# April's Nano camp



## Caged Maiden (Mar 13, 2014)

It's that time of year again...

sign up for nano camp here: http://campnanowrimo.org/

and I mentioned it on my facebook author's page here: https://www.facebook.com/A.Howitt.author

and if you want to share a cabin, please leave your nano name either on this thread or in my facebook post.  So far, I've requested to share a cabin with two other Mythic Scribes, but cabins fill quickly, so get in there.  Next cabin assignment is in twelve days and to sign up for a cabin, you need to fill in an author profile and plan a novel.  Of course, your "novel" need be nothing more than: Untitled 2014 Nano Camp... Synopsis:  Whatever I'm writing this year...

To ensure friends end up in the same cabins, we need to request each other, so my name is Anihow and leave all other boxes unchecked when requesting friends.

Hope to see you in the cabin of awesomeness.  I had a lot of fun last summer and ended up in a very motivating cabin.  Let's make this one even better!


----------



## Chilari (Mar 13, 2014)

I'm still on the fence about this one. On the one hand, NaNoWriMo has helped me in the past, and the motivation from Phil's threads has been useful - and I can imagine using the Camp for the same purpose. I've got a story moving along and setting an achievable monthly goal (maybe 30,000 words, maybe 25,000) could give me a useful boost. On the other hand, April is a busy one for me. I'll probably still be moving some of my stuff into the new flat and unpacking stuff, sorting bills and post and everything like that. It'll be my birthday and my Dad (who is also my colleague) is retiring so I've got a lot of stuff to sort at work for that (I'm the obvious choice for arranging cake, card, collection etc). And speaking of work, I've got a big deadline on the 8th and have to work from Manchester - a two hour drive away - for the whole of the last week before that deadline, and on those days won't get home til 7pm earliest (usually home 5:15pm) and because it's a deadline and this is bid work, possibly more like 10pm.

So yeah, not sure. But definitely considering it. 12 days til the next cabin assignment, you say? I'll be sure to decide before then.


----------



## Smith (Mar 13, 2014)

I'm doing April's camp NaNo, but I'm hoping to be placed in a cabin with people in my timezone for ease of discussion, otherwise I would've gladly added fellow Scribes! I'm aiming to add 25K to my November novel, so I'm spending this month adding missing scenes, tidying up the plot, building an outline and doing a little worldbuilding on the place my characters will soon converge upon.


----------



## Chessie (Mar 13, 2014)

I'm totally in! My NaNo name is Dohvakiin2012 and I would love to share a cabin with some mythic scribes!


----------



## The Blue Lotus (Mar 13, 2014)

Ok, I'm all set up for camp nano. Hope to see some of you there.  my UID is "Cicca"


----------



## Caged Maiden (Mar 13, 2014)

just a note... Time Zone is not one of the things that you will have any control over.  The boxes are these:

   Campers with a similar word-count goal 
   Campers in my age range 
   Campers writing in my genre 
   Request specific campers by username


----------



## The Blue Lotus (Mar 13, 2014)

Caged Maiden said:


> just a note... Time Zone is not one of the things that you will have any control over.  The boxes are these:
> 
> Campers with a similar word-count goal
> Campers in my age range
> ...



Hey, thanks for the help this afternoon. I'm excited to get going again. You rock!


----------



## Chessie (Mar 13, 2014)

Maiden, I requested you. I'm not sure who else to share a cabin with though.


----------



## Smith (Mar 14, 2014)

Caged Maiden said:


> just a note... Time Zone is not one of the things that you will have any control over.  The boxes are these:
> 
> Campers with a similar word-count goal
> Campers in my age range
> ...


What I did is went to the Finding Cabin Mates forum, and found a thread of English people seeking English cabin mates, and then requested them specifically. On this note, you'd think they'd add a request for timezone. No one wants to be stuck in a cabin with all people who only wake up when you're asleep. :/

If any British or GMT+1 scribers want to add me as a cabin mate, I have some spots left.


----------



## Ruby (Mar 14, 2014)

Hi Caged Maiden, I've requested you. My user name is JacquelineM8888

I did NaNoWriMo last November for the first time and found it inspiring.

I have a couple of people in my cabin already. 

In order to be accepted in a cabin both participants have to request each other. If anyone wants to request me please let me know and I'll reciprocate.


----------



## Chessie (Mar 15, 2014)

I'm thinking of splitting up my word count between two stories. So writing the first draft of one, then editing the other. They're both short and aren't 50,000 words by themselves. I hope that is acceptable.


----------



## Chilari (Mar 15, 2014)

For Camp NaNoWriMo, you can set your own goal. It's only November where it has to be 50,000 words. If I do Camp NaNoWriMo, I'm gonna go for 25,000 or 30,000.


----------



## Caged Maiden (Mar 15, 2014)

hey what do you guys think of setting up two MS nano cabins?  One for younear Grenwich Mean Time and one for us in the west?  That might be a happy way to let everyone be with friends but also have the same waking and writing hours.

Keep posting your nano names so you can pal up with people nearby.

Also, for nano I've done writing and edits.  One camp, I copied and pasted everything I wrote in the month into one document and called it Nano Camp 2012.  In went all my short stories I was doing for Phil's challenge, the edits I was doing for my WiP and every miscellaneous thing I wrote for anything.  The goal of nano is to apply yourself to reaching a goal and writing every day.  The rules are not hard and fast, they're flexible.  Do you feel like a winner in the end?  i did.  So it's all good.


----------



## Ruby (Mar 16, 2014)

Caged Maiden said:


> hey what do you guys think of setting up two MS nano cabins?  One for younear Grenwich Mean Time and one for us in the west?  That might be a happy way to let everyone be with friends but also have the same waking and writing hours.
> 
> Keep posting your nano names so you can pal up with people nearby.
> 
> Also, for nano I've done writing and edits.  One camp, I copied and pasted everything I wrote in the month into one document and called it Nano Camp 2012.  In went all my short stories I was doing for Phil's challenge, the edits I was doing for my WiP and every miscellaneous thing I wrote for anything.  The goal of nano is to apply yourself to reaching a goal and writing every day.  The rules are not hard and fast, they're flexible.  Do you feel like a winner in the end?  i did.  So it's all good.



Hi Caged Maiden, for NaNoWriMo last November, I made friends with participants from many different countries and didn't find that time zone was an issue. Also, I'm a night person and often write late at night/ early morning. I think it would be boring to just hook up with people who live in your own country/time zone.  

I've just realised that the two people I've kept most in touch with from that, live in the USA, and one of them has asked to share my cabin for Campnano.  ( I'm not yet sure if the other one's participating this year.)


----------



## Smith (Mar 16, 2014)

I felt compelled to seek out GMTers because I've been keeping a fairly typical schedule lately, but if I can still have Scribes in my cabin, all the better! I've already mutually requested two non-MS people for cabin request, so who knows where I might end up. Some Scribes would be nice, as I love chatting to you all here.

My NaNo name is Erdboden.


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Mar 20, 2014)

I did NaNoWriMo for the first time last year, managed to burst through a block I'd been having. I was very pleased with my progress. Unfortunately, work and school and limited my time since. My schedule is looking to open up in April finally, so I'm hoping to make another run at my story.

So I'm definitely in. Hoping to get at least 25,000 words done. Name there is the same on here. Looking forward to semi-familiar cabin-mates.


----------



## Chessie (Mar 20, 2014)

Yay, Dreamer! I'll look you up.


----------



## Rinzei (Mar 20, 2014)

I'd love to do Camp Nano again. I just have a terrible sinking feeling that I won't be able to, though.  My heart is just not with, well, anything lately.

If I manage to muster something up, it will be under Rinzei on the Camp Nano site.


----------



## Caged Maiden (Mar 20, 2014)

five days till cabin assigning.  I've requested you all, so let's see what happens!  It says I've requested the full number I'm allowed, so I guess Im full up.  they'll assign me 6 noobs too, so here's hoping we have a greatly productive cabin full of scribes to motivate each other.


----------



## Caged Maiden (Mar 20, 2014)

Also, I just want to remind people to donate if you can to nano.  It's a wonderful place where we can meet new people and motivate each other and share our work and our journey.  I donated $50 to nano camp which allows 17 writers to enjoy a cabin community and the nano experience.  Please, if you can give a little, consider donating to this extraordinary event.  Plus, you get a halo for the whole year and a cute little owl patch!


----------



## Chessie (Mar 25, 2014)

I didn't get anyone I asked for! What a bummer.  Oh, well. Maybe I'll make some new friends. Hopefully some of you will be checking in on here, too?


----------



## Caged Maiden (Mar 25, 2014)

yeah, people really need to request each other.  I got Phil and Cicca in a cabin with me.  The thing is, you may ask to leave your cabin if no one's talking or writing and request a new one.  Keep that in mind.  one year i switched twice because people were just sitting at zero doing nothing.


----------



## Caged Maiden (Mar 25, 2014)

maybe we could post some quick ideas to get the cabin motivated and inspired?  Here are some of mine:      I like to post a quote a day so people can see what I'm doing.  Just something small, 30 words or less.      hope that inspires you to have fun in your cabin.


----------



## Philip Overby (Mar 25, 2014)

Yeah, I wouldn't mind posting a quote or something. I might not be able to do it every day since I'm starting back work soon, but I am going to work on it everyday. Since I"m only editing and not writing any thing new, it shouldn't be too tough. I guess I'm going to do a word count based on how much I edit? Not sure how that's going to work. 

I'll probably continue to post my progress on the Writers' Work thread here, since I've been doing something like that since February. So I'll think of something different I can do for the cabin. Usually just any kind of update is good. 

And yes, I don't like it when I get in cabins with people who are just sitting at zero the whole time. Kind of defeats the purpose of being in a cabin.


----------



## Smith (Mar 25, 2014)

I didn't get anyone I asked for, either, and no one in my timezone, but hopefully they'll at least be active, and a couple of them seem to be writing in genres I like. Meanwhile I have no idea what I'm writing and April draws dizzyingly close.


----------



## Caged Maiden (Mar 25, 2014)

well for nano members, we can scan each other's profiles and books to see each other's history and current WIPs.  We can keep up with our fellow scribes even if they're in other cabins.


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Mar 26, 2014)

Had requested you guys; didn't get anyone  I'll try to post bits of what I'm working on, but I'm not sure whether I can do it once a day. I'm also considering a small donation.


----------



## Smith (Mar 26, 2014)

So what _is_ everyone working on this camp? Does everyone have a synopsis up?

This is me, it's my WIP from November, but I may or may not be working on something else instead, as just thinking about The Flenser switches off my brain.

ETA: Does anyone mind if I compile a list of us all with links to our Camp NaNo pages, so everyone can keep up-to-date with each other more easily, if we so choose?


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Mar 26, 2014)

This is mine. I certainly do not mind. Haven't done up a synopsis yet, still trying to get other priorities out of the way so I have more availability in April


----------



## Chessie (Mar 26, 2014)

I opted out of my cabin. I requested the folks on here again, hopefully this time we'll get it. 

I'm still not sure what I will be doing. I might split it up and do two projects.


----------



## Aspasia (Mar 26, 2014)

So excited for NaNo. I'm silicon over there . I got put in a random cabin but I'm okay with that, I'm not a big talker and will likely get super busy halfway through. I know what projects I'm doing and still working on the planning -- I've run into a really nasty knot that unfortunately needs to also be my ending ... stuck! Hopefully I can figure it out before NaNo starts. I'm doing to projects : A parody play for fun, and a novella currently titled Airship Pirates, though I've written out the pirates so it's an inaccurate title ... full of action and mage battles and running from the law and plot holes apparently XD. It'll be fun. I hope I can write at least 25k words. Here I am! Looking forward to seeing you all around.


----------



## Smith (Mar 26, 2014)

My new cabin is full of German people! That's closer to GMT, and I _love_ the language so maybe it will be good practice. It's also a little bit of a sign, I suspect, because there's a slightly Norse feeling coming from my new story idea, so maybe I can use the language as inspiration.

And I'm going to put everyone's names and pages here, for my own use more than anything, so I can spy on you all. 

Smith: Erdboden
SM-Dreamer: SM-Dreamer
Aspasia: silicon


If anyone sees me online here and wants to talk, rant or brainstorm at someone during April (or any time), feel free.


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Mar 26, 2014)

My cabin seems to be full of those with similar word counts (30000); most of them seem to be, er, teens to ya, though there's one or two older. Genre seems to be ranging from fantasy to ya. I posted, but no one seems to be talking...


----------



## Chessie (Mar 26, 2014)

I changed out of fantasy genre, and just went literary.


----------



## Ruby (Mar 26, 2014)

Chesterama said:


> I changed out of fantasy genre, and just went literary.



Hi Chesterama, yes Literary sounds good to us doesn't it.


----------



## Ophiucha (Mar 27, 2014)

I'm Ophiucha on the website. I'm just doing a random camp.  Low word count for this one, since I'm just sort of doing a rough first draft to work out some plot details.


----------



## Smith (Mar 27, 2014)

Ophiucha, I may or may not have loved your synopsis, gone through all your posts about your story on your tumblr, and fallen a little bit (a lot) in love with it. I love the premise, the characters, and the world sounds brilliant. I really want to know more, so I hope you get what you need out of camp and it starts to take shape.


----------



## Ophiucha (Mar 27, 2014)

Thank you! <3 Is your setting based on Italy, at all? I notice a lot of the words and names are Italian. It sounds like a good story, and if it's got a bit of Italy in it, I'd probably love it.

So, everyone: how much writing have you done between November and April? I've been bad this year, and only really finished up my NaNo (35k words or so) and done some editing on it. I've gotten caught up in reading this year and playing Mass Effect.


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Mar 27, 2014)

I managed to complete NaNo last year, but haven't written much since. Maybe 10k at most since November. Haven't edited, partly because I'm afraid that I'll get caught up in that and won't get the actual writing done.

Finally managed a synopsis, though it started out as a joke. >.>; Not sure I'll keep it though, lol.


----------



## Chessie (Mar 27, 2014)

I've continued writing, though I've had to miss a couple days here and there. I managed to finish 2 novellas and one short story since then, so I say not too shabby!


----------



## Philip Overby (Mar 28, 2014)

> So, everyone: how much writing have you done between November and April? I've been bad this year, and only really finished up my NaNo (35k words or so) and done some editing on it. I've gotten caught up in reading this year and playing Mass Effect.



Hmm...I can't say for sure, but I've written dozens of short stories I think and I finished the first draft of a novel (currently sitting at 140,000 words). I've been pretty steady since November, but I always feel like I should have done more. I guess that's my constant feeling though. NaNo will be used to edit the current novel. Should be fun!


----------



## Smith (Mar 28, 2014)

Ophiucha said:


> Thank you! <3 Is your setting based on Italy, at all? I notice a lot of the words and names are Italian. It sounds like a good story, and if it's got a bit of Italy in it, I'd probably love it.
> 
> So, everyone: how much writing have you done between November and April? I've been bad this year, and only really finished up my NaNo (35k words or so) and done some editing on it. I've gotten caught up in reading this year and playing Mass Effect.



My setting is heavily influenced by Italy and the wider Mediterranean. I spent several vacations in Greece as a kid, and once in the north of Italy, so the landscape is fairly ingrained in my mind, but I've long been obsessed with Florence and Tuscany since I developed an interest in Renaissance art as a teenager. The capital city is very much inspired by Venice, though there are two North African medina quarters, and other parts of the Empire are inspired by Chile, Istanbul, parts of Tunisia and Morocco. That's the physical features, at least, the culture is a bit more difficult to describe. I'd love to hear more about your world and story, if you ever need anyone to rant at!

As for your question, most of my time since NaNo has been spent picking at my novel, changing scenes, editing, trying to figure out where to go next, and character building, then turning away in disgust and vowing never to look at it again, only to return a few days later. I don't feel like I've made much progress at all, but I haven't been inspired to write anything else, either. I'm hoping Camp will kickstart some solid work that might lead me toward the finish line of getting down the basic plot.


----------



## Caged Maiden (Mar 28, 2014)

sounds similar to my setting in the novel I'm finishing up.  My main city is almost identical to Venice of 1576 and my society is a little different (having two religions struggle for power and having less overall land area to actual historical Venice.  

Fun.  I'm glad to see other writers enjoy the same things I do.


----------



## Smith (Mar 28, 2014)

I knew we had similar tastes in that part of history from the way you talked about Assassin's Creed II in that one thread! Is there somewhere I can learn more about your novel? Is it what you're working on for April or are you doing something else?


----------



## Lace (Mar 30, 2014)

I'm so excited for April 1st! I've really missed Nano!


----------



## KC Trae Becker (Mar 30, 2014)

I've been meaning to sign up again, but never got around to it. You all  reminded me how exciting NaNo can be. I'm signed in now (as KCBeck). I've set my word count goal low due to my school workload, but every word I can squeeze out is a step in the right direction.

Thanks for your enthusiasm!


----------



## Caged Maiden (Mar 31, 2014)

I am actually completing this novel and it's about ready to send to an agent.  I am working on a fantasy novel called Warrior's Heart for April's nano, but if you are interested in beta reading, PM me and I'll email you the novel.


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Apr 1, 2014)

I am just not having luck with my cabins. Opted out of the first to try and get in with those still needing a cabin here. Still didn't get with anyone I wanted. And my cabinmates have been dropping like flies, and no one's posting. *sigh* 

On a brighter note, first day! I met my quota, so I'm happy for now.


----------



## Snowpoint (Apr 2, 2014)

I only got about 800 words for Day 1. Most of that was planning scenes and listing my characters. On the plus side, My novel idea looks more like a book now. All the plot points are becoming more related to each other.

I'm not in a cabin yet, so You can add me, or however that works. I'll try to write everyday, even if I don't make 1600 everyday.


----------



## Caged Maiden (Apr 2, 2014)

if you want to share a cabin, you need to request each other and then you need to leave all other fields blank.  DO NOT check the boxes for genre or age or word count goals.  That will throw off your cabinmates.

Okay, good start, everyone.  This is a great place to post progress for those of us who either didn't opt for a cabin or aren't having much luck.  We can keep up the motivation here so all us scribes succeed!

Okay, today isn't over for me.  Right now I'm struggling with the first scene of my novel.  It opens with a girl and boy lying in a hay loft.  The girl tells the boy a story about a young woman who was attacked by trolls and rumors of her disfigurement abounded.  Her father's knights (who all wanted to marry her when she was beautiful) no longer wanted her hand in marriage.  But one stepped up and said even if she was scarred, she was still honorable, kind and gentle.  He said he'd be happy to marry her.  SO she unveils herself and isn't disfigured, but has a small scar.  He asks her to marry him and she agrees.  When he later asks why she didn't tell the truth about her injury, she replies, "I wanted the truth."

Okay, I know that was long.  The story isn't many more words than that explanation.  My dilemma is... IS IT INTERESTING AT ALL?  Because I'm leaning toward no, but it's sort of their relationship, stories.  That's a theme that follows these characters throughout the book.  But, after the story is finished, the boy didn't love the story and the two teens talk about how lucky they are to be commoners, not bound by duty to marry for wealth.  Okay, literally, the conversation is two lines.  After that, the boy is going to leave because he has work early in the morning.  Then the night ends with the girl going to sleep and the chapter continues the next morning when she finds her step-mother debilitated by an illness, on the floor.  

Is this just the lamest way to begin a novel?  I'm trying to follow the advice I give to everyone else.  TAKE IT DOWN TO THE SCENE GOALS.  Okay, so my goal is to set up their relationship firstly, and to show their relationship through stories second.  However...does that goal actually make any sort of impact on the reader?  I'm still trying to figure that out.  Okay...nano, I will beat you.


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Apr 2, 2014)

Yeah, only box checked each time was the "Request specific campers by username " box. At this point I just want a cabin with people who aren't dropping like flies or filled with "Hobbies: Hating school"

I like the little story, so I found it interesting; but then again, I like stories within stories, so... But does that story she told have anything to do with later events? Other than introducing the story-telling, I mean.

And... I'm at 1038 words. May add more before going to bed, may not.


----------



## Aspasia (Apr 2, 2014)

I'm having a lot of trouble, the words just aren't flowing nicely  . I haven't written in so long, it seems I have gotten horribly rusty. Trying not to re-read ... the only way to get past this is to keep writing! I did 1k yesterday though, pretty proud of  that since I had a full day of class starting at 7am! I was NOT awake in the evening haha. My goal is 25k, so 1k a day is a nice doable goal. If only I can get past the beginning! Hopefully after this first week it will get easier ...


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Apr 6, 2014)

Was bad and procrastinated on my homework all week, spent the past couple of days playing catch up. Managed to get that done and all caught up on my writing. So I'm back on track now.


----------



## The Blue Lotus (Apr 6, 2014)

Too bad you are not in the cabin I'm in Dreamer.
 It's very active. I got lucky this time around and got in with some awesome peeps. 
There are a few who've done nothing and said nothing, but only a few thankfully. 
Nano 2012 no one said anything in my cabin the whole month. I feel your pain. (HUGS)


----------



## Chessie (Apr 9, 2014)

I have totally sucked at Camp NaNo this year. I have written but I forgot to put the amount of words in. Yikes. But its a new day and I'll be giving it my all. How's it going for everyone else? My story has suddenly morphed into something darker and well, more interesting.


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Apr 9, 2014)

I think my writing wants to go darker, which fits most of the short stories that I've done, but doesn't fit the character that I'm writing in my NaNo story. I have to keep reminding myself of his perspective, lol

That being said, I was doing great with NaNo, then my inspiration took a 180 to a different story. Good news: I met the word quota and finished the short story. Bad news: It's no Camp NaNo, so it doesn't count.


----------



## Snowpoint (Apr 10, 2014)

BS SM-Dreamer! 

ALL Writing I do this month is going toward my count. Cheating and cutting corners is totally in the spirit of NaNoWriMo. At least in my mind.


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Apr 10, 2014)

lol not in mine. I guess I'm just too honest


----------



## Smith (Apr 11, 2014)

I started a new story this month, a portal fantasy about a young mother and her father who get stolen away to the same fantasy world, fifteen years apart, but I started hating it pretty quickly. I liked the idea and the characters, but it just wasn't working. I don't know why. It totally drained my creativity and energy and I dreaded having to work on it. So now I'm back to working on my November novel. It definitely needs those 22Kish words. This one poor character has been dreading my renewed attentions.


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Apr 28, 2014)

Been writing in bursts and sprints between homework and work. I'm at ~18K right now, goal is 30K. Can I write the remaining in time? I'm damn well going to try!


----------



## Smith (Apr 29, 2014)

Good luck, SM-Dreamer! Go get that last 12K!


----------



## Caged Maiden (Apr 29, 2014)

who's gonna get there?  I'm 9k shy but I can do that in two days, right?


----------



## Noma Galway (Apr 29, 2014)

Caged Maiden said:


> who's gonna get there?  I'm 9k shy but I can do that in two days, right?



Absolutely  I'm not doing it but I am supporting you!


----------



## SM-Dreamer (May 1, 2014)

Tsk, I wasn't able to get there. I'm 5k short of my goal - though, to be honest, my original goal was 25k (half of November's NaNo) before I upped it to 30k. 

On the plus side, I hadn't written anything since January do to both jobs and school, so at least I've gotten myself back into practice.


----------



## Philip Overby (May 5, 2014)

I continued editing throughout the month, but I found that my cabin all were posting at different times than me so it was hard to keep up with everyone. So I just stuck to my usual routine of writing 30 minutes to an hour a day and forewent any kind of word counting. Seemed to work out better for me that way anyhow. Hope everyone else had lots of success!


----------



## Chessie (May 6, 2014)

Oh, I sucked at the camp too. Mostly I blame the fact that I have been visiting family for the past 5 weeks, so my timing with my camp mates was inconsistent. I did write everyday and even finished my project, so I guess that's good.  Since I'll be home in June, I'm giving NaNo another try then.


----------

