It looks like Dennanos the website has run its course.
Now that the calendar is embeded on the Denver Nano’s forum on the nanowrimo website, as we have a lively facebook presence…I think it’s time to close down dennanos.org and the mailing list. Important items will be moved to the facebook page.
The page and mailing list will disappear by March 2010. Join on Facebook and our Twitter feed!
Time: 10am – 8pm
Where:
Valhalla’s Game Center
6161 W 44th Ave
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033-4743
(303) 463-5451
Cost: $5 per person + any donation you would like to make to OLL.
Come one, come all, come write! A full day’s write in with word wars, prizes and pizza. Bring your lap top and surge protector as Denver Nanos descend on Valhalla’s Game Center on November 16th! Not only are there awesome gaming stuff to buy but they also have a massive game room. We get to take it over to write. Just like last year you may come and go as you please…we will have prizes and word wars throughout the day.
$5 dollars gets you in the door (it’s the fee for the space), pizza around 5:30-6pm. Vahalla’s has a no outside food policy because they sell their own food.
We’ve stretched into week two. Today you should be at 15000 or more words. It’s okay if you’re not. You can catch up.
Some of you have gotten stuck in that mire known as word block. Perhaps I can help.
There is so much you can do but for now…have fun. That’s what NaNo is about. Make this fun. Do fun things with it. If this isn’t fun, then make it fun. Post on the forums, go to write-in’s. Come bother us on facebook. You can do this.
Write-a-Thon
The 16th at 10am is our Write-a-Thon. Come to Vahallas to write with us! Win notsofabulous prizes. Talk like a pirate! Okay, not so much that last one. You can come anytime between 10am and 8pm. The cost is $5 per person. Write and be merry!
This week in Write-Ins: Don’t forget to check on the calendar or at Dennanos.org for details.
Monday
6pm Eastside Panera Write-in [Aurora]
7pm Atlanta Bread Co [Northglenn]
Tuesday
6pm Capitol Hill Write-In [Denver]
6pm Steamers [Arvada]
Wednesday
10:30am Hump Day Write-In [Denver]
6pm Lone Tree Write-in [Lone Tree]
7pm Larkspur Write-in [Larkspur]
7pm Stella’s Write-In [Denver]
Thursday
4pm Belmar Write-In [Lakewood]
6pm Arvada Public Library [Arvada]
Friday
5:30pm MST3K Movie Social [Denver]
Saturday
10am Cafe Caliente Write In [Denver]
10:30am West Denver – Colorado Mills [Denver West]
2pm Central Denver [Denver]
3pm Highlands Ranch Tattered Cover Write-in [Highlands Ranch]
Sunday
3pm Denver Fiction Writers [Denver]
Finally where are we in our epic war across the US and across the pond? Denver has 4,889,957 words, a 8,810 average, and $1465 in donations. This puts us above Atlanta’s meager 4,709,142 words and $1120 in donations. But not by much!
The Glasgow Average has jumped to 10,670! Insanity! We are falling behind with our 8,810 per day.
So get out there, write and write some more!
And we’re off!
The numbers working again currently. Atlanta is beating us!!!
Atlanta: 734,306
Denver: 544,449
And the Glasgow average:
Glasgow: 3,181
Denver: 2,441
We need to get our word counts up there! We know we can do it!
Make sure you get your word counts updated and that you’re homed to Denver (otherwise you don’t count towards our word count). Right now you don’t need to worry about the next great thing. Add those Ninja Rabbit Zombies in there. Elven prostitutes should be burning down your taverns. Jelly Nebulas should be causing tachyon storms across eight sectors, and most importantly of all those pining Jacobean unicorn housewives should be really planning affairs with albino rhinoceros pirates from the Caribbean.
I mean really.
Despite what you think of writing the rest of the year, right now adjectives and adverbs are your friends. Make that prose stand out so purple that any 7 year old princess would swoon at the color choice. Really this is what editing is for later. (Notice the strategic over use of the word really).
Do you need goading on and possible NaNo stickers? Then come to the write-ins! This week we have many for your patronage. Further information, such as address and rules, can be found at Dennanos.org on the calendar. The calendar is at the top of the forums as well. Remember to check the calender before you head out to an event as important information (such as newer address and descriptions) are added all the time.
Mondays:
6pm Eastside Panera Write-in (Aurora)
7pm Write-in: Atlanta Bread Co (Northglenn)
Tuesdays:
6pm Cinema Grill Social (Aurora)
6pm Steamers (Arvada)
Wednesdays:
10:30am Hump Day Write-In (Denver)
6pm Lone Tree Write-in (Lone Tree)
7pm Stella’s Write-In (Denver)
Thursdays:
6pm Arvada Public Library (Arvada)
Fridays:
None this week.
Saturdays:
10:30am West Denver (Denver)
1pm SE Denver Write In (Centennial)
3pm Highlands Ranch Tattered Cover Write-in (Highlands Ranch)
Sundays:
3pm Denver Fiction Writers (Denver)
Don’t see your write-in? Post the times and days on the forum, pm an ML or email us and we will get it on there and tell folks about. If we can, one of us will show!
Why are you still reading this? Get writing! Those fuchsia leotards don’t get on 70 year old poets by themselves!
It’s time to write that novel!
You’ll find differing opinions on this because there are different ways to write a novel and folks do NaNo for different reasons. If you woul dreally like to write a nove this is what I suggest, ymmv:
Just Write: If you’ve never done this before and you want to be serious about it then thing to do is just write. You’ll figure out pretty quick if you’re an outliner (I am) or a seat of your pants writer. For your first novel just work on getting it down. It’s a learn process, you’ll make mistakes and learn from them. Don’t edit, revise or worry that’ll come after November. No one writes gold on their first try no matter how many first trys they have behind them.
If you find that you need to outline because you need a map to your writing there are many ways to do this as well. Because it’s Oct 31st you’d either need to stop to outline or just outline and rewrite later. During my first NaNo in 2002 I wrote a book where I discovered all my characters eyes changed colors every few sentences and they always turned left and I’d have great ideas for them but lost the thread every couple pages. I had to stop and outline. Totally failed my first novel attempt. If you feel like you might be an outliner than make notes but don’t worry about it till after Nov this time. Every NaNo now I work from an outline and feel better for it.
There are a few methods of outlining that I recommend. Now they are not your high school outline of insanity. No, these methods are each a little different and yet have similar qualities. The snowflake method, First draft in 30 days, Book in a Month and James V. Smith’s Writer’s Little Helper and So you want to write a novel combo. I recommend any of these.
Set time every day to write. Even if you don’t know what to write, write. It will get you going. Scalzi claims his career was started by giving up an hour of tv a day. In an hour you can write 2000 words. Some time more.
Meeting during November take on a different flavor than the rest of the year. Check the calendar and make sure you click the events to see what they’re about. Most include some social some are all social. During write-ins folks are expected to write with small interludes in talking. Bring music to avoid distraction if you need that. MLs try to make most events but there is only so much we can do. If you don’t see one in your area see what you can drum up on the boards…you’re bound to find lurkers in your area.
After NaNo, get feed back on your work. Revise and rewrite. Outline if you find you must. Critiquing is an important step in any finished piece. We know of some critiquing resources when you’re ready. Folks need to see what’s in your head though so you know if they see them same thing.
Write what you like, and write what you know. This is important, say you want to write about Alaska but don’t know anything…then learn! The point is to research. Whether you write genre or literary some research of some kind is always necessary and sometimes as simple as a google search.
Most importantly have fun. Writing is painstaking process with with you yank out living beings from your head and paste them to the page with abandon. You bleed on that page, and should be grateful for it.
Enjoy!
Less than 5 days from now we’ll be writing with abandon and I can’t wait!
Basement Fire Hazard Kickoff Party Special is this Saturday at 9:00pm. Game and talk till Midnight then midnight writing madness. Don’t forget the to check the calendar (top of the forum or at dennanos.org) for directions and details.
There are lots of events on the calendar so check that first but if you don’t see one in your area feel free to get your own group together. PM one of the ML’s so we can get it on the calendar. And if it’s a last minute thing, don’t worry! Just post it on the forums or any of our communication mediums!
Don’t forget: The Write-a-Thon is Nov. 16. Post in the write-a-thon thread to let us know if you’re coming. We want to have a great event like last year!
Hello Denver!
Did you know we have an official song for Denver? Really? JupiterStar wrote and recorded it after it premiered at last year’s kick off party. Where can you get or hear this song? Well right now head to dennanos.org and click on the link on the right side of the page labeled 50,000 words. You can listen to a clip or head to cafe press to buy a copy on cd. If you go to the cafe press site you can listen to a different clip.
We’ve got a lot of events this week. Down in Littleton Wrimos are getting together on Friday at 6pm at the Bowles IHOP for a little planning and chatting. Same thing on Saturday the 24th at the Bowles Barnes & Noble starting 11am. Yay! to Alyssa to getting these meetings together!
This Sunday, the 25th, Spleen and Asherose are hosting another meetngreet at Mile High Con. You don’t have to be part of the convention to come but head on down for some more pre-nano action. Then at 3pm the group moves to the Panera at Stapleton where the regularly scheduled write-in happens.
Got an Idea for a meeting? Would you like to see what folks are planning for this week and beyond? Check the calendar at the top of the forums or at dennanos.org for more details!
Oh the things we will do!
This weekend we have a few events coming up, not in the least is the Woody’s Woodfire Pizza Meet n’ Greet! At Quebec and Evans at 4 p.m. Yay!
Please don’t forget: Log into NaNoWriMo.org and set your home region to Denver. Only 216 out of 1090 of you have set it so far. We can’t blast Atlanta and Glasgow out of the water if they have more people set to home than us! Even if you have logged in you may need to re-save your home region. Go Denver!
Don’t forget to check the calendar for upcoming events (www.dennanos.org or the top of the nano forum). We have various meetings and meetngreets scheduled before Nov and don’t be surprised if a few more pop up.
This Saturday is our annual Woody’s Woodfired Pizza meet-n-greet! Come chat with other WriMos about anything and everything, and get to know the faces behind the forums.
When: 4:00 – 6:00 PM, Saturday 10/17
Where: Woody’s Woodfired Pizza, 7095 East Evans Ave, Denver, CO 80224
http://www.woodyswoodfiredpizza.com/
For more details and to RSVP by Friday, visit the NaNo Forum page!
It has come to my attention that some of you don’t know what OLL is. I’m going to try to answer some of the questions generated by the poll on the forum.
OLL is the Office of Letters and Light, the non-profit charity organization behind NaNoWriMo and ScriptFrenzy.
From their website:
We believe in ambitious acts of the imagination.
The Office of Letters and Light organizes events where children and adults find the inspiration, encouragement, and structure they need to achieve their creative potential. Our programs are web-enabled challenges with vibrant real-world components, designed to foster self-expression while building community on local and global levels.
From NaNoWriMo:
NaNoWriMo and the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program are both run by the Office of Letters and Light, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity. Your donations to the Office of Letters and Light pay for NaNoWriMo’s youth and adult novel-writing programs, as well as the Office of Letters and Light’s operating expenses. Here’s the breakdown of how NaNoWriMo and the Young Writers Program fit into the Office of Letters and Light’s annual costs.
The funds donated to NaNo and ScriptFrenzy not only run NaNo and ScriptFrenzy though, they have helped build libraries and have funded the Young Writer’s Program. Why is donating important? Because all this costs money of course and we love it, so we want it to go on.
Now let me tell you, I’m broke. You wanna know how broke? I’ve had furloughs and a pay cut this year. I own more in medical bills than I make in year when I am paid normally. NaNo doesn’t want you going broke supporting them so there are a few ways you can help.
Head to the Donating When Broke page at NaNoWriMo. From using a special search engine to getting a sponsor…there are a few ways to do it without spending a dime.
Also, come to events. We’ll have donation jars or banks at various events around Denver this November. If you have a little change, give it and we’ll donate it in the region’s name at the end. A little change goes a long way.
But most of all, participate! This is a fun event. And we love it. It sparks creativity, ninjas, pirates, bunnies and monkeys.
And who doesn’t want bunnies or monkeys?
