Welcome Writers!

Hi I am Laria/Annie

I started an nanowrimo a few years ago but I never made it past a few hundred words.

I live in San Ramon, ca

Hi, I'm Catnmus, aka Christine, also in San Ramon (yay, East East Bay!). This will be (I think) my 6th NaNo and hopefully my 5th win. I also did Script Frenzy twice (and won twice). If I'm brave enough, I'll probably be writing something related somehow to my mother's recent death (breast cancer), and/or my feelings about it.

My trick to help me keep writing: Whenever I start thinking it's all crap and I should just stop, I remind myself that it's only one month out of my life, and NO ONE gets to read it. No one. At all. Ever. Unless, and Until, I say so. It is amazingly freeing to tell myself that. Of course I also have the knowledge after 6 years that no one has ever WANTED to read my stuff. So I do actually believe myself when I say no one will get to read it. :-)

I suppose I should introduce myself! I'm Candace, one of the Berkeley MLs for this year (the other is my roommate). I'm a sophomore English major and creative writing minor at UC Berkeley.

I've participated and won for the past three years, with stories I'd call sci-fi or fantasy/historical fiction/romance.
I don't know what I'm writing about this year at all...but it's either about a woman who cross-dresses as a man so she can pretend to be her best friend's fiancee (it's complicated) or it's a modern-day retelling of Pride and Prejudice where the Bennetts are a farming family from Nebraska.

I'm really excited about this year! Along with being my fourth NaNo, it's also my second year working at the NaNo HQ as editorial intern & press liaison.

Well. I see there aren't any people from Alameda thus far, but I'd like to be the first :>

I am one of the many attendees of AHS. So, obviously this means I'm of the teenage species.

Second time Nano-er.

This year I had a bit of trouble with deciding what I was going to write. My first idea I'd been thinking about since last year, but both of my protagonists die at the end, and I sort of realized I didn't feel like writing something that bleak, so I like I got the idea to revamp a fairytale, so to speak. HURREY.

How are everyone else's NaNoWriMo's going? Even if it's a bit early...

Hi, everyone. I'm SO excited about NaNo! This is my second year, and I won last year, so I've GOT to win this year, too, or I'll feel really silly!

I live in Berkeley, and I'm looking forward to the write-ins here. I went to a few last year and they were very inspiring. Being surrounded by people typing furiously makes me want to get down to typing, too! I'm not too worried about location, but I'll echo what Redhead said about AC-convenient locations, because I was in that situation last year, and I feel her pain! There are cafes along Shattuck Avenue (Village Grounds, French Hotel Cafe, Berkeley Espresso) that are right on the 18 line, which runs until midnight.

I think this year's novel will be about a Jewish girl and a Native American boy who bond over the shared experience of having "holocausts" in their families' history. Sounds like a downer, I know, but you'll just have to trust me when I say the ending makes it all worthwhile! It'll include a lot of interesting history and stuff about each character's mystical and spiritual traditions. I love an excuse to do research!

Yes, I'm a nerd. And proud of it! ;-D

Good luck to everyone!

Hullo all! I'm Lady Bedivere, four-year NaNo participant and never yet a winner-thank you, college double-major. Eh, maybe 5th time's the charm?

Anyway, this is my first year truly region-hopping, as I live in Livermore, but I'm attending SFSU, so I'm sure I'll be popping up in the Tri-Valley and the City. Hopefully I'll be able to find time to make to a write-in one place or t'other. Either way, I'm sure I'll be doing a lot of noveling on BART...

My novel this year is called "The Fourth Fate". I call it fantasy, but only in the sense that it doesn't exist in any known geographical local, not that it has magic and dragons. More "Westmark" than "Stardust". Like everything else I write, it's almost entirely character driven, though it has more of a predetermined plot than the last couple years' endeavors have. Anyhow, I think it'll be fun, and since I've actually done a lot of preplanning on this one (for once!) I'm hoping to at least set a new personal wordcount record if not get my first win!

Hi all. I'm pretty much the same Norsehound you'd find on Fanfiction.net and Deviantart.com.

I'm a Livermore resident, but since I go to CSU East Bay (Or Hayward), I guess this is my 'home base'. Though I was a participant before I moved here for one year, I didn't really connect with a network until this past year where I met up with the Hayward writing group at Panera (See Hayward monthly thread).

Originally I had set my plans on re-writing the plot to "Homeworld: Cataclysm" to make it more in-line with the other two games on either side of it (Homeworld 1, Homeworld 2) but now I"m not so sure. For some reason I'm driven again to make some kind of far-reaching political sci-fi epic that I did last year (Horizon of the Sunrise). Ultimately I have a month to decide, but one factor in favor of the re-write script is the fact that I've generated some hype about the effort on the Relic forums (Relic being the creator of Homeworld).

Welcome all, and good luck in your writing efforts :)

Crawling from my hole in Fremont, two time loser hailing from Iceland. With luck the change of scenery will help. This year, I'll be tackling Horror/Thriller with a larger cast than I'm used to. Hoooo boy, I am going to pull a muscle.

Hi guys! I live in Berkeley and this is my (count's fingers) 7th Nano (!!!) . I tend to write terrible horror novels that never go anywhere. This year is no different! Although it's possible that my antagonist is mentally ill and not actually possessed by an evil ghost. Or he's both mentally ill and possessed? Anyway, I'm excited about seeing everyone at write-ins!

Hi, I'm Jade or Alex, whichever you prefer. This is my first NaNoWriMo and will be my first time writing a story that wasn't required for class in over five years. I'm based in Berkeley but I'm a freshman at CSU East Bay. I'm currently bouncing between three or four story ideas. They're mostly fantasy or a what if? kind of stories. Nice to see y'all here!

Hi, I'm Jany. I just found out about NaNoWriMo a few weeks ago, and it's like a godsend. I've been trying to 'write a novel' for a year or so now but just haven't gotten the inspiration to do so. Every time I start with a few pages, it turns out to be crap. I'm really glad that there's an organization to help out, and I can't wait to get started.

I'm based near Lake Merritt, work in the city but I love driving all over the bay (just arrived 2 years ago, so still lots to explore). I have a few ideas about what to write, but I figured I'll just let my words do the talking. Anyways, hieeee.

Hey everyone! I'm Lauren, and I'm from Danville. :] If we want to be TECHNICAL, this is... probably my fourth year, at least of "doing" NaNoWriMo. And by doing, I mean... conceiving of possibly maybe doing it. :\ Since I was in school, it never happened. I just graduated in July, though, so hopefully I'll be getting down to business this time around! Fingers crossed. I'll probably be writing fan fiction, to be honest... but it counts? Ish?

This is my fourth year, and (hopefully) will be my fourth win. I've written sci-fi and fantasy novels, and this year will be another fantasy. It's an unusual plot for a fantasy, because it wasn't blatantly stolen from Star Wars .

I'm living down in Pleasanton, so I'm a bit farther away than some of you Berkeley-ites.

I'm looking forward to the write-ins, to seeing some friends from last year, and to meet new ones this year.

Hey -

I'm Rebecca, the other Berkeley ML...

Well - I'm majoring in political science at UC Berkeley, and minoring in creative writing. I also play soccer and sing, among other things. I love musicals and music of all sorts - I can generally be found singing something or another, and I can't study without some sort of music playing, which mostly drives Candace crazy.

This is my second year participating in NaNoWriMo, and hopefully my second time winning. I'm planning on a fantasy/adventure that takes the conventional story of Sleeping Beauty and then runs away into the realm of sinister king-killers, usurpers, long lost princes, and insane princess, among other things... But that could change! All things are possible before the first words are written - and this continues to be true up until the end.

Looking forward to getting to know my fellow crazies this year!

Trina here, over in San Leandro. I think I'm writing a YA romantic horror dramatic comedy...but I'm not sure...

My name is Lori and I am a graduate student living in Oakland. This will be my third NaNoWriMo and hopefully my second win. I have not written in a year and it hurts, so I'll dive back in at full force!

I'm a middle school teacher living in San Ramon. I've been going to write-ins mainly in Walnut Creek and Berkeley, but hoping to set up a few closer to home especially since my school's writing club this year is so huge. It was easier to move the kids to Walnut Creek for the Write-ins when it only took two cars of a carpool, but this year it would take at least one bus. I'm writing a fantasy novel this year.

Anyone interested in mentoring some middle school writers or joining us for a San Ramon / Danville write in, please let me know.

I did the welcome message, but I suppose I should also do an intro. :)

I am Kat, hailing from Oakland, and I'll be the Municipal Liaison for the region. You guys want to make suggestions on possible Write-In locations or comments on anything else, I'm the go-to girl.

If it makes you guys feel any better, I'm on bus lines, too, so Write-In locations accessible by bus or Bart are wildly important to me.

I will be doing a novel that I'm not sure I'm up to, since it has a major Asian background but I can only find minor amounts of the actual research tools I need. Its a fantasy of rather epic proportions about love, honor, loyalty, demons, nursemaids, shapeshifting, wars, prophets, and thwarting evil attempts to eat gods and take over the world.

Oh, and masks.

Hi I'm Mel, and this is my fifth Nano. I've only won once though, in 2005.

I'm new to the Bay Area (I left Michigan in late spring of this year) and I'm thrilled to finally be in a place where I can get to Nano meetups easily.

I am still in the early stages of deciding what this year's novel will be, but it will very likely turn out to have some sort of puzzle in it, and a geeky protagonist to solve it. :)

Hey all! I'm Victoria and I live in the island nation (well, okay city) of Alameda. This will be my fourth NaNoWriMo and I have every intention of going 4-4! Of course, here it is early October and I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to write this year. If it goes the same way as the three years previous, I'll finally lock onto an idea about 9:30 p.m. on Halloween! :-)

I have a day job that cuts into my time for things that I really like doing, like photography, painting, reading, cooking and, of course, writing. However that same job pays for all of those habits, so I deal with it. I have two Feline Overlords who hold their fuzzy paws over their noses whenever they happen to catch a few paragraphs of my NaNo novels.

I look forward to meeting some of you at one of the write-ins or (if we're having one) the half-way party! If anyone wants to do write-ins in Alameda, give me a shout!

I'm Niketa, from Oakland. I write horror and soft sci-fi. This is my first year . Pleased to meet you, hope to see you at the meet-ups :)

I'm also a middle school teacher who lives in Walnut Creek. I'd love to hear more about your school's writing club.

Hi..

I live in Pittsburg (yeah way out there!!!!)

Used to live in Walnut Creek though...

*pokes head in*

*waves*

Hi how's everyone?

Hi. :) Sarah from Fremont.

Umm..I go to MSJHS and am currently busy with studying and other fun high school stuff. Cough. D: Second-year NaNo-er and am hoping to win this year. :P

Anyway, still don't have any idea what I'm going to be writing about but will hopefully soon? Looking forward to write-ins, perhaps, if I can go to any this year. Hee.

Hi!! I'm Laura out here in Pinole. This is my first year at NaNo, and I am soo excited. I've wanted to do it for years, and now I get my chance!

I'm a full time college student, and I work three small part-time jobs to pay the bills. I've been freelance writing since I was fifteen, but I've never finished a novel. That said, I have no idea what my book will be about. But it will be a teen novel and will be dramatic with current social issues I'm sure.

I can't wait!!

I'm Sarah Jane from Oakland. In November, one can find me furiously novelling in Lake Merritt, Temescal, and in the Berkeley/campus area where my work is. Woo! (Sorry, I'm a little overly excited this year)

Paul here, over in San Leandro. ( I see another San Leandrean up above. Go SL! )

I did Nano last year (after finally remembering to sign up; I'd heard about it a few years prior) and had a blast. It was an incredible rush of creativity, and I'm hoping this year I get a similar result.

... I'm also hoping this year I do something other than write the entire novel in the last week. <.< But anyway!

Last year I wrote on an idea that I'd had kicking around in my brain for a long time. It details the story of a girl tasked with keeping peace and hiding magic from modern society. The magic that is Nano forced me to come up with a lot of stuff on the spot, that I'm still refining, and it's lead the way to more ideas an innovations over the last year. This year, however, I'm thinking of visiting the story of another character in that setting. ( And then maybe next year I can get to the third thread in the setting... But we'll see. ) Last year's story was from the perspective of the guardians. This year's novel will be from the side of the guarded.

Anyway. Looking forward to a lot of fun writing experiences. I'll probably be frequenting the Panera Bread write-in in Hayward, since it's convenient (and right after my Tai Chi class. Whoo. )

See you all in November!

Hi Joni! I don't want to hijack this thread so I've sent you a nanomail. I'm not sure if you get a message letting you know you have mail, but you can click the "My NaNoWriMo" tab in order to check/send NaNo mail.

Whoo-hoo!! Let's have a great NaNoWriMo in the East Bay and good luck to all!

RS

My name is Bob, I' m a technical writer working in Oakland but I've lived in Berkeley all my adult life and, to be frank, I have numerous writing fragments and unfinished manuscripts and film-scripts going back to the late Seventies but I've finished only a very few and those were short stories.

I've tried NaNoWriMo in dry runs for a couple of years now but this time I'm getting behind the wheel and I've actually committed myself to going down the road officially and see if I crack up or make it to the end. I'm pretty sure I can do it or give it a good fight trying...