Doyce blogs about NaNoWriMo Write-Ins — and, in particular, the one Kay and I were at last Saturday at the Tattered Cover.

I showed up about an hour after it’d gotten started at the local bookstore (Tattered Cover), snagged a frozen latte, and walked over to the circle of couches and comfy chairs where our particular nerd herd tends to assemble.

Good turn out. Lots of folks, most of whom I didn’t recognize.

No one looked up.

I mean it: no one. Hands on the keyboards, butts in the chairs, eyes on the screen, tappity tap.

Damn, I thought. I found a chair, pulled out the writing machine, and got to it.

I’ve been doing two sets of Write-Ins so far this year — the Saturday afternoon ones at the Tattered Cover, and the Wednesday night ones at the Panera in Lone Tree. (It may be premature of me to say I’ve been “doing” these, of course, since it’s been, what, a whole week? But work with me.)

I did NaNoWriMo back in 2001 and 2002, and never did anything with anyone except my own circle of friends.  Last year, when I got back into the routine, the thought of going someplace and hanging with a bunch of people who were (a) strangers, and (b) probably much more dedicated and experienced writers than me, was just not on my radar.  Introversion + strangers + personal creative activities = I will go hole up in my closet and type now.

But Doyce (I believe it was) convinced me I should check out the Write-In crowd at the Tattered Cover in Highlands Ranch, so about midway through the month I wandered in there, not sure what I was getting into, but figuring, what the hell, the worst they can do is laugh at me and mock me and poke me with sharp sticks and drive me crying out into the parking lot where I’ll get hit by a car and die and then they’ll feel sorry!

Ahem.

Anyway …

It’s kind of a cool thing.

People sit. And write.  And, yes, occasionally chit-chat.  Sometimes about their story. Sometimes about a problem (even as trivial as, “What would be a good name for a _____?”). Sometimes about nothing in particular.  And the local moderator maybe brings snacks. Or tchotchkes.

And people write, and sometimes there’s a “word war” or a “word sprint” or a “how many words can you type in the next 20 minutes let’s find out go!”

To me, one of the nice things about the Write-Ins is that it’s making an appointment to write. I know I will be in place X and writing for 3 hours (or 2, or however long I can make it).  In some ways, it relieves me of much of the NaNoStress of the rest of the day (“Haven’t written yet.  Nope, haven’t written yet. Dagnabbit, shouldn’t be doing that because I haven’t written yet”) since I know there will be that block of time when I write.

The Panera meeting (singular, thus far) was also nice. There was a bit more chit-chat, but everyone who wanted to write was able to get their writing done.  Plus, a nice place to drop by for supper.

At least in the Write-Ins I’ve been in, the group has been warm, welcoming, and supportive.  It’s not necessarily for everyone, but it’s working well for me.