NaNoWriMo :: NaNoWriMo Blog

On Friday, Lindsey and I spent the morning at Babylon Burning, the San Francisco screenprinter who is handling all the NaNoWriMo shirts (and new sweatshirt!) this year. We listened to the Strokes and the Shangri-Las, debated various Pantone colors and design dimensions, and watched as the team there began pulling the first of the new shirts off the line. Thanks so much to Babylon for hosting us! Here are some photos from the big day…

Arriving at Babylon

The line-up ahead of us

Boxes of blank shirts waiting to be transformed into NaNogoods

The films that get turned into screens

Mike, screening up a storm

Figuring out the right green color for the black NaNo '09 shirt took us almost an hour

The green picked, the shirts start rolling (and Clam starts stacking)

We wanted to make a fun, new NaNoWriMo shirt. Since NaNo feels a lot like camp to us, we asked our graphic design whiz Graham to make a design for "Camp NaNoWriMo." The slogan on the sign (hard to make out here) reads: "An idyllic writers retreat, smack-dab in the middle of your crazy life." We love Graham.

Close up of Camp NaNoWriMo shirts

One of the comments we get every year is that we need to offer more shirts for people who aren't participating that year, but who still want to show their support of NaNoWriMo. Designer Graham came up with a simple, all-purpose tee that we're totally in love with. It's the first white tee we've made since 2002!

We're doing the 2009 shirt on both black and cranberry. This is me proudly waving the first cranberry to come off the line.

And, for the first time ever: NaNoWriMo sweatshirts! We went with these incredibly thick, soft sweats that cost a little more. But they feel like you're being hugged by a thousand chinchillas.

Lindsey feels the chinchilla love.

Heather, also known as interbang, has participated in NaNoWriMo since 2005.

"I created this Shed, (3 feet wide, 8 feet high, sloping 5 foot ceiling) which used to house the gardening tools for my apartment building, because my kid and husband can't keep their paws out of my stuff, so a space to myself inside our unit was impossible. They aren't allowed to set foot in the Shed, and it has a door with a lock, which makes up for its lack of windows, electricity, or plumbing. It's also completely across from our apartment, so it almost feels like I'm "going to the office" when I come down here to write."

Keladryie is the Municipal Liaison for Northern Territory & Elsewhere, Australia and Co-Mod of Newbies.

"It's inspiring having three different screens to work from and two bookcases within reach (the other is beside the edge of my desk.) The black glass desk is nice and cool to touch and write on.

I have two NaNo posters and two Script Frenzy posters on my walls to keep me inspired, as well as every post card for donating since 2004 on the wall behind me. Every little one helps!"

One fateful day in Oakland, a package arrived on our office doorstep. With anticipation we wondered what it could be. Packing supplies? Returned shipments? A present? More candy? No, no, none of the above (at least not this time).

To our delight, Cohen Marketing, manufacturer of various strange and wonderful NaNoWriMo items, had sent us some sample static cling stickers, including a very nice-looking Chick-fil-A decal that Chris immediately fell in love with.

We used the Cohen Marketing samples as a guide in making our first-ever NaNoWriMo static cling sticker for "Come Write In!" a pilot project we're launching this year that aims to get Wrimos noveling in their local libraries. Participating libraries will be able to order free resource kits from the site, which will contain such wonders as a static cling sticker proclaiming, "Write Your Novel Here!", mocked up here (see picture).

The clings were created by Graham Dobson, who designed all four of this year’s amazing, soon-to-come NaNoWriMo shirts. When we taped a mock-up of his design in the window of the Office of Letters and Light, we didn’t realize that it would quickly take a particular liking to the Chick-fil-A decal. Even though we don’t have any Chick-fil-A locations out here, the two have been inseparable ever since and are getting along spectacularly.* In other good news, our very own window decals will soon be headed our way, and hopefully journeying out to serve as NaNoWriMo beacons at libraries everywhere!**

To partake in the excitement, libraries interested in this project can check out the "Come Write In" page on the website: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/library. We’re excited to work with all the incredible librarians out there, and hope this project will become something amazing for all!

Elaine

*NaNoWriMo neither endorses nor denies the eating of chicken, or the cow holding the sign. The organization personally has no relationship with that cow or decal, although you can see a hint of my reflection in the picture.

**Chris Baty made me create a fictitious relationship between the two decals. Really whether the two have a relationship is not my business.

Thanks to NaNoWrimo, November has changed from JeHaaser's least favorite month of the year to one of the most anticipated.

"My perpetually messy desk is usually covered with cds, books, and post-it notes reminding me to keep some plot in the story. I have a scary looking ceramic jar with a face on it; it sits there on the upper left part of the desk. Although it is supposed to scare away bad spirits, I feel more like it is glaring at me, urging me to write more. But it has served me well. 50k in one month? No problem!"

Karen Cino is the President of Romance Writers of America New York City Chapter.

"I get my inspiration to write by walking on the boardwalk every morning. I walk with colored index cards and a pen stuck through my ponytail. Not only do I keep my story ideas fresh but I keep fit at the same time."

"My desk in Cozumel. Why I find it appealing? Are you kidding? The Palancar nature preserve is perfect in October for quietus in the necessity of writing...there is only beer, breezes, and verdant straw grasshoppers."

Landon McLean, also known as Cooper3, is the proud winner of the 2008 Mana Pool.

"This is my workplace and yes I have a coffee maker on the table. What makes it special is the desk, the same desk I had for 10 years. Plus it's right next to my bed."

Mike, also known as "mclemens" on the forums, is a card-carrying member of the Typewriter Brigade. He used the Beast, a 1951 Royal typewriter, to write 80% of his 90,000+ word 2008 entry!!! Though, as you can see, his family members often "help."

"Sitting here at the furthest point in our home from my sleeping spouse and children, I sit early every morning and try to get about 4-6 double-spaced pages banged out before school and work and other lifetime commitments.

Let's be frank, this is a terrible place to do anything sane. It's cramped, it's cold, and my butt usually starts hating that chair after 45 minutes or so. I have to clamber over an assortment of toys, laundry baskets, and my snoring dog just to get there. Luckily, NaNoWriMo is the complete opposite of sane, so this is the ideal spot for me to work. There's no distractions -- there's no room! -- so it's just me and the typewriter and the paper and the words, locked in heated, beautiful battle."

Linda Cavanaugh is the ML for the SF Peninsula region.

"I actually took this in 2007, but the only thing that's changed is the wallpaper on my computer. And a new box of tissues. :-) This is where I wrote my impressive 32K words in 48 hours to win in 2007."