Camp NanoWrimo - the easier NanoWrimo June 24, 2015 7:10 AM Subscribe
Calling all writers, trying-to-write-writers, and Nanoers - The July Camp NanoWrimo starts on the 1st of July. For all those who have tried Nano and failed (sometimes epically) maybe this will work better for you.
The main difference between the NanoCamp and nanowrimo is that you can set your own wordcount, and alter it up or down right up to the day before novel validation starts. You can also revise and edit, with 1hrs revision and editing counting for 1000 words. So if you found 50K too much, this will clearly be a lot easier. I am not sure if there is a minimum wordcount, I set mine for 20K in April and ended up at 45K. I am going for 20K again.
The other difference is Cabins - each cabin has 12 people in it, you can be placed randomly or based on certain criteria (age/genre etc), or create your own cabin. There is also a sub-forum where people post looking for cabin mates to join them, or post their cabin details to find people to fill it with.
It is a lot less pressure than NanoWrimo, and less people take part, so the forums are active but not as busy as during NanoWrimo itself, which may also be more to your liking.
I did April Camp, joined this guy's cabin, and then we joined a Dutch woman's cabin, and we were all European, either UK or mainland. We kinda got randomly lucky and were doing a lot of word sprinting and chatting, so much that the cabin won Nano - we hit our combined wordcount goal for the month and did so early. We even set up our own small, private forum and were posting excerpts and encouraging one another, and have used them since April, inviting several people from Nano to join. If you write and are interested in joining our forum, please MeMail me.
Some advice:
1) choose a low wordcount and increase it if you can.
2) If your cabin is dead, opt out and find another cabin that isn't.
3) Cabins with people in the same-ish timezones work very well.
I am Parallax over on Nano. My Nano claim to fame is that I have been mentioned twice in the Nano email newsletters!
The main difference between the NanoCamp and nanowrimo is that you can set your own wordcount, and alter it up or down right up to the day before novel validation starts. You can also revise and edit, with 1hrs revision and editing counting for 1000 words. So if you found 50K too much, this will clearly be a lot easier. I am not sure if there is a minimum wordcount, I set mine for 20K in April and ended up at 45K. I am going for 20K again.
The other difference is Cabins - each cabin has 12 people in it, you can be placed randomly or based on certain criteria (age/genre etc), or create your own cabin. There is also a sub-forum where people post looking for cabin mates to join them, or post their cabin details to find people to fill it with.
It is a lot less pressure than NanoWrimo, and less people take part, so the forums are active but not as busy as during NanoWrimo itself, which may also be more to your liking.
I did April Camp, joined this guy's cabin, and then we joined a Dutch woman's cabin, and we were all European, either UK or mainland. We kinda got randomly lucky and were doing a lot of word sprinting and chatting, so much that the cabin won Nano - we hit our combined wordcount goal for the month and did so early. We even set up our own small, private forum and were posting excerpts and encouraging one another, and have used them since April, inviting several people from Nano to join. If you write and are interested in joining our forum, please MeMail me.
Some advice:
1) choose a low wordcount and increase it if you can.
2) If your cabin is dead, opt out and find another cabin that isn't.
3) Cabins with people in the same-ish timezones work very well.
I am Parallax over on Nano. My Nano claim to fame is that I have been mentioned twice in the Nano email newsletters!
Oh boy, another chance at utter humiliation at the hands of nano! I'm sort of mittens there too, but a different mittens.
This time I'm setting my goals more realistically. Either 10,000 words, or one extremely, extremely long word.
posted by mittens at 8:30 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
This time I'm setting my goals more realistically. Either 10,000 words, or one extremely, extremely long word.
posted by mittens at 8:30 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
It sounds like while all out other jobs are taken over by Robots, creative writing will be taken over by NanoBots.
They're talking at the Hugo Awards about combining the "Novella" and "Novelette" categories... maybe instead, since it IS Science Fiction, they should add a "NanoNovel" category.
I just couldn't resist making a couple very very small jokes. Nano-jokes.
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:59 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
They're talking at the Hugo Awards about combining the "Novella" and "Novelette" categories... maybe instead, since it IS Science Fiction, they should add a "NanoNovel" category.
I just couldn't resist making a couple very very small jokes. Nano-jokes.
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:59 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nano-Nano
posted by jonmc at 12:10 PM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jonmc at 12:10 PM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Tempting - I have a story idea I've been chewing for a few months (Broadly: James II has problems with UFOs) and the kid will be away for a week in July....
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:36 PM on June 24, 2015
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:36 PM on June 24, 2015
Thinking thinking. Don't want to start and not finish another thing.
posted by Glinn at 5:57 PM on June 24, 2015
posted by Glinn at 5:57 PM on June 24, 2015
I'm probably doing this this year since I didn't do NaNo last year. I can't remember my ID but I think it's SadieB.
posted by fiercekitten at 9:23 PM on June 24, 2015
posted by fiercekitten at 9:23 PM on June 24, 2015
My friend just invited me to join her cabin, and I think I'm going to do it (and combine it with the Jupiter Challenge).
posted by daisyk at 12:10 PM on June 25, 2015
posted by daisyk at 12:10 PM on June 25, 2015
I'm doing it for my PhD qualifying paper. I'm moosegirl1017.
posted by chainsofreedom at 1:49 PM on June 25, 2015
posted by chainsofreedom at 1:49 PM on June 25, 2015
Thinking thinking. Don't want to start and not finish another thing.
Dude. I'll finish yours if you finish mine.
posted by St. Hubbins at 2:27 PM on June 25, 2015
Dude. I'll finish yours if you finish mine.
posted by St. Hubbins at 2:27 PM on June 25, 2015
Oh great, this sounds like a lot of
*WORDCOUNT=8 COMPLETED*
posted by grog at 2:52 PM on June 25, 2015
*WORDCOUNT=8 COMPLETED*
posted by grog at 2:52 PM on June 25, 2015
oh great! apparently my username is blacklisted as belonging to a spammer. I have been instructed to go to the Spam Forum to clear my name. :(
posted by Glinn at 3:50 PM on June 25, 2015
posted by Glinn at 3:50 PM on June 25, 2015
I'm in. My name at camp is Elliana. Anybody wanna be in a cabin?
posted by tuesdayschild at 8:20 AM on June 26, 2015
posted by tuesdayschild at 8:20 AM on June 26, 2015
There is a Metafilter club in the groups and clubs sub-forum, in case anyone wants to chat over there.
To those who have signed up, have you joined a cabin, and if so, how's it going? And if you are a planner, how's the planning going?
posted by marienbad at 8:52 AM on June 27, 2015
To those who have signed up, have you joined a cabin, and if so, how's it going? And if you are a planner, how's the planning going?
posted by marienbad at 8:52 AM on June 27, 2015
Stats on how many people win Nano, for each year of Nano.
posted by marienbad at 8:58 AM on June 27, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by marienbad at 8:58 AM on June 27, 2015 [2 favorites]
Oh! Oh! I started signing up but never finished finding a cabin and such! I'm here. I'm sorta cheating, in that I have around 30K of a novel already, but I want to blow through a good working draft in July so I'm done before I go on vacation, and that's a solid 50K left to write. Finishing is good, right? RIGHT?!
posted by Andrhia at 5:03 PM on June 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Andrhia at 5:03 PM on June 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
ARGH i opted out of my cabin then got placed straight back in it again on the next round haha ._.''
posted by Quilford at 4:58 AM on June 28, 2015
posted by Quilford at 4:58 AM on June 28, 2015
I set up my profile and joined my friend's cabin, woo! This is me over there.
posted by daisyk at 6:12 AM on June 28, 2015
posted by daisyk at 6:12 AM on June 28, 2015
How do you know whether you've got a good cabin or not?
posted by mittens at 9:21 AM on June 28, 2015
posted by mittens at 9:21 AM on June 28, 2015
mittens - it depends what you're looking for. in my opinion and experience, a good cabin should be chatty and supportive, and also word sprint together (set a start time and writing time, say 20 mins, and go!)
posted by marienbad at 4:05 PM on June 28, 2015
posted by marienbad at 4:05 PM on June 28, 2015
Did you feel like they needed to be involved with your genre, too? Or was their support good nonetheless?
posted by mittens at 7:17 PM on June 28, 2015
posted by mittens at 7:17 PM on June 28, 2015
We were all writing different genres but mainly sci-fi or some sort of fantasy. A couple cabinmates wrote thriller type stories, and two people wrote in Dutch, so I don't think genre matters as much as enthusiasm (and writing and sprinting.)
posted by marienbad at 2:59 AM on June 29, 2015
posted by marienbad at 2:59 AM on June 29, 2015
Can I join anyone's cabin? Or do a couple of people want to start a cabin? MeMail me maybe?
posted by Quilford at 4:16 AM on June 29, 2015
posted by Quilford at 4:16 AM on June 29, 2015
If anyone has started a cabin, maybe post details here so other mefites can join?
posted by marienbad at 7:00 AM on June 29, 2015
posted by marienbad at 7:00 AM on June 29, 2015
Oh my god they're all youngsters in their 20s. Yes, someone please open a new cabin.
posted by mittens at 3:04 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mittens at 3:04 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Okay, I have started a cabin. Anyone want in? Let me know your camper username so I can invite you!
posted by Quilford at 4:51 PM on June 29, 2015
posted by Quilford at 4:51 PM on June 29, 2015
My cabin is great - it's full of nerds who read sci fi and romance novels!
posted by fiercekitten at 8:00 PM on June 29, 2015
posted by fiercekitten at 8:00 PM on June 29, 2015
7 hours to go (UK time) - who's excited, who's panicking, and who's doing both simultaneously?
posted by marienbad at 9:02 AM on June 30, 2015
posted by marienbad at 9:02 AM on June 30, 2015
I'd love to join a MeFi cabin if there's still time. I'm gauche over there as well.
posted by gauche at 12:09 PM on June 30, 2015
posted by gauche at 12:09 PM on June 30, 2015
Hm, I tried but it didn't work for some reason. Quilford?
posted by mittens at 1:43 PM on June 30, 2015
posted by mittens at 1:43 PM on June 30, 2015
mittens - you need to set up a NanoCamp project to be invited.
Also, it has begun for me too! Midnight word sprint - 1481 words - that's almost 2.5 days worth (my target is 646 per day for 20k.) Woo hoo!
posted by marienbad at 5:21 PM on June 30, 2015
Also, it has begun for me too! Midnight word sprint - 1481 words - that's almost 2.5 days worth (my target is 646 per day for 20k.) Woo hoo!
posted by marienbad at 5:21 PM on June 30, 2015
Just to clarify, I've set up a cabin with mittens and gauche (if he accepts) and potentially YOU, READING THIS as well! Just call 1-800-META-CAMP and ask for Quilford
posted by Quilford at 5:33 PM on June 30, 2015
posted by Quilford at 5:33 PM on June 30, 2015
OK, I'm in with a quickly sketched out profile. neverusedbabyshoes is my username over there, lingering from many iterations ago. Would love an invite.
posted by nubs at 12:34 PM on July 2, 2015
posted by nubs at 12:34 PM on July 2, 2015
nubs, I'll send you an invite as soon as I restore internet access to my desktop.
posted by Quilford at 9:26 PM on July 2, 2015
posted by Quilford at 9:26 PM on July 2, 2015
Day 3 - how's it going so far? Off to a good start or struggling like crazy? I am over my required daily wordcount goal for each day so far, although the story is kinda plodding along. Ah well, I should hit the 20K, and any success you can get when writing is good, right?
posted by marienbad at 7:07 AM on July 3, 2015
posted by marienbad at 7:07 AM on July 3, 2015
Haven't really started yet; this weekend I will dig in and get going.
Thanks Quilford! Looking forward to it!
posted by nubs at 8:52 AM on July 3, 2015
Thanks Quilford! Looking forward to it!
posted by nubs at 8:52 AM on July 3, 2015
I'm just basically typing, over and over, "All work and no play makes mittens something something."
posted by mittens at 5:44 PM on July 3, 2015
posted by mittens at 5:44 PM on July 3, 2015
I had a slow first couple of days, but I've written 1200 words in the last two days and there's still more weekend left! I signed out of Tumblr for the month and set my cabin to be my browser homepage, and I think that's helping.
It's also about 36°C outside here and ridiculously hot in our flat, so I've been hanging out in my work's cooler basement with nothing much else to do but write. That's helping too!
posted by daisyk at 6:42 AM on July 5, 2015
It's also about 36°C outside here and ridiculously hot in our flat, so I've been hanging out in my work's cooler basement with nothing much else to do but write. That's helping too!
posted by daisyk at 6:42 AM on July 5, 2015
Sorry to be late with this info, but the minimum word count for Camp is 10,000 words.
posted by marienbad at 9:06 AM on July 6, 2015
posted by marienbad at 9:06 AM on July 6, 2015
Also, to all those who signed up - how's it going? We are ahead of the par line as a cabin, even though one of our cabin hasn't turned up yet!
posted by marienbad at 9:07 AM on July 6, 2015
posted by marienbad at 9:07 AM on July 6, 2015
I'm halfway to my goal! And with good timing too...work has suddenly slammed me and I think things will go much more slowly this week and next. In theory, at least, I'll have a chance to plan the second half better than I did the first.
As a cabin, though, we're going to need about 3.5k words a day to reach our goal!
posted by mittens at 9:41 AM on July 7, 2015
As a cabin, though, we're going to need about 3.5k words a day to reach our goal!
posted by mittens at 9:41 AM on July 7, 2015
I skipped yesterday and am feeling guilt. I will be writing again today!
posted by nubs at 10:21 AM on July 7, 2015
posted by nubs at 10:21 AM on July 7, 2015
Earlier the home-page mentioned only 44 minutes until you were able to submit your final word-count. Later, it was 2 hours. Now, it is 3 hours. Nano is moving us slowly back in time.
posted by mittens at 7:42 PM on July 19, 2015
posted by mittens at 7:42 PM on July 19, 2015
It goes on for ten more days, plenty of time to get more words in!
posted by mittens at 4:23 AM on July 20, 2015
posted by mittens at 4:23 AM on July 20, 2015
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posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:51 AM on June 24, 2015