# Camp NaNoWriMo- April and July



## JediKnightMuse (Feb 26, 2013)

Camp NaNoWriMo is basically the summer version of the usual NaNoWriMo that takes place in November. This year, it's taking place in April and July. I'm already trying to think of what I'm going to do (mainly as far as a plot goes and figuring out the details) for April. I'm determined to do it this year, even though I might do it unofficially if they don't improve things on the site (which, it doesn't sound like they will) with the way you interact with other participants.

So I want to know:

-Who else is participating, either officially or unofficially (i.e. if you're going to be a rebel and continue a story)
-What you're thinking of writing
-If you're going to do one or both months
-If you've started figuring out what you're going to do.

Right now I'm definitely going to do April. Whether or not I participate officially or unofficially has yet to be determined. I MIGHT be a rebel and use my NaNo 2011 for it, depending on whether or not I can figure out how to fix the plot up by a lot and how to end it.

If I DON'T do that...I don't know what I'm going to write yet. >.> It mostly depends on what I figure out between now and April. 

Both months depends on how April goes. 

I'm starting to figure things out but I don't have a plot or much of anything yet.


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## SpoonyBardon (Feb 27, 2013)

My goal is to have my book finished & ready for serious editing by mid-June, so I will definitely be taking part in the April event. If all goes well, I will be drinking & celebrating with friends on the completion of my novel well in to July. :3


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## Dan Latham (Mar 4, 2013)

I've done CampNaNoWriMo twice now.  Both times cabin-mates were reticent to share or encourage each other.  I will still do it in April.  Other Mythic Scribes are welcome to share my cabin(that sounded kind of creepy, didn't it?).

I will be revising my work in progress.  Like SpoonyBardon, I need to get it done by July.  As Spoony is also in Oregon, I guess we are going to the same writers conference in August.


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## JediKnightMuse (Mar 7, 2013)

So a new feature this year that I'm really liking is that they're letting us having flexible word count goals. So we can shoot for, say, 25k (and 10k at the lowest) but if during the month of April (or July) we reach 25k and want to keep going, we can bump it back up. I really, reaaally love that, because I know the chances of me getting to 50k aren't super high but something like 25k if I find the write plot is more doable....hopefully.


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## SpoonyBardon (Mar 12, 2013)

Dan Latham said:


> I've done CampNaNoWriMo twice now.  Both times cabin-mates were reticent to share or encourage each other.  I will still do it in April.  Other Mythic Scribes are welcome to share my cabin(that sounded kind of creepy, didn't it?).
> 
> I will be revising my work in progress.  Like SpoonyBardon, I need to get it done by July.  As Spoony is also in Oregon, I guess we are going to the same writers conference in August.



Oh! WVWC! Thank you for reminding me, I'd nearly forgotten about it. I'm going to be out of town for 6 weeks this summer and getting back either the day the conference starts or the 2nd day of, so I might not make it. I'm going to try, though. 

Also what does it mean to share a cabin in NaNo? I've never formally done the event with a group before.


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## JediKnightMuse (Mar 13, 2013)

> Also what does it mean to share a cabin in NaNo? I've never formally done the event with a group before.



Well, the "cabins" are basically mini message boards where you only get to interact with the people who you either choose (assuming the generator or whatever that they use actually puts you in with all of the people you list that you want to be with) or who have things in common with you (or a mix of both but there are only like seven spots total for specific people for you to list and only a certain amount they allow per cabin). Unfortunately the only people you get to interact with in your cabin are your cabin mates that you choose/get put in there with you. Any other interaction is done on the NaNo forums. 

The other unfortunate thing is that once they select people to put in your cabin with you, that's it. You don't get to choose anyone else. So if half the people barely even post anything (which I think happened to me the first year they opened Camp, like two years ago?) then you get screwed out of having anyone to actively interact with. The other thing I remember is that it's easy to miss that people post messages because of the way they have it set up. 

The idea of the cabins is nice in theory but it kind of sucks in practice, and unfortunately it doesn't sound like they'll change it. They don't have the funds to do a whole separate message board from the NaNo boards and don't think they should have a separate one when they can just make a section for it on the NaNo boards for people to use.


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## Aspasia (Mar 16, 2013)

I'm hoping to participate again. I would love to hit 50K, but unfortunately real life is real and I'll be happy if I get to 25K this time. I am thinking of working on various short stories I have lying around unfinished if I can't think of a really good idea. I have a few outlines with just some worldbuilding and no real plot, may work on one of those instead. NaNo is awesome, I'm so glad they have Camp now, as Nov is often really busy for me.

I've never been in a cabin before, may look into that this time. I like the idea of a small group of other writers to help and encourage each other along the month (at least in theory). The forums are huge. 

I need to get planning for April!


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## tlbodine (Mar 18, 2013)

This'll be my first year doing CampNano, although I've done the November version a couple of times.  I'm kind of stupidly excited about the whole thing.  If it goes well in April, I might do it again in June just to be a wild child.


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## JediKnightMuse (Mar 18, 2013)

I'm really annoyed because today is the day they did cabin selections and I didn't have any info about my story up because I don't know what I'm writing. I only had one person I wanted to be in a cabin with, which I did end up with them, but I think everyone else in my cabin isn't in my genre, and I think that's because I didn't have any novel info up, outside of the genre it's in. There's an "opt out" option but I'm afraid if I were to select that I wouldn't have a way to get back into a cabin at all. 

So basically the lesson I learned is to make sure I have my cabin settings the way I want them before they start sorting people into cabins...though I can't remember if you get to change who you're with once April ends because of the Camp in July or not. :|


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## Aspasia (Mar 19, 2013)

Oh no, they already sorted people into cabins? I missed it! I haven't got anything up on the site...I still need to think of an idea!

I guess I'll do it solo this year! The forums are plenty busy, though, so there will still be lots of people to complain with  .


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## JediKnightMuse (Mar 19, 2013)

Yeah, I think they do it every 24 hours or something. If you go to your cabin, you can check and see who else got sorted into it. Maybe you'll end up with other people you want to be with, like at least people in the same genre as you. I don't remember the settings I had but I I'm 99% certain that I had it set the way I wanted. And so far I'm the only one who's said anything in my cabin.


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## MG Silverstein (Mar 21, 2013)

Hello!

I'm officially joining Campnano for April. November was my first ever Nanowrimo, and I loved it. 

I chose the ambitious word count of 60k. My current WIP is an urban fantasy new adult novel.


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## JediKnightMuse (Mar 21, 2013)

Awesome! Welcome to Camp NaNo then. ^_^


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## MG Silverstein (Mar 21, 2013)

Thank you! I'm super excited about it. Did I already say that? Haha.


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## Aspasia (Mar 22, 2013)

Good luck! I love Nano, I've participated maybe 4 times, but only once actually "won"  . Hoping this time I can stick with it all the way through! If I keep writing all of April every day, I'll be happy. I've been really trying to get back into writing every day, even a small amount.

I've got two possible ideas running around ... neither have complete plots, though, unfortunately! At least there's still a week. One's a more traditional epic fantasy -- which is kind of the "safe" pick because I _always_ write epic fantasy, and the other ... well, I haven't got a clear idea yet, but it will have airships. Possibly sky pirates, which is probably overdone by now but it's NaNo -- I don't care  . It will be fun, and more of a challenge. I'm way to used to the usual epic fantasy plot and world, I want to try something a little different!


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## JediKnightMuse (Mar 22, 2013)

Holy crap, I JUST realized that there's a week left because you said as much. Aaaaaah! Ooh, but the good thing is that the 31st is a Sunday and I always have Mondays off (and I shouldn't have to work on that Sunday anyway) so I'll be able to stay up late the 31st to start writing.


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## MG Silverstein (Mar 24, 2013)

I'm afraid 60k might be too much. But I'm currently a housewife, so I really don't have any excuses for not writing a ton.


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## JediKnightMuse (Apr 2, 2013)

How's everyone's NaNo coming? I basically as of 1 AM last night/this morning decided to rebel and just write scenes that might not have anything to do with each other so that I can try and just get myself back into writing more (or rather, writing that doesn't involve RP posts). I posted the very first scene I wrote last night in the showcase section just now. I think I'm going to work on expanding more/developing the characters of that scene. 

Initially my goal was 25k but I dropped it down to 15k...which I'm not anywhere close to reaching at the moment, but meh. It's only almost day three.


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## KorbentMarksman (Apr 7, 2013)

So wait, when is this running? Can I start in June, or do I have to start now?


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## JediKnightMuse (Apr 7, 2013)

KorbentMarksman said:


> So wait, when is this running? Can I start in June, or do I have to start now?



The official months, I believe, are April and July, so it's already started (though if you feel like you can catch up, you can easily still participate, especially if you have a lower word goal). You can do it in June but it won't be "official." Heck, you can do it any time in the year, it just won't be an official NaNo event. So yeah, you can easily start in June and do your own thing.


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## Guru Coyote (Jun 18, 2013)

So, I've decided to take a series of my earlier short stories and turn them into at least novelette length (40k, in 4 parts of 10k each). And I will start doing so for the July Camp NaNoWriMo. My realistic wordcount for the month of July is 25k, so I might get well into Act II. Given the feedback I got regarding what already exists (but must be re-written), I could actually be looking at something of novel length or more, but we will see if I get there.

How's that sound?


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## skip.knox (Jun 19, 2013)

It sounds great. The question is, how will it sound in August? !!

FWIW, I'm in camp as well. This will be my first time around.


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## Guru Coyote (Jun 19, 2013)

skip.knox said:


> It sounds great. The question is, how will it sound in August? !!


In August? By that time I will finally be a *certified* software engineer - as opposed to just working as one for ages... final exam on July 11th... AND I might have half a novel done. HEH 


skip.knox said:


> FWIW, I'm in camp as well. This will be my first time around.


Yay!
What's your project and what wordcount are you aiming for?


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## Chilari (Jun 20, 2013)

I've decided fairly spur of the moment to attempt Camp NaNoWriMo next month. I've gone for a 40,000 word target. So I've got ten days left to finish planning, then about 1,200 words a day, which I think will be challenging but achievable (50k words always seemed just a little too much for a month, although I did manage it twice out of my four NaNo attempts - when I had a lot more free time than I do now).

The story I'm working on is set in an early archaic Greek city-state type world, but one that has just discovered/developed gunpowder and uses it for grenades (ceramic containers, caltrops inside). My protagonist, Mellaia, lives in a city under seige, and notices that everyone seems to be having the same bad dreams - there's a dream mage with the attacking army trying to make people tired so that they can't defend as well.

Still working out the details on it. Characters, some world elements, the magic system and almost all of the plot. That's for the next ten days.

What I'm hoping to get from Camp NaNoWriMo is the kick up the rear end I've been needing to get something done - or at least past the 5,000 word mark I keep getting stuck at. NaNo is good for promoting quantity over quality, and I've had a problem with prioritising quality over quantity for a while and never getting anywhere because I expect perfection, don't produce it, and give up in despair.

If anyone wants to name me in Camp hut preferences or whatever it is, then my name over there is Anezka, because that's what I went by 7 years ago when I first signed up to NaNo and you can't change it.


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## katie (Jun 24, 2013)

Ooh, that's eerie, Chilari. I signed up for Camp Nano on the spur of the moment last week, and one of the two projects I'll be flipping a coin between (if one of them doesn't start calling to me harder than the other before July 1st) is Greek city-state inspired. Good luck with yours! It sounds interesting. (I'd say fun, because it does sound fun for you, just, uh, not for your characters. ;-)

I'm hoping to get a bare-bones first draft done. I'd also like to settle on a project -- this July Camp Nano comes at the perfect time since I'm equally excited about two different projects that are about at the same stage of world-plot building, so camp will force me to pick one and work through it. I'm kbrown over on the NaNo site.


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## Curatia (Jun 27, 2013)

I am trying NaNo for the first time this July.  I'm being a bit of a rebel and using it to work on vignettes set in the world A. E. Lowan and I have been building.  Any advice for a first timer?

BTW, I am Curatia in NaNo as well.


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## Mara Edgerton (Jun 30, 2013)

I'm doing the July Camp NaNo! I've got my cabin--seems like a fun group--and I've got some of my outline done for a story that combines fantasy and mystery. So . . . we shall see. I'm also Mara Edgerton over on NaNo.


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## skip.knox (Jul 13, 2013)

Erg. I see I posted back in June then never returned.

This camp is my first and the situation is highly unusual. I just retired at the end of June, so I've got this major life change going. Then my kids and a grandchild came for the Fourth, so that blew a big hole in the momentum. Plus, while I'm deep in a novel, I chose to follow the rules and started a new one for the camp. It's been stirring on a back burner for a while, but the writing itself is from Word Zero. And now the wife's out of town visiting relatives for ten days, so yet another variation. 

I've spent over a decade writing in the background, squeezing out words on breaks and lunch hours and much too late at night. Now I have an open highway. It's pretty strange and a little scary. Can I really maintain a steady pace of writing, having lost all my excuses for not doing so? We'll see. So far, a bit below target but well within reach. At least I have the damned thing plotted. Mostly. Sort of. Got it all right here. <taps forehead>

One thing worth saying, though. While word counts and badges are cute and all, you know what has provided real motivation? This forum. I made it a rule: write the target number of words, and I can come over to Mythic Scribes and dally there all I want. I really do enjoy this forum.


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## Guru Coyote (Jul 13, 2013)

Oh yes, skip.knox, life changing events getting 'in the way' - I know all about it  I just passed my final exam on July 11th after three years of trainning and hard work. So I think I am excused of not having even come close to my word count the last week 

Now, I have the rest of July mostly to myself and writing. At least that is the best laid plan.



skip.knox said:


> Erg. I see I posted back in June then never returned.
> 
> This camp is my first and the situation is highly unusual. I just retired at the end of June, so I've got this major life change going. Then my kids and a grandchild came for the Fourth, so that blew a big hole in the momentum. Plus, while I'm deep in a novel, I chose to follow the rules and started a new one for the camp. It's been stirring on a back burner for a while, but the writing itself is from Word Zero. And now the wife's out of town visiting relatives for ten days, so yet another variation.
> 
> ...


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## Guru Coyote (Aug 6, 2013)

So? How was everyone's July writing?

Me, I stopped writing daily almost at the same point my exams were over and I would have had real time to dedicate to it... I started down a very serious streak of world-building instead. My excuse? That kind of research and building would never have happened 'on the side,' it needed the totally free time I had in July. Total woridcount of story written: 2500. Total coulnt of possible stories, novels, series I can now set in this world: un countable.


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## skip.knox (Aug 7, 2013)

This was my first WriMo and I'm happy to say that I hit my 40,000 word target. I did this despite never having written so much at once, despite a family trip over the 4th and a trip to see my mother at the end of the month. 

Yes, that's me, acting smug.

Honestly, though, it was a valuable experience for me. I now have most of a novel in hand and can see my way to finishing it. I really thing we need a NoNoEdMo because the revision is going to take *at least* as much time as the original draft!


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## Guru Coyote (Aug 7, 2013)

I totally agree on the NaNoEdMo! When I started into writing for my WriMo in July, I quickly realized that adding more words to something I already had was not going to get me anywhere. 
After about 3k I had to go back and fix so many major details of the story which had just crystalized in my head during writing that I almost re-wrote the thing then and there. I know, that's not what you do during NaNoWriMo, but I couldn't have gone on knowing that I'd have to go back and do all those edits much later.
What the story/book really needed was some serious planning. So that's what I did.


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