Region

A region is a group of NaNoWriMo participants connected by geographic proximity. Meeting other Wrimos in person is a great way to enhance one's writing experience, as well as a way to get motivation and make year-round friends.
Many regions are based around cities; some larger regions consist of parts of a state, entire states, or even entire countries. Other areas fall under an "Elsewhere" region, where members of a state, country, or continent that doesn't have a more local and dedicated region can gather. Such regions are typically very spread out, with Wrimos collecting in a few central areas. These regions often focus on online gatherings rather than in-person gatherings. 
While regions may exist informally forever (usually in an Elsewhere region), they only exist formally on the NaNo site when someone volunteers to be a Municipal Liaison for that region; if their application is accepted, the new region is formed. When an ML volunteers to lead a region, the region acquires its own regional forum on the NaNoWriMo website moderated by the ML, along with goodies like stickers to be given out at events. Regions are in place as long as there is activity; it is rare that a region officially disappears, but it has happened at least once in 2011. Regions without an ML (due to an ML retiring without a replacement) may still function normally; they merely will lack the ability to moderate their regional forums, send region-wide messages, or obtain stickers from NaNoWriMo HQ.
Each region has its own distinct culture and community, from regional mascots to word wars with other region to write-ins that happen year after year.
Wrimos may affiliate with as many regions as they wish on the NaNoWriMo website in order to receive emails from the region's ML and easily view event updates at the region's forum. Many Wrimos affiliate with neighboring regions whose events they may also attend, or to regions they previously lived in. They may also add one region as a home region so that their word count and donations go to the total counts for their region, which can affect a region's standings in inter-region word wars or the Donation Derby. Wrimos are often encouraged by their MLs to home with their local region.
Wrimos who want to connect with other writers in a way besides geographic proximity should check out the other NaNoWriMo forums. The age group forums, Writing Groups and Clubs forum, and the Fans and Critics forum may be of particular interest.
==Directory of NaNoWriMo regions==
* NaNoWriMo regions in Africa
* NaNoWriMo region in Antarctica (not an official region, but at least one Wrimo has participated from there)
* NaNoWriMo regions in Asia
* NaNoWriMo regions in Australia
* NaNoWriMo regions in Canada
* NaNoWriMo regions in the Caribbean
* NaNoWriMo regions in Central & South America
* NaNoWriMo regions elsewhere in the world
* NaNoWriMo regions in Europe
* NaNoWriMo regions in Israel
* NanoWriMo regions in Mexico
* NaNoWriMo regions in New Zealand
* NaNoWriMo regions in Russia
* NaNoWriMo regions in the United States
==See Also==
* Regional Lounge
* Municipal Liaison
* Tips for editing a page in the regional directory
Category:NaNoWriMo terms
Category:Script Frenzy terms
Category:Lists
Category:Regions