Saturday, August 29, 2009

Welcome!!!

Only two more days until we start this great novel planning/writing journey. I want to welcome each of you here and hope you not only learn something useful but find new friends and get your novel written. (We'll deal with revisions and getting it published later.)

Let your friends know about us...the more the merrier.

In the comments, introduce yourself and let us get to know you. You don't have to know what you're going to write yet so don't stress over it. Just say hi.

Also...if you'd sign up as followers, that'd be cool. Not required but it'd be nice to see how many of us there are.

And...I got us a chatroom!!! You'll find it on the right side, down a bit under the Writer's Lounge heading. Later on, we'll schedule some chats for brainstorming ideas. Also, If you'd like to just chat, let us know that too.

I'm so looking forward to getting to know each of you better, hearing about your novels and writing together.

So, in the spirit of starting things off...

Hello!!! I'm Jean, I write mostly mystery and fantasy. I'm about 1/3 through with the first draft of a mystery novel and will probably go with fantasy for NaNo since I want to switch off to something lighter.

Now, it's your turn..:-)

20 comments:

  1. Well, you and I already know each other, and I'm not sure how far I'll get on this, but I'm in the midst of trying to decide which writing project to take on next, so this seems like a good place to start.

    I'm Cheryl, and I've been focusing on the children's market. My first Christian children's picture book will come out next year.

    I was thinking of beginning work on a project that my mentor and I discussed a while back about a series of books that teaches children history in an entertaining way. The children would enter moments in history with the help of a magical witch's spell book that appears one day. I'll need to hook up with her for a refresher on the first book she was working on.

    Off to promote this blog!

    Cheryl/CC

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  2. I'm glad you're joining Cheryl. And thanks for the promo. That's next on my list of things to do for this place.

    Along with get some posts written so I won't be putting them together at the last moment.:-)

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  3. Hello! My name is Lynn. I really don't have a preferred genre. My last Nano ended up being lit fic. This year is most likely going to be an urban fantasy/horror thing. :) I'm looking forward to nuts and bolts discussion of crafting a novel on a smaller scale. And the more practice the better!

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  4. Hi, I'm Frances. I write Romantic Speculative Fiction. This year will be my third Nano and I'm working on more than a few novel projects...and trying to pick which one to dive into next.
    This blog is a great idea! Thanks

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  5. Welcome Lynn and Frances! So glad you joined us.

    Be sure to let me know if there is any topic you'd like to see covered. I may not know the answer but I know where to find it or who to ask.

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  6. Welcome to the group Lynn and Frances. It's great to have you with us.

    Cheryl

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  7. My name is LJ Maggie. This will be my 3rd Attempt at Nano. I will actually be working on a novel that I have slowly started. And yes I will only be counting the words that I write from NOvember 1st on. I am writing a chick lit novel. Sometimes have problems working the next scene after a great one.

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  8. Hi, I'm Penny and I've been writing and publishing part-time since 1993. Cheryl posted a link on the Muse Conference Forum. This looked like an interesting blog, so I'm here. I have never done Nano, and I doubt I will this year. I am working on my second middle grade novel, a sequel to one I published in 2002. I write for adults and children. My adult short stories are either fantasy or soft sci-fi. My MG novel is a paranormal mystery. I also write non-fiction articles in the areas of parenting, writing and teen self-help. I'll be sure to mention this on my blog http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com

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  9. Cheryl--thanks for the heads up on this--and Jean, what a wonderful idea!! Thank you!! I'm Joyce. My writing is pretty much all over the place. Regardless of the genre or age-group of a piece, however, most of my writing falls into either spiritual or teacher--or both :-)

    I've done Nano twice (not in a row). The first time resulted in my first published book--the second resulted in the book I'm currently editing.

    I have several pieces to choose from--none in the writing stages, mostly planning--both fiction and non-fiction. I'll have to see which one yells loudest this year :-) Of the three choices (Nano won't allow me to work on my children's nf series) it will either be an adult inspirational with some really heavy topics, titled Shattered Rainbow, a YA paranormal/time-travel titled The Trees Remember or a mid-reader (title yet to be determined) which will be a sequel to Puff the Magic Dragon.

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  10. Hi. I am Lana. I write realistic fiction and I have started many novels, but then I get another idea and I feel I need to start planning and writing on it before I forget. So...I want to get serious, pick one idea, and follow through. This sounds like a great place to get information and to get FOCUSED! Thanks for getting it organized!

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  12. Hi everyone, I'm Cora. Sorry about the delete, the blog had me as a number.
    When Cheryl mentioned this blog on Muse I had to take a look-see and wanted to stay for - Lynn said it best, 'The nuts and bolts discussion of crafting a novel'. I hope you don't mind the quote, Lynn.
    I'm not published though someday dream to be. I have been playing around with Christian fiction and still open to other genres.

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  13. Hi. I'm Sandi. I've got several things in progress, but the one that came to mind when reading this blog was a book that I started for young adults, but then was led by a story that needed to be written for older adults. I need to rewrite the first couple of chapters, then create from there.

    This may give me that push I need to get started on rewriting.

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  14. LJ, Penny, Joyce, Lana and Cora, welcome to our little group. Seems there are a lot of little groups I am in lately.

    I just finished reading Penny's first MG novel and loved it. You can find the review at http://thekidsbookconnection.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/ghost-for-rent-by-penny-lockwood/ if you're interested in knowing more.

    I tried NaNo once and it made me absolutely miserable. I needed more time to get research done before I tried to plod along; and honestly, I think I was approaching it from the wrong angle the whole time.

    I'm not sure if I'm going to give it a go this year. A lot will depend upon how many book tour clients I have. This month I have 6 to get ready for October and already 3 who are touring in November.

    Glad to have everyone with us. Can't wait to start.

    Cheryl

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  15. Wow...

    I have to take a day away from the puter and a crowd shows up.

    So glad to have each of you here. I can hardly wait to get to know y'all better.

    Pull up a chair, grab a snack and make yourself at home.:-)

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  16. Hi, I'm Theresa. I, too, am looking forward to learning about the craft.

    I have written one novel (still trying to sell it -- mainstream fiction about a family-owned business in trouble and the people at the top of the company), and I'm working on my second (historical fiction, about 3/4 through the first draft). I've also just sold my first creative non-fiction pieces, so I will be published this fall!

    I don't plan to do NaNo this year, because I'm heavily invested in my current novel and need to finish this draft.

    Looking forward to following the blog and commenting.

    Theresa

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  17. This blog/class sounds wonderful. I am currently taking a class through The Institute of Children's Literature.

    Thank you for this opportunity.

    Sharon

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  18. Hi! This is Sina'i Enantia. I just caught up on reading posts from the Muse Conference Board, and found Cheryl's post on this. It sounds like a great idea!

    I write fantasy, and this year for NaNo, I plan on writing a novel that's been formulating in my head for about a year or so now. I've been "doing" NaNoWriMo every year since 2005 (once under the Zokutou clause), and between two of the sessions, I have one rough draft I'm in the process of editing now.

    Off to catch up on the other posts now!

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  19. Hi I'm Chris. This is a very good idea and I'm here to learn how to craft a novel. Every time I'd think of trying to do one the task seems so daunting and I don't have to the knowledge nor the skill to finish one.

    So, I'm hoping this can be my jumping off point to really start and finish a novel.

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  20. Hi, I'm Jen.
    Currently a Long Ridge student and found Jean's link there so thought I'd come on over and check it out. Seems like a friendly group.
    Last year I attempted NaNo for the first time...a complete failure for me. This year I've already begun to plan out my novel. It's going to be a mystery. Read a ton of them, so now I'm going to try to write one.
    It's been my dream for years to write novels, so no time like the present to start making that dream a reality.
    Good luck all
    Jen

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