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Municipal Liaisons
What is a Municipal Liaison (ML)?
According to the official explanation, "Municipal Liaisons are
local volunteers who help organize NaNoWriMo groups in their
hometowns. Being an ML can be serious work, but it's also a lot of
fun. I mean, what could be more rewarding than the undying love,
devotion and gratitude of your fellow writers? (Besides finishing a
novel in 30 days, of course.)"
So what does that mean exactly? That really didn't tell me a
lot.
It means an ML organizes the beginning and ending parties, the
official write-in sessions, and any other parties/events/etc.
throughout the two competition months as well as garnering local
support for the organization in the off months.
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And who exactly is this striking gentleman to the left, you ask?
Why
it's the Illinois::Chicago::NaNo/ScriptFrenzy ML -
TimSimms, otherwise known as
Tim Peacock
offline. He's the one with the big red Gateway laptop at write in
sessions.
How long as he done NaNo and Script Frenzy?
He's successfully participated in NaNo for four previous years (2006
through 2009) and in Script Frenzy for three (2007 through 2009). He took over as ML for Chicago in
2007 when the previous ML had to step down.
In his own words:
Writing is my life. In the words of a movie that shall remain nameless,
it's like oxygen. I've written three full length dystopian fiction
novels, a serial novel updated weekly, a host of personal essays, a lot
of short fiction, countless rants to newspaper editorial columns, and
most recently prose for open mic nights locally. I have a penchant for
mochas in terms of coffee, indie coffee shops in terms of favorite
places to write, and Andersonville in terms of places to just be.
Ok, I have a question for Tim. How can I contact him?
You
can reach Tim via email (ml-tim@chiwrimo.org) or through a private message on the NaNo forums.
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And what about that ML who's done NaNo in more regions than most
writers?
That happens to be Michelle, Limmenel
over on the NaNo site, former ML for Ottawa, Ontario and Iowa City, IA!
How long as she done NaNo?
Her first NaNo was back in 2002, and this
will be her ninth year, and her seventh as an ML.
In her own words:
I grew up writing silly short stories,
bits and pieces of plots, but I was always just a "one day"
novelist until I discovered NaNo. I'll write whatever genre catches my
attention, from chick-lit to horror to serious literary fiction. My
favorite way to write is with a hot drink (I absolutely love Starbucks,
I can't help it!) and some good music channeling through my headphones.
I'm still fairly new to Chicago, but already I can tell that this city is
going to inspire some amazing plots!
Ok, I have a question for Michelle. How
can I contact her?
You can
reach Michelle via email (ml-michelle@chiwrimo.org) or through a private message on the NaNo
forums.
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And what about that other
ML?
This
is Matt, otherwise known as
hikari.ni.uragitta on the NaNo forums. He's the official
red-shirt of the ML team, boldly going wherever the other
ML’s trick him into going.
How long has he done NaNo?
This
will be the seventh year participating in NaNo, and his second as an
ML.
In his own words:
I
fell in love with fantasy and science fiction from a relentless
pursuit of gaming. As such, writing my own stories was a way to
fanboy all my favorite parts into my own story, containing an
absolutely epic amount of clichés. “It is written...” is the best
start to any novel. Story telling is one of the amazing things in
life, no matter the media it’s presented in. We all have a story to
tell, and I love the process as much as the finished project.
Ok, I have a question for Matt. How can I contact him?
You can
reach Matt via email (ml-matt@chiwrimo.org) or through a private message on the NaNo
forums.
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Who is the newest Chicago
ML?
This is Kelly, otherwise known as
ktpollock on the NaNo forums.
How long has she done NaNo?
Kelly has done NaNo just once (in 2009), in which she completed
her first (very short) novel of 52,000 words in 15 days.
Re-reading the novel several months later, she didn't hate it,
which has her excited for the next NaNo!
In her own words:
I've always enjoyed writing, but I could never finish a
piece of fiction, even a short story. I had no trouble writing
long academic pieces, because I found it easier to start with
facts and theories. NaNo was such a daunting task, but I enjoy
challenging myself, and I found it utterly rewarding. The trick
for me (at the risk of sounding cliched) was to write what I
knew. "Finishing" my NaNo novel gave me the confidence to take a
couple of creative writing classes, and I can't believe how much
I have grown as a writer in such a short amount of time. (Also,
for the record, since I hear this comparison a lot, writing a
novel was easier for me than running a marathon.)
Ok, I have a question for Kelly. How can
I contact her?
You can reach Kelly via email (ml-kelly@chiwrimo.org)
or through a private message on the NaNo forums.
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