This thread will have all of our regional e-mail messages in it; so feel free to delete them from your NaNoMail mailbox.

As always, you can find a host of additional information at our naperwrimo.org site.

Hello!

We are nearing the mid-point of September; and for those of you looking to write again in November the question lurks: is your novel idea and story ready? While it is true that some folks are "pantsers" where others are "plotters", I think that everyone benefits from some level of preparation. This year we are offering four great preparatory workshops in partnership with the Warrenville and Naperville Public Libraries. The workshops are September 28th (Warrenville Public Library), October 5th (Nichols Library, Naperville), October 12th (95th Street Library, Naperville) and October 19th (Nichols Library, Naperville).

While supplies last, attendees of these free workshops will receive a helpful idea ring, chock full of writing prompts or plot points and tips.



There are other events planned for this NaNoWriMo season, including our popular pot-luck lunch kick-off party October 26th at the Naperville Municipal Center. There will be games and door prizes--it will be a wonderful time to interact with other writers and relax before NaNoWriMo begins.

Folks needing extra help with the nanowrimo.org site can bring their laptops and questions to the Glen Ellyn Library's kickoff event October 29th (Tuesday). Refreshments will be available and our own Citrus Siren will be on hand to offer her help.

A couple of other items:

1. It may still be possible to organize some write-in events at one of the Aurora Public Library facilities this November. If you are interested in hosting a write-in there, please contact me (NewMexicoKid) as soon as possible.

2. We are holding our final Journey meeting of 2013 today (2013-09-14), 11:45 AM-3 PM at the Naperville Municipal Center, rooms BC. Bring your lunch and come on by if you're interested in our year-round writing group.

Thanks! And don't forget to stop by our regional forum and introduce yourself!.

--Tim (aka NewMexicoKid), who, along with Katherine (KatherineWriting) and Frank (fdahlman) are your volunteer co-Municipal Liaisons this year (many thanks to Dave (TRDEDEAN) for his years of service; he is still in our region, but decided to stop ML'ing due to his longer commute).

Hello!

Time flies--tomorrow (Saturday, 28 September) is our first preparatory workshop. For those who have been putting off planning for their 2013 NaNo novel, this could be what you need to inspire you and get your creative juices flowing.

The fun begins at 2 PM CDT at the Warrenville Public Library. No registration is required, but seating is limited, so come early to be sure to get a spot.

Author Todd Hogan (a member of The Journey) will lead his session "Hit the Ground Writing." Todd will be discussing NaNoWriMo's goal of 50,000 words in 30 days, why a writer might want to accept the challenge, some ways to hit the goal, and some of the hurdles that the writer might expect during those 30 days. Participants will explore ways to get ready for November, how to get oneself psyched and excited to begin writing, and how to maintain that enthusiasm through 30 days.

This is the first of four great preparatory workshops in partnership with the Warrenville and Naperville Public Libraries. The workshops are September 28th (Warrenville Public Library), October 5th (Nichols Library, Naperville), October 12th (95th Street Library, Naperville) and October 19th (Nichols Library, Naperville).

While supplies last, attendees of these free workshops will receive a helpful idea ring, chock full of writing prompts or plot points and tips.

Other Events

There are other events planned for this NaNoWriMo season, including our popular pot-luck lunch kick-off party October 26th at the Naperville Municipal Center. There will be games and door prizes--it will be a wonderful time to interact with other writers and relax before NaNoWriMo begins.

Folks needing extra help with the nanowrimo.org site can bring their laptops and questions to the Glen Ellyn Library's kickoff event October 29th (Tuesday). Refreshments will be available and our own Citrus Siren will be on hand to offer her help.

NaNoWriMo site annual reset

Although we have no official announcements on this, we know that the annual forum wipe must be just around the corner. The new (2013) introductory thread in our forum will be carried over but most of the other forum threads will be wiped clean. Along with the forum reset, NaNoWriMo usually unveils some new site features. If you haven't been by the nano site in a while, you'll want to stop by in the days ahead to see these unfolded.

Don't forget to stop by our regional forum and introduce yourself!.


--Tim (aka NewMexicoKid), who, along with Katherine (KatherineWriting) and Frank (fdahlman) are your volunteer co-Municipal Liaisons this year.

Katherine (KatherineWriting), Frank (fdahlman) and I (NewMexicoKid) welcome you back to NaNoWriMo! The forums have been wiped and reset (though we have our own archive of most of last year's regional posts) and the new site has "soft-launched" with a very new look and some nifty new features (like a WYSIWYG post editing view; note: those who prefer to edit in HTML still can do so via the Source button). For those who may be new: we're your volunteer co-Municipal Liaisons. We help to organize and coordinate local events (along with generous efforts from our regional library partners and members of the Journey, the year-round writing group associated with this region); there are many events already planned and more will be added (last year we had write-ins almost every day of the month).

~~~ Preparatory Workshops ~~~

Last Saturday was the first preparatory workshop: Hit the Ground Writing!, presented by Todd Hogan (notes, presentation and photos are available at that link). It was well received and a lot of fun.

This Saturday (October 5th), Katherine Lato will present Characters are Story. This is an exercise-intensive workshop that will cover characters: getting them to do things, having reasons for what they do, keeping backstory short, avoiding flat characters, and having bad stuff happen. The exercises can be used to explore the characters in your novel, or to help find the story in the characters. Katherine will also share tips for how to finish the first draft in November, something she has done every year since she joined NaNoWriMo in 2006. Come out to the Nichols Library in Naperville; the program is from 1-3 PM. Bring something to write with and on for the exercises.

There are two other workshops after the 5th: Writing Styles Structure, Plot and Mechanics, by Roger Lubeck (October 12th, 1-3 pm, 95th Street Library); and Keeping Your Readers Engaged, by Frank Dahlman (October 19th, 1-3 pm, Nichols Library). While supplies last, we will be handing out idea rings to attendees at these workshops.

~~~ Kick-off Party ~~~

Our traditional pot-luck lunch kick-off party is Saturday, October 26th, 11:45 am-3 pm at the Naperville Municipal Center. There will be a RSVP thread posted in our regional forum. It's always a blast, completely free and features fun door prizes like this year's NaNo poster and some great books.

Tuesday, October 29th, the Glen Ellyn Public Library is sponsoring their own kick-off event, complete with demonstrations and technical assistance by Cassidy (Citrus Siren). If you find you need extra technical help with the nanowrimo.org site, this is a great opportunity to get help.

~~~ Introduce Yourself ~~~

Be sure to stop by the NaNo forum to introduce yourself! You will find that NaNoWriMo's magic motivational forces work more effectively when you immerse yourself fully in the community. Don't be shy--we're all friendly and helpful. :-)

Katherine Lato (KatherineWriting), Frank Dahlman (fdahlman) and I (Tim Yao aka NewMexicoKid) are your volunter co-Municipal Liaisons for NaNoWriMo! We help to organize and coordinate local events (along with generous efforts from our regional library partners and members of the Journey, the year-round writing group associated with this region); there are many events already planned and more will be added (last year we had write-ins almost every day of the month).

~~~ Preparatory Workshops ~~~

This Saturday is Writing Styles Structure, Plot and Mechanics, by Roger Lubeck (October 12th, 1-3 pm, 95th Street Library in Naperville). Parking should be much better here :-).

To plot or not to plot, that is a question? Some writers begin with a plot. Others let the story evolve. In the end, all novels have a plot and they have structure; they have a beginning, middle, and end. In his October 12th session, Roger Lubeck (nine-time NaNoWriMo winner and author of three published novels) will explore the novel in three acts. Using examples, Roger will explain the basic plot structures found in most novels, he will discuss the mechanics of a novel, and finally, using a series of exercises, Roger will provide a process by which authors can plan and complete their 50,000 word novels in 30 days.

The final preparatory workshop is Keeping Your Readers Engaged, by Frank Dahlman (October 19th, 1-3 pm, Nichols Library). While supplies last, we will be handing out idea rings to attendees at these workshops.

Two weeks ago was the first preparatory workshop: Hit the Ground Writing!, presented by Todd Hogan (notes, presentation and photos are available at that link). It was well received and a lot of fun.

Last Saturday (October 5th), Katherine Lato presented Characters are Story. (links to notes, presentation and photos are available at this link).

Past preparatory workshop material is available on our wiki, along with other useful resources.

~~~ Kick-off Party ~~~

Our traditional pot-luck lunch kick-off party is Saturday, October 26th, 11:45 am-3 pm at the Naperville Municipal Center. Please indicate whether you will attend and what you will be bringing to share by responding in our RSVP thread posted in our regional forum. It's always a blast, completely free and features fun door prizes like this year's NaNo poster and some great books.

Tuesday, October 29th, the Glen Ellyn Public Library is sponsoring their own kick-off event, complete with demonstrations and technical assistance by Cassidy (Citrus Siren). If you find you need extra technical help with the nanowrimo.org site, this is a great opportunity to get help.

~~~ Introduce Yourself ~~~

Be sure to stop by the NaNo forum to introduce yourself! You will find that NaNoWriMo's magic motivational forces work more effectively when you immerse yourself fully in the community. Don't be shy--we're all friendly and helpful. :-)

~~~ NaNoWriMo forums looking unstyled? ~~~

Some Firefox and Chrome users had reported seeing unstyled forums; it turns out that there was a sudden interaction with the excellent HTTPS Everywhere plugin that helps your browsing security. As a workaround, go to the HTTPS Everywhere plugin preferences and disable it for CloudFront.

Katherine Lato (KatherineWriting), Frank Dahlman (fdahlman) and I (Tim Yao aka NewMexicoKid) are your volunter co-Municipal Liaisons for NaNoWriMo! We help to organize and coordinate local events (along with generous efforts from our regional library partners and members of the Journey, the year-round writing group associated with this region); there are many events already planned and more will be added (last year we had write-ins almost every day of the month).

~~~ Preparatory Workshops ~~~

Our final preparatory workshop is Keeping Your Readers Engaged, by Frank Dahlman (October 19th, 1-3 pm, Nichols Library). Frank writes: There are many things that keep a reader engaged in your writing. Two important elements are tension and pacing. In this prep session we will be discussing how to add emotional, psychological, and physical tension to your novel. We will also be discussing how to construct and plan the scenes in your novel to create a pacing that will keep your readers interested and turning the page.

While supplies last, we will be handing out idea rings to attendees at these workshops.

Past preparatory workshop material is available on our wiki, along with other useful resources. You can also see reports on our blog.

~~~ Kick-off Party ~~~

Our traditional pot-luck lunch kick-off party is Saturday, October 26th, 11:45 am-3 pm at the Naperville Municipal Center. Please indicate whether you will attend and what you will be bringing to share by responding in our RSVP thread posted in our regional forum. It's always a blast, completely free and features fun door prizes like this year's NaNo poster and some great books.

Tuesday, October 29th, the Glen Ellyn Public Library is sponsoring their own kick-off event, complete with demonstrations and technical assistance by Cassidy (Citrus Siren). If you find you need extra technical help with the nanowrimo.org site, this is a great opportunity to get help.

~~~ Introduce Yourself ~~~

Be sure to stop by the NaNo forum to introduce yourself! You will find that NaNoWriMo's magic motivational forces work more effectively when you immerse yourself fully in the community. Don't be shy--we're all friendly and helpful. :-). You can read and share tips about how to make time for NaNoWriMo, learn about an upcoming Journey Cookbook short story anthology, participate in a quick 6 minute warm-up writing exercise, or share what genre(s) you are writing in (which will also help me develop my autopoll tool). Feel free to start threads on other NaNoWriMo-related topics (e.g., if you need help with your plot).

Hello, everyone!

I'm Tim aka NewMexicoKid, one of three volunteer co-Municipal Liaisons for our region of Naperville that serves the cities and suburbs west of Chicago. My colleagues are Katherine (KatherineWriting) and Frank (fdahlman). We're here to answer your questions and help coordinate local events. Be sure to stop by our forum to introduce yourself!

~~~ kick-off party ~~~

This Saturday (October 23rd) is our fun-filled, pot-luck lunch kick-off party, from 11:45 AM-3:00 PM in rooms BC of the Naperville Municipal Center. Please be sure to RSVP to let us know what (and whom) you're bringing (guests are welcome!). You can also bring a favorite stuffed animal for our group photo (it's a long-time regional tradition, just like our regional song). There will be neat door prizes and an opportunity to interact with the wonderful and friendly writers in our region. Don't be shy--come on out!

~~~ help is available Tuesday, Oct 29th ~~~

The Glen Ellyn Public Library is hosting their own kick-off party Tuesday, October 29th, 7-8:30 pm, focusing on helping writers navigate the nanowrimo.org website, find community and online events, etc. Our very own Cassidy (Citrus Siren) will be on hand to help out folks.

~~~ write-ins in November ~~~

We have many write-in events across the region in November. The fun begins November 2nd (Saturday) in the Sugar Grove Library at 10 AM (hosted by Katherine (Squiddish)), the Warrenville Public Library at 1 PM (hosted by India (Nidia.Ceylon)) and 1:30 PM in the Woodridge Public Library (hosted by Catherine (Cee-Bee)). Sunday (Nov 3rd) will feature write-ins at the Nichols Library (1:30-4:30 PM, hosted by me (NewMexicoKid)) and at the Glen Ellyn Caribou Cafe (5 PM-10 PM, hosted by Carly (thePiratess)).

What are write-ins? Visit our forum soon and watch for a post that describes them in excruciating detail ;-). You can even learn how to host your own write-ins.
~~~ preparatory workshops ~~~

Did you miss some or all of our four preparatory workshops? Don't despair--notes are available on our wiki! Many thanks to Todd Hogan (writertodd07), Katherine Lato (KatherineWriting), Roger Lubeck (Roger Lubeck) and Frank Dahlman (fdahlman) for their wonderful presentations!

Hello, everyone!

I'm Tim aka NewMexicoKid, one of three volunteer co-Municipal Liaisons for our region of Naperville that serves the cities and suburbs west of Chicago. My colleagues are Katherine (KatherineWriting) and Frank (fdahlman). We're here to answer your questions and help coordinate local events. Be sure to stop by our forum to introduce yourself and to add yourself to the regional wordcount graph! The latter updates every hour--you can visit the NaNo Faces page and view all the avatars of those who signed up, check your progress against theirs, etc.

~~~Write-ins~~~

If you have questions about these events, you can read all about them in this thread (what to expect, what to bring, why you would want to go). All of our write-ins and other events are listed at naperwrimo.org/events. They are designed to help motivate you to write; and, as writing can be a lonely activity, why not come out to write in the company of your fellow writers? Chit chat is at a minimum--write-ins are for writing (there is a meet-up scheduled for November 16th (dinner at Clara's) for those who would like to chat in November).

Katherine (KatherineWriting) is hosting the first regional write-in November 1st (Friday) from 1-3:30 pm at the Caribou Cafe at 686 E Ogden Ave, Naperville. There will be space duck prizes! Becky (Sapphire) and Carly (thePiratess) are hosting the next write-in (Nov 1st) at 5:30 pm at the Caribou Cafe at 495 Roosevelt Rd in Glen Ellyn.

Saturday has a 10 AM Sugar Grove Public Library write-in (hosted by Katherine (Squiddish), who is offering beautiful story stones as a prize). Then you can find write-ins at the Warrenville Public Library at 1 PM (hosted by Jen (Jen.E.Moore) and India (Nidia.Ceylon)) and 1:30 PM in the Woodridge Public Library (hosted by Catherine (Cee-Bee)).

Sunday (Nov 3rd) will feature write-ins at the Nichols Library (1:30-4:30 PM, hosted by me (NewMexicoKid)) and at the Glen Ellyn Caribou Cafe (5 PM-10 PM, hosted by Carly (thePiratess)).

~~~ Jabber Chat ~~~

Just a reminder we have an all-ages jabber chat room for virtual write-ins at almost any hour.

~~~ Reminder to donate ~~~

Don't forget to consider donating to NaNoWriMo! If you can't afford a cash donation, there are other ways to give.

Hi!

I hope day three of November finds everyone making good progress. We have two write-ins scheduled for today: 1:30-4:30 pm at the Nichols Library in Naperville (I will be hosting--you can find more information in this thread) and 5-10 pm at the Glen Ellyn Caribou (Carly hosting). Please note that the locations of the Naperville Public Libraries were incorrectly listed in the calendar prior to about 9:45 AM this morning! Our apologies for the mistake.

Yesterday there were three write-ins, pictures from the Woodridge and Warrenville public library write-ins are up in our regional forum. Congratulations to Gail, Jez and Todd for winning the first of my squids (at the Woodridge write-in hosted by Catherine (Cee-Bee)). I will have more to give away at the Nichols Library later today.

~~~ Regional Graph ~~~

For those of you who haven't signed up yet, please visit and join our communal wordcount regional graph! Participants have found our regional graph to be very motivational.

~~~ November 8 and 22 Lombard Write-ins ~~~

Those of you considering going to the Helen Plum Library write-in in Lombard, please RSVP to help Frank complete planning for these new events.

~~~ November 16th Meet-Up ~~~

Also consider signing up and helping us plan a location for the mid-month meet-up dinner November 16th (Saturday). Most of our events in November are focused on writing, but sometimes it is nice to take a break and just chat! We were originally planning to host this at Clara's; unfortunately, it looks like they will be closed that weekend for their big move one block north.

~~~ Consider donating ~~~

I hope you will consider donating to NaNoWriMo to ensure that the servers are kept up and there are folks around to maintain and improve the programs.

Thanks!

--Tim (aka NewMexicoKid, who with Katherine (KatherineWriting) and Frank (fdahlman) are your volunteer Municipal Liaisons, here to answer your questions and help you achieve your NaNoWriMo goals)

Hi!

Today is November 5th, day 5 in our 30 day journey to proud author-hood. By the end of today, you should ideally find yourself at 8335 words (or, if you take the advice from Todd, Roger, Katherine and Frank, 10,000 words (shooting for 2000 words per day)).

~~~ Inter-regional word war ~~~~

Katherine (Squiddish) has flung down the gauntlet to the proud city of Denver (thanks, Squiddish!). We've challenged them to an average word-count, inter-regional word war using utoxin's word war tool (Stats URL:http://bit.ly/177A5gk Chart URL:http://bit.ly/177A5gm) that will be based on snapshots of the participants in each region's NaNo Faces thread. The snapshot will be updated noon Denver time this Saturday, so if you want to be a part of this historic challenge, please join our NaNo Faces thread before then. At stake: the losing region will need to sing the winning region's song! Remember, it's all in fun; in the end it's all about meeting our word count goals and completing our novels. :-)

~~~ In-person write-ins ~~~

Be sure to visit http://naperwrimo.org/events for the latest schedule information on our write-in events (my apologies again for the snafu around the NPL write-ins). They can be strongly motivational and fun in helping you meet your wordcount goals. See this thread for more information about write-ins. Note that write-ins are intended for writing; if you're interested in more socialization, help us plan our November 16th dinner meet-up, to follow the afternoon write-ins on the 16th.

~~~ Feed the Creative Flame ~~~

You don't have to be at a write-in to write and have fun. Feed the Creative Fire: share your huzzahs! Or join our jabber chat (nanomail me if you have problems setting this up).

~~~ November 9th Writing Marathon ~~~

This Saturday is the national NaNoWriMo Writing Marathon, an effort to help people catch-up/get ahead and also meet 2013 fundraising goals. They have prizes for folks who donate on that day, so if you are thinking of donating to help NaNoWriMo cover its costs, this is a great day to do it on.

Thanks for listening; I wish you continued success in your writing.

--Tim (aka NewMexicoKid, one of three volunteer co-Municipal Liaisons for USA::Illinois::Naperville, along with Katherine (KatherineWriting) and Frank (fdahlman); we are here to answer your questions and help organize local events).

<!--[if gte mso 9]><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

<![endif]-->

Hello, everyone!

I hope that this e-mail finds you making forward progress on your novels and avoiding the many distractions that come this month. If not, fear not because we have write-ins galore that can help you make up lost ground. Haven't been to a write-in yet? They can be a fun way to write; writing doesn't have to be a purely solitary activity. Come out and write in the company of your fellow writers!

~~~ Thursday (Nov 14) write-in ~~~

Becky (aka Sapphire) will be a little late tonight (6:45 pm) at the 6-9 pm Downers Grove Public Library for the write-in but fear not--she comes bringing peanut butter cookies. Kaden (silverwolf42) will be there at 6 pm. The library will be supplying coffee

~~~ Friday (Nov 15) write-in ~~~

Miranda Innaimo will be hosting a write-in at Orange13 in Lemont Friday starting at 4 pm; be sure to RSVP via NaNoMail to her. Since Orange13 has a full bar, this write-in is restricted to ages 21+.

~~~ Saturday (Nov 16) write-ins and meet-ups ~~~

This Saturday is our big day of write-ins and meet-ups. Katherine (Squiddish) will be hosting one at the Sugar Grove Library from 10-11 am and will have story stones with her. Sarah (SarahK06) is hosting a write-in at the Carol Stream Public Library from 10 am-noon. She asks respondents to RSVP in the thread or via the library website so she can have enough donuts and coffee for everyone. Sarah's word war prizes include an autographed copy of No Plot, No Problem.

Following the write-in, some of us will be meeting for lunch before the afternoon write-ins. Be sure to vote on restaurant in the Carol Stream write-in thread.

In the afternoon, Jen (Jen.E.Moore) and India (Nidia.Ceylon) will be hosting the Warrenville Public Library write-in from 1-4 pm. They will have coffee/tea/hot chocolate. Catherine (Cee-Bee) will be hosting the 1:30-4:30 pm write-in at beautiful Woodridge Public Library. In addition to Cee-Bee's fun hats for double winners, I will be providing some of my squids as word war prizes.

If you're planning to join us for Saturday's 5:30 pm meet-up dinner at Suparossa (Italian restaurant), please RSVP by Friday afternoon as I have to give them final counts on Friday. For those who have pent-up conversation just wanting to burst out (since we don't have a lot of chatting at most write-ins), this is your best opportunity to do so until the TGIO! Should be a fun evening. Come out and meet and chat with your fellow writers!

~~~ Sunday (Nov 17) Write-ins ~~~

Phoenixica24 is organizing a write-in at the North Aurora Messenger Public Library from 1:15-4:15 pm. I will be hosting my usual Sunday write-in from 1:30-4:30 pm at the Naperville Public Library with more squids in hand. I will also have dark chocolate available for those who Feed the Creative Fire during the write-in.

~~~ Feed the Creative Flame ~~~

You don't have to be at a write-in to write and have fun. Feed the Creative Fire: share your huzzahs! Or join our jabber chat (nanomail me if you have problems setting this up).

Thanks for listening; I wish you continued success in your writing.

--Tim (aka NewMexicoKid, one of three volunteer co-Municipal Liaisons for USA::Illinois::Naperville, along with Katherine (KatherineWriting) and Frank (fdahlman); we are here to answer your questions and help organize local events).

Here we are on day 22. Do you know where your word count is? A week and a day remain to us for writing. I've seen people make up 35K in three days--it can be done. Don't despair.

Some hopefully helpful strategies for catching up:

• Simplify your plot. Too many plot threads? Ruthlessly cut some out. Make notes when you do--you can come back to revive them in editing in December and afterwards. Too many characters? The character graveyard is waiting for your post!
• Blocked by a difficult-to-write section? Skip ahead! Make some notes about what you will need to write in editing (Katherine L. says (or so I recall) that the best part of editing is getting to do more writing).
• Come out to a write-in! If there is a drive involve, keep your radio off on the drive and think about your novel. This is where I get my best story ideas. If you're like me, you'll arrive in the write-in with lots of ideas for where to go next.
• Add some conflict! Have your main character get into a serious argument with their best friend. What about? Have their best friend (appear to) betray them in the worst way.
• If you're stuck, post in our regional forum or in plot doctoring and ask for help! Or come out to the jabber chat.

~~~ 18K Challenge ~~~

As I posted in the 18K Challenge thread, I've taken pity on some of those who are almost there. The 18K challenge has been extended through midnight Saturday! Congratulations to mochomito, KatherineWriting, jen.e.moore, NewMexicoKid, writertodd07, hopelesswarning (way to go!!!), and PBJ63010 for making it to the original deadline (and thereby winning not just a limited edition button but also an octopus critter!).

~~~ RSVP for the TGIO ~~~

It is not too early to RSVP for the Thank Goodness It's Over party. Only those who RSVP will receive awards (you don't have to win NaNo to receive an award!). This year, you can help us with your ideas for awards for those attending!

~~~ Upcoming Write-Ins ~~~

Today (Friday) is the second and final write-in (hosted by Frank (fdahlman)) at the Helen Plum Library in Lombard (6-9 pm). I will be there to add my mini squids to word war prizes.

Saturday 10-noon is the Sugar Grove Public Library write-in hosted by Katherine (Squiddish); she might still have story stones! Saturday 1-4 pm is the Warrenville Public Library write-in hosted by Jen (jen.e.moore) and India (Nidia.Ceylon), featuring free hot beverages and small prizes for word wars. Sunday has my final hosted write-in at the 95h Street Library in Naperville (1:30-4:30 pm; last chance for squids!) and Carly's (thePiratess) final Glen Ellyn Caribou write-in from 5-10 pm. Don't forget to ask your host for the official NaNoWriMo sticker if you haven't gotten one yet! While supplies last...

~~~ Word War With Denver! ~~~

Great work, folks! Keep it up!

And don't stop writing!

--Tim (aka NewMexicoKid), who with Katherine (KatherineWriting) and Frank (fdahlman) are your regional volunteer co-Municipal Liaisons who are here to help coordinate local events, answer your questions and send out regional e-mails like this one ;-)

Hello, brave wrimos! It has been quite an adventure; and like all good adventures, there is one last thing to do before we turn the page...

~~~ RSVP for the TGIO ~~~

It's not yet too late to RSVP for the pot-luck lunch Thank Goodness It's Over Party, coming up this Saturday (7 December), 11:45 AM-3 PM at the Naperville Municipal Center, rooms BC. Bring your favorite stuffed animal for our group picture. Invite your friends and family. You do not have to have completed your novel to come celebrate a great month of writing. Many thanks to Ky (scrapacat) who generously is donating this beautiful scarf to our door prizes!

~~~ CONGRATULATIONS ~~~

First: congratulations to every one of you. As some have pointed out this month, NaNoWriMo is about motivating people to write their novels in November. You get out of it what you put into it and want out of it. We accept that life has priorities; NaNoWriMo likely isn't your highest and yet you've accomplished something. Even those of you who made the effort to sign up have accomplished a positive step. So reward yourself with a treat!

Note: The next three lists are based on our NaNo Faces graph, where an amazing 51 out of 74 participants crossed the 50k words mark (69%!): Top three regional wordcounts: mochomito (135652), Spellguns (126981), KatherineWriting (103333)

Rest of the top ten wordcounts: Mieza, jen.e.moore, TRRDEDEAN, scrapacat, TypesetJez, silverwolf42, PBJ63010

Rest of the 51 winners on our regional Faces graph: Ajey, Lady Gao, Cee-Bee, Mike.Giltner, writertodd07, Anobi, TeenWriter, rupert, fishmama, Squiddish, NewMexicoKid, kamannix, Silira, tireddadx3, MelissaDuncan, feynman_diagram, FinbarrMcG, horatio, john_csy, M.Finchley, SheWrote, callalily05, AnnaVanEast, writeprice, mongrelvw, cableshaft, Citrus Siren, KellyKobayashi , ziplizard, Nitrocat, slrphebos, KellyDuff, beachpig, Sapphire, From the Shadows, YeungJeans, fdahlman, KeithCochran, tregina12000, civile, catatone1

ML's also have limited access to lists of those who are members of the region. For those who set Naperville as their home region, congratulations to these with wordcount > 50,000 words: AmaranthMuse, yesweremagicians, Spellguns, Sheeva, Qberty, KatherineWriting, Mieza, Earl Fin, ACFalk, jen.e.moore, TRRDEDEAN, scrapacat, TypesetJez, silverwolf42, PBJ63010, WritingStudent, Ajey, Tebor, krhorsejumper97, Lady Gao, GIRYL1015, kheartsfan96, Cee-Bee, WhimsicalSnowflake, Mike.Giltner, writertodd07, Mary Frances Gualandri, astralmeson, CindysNovel623, Anobi, TeenWriter, rupert, skowar, Becks76, fishmama, Squiddish, laurelkff, MMMoreau, NewMexicoKid, xosnorksxo, Silira, DianaArtemis, Midnight Scribbler, InspectorStevi, tireddadx3, Larkk, delboland, tgirl16, 1ChrisM, feynman_diagram, Whimsical Wanderer, samcadams, Kat_808, Dark Angel Bakura, FinbarrMcG, L_Murray_K, Syzygophile, iOc of FF, Jira, cruelestmonth, horatio, john_csy, JediEmma, M.Finchley, DeathByAngels, SheWrote, Knyghtraven, BetsyD, bookaddictsguide, Sigird, heelizabeth, Big Cardboard Square, le.starra, KayTi, urbanknight1968, LunaOfLondon, mlkrauss, eaglescorch, WendyByrne, callalily05, mmk9896, bird7s, bartilson9, writerbeeme, AnnaVanEast, stephsco, youcrazything, silver_witch, clearly_insane_87, wink568, jtotheb, Celestial Seraphim, Magdalena49, Ellie A, Grace Ludovico, writeprice, V13Dragongal, michellelee300, mongrelvw, Doogel, khunter1470, Raylin, cableshaft, misslissylou, Ehornig, crjakes, julielmay, rubyliveshere, velocihawk, Citrus Siren, Emma Ackroyd, doconnor, KellyKobayashi, lowkeyoh, ziplizard, Nitrocat, detra_luvsbooks, chisuze, KellyDuff, Anastasia007, corvus dubh, beachpig, msfukaiao, adavaughan, dunhamrc, Sapphire, From the Shadows, YeungJeans, sam_can_do_it, thegrinch, fdahlman, Spurfy Sora, cfbrunner, soapboxblues, AkitoAnemone, KeithCochran, fmmellenthin, MDourado, tregina12000, dragonsaege, currycj2, Tokaara, civile, CtrlAltTabby, blackhawkey19, DJRM, KMGrizzy, garbajack, MYCATSEGA, c.est_la_vie19, weirdghostboo, Jason Huls, Torielinner, Sherrie Henry, catatone1, himmelsgrau, writemore41, AllyCiucur, and Vipushan.

~~~ Consider joining the Journey ~~~

We have a cafeteria-style writing group, the Journey, that operates in the months that NaNo isn't active. It's free and the first of seven general meetings is January 11, 2014 (11:45 AM-3 PM in the Lunch Room at the Naperville Municipal Center). There will be workshops, short story anthologies, an Editing Path, an Accountability Group, Shakespeare Reader's Theatre and many social Paths. Consider joining us.

~~~ Give Generously to NaNoWriMo ~~~

None of us would be here without the fantastic non-profit NaNoWriMo organization and its wonderful servers that help us communicate and track our progress in writing our novels. All of this takes money: please consider giving something to NaNoWriMo to help defray their costs. Those unable to contribute financially can still help NaNoWriMo out.

~~~ Thank you! ~~~

I want to take this opportunity to thank my fellow volunteer co-MLs Katherine (KatherineWriting) and Frank (fdahlman) for their energy, creativity, enthusiasm and hard work the past months in preparing for NaNoWriMo and collaborating with me to help serve you better. Thanks also to all of our fantastic library partners: Lisa West at the Naperville Public Library (our oldest and closest partner), Jen Moore (also a member of the Journey) at the Warrenville Public Library (which also hosted our Shakespeare Readers Theatre events), Denise Murray at the Woodridge Public Library (which hosted our popular Writer's Voice workshop earlier this year), Sarah Kovac at the Carol Stream Public Library, Joy Matteson and Melissa Doornbos at the Downers Grove Library, Mary Kay Akers at the Glen Ellyn Public Library, Angie Baugher at the Aurora Public Library (Eola Road Branch), and Christine Sporleder at the Bloomingdale Public Library.

Many thanks as well to Todd Hogan (writertodd07), Katherine Lato (KatherineWriting), Roger Lubeck (Roger Lubeck) and Frank Dahlman (fdahlman) for their great preparatory workshops. And we thank everyone who organized and hosted write-ins, especially Squiddish, Cee-Bee, Sapphire, Citrus Siren, SarahK06, thePiratess, TypesetJez, jen.e.moore, Nidia.Ceylon, PBJ63010, Miranda Innaimo, fdahlman, and KatherineWriting.

Last but definitely not least: thanks to all of you for your hard work, your enthusiasm, your dedication, your writing talent and your dreams! They inspire me always and are the primary reason I am one of your Municipal Liaisons.