The Nanowrimo community is now over half way through. Today's goal is 28,333 words. I, myself, am sitting at 42,526. The range in my Nano region is 12k - 42k, with most people sitting between the 30k - 35k range. Our write-ins have had great turnouts, we have had less dropouts this year than previous years, an word wars have been amazing at getting word counts up.
Word wars, a challenge that was begun last year by our Municipal Liaison, is a fifteen minute challenge to all who sit around the table, or internet in some cases. As is the case in many instances, people start to talk about their novels or productivity cats, don't ask. Someone, usually the person becoming highly annoyed, calls out '3 mins to word war,' the effect is immediate as people refocus their attention on their novels. Figuring out where they were, where they want the next scene to go, and where they are in their word count. People begin watching their clocks, "BEGIN." And for the next fifteen minutes there is silence and writing bliss. "TIME." Numbers range from 200 - 1100.
The person with the highest numbers gets a prize from the numbers bag, an assortment of candy, a coveted prize regardless of the bowl of candy sitting on the table. That person becomes ineligible until everyone has received a reward. This way the person writing 200 consistently gets a prize, despite the fact they will never have the best word count. "DING," someone calls out and glories in the congratulations they hear for hitting that next 5k milestone. They put a star on our star chart, physical proof to the world that they are progressing and they choose a toy from the star bag, cheap toys of ducks, army men and dinosaurs being the most popular.
Even as I write this, preparing for the this mornings write-in, bright and early at eight, which will not be done in the future, it is far too early in the morning for a Saturday to be awake, my fellow Nanoers are arriving for a four hour word sprint.
And with that I will end my blog because the noise has become too loud to focus.
-LadyKaitlyn-
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
Day One: Nano 2012
October 31, 2012 began with me driving my husband to work because I would later return at three to take my boys trick or treating in a safe environment. After a couple of hours of collecting candy we returned home. I took a nap in order prepare myself for a midnight beginning to Nanowrimo.
20 plus people arrived between 8:30 to 12:00 for food, games, visiting. A couple were creepy and I must admit that I was glad to see them leave early. Fifteen minutes before the final count down 12 people sat down with their choice of caffeine, candy, snacks. I would love to thank the woman who brought chili with all the fixings to make frito pie.
Everyone is counting down the minutes. As it gets closer to the midnight countdown we begin teasing to see whose clock will make it to midnight faster. I win, but a fellow Nanoer is just a second behind me. Our countdown: 10, 10, 9, 9, 8, 8 ... 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1, begin.
12 people begin writing furiously. No one speaks for the first hour and our number call out begins around 1. Number of words written range from 500 to 2,000. I am sitting around 1,000 myself. I get up, grab some water, I can feel my blood thickening. I have diabetes and I have had far too much coke and candy. I use the bathroom and grab some more chili. Some people cut out early, jobs, children, tired, etc. Those of us willing to tough it out continue until two. We call it a night. Get what little sleep we can, live our lives until the next evening.
6pm we gather again at Starbucks. Some people cannot make it, but we get several new faces, once again our count of people is around 12 people. This time we are pushing three hours. We make jokes, help each other with character name creation, laugh, eat candy and write. Somewhere near the end there is a distracting conversation about Star Wars and the fact that Disney has bought out Lucas Films. Usually, we would call people back to focus, but it is almost over, and people are winding down. Number call outs begin again this time ranging between 2,000 and 5,000. The goal for day one is 1,667, the same goal each day, for 30 days in order to hit our 50,000 goal. Everyone has reached this goal.
I end at 3,815. Go home and sleep, only to prepare for another day of writing.
LadyKaitlyn
20 plus people arrived between 8:30 to 12:00 for food, games, visiting. A couple were creepy and I must admit that I was glad to see them leave early. Fifteen minutes before the final count down 12 people sat down with their choice of caffeine, candy, snacks. I would love to thank the woman who brought chili with all the fixings to make frito pie.
Everyone is counting down the minutes. As it gets closer to the midnight countdown we begin teasing to see whose clock will make it to midnight faster. I win, but a fellow Nanoer is just a second behind me. Our countdown: 10, 10, 9, 9, 8, 8 ... 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1, begin.
12 people begin writing furiously. No one speaks for the first hour and our number call out begins around 1. Number of words written range from 500 to 2,000. I am sitting around 1,000 myself. I get up, grab some water, I can feel my blood thickening. I have diabetes and I have had far too much coke and candy. I use the bathroom and grab some more chili. Some people cut out early, jobs, children, tired, etc. Those of us willing to tough it out continue until two. We call it a night. Get what little sleep we can, live our lives until the next evening.
6pm we gather again at Starbucks. Some people cannot make it, but we get several new faces, once again our count of people is around 12 people. This time we are pushing three hours. We make jokes, help each other with character name creation, laugh, eat candy and write. Somewhere near the end there is a distracting conversation about Star Wars and the fact that Disney has bought out Lucas Films. Usually, we would call people back to focus, but it is almost over, and people are winding down. Number call outs begin again this time ranging between 2,000 and 5,000. The goal for day one is 1,667, the same goal each day, for 30 days in order to hit our 50,000 goal. Everyone has reached this goal.
I end at 3,815. Go home and sleep, only to prepare for another day of writing.
LadyKaitlyn
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