Connecticut::Shoreline NaNoWriMo News

10th Anniversary Meet & Greet Kickoff Dinner!

2008-10-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

Kickoff Fun!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
4pm to 6pm-ish
Chip's Family Restaurant - Orange, CT
---
Let's kick the off this year's 10th anniversary of NaNoWriMo off with a slammin' good time.

The kickoff party has typically been a nicely attended event with writers meeting up, eating some tasty food, exchanging ideas, sharing past NaNo stories, and in general having a good time. This year, will hopefully be no different.

We're meeting at a locally owned restaurant in Orange, Chip's Family Restaurant - home to more than 40 different pancakes! Chip's is conveniently on Route 1, near both I-95 & the Merritt Parkway.

I need to have a head count to pass along to the manager on the 23rd, so please, let me know if you're planning on attending. This is a family friendly event, so mothers & fathers - feel free to bring the kids. And kids - you can bring your parents too.

Directions are available on their website at http://www.chipsrest.com/

2008 Planning

2008-08-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

Hello all!
It's August and for myself, November is already on my radar. In other words, planning has commenced!

This is the 10th year of NaNoWriMo, and my 5th year as an ML in Connecticut. Two exciting milestones! I've got some exciting things up my sleeve for this year!

I'm investigating and meeting with a local library that is interested in creating a partnership with us. I've also gone over the surveys that I sent out at the end of last year. They're very helpful in letting me know what venues did & didn't work for you guys.

A big complaint last year was also how the website worked (or more accurately how it didn't work). I've been promised by the powers that be at headquarters that most, if not all, of the issues will be worked out come November 1st.

Another change is that the Shoreline region will also change. Last year we consisted of Fairfield, Middlesex and New Haven counties. As of this year, our region will consist only of New Haven & Middlesex County. Best of luck to the future Fairfield County ML.

I'll keep you guys posted with information on pre-November planning sessions as well as Kickoff Party as it becomes available.

Have a great rest of the summer, with what's left of it anyway. And be sure to email if you have any questions/comments. I've already got my NaNo hat on. :o)

-Lizzie
milford_ct@nanowrimo.org

Upcoming Writing Events

2008-05-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2008 @ Noon
JUST WORDS presents “How to Get Published,” with literary agent Tracy Brown at the Greenwich Arts Council, 299 Greenwich Avenue, Wednesday, May 7 at 12 p.m. Admission: Free.
About the event: Tracy Brown served as editor-in-chief of the Book-of-the-Month Club, editorial director of Back Bay/Little, Brown, editorial director of Quality Paperback Book Club, executive editor at Holt, and senior editor at Ballantine before founding Tracy Brown Literary Agency. He currently represents Lucette Lagnado (The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit); Courtney E. Martin (Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters: The Frightening New Normalcy of Hating Your Body); Joe Jager-Hyman (Fat Envelop Frenzy: One Year, Five Promising Students and the Pursuit of the Ivy League Prize); and Daphne Uviller (Supergirl: A Novel), and is seeking new writers of serious fiction and non-fiction.

-------

JUST WORDS @ JUST BOOKS Writer’s Workshop May 19 – July 7 Mondays 7 – 9 p.m.
Just Words provides support to writers of every genre. Tuition ($295 for eight weeks; $45 single session/$40 returning writers) includes line editing (up to 2500 words weekly; please submit by prior Friday at noon) and free registration for Just Words open mic events. Contact Leslie Gueguen to register (203) 461-9932 or cherrimae@optonline.net. (Writers read in scheduled rotation. Please bring 8 double spaced copies of your work.)

-------

“Prepare to Publish” JUST WORDS @ THE GREENWICH ARTS COUNCIL THIS FALL
Thursdays 10 a.m. – 12 noon, September 4 – November 6. Geared to promoting writing progress from concept to publication; recommended reading, writing exercises and prompts, hand-outs and special guests. $395 ten weeks ($45 single session.) 10% discount for Greenwich Arts Council members. (Call for more information: 203-461-9932.)
Topics for the workshop include:
Creating Scintillating Prose: A Writer’s Tip Sheet
Writer’s Blocks: Key Components of Compelling Writing
Engaging Readers: Writing with the Reader in Mind
Creating Memorable Memoir and Believable Characters
Literary Magazine Submission
Writing for Young Audiences (Children & Young Adults)
Pros & Cons of Traditional Print vs. Online or Self Publishing
Book Publicity 101
Building Your Publishing Platform – w/Special Guest, Lucy Hedrick, author and publishing coach (October 30)
Inspiring your Muse - Special Guest, Kim McKeever Kaye will lead a Somatics based exercise (November 6)
Recommended Reading and Resources for Writers

2007-12-17T06:29:00.000-08:00

We're famous!

TGIO

2007-12-09T23:49:00.000-08:00

Photos from the 2007 TGIO can be found here.

More Statistics for Connecticut::Shoreline

2007-12-04T15:11:00.000-08:00

Number of affiliated people: 445
Number of active affiliated people: 123 (27%)

Total affiliated regional word count: 6,042,469

Average word count for affiliated folks: 13,578
Average word count for active affiliated folks: 49,125

Number of donors: 15

Number of NaNoWriMo winners in the region: 59 (7.5%)

New England Word War - Final Results!

2007-12-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

NH Stats:
78 warriors survived
total words: 5,103,830
Words per warrior: 65,433.72

CT Results:
Number of writers participating: 37
Total number of words written: 2,275,546
Average number of words per writer: 61,501

VT Results:
Total Words: 1,466,807
Avg Words per warrior: 52,386

ME Results:
Total Words: 2,209,837
Average Words Per Warrior: 51,392

Winners:
Words per writer: NH (1st), CT (2nd), VT (3rd), ME (4th)
Total words: NH (1st), CT (2nd), ME (3rd), VT (4th)

---
We are also in 3rd place overall for all the regions in terms of donations. That, folks, is I think the best statistic of all.

Last write in for '07!

2007-11-30T10:33:00.000-08:00

Last night was our last official write in for 2007. And it was a blast. There were fries flying and free wifi for all. We even had a photographer show up from the Connecticut Post. (I'll let everyone know when the story is going to be published.)

And now it's November 30th. The final day of NaNoWriMo. It used to seem so far away - a distant deadline and then- bam! It is here.

Take a look at what you have folks. Regardless of hitting 50k, or even 25k you've all accomplished something. We all started out with a blank page and all of us have something to show for it. For some it might be the novel itself, and for others it might be something different. Some may have learned how they write, others might have learned more about a particular topic, and someone else may have realized that being a writer is what they were born to do. Regardless, you've all walked away with something. And that's the real important thing, kids. NaNoWriMo is a learning experience for everyone who takes part. It's my sincere hope that you benefited from this month, and that you had a good time.

Good luck on your final writing frenzy tonight, come the TGIO party (12/2 at 1pm), get some sleep, and I will see you all next November!

Literary Lunch

2007-11-29T18:06:00.000-08:00

The Greenwich Arts Council, as part of their second annual Literary Lights event, is offering a Light Literary Lunch with Amy Bloom at the home of Ginna and Richard Kelly, 200 Stanwich Road, Greenwich. The patrons event takes place on Friday, December 7, from 12-2:00 p.m. Tickets for GAC (Greenwich Arts Council) members are $100, for nonmembers $125, and include one signed copy of Bloom’s new novel, Away.

More information here.

Write In Reminder!

2007-11-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

Thursday - November 29,07 - 7:30pm
Kimberly Diner, Milford
Come to the Kimberly where they have great curly fries, a mean cup of hot chocolate, and some free wifi. We'll be seated on the left side of the diner (when you walk in the door) and will have the entire side to ourselves.
There will be a reporter there from the Connecticut Post - so be sure to be there. You don't want to miss this last write in - its gonna be a doozy.

Word War Results - 11/26

2007-11-26T07:40:00.000-08:00

Results for CT:
Total # of words: 2,815,432
Down to 47 writers
Avg. per writer: 59,902

VT Stats:
Remaining warriors: 30
Total Words: 1,180,693
Avg per warrior: 39,356

Still awaiting results from Maine & New Hampshire.

Remember folks - keep updating that word count and JUST KEEP WRITING!