Help

Getting Started

When can I participate in Camp NaNoWriMo?

Camp NaNoWriMo will take place in April and July of 2013. April and July will have all the bells and whistles ready for participants to play with.

How and when can I sign up? Is there an entry fee?

If you have an account on nanowrimo.org, you can use the same username and password to log on to the Camp NaNoWriMo site.

You are welcome to participate in either April or July, or both!

Like all of OLL’s programs, participation in Camp NaNoWriMo is free. However, we run on donations from participants. If you take part in Camp and enjoy it, we hope you’ll take a moment to donate.

How old do I have to be to participate in Camp NaNo?

Camp NaNoWriMo is available to participants 13 years of age and older.

I have an account on NaNoWriMo and/or Script Frenzy. Do I need to create another for Camp NaNo?

No need. Your NaNoWriMo and Script Frenzy username and password will work on the Camp NaNoWriMo site as well.

Can I use my NaNoWriMo YWP account to login with?

No, for the safety of our Young Writers on the YWP site, the user database is not connected to our other websites. If you are 13 years of age or older, you can create a new account here at Camp using your YWP username though!

Can I change my username?

No, unfortunately you cannot change your username. You’ll have to delete your existing account and start anew with a different username.

How do I delete my account?

You can disable your account, which will remove your personal information and freeze your account, by filling out this form: OLL Disable Account Request.

Your account will then be completely deleted with the next relaunch of the site.

I forgot my username.

No problem! All you need to proceed is the email address that you signed up with. You can log in with that.

I lost my password.

To reset your password, go to the login page and enter your email address in the lost password form. The following will happen:

A “New Password Request” email will automatically be sent to you within minutes.
Open the email and click on the link.
Another “New Password” email will be sent to you that contains both your username and your *new* password. Once you log back in with the new password, you can change your password again to whatever floats your canoe.

If you are not receiving confirmation emails from our system, please check your spam folder. If you have a white-list or another way of telling your email system which addresses are not spammers, please add “noreply@nanowrimo.org” to the list.

Writing Your Novel

Where do I write?

You write on your own computer. Or by hand. Or on a typewriter. Or on your iPhone or iPad. Basically, you write with your own materials, on your own materials. You don’t write on our website! There is a place that lets you upload an excerpt of your novel to share with your writing buddies, but don’t use that as your writing space! Every year, a few Wrimos get confused and start writing there, only to accidentally delete what they’ve written later. That makes us very sad and leads to chocolate binge-eating here in the office. Don’t make us over-eat. Write on your own computer.

Also, be sure to frequently save and back up your work. Once every three or four days, at least, is a good routine. Email yourself a current copy of the novel, or save it to a CD or DVD, or transfer it to another computer.

What genres are okay? Can I write fan fiction? How about a memoir?

Any genre of novel is okay. Yes, really, any genre. Fan fiction is okay. Steamy adult content is okay (as long as you are careful about where you post it!). Memoir is a sticky one; as long as it is fictionalized, it is okay, too. We just want you to be excited about writing. If what you’re writing doesn’t qualify as a lengthy work of fiction, we’ve set up a NaNo Rebels group for you over in the NaNoWriMo.org forums.

Does my novel have to be written in English?

Not at all! You can write novels in any language you like. Our validator doesn’t handle non-Latin character sets, sadly, so there may be an issue with becoming an official winner. But this is just icing on the NaNoWriMo cake, and we encourage you to write in whatever language is most comfortable for you.

How do I update my word count?

You can update your word count by entering your total cumulative word count in the tent on the dashboard screen and hitting “Submit.” You can also use the novel info module to update your word count.

The word count validator (and other novel info like title, genre, synopsis, and cover art) is on your profile page.

To find it, select the My Novel from the Camper Profile menu, then click “Edit Novel Info” at the top of that page.

You have two options here:

Word Count: Simply enter your total cumulative word count (no punctuation please, just numbers) in this box, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click submit.
Word Count Validator: Select the link that reads “I am ready to validate my novel” beneath the Word Count field. Copy the entire contents of your novel, and paste it into this box.

Scroll to the bottom of the page, and click submit. Our word-count robots will count your words, then delete the file, unseen by human eyes. We don’t keep a copy of your novel anywhere on our site.

After the 25th of the month you’re writing in, the word count validator can be used to validate your novel and claim winner status.

All methods of updating your word count will overwrite the previous entry in the database. If you enter the incorrect word count, simply update it again with the correct one.

How often should I update my word count?

This is really up to you. It is extremely satisfying to see your stats updated, so consider a daily update.

What if there’s a discrepancy between what my word count said and what yours comes up with?

Word counters rarely agree with each other, and there is a good chance there will be a discrepancy between our counter and the one on your word processor. Some people gain words and others lose them. We’ll have the official word counter available before the end of the challenge (in Camper Profile -> Novel Info) where you can copy and
paste your current draft for our count.

*Please note that word counts can vary by as much as 1,000 words. Over the years, we’ve noticed that participants who are working in Open Office often find that their word count doesn’t match up with our validator. Please make sure to check your count on our validator prior to the end of the month, so that you can see what your total number is.

How do I complete Camp NaNo? Are there any prizes?

To complete Camp NaNoWriMo, write 50,000 (or more) words of original fiction and validate your word count on the site before 11:59:59 PM on the last day of the month. You’ll be whisked to the winner page, where you’ll find your winner certificate and web icons for posting on Twitter and Facebook. Oh, and everlasting bragging rights.

Can I scramble my novel before submitting it to your untrustworthy word-counting goons?

If you are using Microsoft Word it is very easy to scramble your novel in a way that will not affect its word count. Please save a copy of your unscrambled novel in a safe place before you begin!

Open the file and make a new copy of your novel using ‘Save As…’
Open the Find and Replace dialog box (Edit -> Replace).
Click the “More” button to expand the box.
Check the “Use Wildcards” checkbox.
In the “Find What” field, put this: [a-zA-Z0-9] (include the square brackets, no spaces before or after)
In the “Replace With” field, put this: a
Click “Replace All”
Save the scrambled file as a text file, and upload away!

The procedure for Open Office is essentially the same, except that Open Office refers to ‘Regular Expressions’ instead of ‘Wildcards’. (Thanks to Peter Dudley for this advice!)

You can get the same effect in a more cumbersome way by just doing a find-and-replace on every letter in the alphabet, one letter at a time. Open the find-and-replace interface on your word processing program and tell it to replace every “b” in your story with an “a,” and every “c” with an “a,” then every “d” with an “a.” And so on.

Can I keep writing and adding to my word count even after I’ve had the novel validated and collected my winner goodies?

Absolutely. Validation simply confirms that you have crossed the 50,000-word mark. You can continue to add to your word count in the usual fashion until 11:59:59 PM, local time, on the last day of the month.

What if I start and don’t finish? Or hit 50,000 words but I’m only halfway through my novel?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

And the 50,000-word goal is a threshold, not necessarily a stopping place. Reaching 50k and realizing you still have a lot of wrapping up to do is a good thing—it gives you something to come back and work on later. You will still win if you reach 50K but have not yet completed your novel.

How do I verify if I’m writing by hand?

Invoke the Luddite Clause!

What you do is write your 50,000 words, then have someone you trust verify that it is, indeed, 50,000 words. Then using something like the Lorem Ipsum generator, submit a file of the exact number of words of your handwritten manuscript to our word count validator.

Using the Site

How do I post, edit, or delete a novel excerpt, synopsis, or book cover?

The site will prompt you to fill out your novel information upon logging in to the site for the first time. On your “Edit Novel Info” page, you can enter your novel’s title and genre, a synopsis, excerpt, and a book cover if you have one. If you would like to edit any of this information at any point, simply navigate back to the Edit Novel Info page by selecting My Novel from the Camper Profile dropdown menu, and then selecting Edit Novel Info. Be sure to hit the “Submit” button to save your changes!

How do I upload a picture to my profile?

Select the User Settings option from the Camper Profile dropdown menu. There, you can upload a photo. Be sure to hit “Submit” to save your changes. There is caching for pictures on the site, so allow time for the site to register the change. It will take a few minutes for the new picture to appear.

Why won’t my picture change when I upload a new one to replace the old?

We run off a “cloud front” to help with site load, which results in photo uploads experiencing some caching. In non cloud-computing terms, this means it can take a while for you new photo to display–but it will! Eventually. We, and the clouds, thank you for your patience.

What is a cabin, and do I have to be in one?

A cabin is comprised of up to five other campers for you to communicate and share encouragement with during the month. They will be assigned to your cabin based on the preferences you select in Cabin Settings!

As participants log in and indicate their preferences leading up to the start of the month, cabins will be assigned on a rolling basis. Once your cabin is ready, you’ll see “Cabin Message Board” appear under My Cabin.

Or, if you’d rather enjoy your noveling retreat solo-style, you can choose not to participate in a cabin; just indicate that preference in your Cabin Settings.

If at some point during the month you wish to be removed from your cabin, there is an “opt out” at the bottom of the Message Board. Once you leave your cabin, you cannot return to it.

How do I pick who is in my cabin?

Go to My Cabin, and click on “Cabin Settings.” You have several options for your cabin.

[ ] I don’t want to be included in a cabin

[ ] Surprise me!

[ ] Campers in my age range

[ ] Campers writing in my genre

[ ] Request specific campers

Simply select which option you would like, and save! You can change your mind up until your cabin is assigned. We can’t guarantee that you will get the selections you request, but we will do our best to accommodate you!

If you select age range or genre… make SURE you have these boxes filled in! We can’t match you with the right cabin mates if you haven’t entered that information!

If you want to request specific campers, select that box, and a series of six entry boxes will appear. Enter the username of your friends here. You can indicate the usernames of up to six campers that you’d like to have in your cabin–though you’ll be paired with a maximum of five (including yourself, there are six campers to a cabin). Remember that we cannot guarantee any request. It’s a lot like real camp. It depends on each participant’s personal selections, how much room is in each cabin, how many Rice Krispies treats are in the fridge, and if there will be enough s’mores to go around (among other things!).

What do I do if a cabin mate is posting abusive content or spam in the message board?

You can report spam and abuse at the bottom of the message board by emailing our camp moderators. Please include your site username, a summary of the issue, and, if possible, a screen shot of the message board containing the offensive post by your cabin mate.

Why am I am seeing multiple novels listed under My Novels?

We have indexed any novels you wrote during 2011′s Camp sessions, in addition to listing novels for June and/or August of 2012! You can view your past novel, stats, and winner goodies, and edit your current or future novel as you work on it throughout the month.

What if I entered my July novel info in April, but won’t start working on it until July starts?

You can assign your novel info to the current month my going to My novels–>Select your novel–>Edit Novel Info–>Select July from the drop down menu.

What is “Send a Letter Home”? How do I send one?

You can send a “letter” (email) to friends and family members about your noveling challenge and camper experience by selecting “Send a Letter Home” from the Camper Messages dropdown menu. Simply type in a valid email address, edit the provided template to your liking, and hit the “send” button. Your message will show up in the inbox of your #1 fan or writing buddy!

How can I help support this program?

Can I get sponsors to donate on my behalf?

Yes! From the Donations/Camp Store drop down menu, select Get Sponsored. There, you’ll find more information about sponsorship and how to get started with your fundraising.

I love Camp NaNoWriMo so much I want to start a forum/blog/social network/some other website about it! Is that ok?

We love that you love Camp NaNoWriMo, and we know that a lot of the fun in the event is finding others that feel the same way. That said, we have put a lot of time and effort into establishing the reputation behind the name NaNoWriMo, and we do have legal protection of it. You’re welcome to create your own communities around Camp, but please do not use the full Camp NaNoWriMo name when you do so. Camp NaNo, Wrimo Campers, etc. are all fine; feel free to use your imaginations!

Can I make Camp NaNoWriMo merchandise?

Whether you intend to sell it or give it away, please do not create merchandise bearing the Camp NaNoWriMo name or logo. We have to defend our legal protection of the name and logo or risk losing that protection, and given our tiny staff, dealing with legal issues takes time away from working on the events themselves. We appreciate your enthusiasm for Camp and hope you’ll check out the merchandise we have in our store!

Can I offer my software/services/other goods for sale to my fellow campers?

Sorry, but no. Camp NaNoWriMo is purely for writing your camp novels. No solicitation of any kind may take place on the Camp website, neither through Camper Message nor Message Board. If you should receive such solicitation, please report it to the moderators by sending a summary, your username, and a screenshot to the moderators.

Are you a nonprofit? Is my donation tax-deductible? Do you do corporate matching gifts?

Camp NaNoWriMo is a project of the Office of Letters and Light, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Berkeley, California. All donations made to Camp NaNoWriMo are tax-deductible. (This includes in-kind donations such as canoes, hot dogs, and flag poles.)

If you work for a sizable company, chances are good that your employer will match your donation to National Novel Writing Month. Companies that have generously matched donations to NaNoWriMo in the past include Microsoft, Adobe, Google, IBM, Wells Fargo, Washington Mutual, Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Sallie Mae, and EnCana. Ask your HR manager for more information.

Our complete information for corporate matching gifts is:

The Office of Letters and Light
3354 Adeline Street
Berkeley, CA 94703
(510) 628-0327
Tax ID: 65-1282653

Can I donate by check?

Yes. We’re absolutely thrilled to get donations by check! Please make your check payable to “The Office of Letters and Light”

Our mailing address is:
Office of Letters and Light
3354 Adeline Street
Berkeley, CA 94703
USA

Things to include with your check:

Your site username
How you’d like to be credited on our Brought To You By page (real name, pen name, organization name, anonymous, etc.)
(For $250 and higher donations) What – if any – website you’d like to have your name on the Brought to You By page linked to.

It will likely take us approximately two weeks from the time we get your check to get your esteemed name up on our site.

Can I donate to NaNoWriMo in a foreign currency?

Unfortunately, we can no longer accept checks in foreign currency because our bank now charges us $40 for every foreign currency check deposited. You can, however, send us a foreign check or money order in US Dollars (USD).