NANOWRIMO WRITE IN, NOV. 2

In my four years working for the Weekly Volcano, I'd say I've averaged roughly 1,000 written words per week, which adds up to 4,000 a month. Not too bad. But, in the month of November, a few hundred thousand people will be putting me to shame as they each churn out at least 50,000 words as part of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).

Beginning Nov. 1, participants in NaNoWriMo will have 30 days to start and complete their novel. Once they've finished, they will turn them in to nanowrimo.org for verification and receive a certification of their accomplishment in return.

Why do something like this? I dunno. Personally, the very idea of it sends homework anxiety shivers down my spine. But, if you've had this idea in the back of your head that would make for a good short novel, but you've never had the gumption to just go ahead and do it already, NaNoWriMo is the perfect excuse to take a month and force yourself to make some art. There's nothing like having a deadline to wring all that creative juice out of your head - warts and all.

To commemorate the beginning of National Novel Writing Month, King's Books will be holding a "Write In" - a sort of meet-up and support group for NaNoWriMo participants to get together and vent and plan the rest of their novel-writing flurry. Creativity doesn't grow in a vacuum, so it doesn't hurt to meet other people who are working for the same goal.

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH MEET-UP, 3-7 p.m., King's Books, 218 St. Helens Ave, Tacoma, no cover, 253.272.8801

JET CITY COMIC SHOW, NOV. 2

Jet City Comic Show's (JCCS) origin story finds it rising up to humbly take its place as Tacoma's premier comic book convention, amid a wasteland of out-of-town events. JCCS fills a void in Tacoma, creating a place for disenfranchised Tacoma nerds to gather in safety, free to browse every rare reissue and alternate timeline experiment and up-and-coming graphic novel auteur. The amount of talent and creative freedom on display at a comic book convention such as Jet City Comic Show is staggering, and well worth the time for even the casual comic enthusiast.

Of most interest to serious comic fans is the programming on tap for JCCS, including an intriguing talk from GeekGirlCon's Jennifer K. Stuller on the mythology of women in comics, and a Q&A featuring Neal Stephenson and Mark Teppo of the epic Foreworld Saga.

Mainly, though, this is an opportunity to take in all of the brilliant work on offer and to add more items to your no doubt exhaustive collection - or to make the first entry into your inevitably expansive library. Either way, Jet City Comic Show is a great way to meet new artists, with like-minded people, and get your geek on in fully regal costume. Any way you wish to nerd.

JET CITY COMIC SHOW, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, 1500 Broadway, Tacoma, $8, jetcitycomicshow.com

ALERT!: The official Jet City Comic show Drink-N-Draw returns on the night before the show at the Harmon Brewery & Eatery in Tacoma