Write-Ins: Because it's never too early to plan

As a vehicle-less college student already living halfway to nowhere (at Clark Kerr campus), I'm in favor of central locations that can be reached on foot or by convenient AC transit bus lines that run late at night! I have to confess I've never been able to attend a Berkeley write-in, so I don't know what the turnout is like, but a few places in Berkeley that I personally like are Cafe Milano and Cafe Strada...unfortunately, neither of these have very much space (Strada is tiny!).

Another place that might work well is LaVal's Pizza in North Berkeley...they're good about letting large groups take over their downstairs (I've been there for debate-watching parties before) and the food is fantastic. They've been around for over 30 years for a reason.

I'd invite everyone to my dorm room but I don't think we'd all fit! :)

Candace Cunard
Office of Letters & Light // Editorial Intern & Press Liaison
Co-ML, East Bay CA // 3-time participant & winner

Three other writers and I usually descend on Panera Bread at Southland Mall, Hayward, to write even outside of NaNo. The next meeting is on October 10th, where we'll plan for what we'll do in November. New members are always welcome.

I second Spuds, but I can't get there on weekdays. Last year we had some informal write-ins at Village Grounds on Shattuck in Berkeley, but it's usually pretty crowded there. Royal Grounds, which is a few blocks down, might work better- they have larger tables and it seems (the few times I've been there) to be less crowded.

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my unhappy webcomic

There are several places I haunt in Oakland. I tried organizing write-ins last year but no one showed, but this is a new year. .. the biggest place is Cafe Rooz on Park Boulevard near the Parkway Theater. Friendly, lots of seating, including one big table we all could commandeer. A block down the street is Woody's Cafe, directly across from the theater, small but friendly to writers hanging out. I also go to Coffee with a Beat on Perkins (cross street Grand) across from Lakeside Park. Great jazz soundtrack to write to. And then the hoary old favorite, Cafe di Bartolo on Grand next to Walden Pond Books. Brick walls, a back garden for nice days, electic soundtrack. And there is always Cafe Rooz on Piedmont and Gaylords on Piedmont. Hudson Bay Cafe on College kitty-corner from the Rockridge library is nice also.

Everybody does lunch sandwiches and salads and your coffee, tea, soft drinks and pastries. None have enough outlets, di Bartolo has no wifi (currently, they go back and forth).

That's a lot of daytime options. I'd like to hear about any Oakland nightspots. I'll start a new Oakland write-in thread when the madness starts, come by and say hi!

SeaRabbit: Thanks for all the great ideas, and I'll certainly look into them. If there are a few you know you will be showing up at during the day, tell me and I'll make the write-ins official on the calendar. If any of those places is open late into the evenings, that would be even more important, however, as most of our writers seem to have day jobs.

Reading Redhead: Bus lines are important to me, too, since my car utterly died. I am going to try to make the official write-in places on or very close to convenient bus lines.

I am expecting that, like in previous years, Berkeley locations will be the default for most NaNoers. However, I'm going to try to to find Oakland locations convenient for Oakland residents as well. If you are an Oakland resident, let me know where/when you can meet and we'll see what we can throw together.

We work in the dark—we do what we can—we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art.
—Henry James

I am partial to Spud's on weekdays because it is in the building where I work---pretty convenient! They also have free wifi and there is always plenty of space (sometimes a problem with Treiste and that Berkeley cafe just North of Shattuck and University). On the weekend I would still meet there though it is kind of lame to spend the weekend at the same space I hang out the rest of the week.

My absolute favorite cafe around here is Nomad Cafe. It is east of the Ashby BART. Great staff, great food, free wifi and great atmosphere. The problem is that other people have noticed too and they have events so it can get crowded. There is another cafe up the street from that one.

I would love to try some of the above Oakland spots. Also the Mama Buzz cafe in Oakland is quite charming and they have food. Food is important (at least to me) because often I will go straight from work and want food more than coffee. Mama Buzz gets crowded but they have big tables there if you can grab one. A couple times a month a girl does Tarot reading which could be a fun exercise to think about your characters and plot.

It is a shame about Cafe Perk! That was a great spot. I'd rather not meet there anyhow, though, as it is not convenient to BART.

I'm sad that I won't be able to make the Wednesday write-ins at Cafe Milano.

But if anyone would like to add another opportunity for a write in to their schedule and join chow-yun-fat and I on Thursdays at Village Grounds starting around 6:30pm until we get our word count it would be awesome! (they close at 10pm).

I'll be writing on my Macbook with the cat on it.

PS: I tried to put this on its own Berkeley Write-in thread but apparently I can't start one? Hopefully this topic still works.

Yay! Thanks for arranging this one. I like Village Grounds. I'll come this Thursday.