No, but I'm kind of a bitch about rah-rah, joiner things. And people who have, like, writing sweatshirts and special creative pens. I need a NanoWriMo of Larry David wannabes, and around here? Not so much.

I just snorted tea out my nose.

I'm hoping they'll be at least a little cool, because they're meeting at Hubby's old store, ie, a game store is a comfortable environment to them, as opposed to a meeting room at BYU (which is another NaNo group). I can at least go meet them and see. Interacting with three-dimensional people is supposed to be good. I'm half expecting to know a bunch of them anyway.

Hey NaNoWriMo. I've been tumbling an idea around in my head for months. Maybe I can give it a kick start. I did it once before but only participated on line.

Well, my story 'Sarah' got second place in its little contest (8 entries on a fairly small website). The first place story just got sold to a magazine that pays pro rates so I don't feel bad coming in second. Now to edit 'Sarah' and figure out this whole short story submission process.

My novel is moving along too. I'm about a quarter of the way though my next to last revision. The last one will just be about hunting down grammar errors and too-weak sentences so hopefully it won't take really long. It's not like I'm not trying to weed them out this time as well.

Thanks, all. Sometimes I feel like such a bitch being snarky about the NaNoWriMo ethos. Because if there is one thing I would tell high-school me, it is "if somebody's having fun and not hurting people they don't need you to rank on it." But then I go down to the site and it's all "First paragraph...group hug!1" and I wonder why I thought it would be different this time.

Every year I contemplate doing NaNoWriMo, and every year I chicken out. I've always written well in terms of essays and assignments where I have a clear topic assigned, but I've never been one to be able to come up with plots and characters. I frequently wish that we still had one of our old computers lying around; I know I wrote a 100 or so page story when I was in high school that I thought was brilliant at the time, and now I couldn't even tell you what it was about. I think there was a castle.

You're probably better off, zuisa. I still have the beast I wrote when I was 15 and it's terrrible.

I have a negotiating letter to send to a publisher with some objections. I have concerns both that I'm not always good at tact, and also that even though each objection is individually reasonable, there may be too many.

Anyone willing to look at it for me justing giving advice as to tact level and thoughts on negotiating approach?

Thanks

Gar - profile addy still good.

Gar, I can. My profile address is the one to use. Tomorrow, though -- I'm a bit sleepy for it tonight.