

Or shorter version, with the important numbers:

Finland: 5,879 words per Wrimo
Sacramento: 5,088 words per Wrimo
Pittsburgh: 4,690 words per Wrimo

May this inspire you all to newer and higher wordcounts.

I'll be back on the 10th for a status update.

-kat
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Kat Templeton, Sacramento Region co-ML * http://www.retstak.org
"If I have weaknessess, don't let them blind me now." --Paul Simon

United States :: Pennsylvania :: Pittsburgh

Hello

sesquipedalian2B — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:32:43 +0000

Hello. I'm new, and this is my first NaNoWriMo. So far I've been anticipating week two and three fatigue, so while I'm still giddy I'm writing more than I need. I'm a younger teenager, and my no means average. I'm not at all popular or stylish or anything, but I like theater, languages and textile crafts and, of course, writing.

I'm in Davis. Who else is?

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J'ecris, donc je suis.

United States :: California :: Sacramento

LETS LOOSE THE LOW WORD COUNTS!!! COME ON PEOPLE! WE ARE AT WAR!!!!!!!

Mr.MikeNice — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:36:58 +0000

lets show those finns what Nor Cal is made of!
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United States :: California :: Sacramento

Cool new device I found

Riverfaile — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:39:19 +0000

I found a cool new word generator on line it comes up with different words based on what you enter the url is

http://www.wordconstructor.com/index.php
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Meddle not in the affairs of dragons
for thou art crunchy
and good with ketchup

United States :: California :: Sacramento

Folsom Write-In

katster — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:03:58 +0000

Hey Quickstrike and various other Folsomites:

You all up for the usual day and place? Or do you want to go somewhere else or take another day?

[It dawns on me that I should write down the usual day and place. The tradition for Folsom has been Friday nights, generally 6 to whenever they kick us out, at It's a Grind at 2770 E Bidwell St in Folsom. Hence Folsom Fridays.]

-kat
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Kat Templeton, Sacramento Region co-ML * http://www.retstak.org
"If I have weaknessess, don't let them blind me now." --Paul Simon

United States :: California :: Sacramento

Elk Grove write in?

Weeks Marta — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:53:05 +0000

Anyone interested in getting together in Elk Grove?
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Marta Weeks

United States :: California :: Sacramento

Sac State Meets!

felinius — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:17:47 +0000

Hey everyone who lives near Sac State / goes to Sac State!
This is a little different from the college thread because it'd be nice to have a meet up specifically at CSUS. :)

Here's some possible meet-up spots on campus:
- Union (2nd floor or 3rd floor?)
- AIRC 1st floor for the whiteboard!
- Riverfront Hall (if you don't know, it's right next to Mendocino Hall and has the Crepe place)

Peak times tend to be around M/T/W/TH from 10AM-2PM, so I'm not sure if we'd want to meet during these times.
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Military Sci-Fi (click banner!)
Times written during class: 1
Times dreamed about: 4
Missions Failed: 0

United States :: California :: Sacramento

The Eve of Scrawling Alarmingly [Part-ay!]

Eyum — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:21:24 +0000

Hi, my name is Annie and because most of us will not be allowed to attend the Night of Writing Dangerously in San Fran, we're having our own! We call it The Eve of Scrawling Alarmingly, (ESA for short). Bring your laptops, notebooks and pens, parchment and quills - whatever you use to scribe - along with ideas and snacks to share! We have wireless internet, for those with laptops, and a ridiculously huge table, so seating wont be a problem. Also, we have plenty of writing utensils, so if you should happen to forget or misplace yours, we've got you covered (unlike Pepto).

Who: Sacramento Region WriMos!

What: The Eve of Scrawling Alarmingly!

When: Saturday, November 21st, 2009
6PM-10PM

Where: My house in Folsom!
604 Cordillera Ct.
Folsom, CA 95630

Why: Because we can

How: Again, because we can

If you happen to get lost trying to find my house, you can call my cell at 916-934-8990 - ask for Annie. You can RSVP on this page so I have an idea of how many to expect :D

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I like to beat Writer's Block in the head with a fire extinguisher!
“...didn’t anyone ever teach you how to tell a proper lie? I know you’re probably hoping I’ll just give up and kill you, but you’ll find that I’m a very stubborn sort of man.” -Jorbayn

United States :: California :: Sacramento

The 1,667 WPD Pace: + or -?

zombiegoat — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:11:19 +0000

According to Nano guidelines, we should be doing 1,667 words per day in order to make the 50k in 30 days.

Simply put, are you over or under this pace?

Inquiring minds want to know.
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Jesse L. Cairns
2006: The Phoenix Initiative (science fiction) -- WINNER
2007: The Final Nine (sports fiction) -- WINNER
2008: Living After Midnight (literary fiction) -- WINNER
2009: Dead of Winter (supernatural thriller)

United States :: California :: Sacramento

Name a cat

tama — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:54:45 +0000

Help - I need a cool name for a cat in my novel.

It's a normal everyday tabby cat that loves to sit on laps.

I need something a little different since other characters in the book are shapeshifting mountain lions.

And my brain hurts too much to come up with a cat name.

I mean the only idea I came up with was Snuggles. (bad, huh?)

Any ideas?
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---------------------------------------------
"Try to be one of those people on whom nothing is lost." Henry James
Too bad I have such a bad memory!

United States :: California :: Sacramento

Lincoln / Rocklin / Roseville active?

CaliforniaUSA — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:58:56 +0000

hey!
There are over 1000 listed for Sac Region
Are there any active participants from Lincoln / Rocklin area that can be writing buddies?
LMK
thx!
:) California USA
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United States :: California :: Sacramento

how is everyone doing so far?

Mr.MikeNice — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:06:37 +0000

is anyone coming into any snags with their plot yet? feel free to share, and maybe we can help eachother beat are way through them.
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United States :: California :: Sacramento

A Word War is on!

katster — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:17:30 +0000

Sadly, I haven't gotten East Bay to commit, but I did manage to get us matched up against an entire country.

Ladies and gentlemen, Finland has agreed to take us on. My thanks to them, as I was starting to worry.

It'll be a simple average words per participant, as measured by the Nano site, so there's incentive to get yourself homed and your fingers flexed. They've got a lot more darkness and bad weather than we do, so this will be a challenge. ;)

We may also end up in a war with Pittsburgh, I put a feeler out in that direction but haven't heard back from them yet.

So. For glory, for awesomeness, for the Platymanagoat! Onwards, Sacramento!

-kat
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Kat Templeton, Sacramento Region co-ML * http://www.retstak.org
"If I have weaknessess, don't let them blind me now." --Paul Simon

United States :: California :: Sacramento

Cameron Park Write-ins?

OceanEyes — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:52:26 +0000

I was wondering if anyone in the Cameron Park area was willing to step up and plan out some Write-ins. (I would, but I think someone older would be a bit better with organization and planning. Haha.)
So if anyone's willing... I'd love to get some write-in's planned!

-Erin
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United States :: California :: Sacramento

The Night of Writing Dangerously

inkedbuddha — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:07:46 +0000

Who is planning on going? I'd love to carpool/trainpool with folks from the Sactown region.

It is easy to raise the $200 to attend. Simply go to http://www.gifttool.com/athon/AthonDetails?ID=1891&AID=806, set up a personal fundraising page, and ask your friends, family and coworkers for $5-10 each. That isn't much money, and it adds up fast. The Young Writer's Program is a great cause.

I'd love to see a big Sac region contingent there. :D

Tara
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United States :: California :: Sacramento

Record regional Wrimos?

inkedbuddha — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:11:19 +0000

I noticed that we blasted past 1200 in the region sometime this evening. Is that a record? Anyone know the previous highest Sacto region NaNoers? I'm proud of us. :)

Tara
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United States :: California :: Sacramento

Two Potential Meet Ups in One Mel's Lazy Thread : Rancho Cordova and American River College

MelonyLouise — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:27:23 +0000

Part One
I live in Rancho Cordova. I don't think we've ever managed to get a meet-up running. Because ... it's Rancho. But is anybody interested in that?

Part Two
I also live at American River College. Weird, I know. And my (PLATONIC) partner in crime Kindra and I have toyed around with the idea of an on-campus write-in. Does anybody go to ARC aside from us?
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United States :: California :: Sacramento

Nevada City/Grass Valley/Penn Valley Write-Ins!

PacificPikachu — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:13:48 +0000

Hello fellow foothills writers! This is Kristin, your deputy ML for Nevada County!

I've held write-ins for this area for the last two years, and the plan has generally been to hold the write-ins on Fridays, 6 PM to whenever we decide to disband, at Cafe Mekka in downtown Nevada City. Does this work for you? Not work for you? Give me some feedback as to whether you'd be able to make it on this date/time/location! I'd be happy to change it if this doesn't work for the majority of people, and if someone would prefer a different date/time/location I'm all ears! This would make our first write-in on the 6th.

Depending on your preferences, we could also hold a Nevada County Meet and Greet pre-NaNo meeting on Wednesday, October 28th--also at 6 PM at Mekka? That way we can meet and discuss strategies and get ourselves motivated! Let me know if you're up for that.

Also, I am planning on going to the Meet and Greet in Sacramento on the 25th--if anyone from up here would like to come along, let's coordinate and I'd be happy to carpool! My car is certainly nothing fancy, but it works, and I'd be happy to spend an hour in the car chatting with fellow novelists!

As a note, I will be out of town for a few days during November: October 30th-November 1st, and November 20th-22nd as well. The 20th is a Friday, so we will have to decide what we want to do about that--we could hold a write-in the Monday or Wednesday before, or the following Monday or Wednesday.

Anyone who has questions/concerns/wants to coordinate anything, feel free to drop me a NaNoMail any time. I'm quite the e-mail checker so I'll usually get back to you quickly. :) I'm looking forward to meeting all of you and having some fun authorly games, discussions, word wars, and whatever else our crazy minds can come up with! Looking forward to November!
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United States :: California :: Sacramento

Carmichael/Citrus Heights/FairOaks/Orangevale Write-ins

kbrigan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:57:57 +0000

Because somebody had to type it. How about a Furlough Friday lunch/afternoon somewhere in da burbs?
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United States :: California :: Sacramento

College NaNoers?

Insomniac_dreams — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:41:50 +0000

This isn't just for those at Sac State (CSU Sacramento) I'm a senior there, but also for any alumni and professors/teachers who'd like to discuss some strategies we plan to employ in order to balance school, work, life and NaNo.

Feel free to friend me or follow me at http://twitter.com/insomniacdreamr

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add me on twitter/insomniacdreamr or follow my blog @ http://insomniadreams.wordpress.com/