TwigWriSum

Mkay, so, Ari had suggested doing our own Nanowrimo some time during the summer, where everyone could choose their own goal . . . and I think we all pretty much approved that idea. While not all the mods have voted, the five (including me) that have are in approval, and majority, so . . . xDD

But the thing is, there was a bit of a conflict over the month, because there's obviously no way that any one month is going to work out for everyone. So, Keri came up with a new idea. Now, this version of it hasn't been approved yet - I'm only posting it in public beforehand to save some time, seeing as summer is approaching - but I think this idea may work better than just having one month, personally. It may still be vetoed, but until then . . . lol, well, I want all your opinions now.

What if we did a super NaNoWriMo, where you got the entire summer to write as many words as possible, that would fit around work, vacations, etc, and there could be prizes (TwigAdopts?) for like, most words total, most words on a single story, most stories completed?

So yup. Jade is okay with giving out TAs as prizes herself, at least, and I think this idea will work because it'll be easier on everyone's schedules. Originally I was gonna propose July, since that's the month we're converting Twig to MyBB, so it'd give people something to do if we end up turning off posting during the conversion . . . and it's not like June or August, where people possibly have school . . . but there's always peoples' vacations and stuff . . .

But anyway, yeah, what do you think of Keri's suggestion for doing it over the whole summer? Do you like it, or would you still prefer just one month? Vote on the poll, please. ^^ And I'd like to get this resolved as soon as possible, so yeah - as soon as we get a significant amount of votes, or at least all the mods' votes, I'll be closing this and announcing the final decision.

And why am I in such a rush, you may ask? Well, I'm assuming you guys will want some time to plan your stories in the event this happens, and that doesn't leave us with a whole lot of time for it. xD So yup.

But one thing I do know for sure (unless someone wants to contradict me): It won't really matter what you write or how much. This is just a fun motivation to get the writing done. :3

Ideas under discussion in the thread:

• Common 100k-word goal vs. custom goals (20k, 50k, 100k, and custom ones above 200k)
  
• TwigWriSum as the name of the event
  
• Starting right on June vs. around the official beginning of summer
  
• Icons as prizes along with the TAs
  
• A site-wide goal

Ooh... This'll be a good opportunity for me to get working on Code.

I think doing it the whole summer is a great idea! :3 That way it should work out for everyone.

But rather than people trying to beat each other, I think we should all have a goal so that everyone can win. Instead of 50 000 words, maybe 100 000? Although 150k would make sense (50k per month), it wouldn't be fair to make it that high because of summer vacations. Also, the momentum would drag out after a period of time and people might not be able to write so much anymore. That's why I think 100 would be good. People can always aim higher if they want! ^^

Of course, giving out prizes to the ones with most words is a good idea and we should still do it; I just think having a common goal would give people more of an idea of what to shoot for.

Go Keri! *fist pump* xD

I think we should do it, and for all of summer. I got to this weirdo gymnastics camp for a week or so, and then I'll still have time! X3

I agree. I like the idea of having it over the whole summer. You'll have to pick a start and end date, though...

Awesome! ^^ I'm glad you guys like it, then! Komoda, that's probably a good idea, actually. XDD I edited it into the first post for consideration.

I think the start and end date would be, like, the official start and end of summer. Like, the start is June 22nd or something like that, according to my calender. (I would propose the start of June, but that's so soon that I really don't think it's a good idea, cus seriously! How would people plan?! xD)

I like this idea. And I got a fist pump! Woot!

Um, times? The 22nd is a Tuesday, it might work better to start it on a Friday, so people have a weekend to get started...

Oh, true . . . the dates could be June 18th to . . . umm . . . September 26th, maybe? Because autumn actually starts three or four days before then, but that way we'll have all weekend to give us a final sprint.
(But summer actually starts on the 21st, for the record. xDD I was close enough.)

Ohh, and icons. xD I think I mentioned something about making icons for anyone who gets their goal, like with the normal NaNoWriMo. Anyone else think that's a good idea?

I do!
Dx!
A bug just flew in my eye!
Not to get off topic...

Dude, that should be the winning icon!

"A BUG! IN MY EYE!
bythewayiwrote100k"

I don't think it should go to the end of September... most people go back to school at the end of August, so maybe that's when it should end? Because I know a lot of people are graduating middle school this year so we'll probably be busy with high school...

Haha, that would be epic, Shad. xD I don't think most people would get the joke, though. Maybe something a little more relevant?

Well, the whole reason I say September is so we have three full months to write it. We could start at the beginning of June and go to the end of August, then, but still . . . the planning . . . xD

Well, okay, how about that one and then a normal one? xDD Cus we can have multiple icons!

I definitely vote for the all summer option - I think this would be a really neat thing to do.

Also, I love Mo's suggestion. 100k would be good.

Yay! ^^ Thanks for the input, guys. Cyn, I definitely agree with your perspective on that.

What I figure on the nanowrimo thing . . . people gotta be pretty insanely strong writers to be willing to write all summer, right? So if they can do that, then they're probably writerly enough to come up with enough to do in November.

I think that it should be for all summer, because people often have very busy schedules and it wouldn't be fair to leave them out. Also, I really love Keri's idea and I hope that it gets implemented. As for dates, I think it should start on the first of June and end on the 31st (or if that doesn't exist, the 30th) of August. Some people (*points at Noah*) have already ended school for the year and that probably means they'll be going back earlier. Even though that does only give the whole thing 3 days to be planned...

However, I don't like Komo's idea of having a common goal of 100,000 words. A lot of people wouldn't have the time, and I'm sure that a lot of us here who are just beginning to write (well, me /not/ included) would think of it as too much of a goal. I think there should be either goals to choose from (20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 150,000, 200,000) or everyone should be able to choose their own and therefore be able to go at their own pace.

And ooh, icons! That'd be great! (: I could also make a little widget (sorta like WriteOrDie widgets) where you put in your final goal, and then you can update your wordcount (it'd be on TwigAdopts). I could make a prototype, if you like.

Arianna wrote:I think that it should be for all summer, because people often have very busy schedules and it wouldn't be fair to leave them out. Also, I really love Keri's idea and I hope that it gets implemented. As for dates, I think it should start on the first of June and end on the 31st (or if that doesn't exist, the 30th) of August. Some people (*points at Noah*) have already ended school for the year and that probably means they'll be going back earlier. Even though that does only give the whole thing 3 days to be planned...

However, I don't like Komo's idea of having a common goal of 100,000 words. A lot of people wouldn't have the time, and I'm sure that a lot of us here who are just beginning to write (well, me /not/ included) would think of it as too much of a goal. I think there should be either goals to choose from (20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 150,000, 200,000) or everyone should be able to choose their own and therefore be able to go at their own pace.

And ooh, icons! That'd be great! (: I could also make a little widget (sorta like WriteOrDie widgets) where you put in your final goal, and then you can update your wordcount (it'd be on TwigAdopts). I could make a prototype, if you like.

But if we all choose our own goal, where's the challenge...? It's not like we're forcing anyone into anything; if they can't do the 100k, they can do it at their own pace but not reach the desired amount. I just think it would be best to have a site wide goal, because otherwise there's not really much competition. People can choose their own goals in everyday writing, but this is something that only happens annually. ._. In order to get people motivated, the goal has to be a bit of a challenge. People can't just go into Nano and do it at their own pace; they have to reach 50k.
But still, you do have a wonderful point, Ari.

The challenge is something self-rewarding. I would much rather have it the way YWP works - you set yourself a goal, which you choose, and then you have to achieve it.
It's not an achievement if you decide to set your goal at 10k and get that far on the first day. But, if you set yourself a 20k achievement, even though you're doing tons of stuff, and get to 25k - well, I think that you've done well.
Also, some of us would go way over it. :/ Maybe there could be categories? Like, beginner (20k), intermediate (50k), advanced (100k), and super-advanced (own goal over 200k). Everyone could choose and that way it'd be fair for our younger users, too. For some people who haven't written more than 10k on a story before, it'd be a challenge. And for those of us who've written more than 200k/300k in a month, could set ourselves higher goals. :3

But I do know that because you're against it, and you have a habit of biasing Shad, we'll probably take your idea. I'm okay with that.

It doesn't all have to be one story, right?

rattyjol wrote:It doesn't all have to be one story, right?

As a 'most stories written' badge was suggested, I'm pretty sure not.

Okie dokies. And for the most stories written thing, is there a certain length that each story would have to be? Like, someone couldn't just write a bunch of one-chapter stories and have them all counted, right?

Arianna wrote:The challenge is something self-rewarding. I would much rather have it the way YWP works - you set yourself a goal, which you choose, and then you have to achieve it.
It's not an achievement if you decide to set your goal at 10k and get that far on the first day. But, if you set yourself a 20k achievement, even though you're doing tons of stuff, and get to 25k - well, I think that you've done well.
Also, some of us would go way over it. :/ Maybe there could be categories? Like, beginner (20k), intermediate (50k), advanced (100k), and super-advanced (own goal over 200k). Everyone could choose and that way it'd be fair for our younger users, too. For some people who haven't written more than 10k on a story before, it'd be a challenge. And for those of us who've written more than 200k/300k in a month, could set ourselves higher goals. :3

But I do know that because you're against it, and you have a habit of biasing Shad, we'll probably take your idea. I'm okay with that.

Ah, I see what you mean now! I actually think that'll be a great idea to have different categories. We should go with that instead.

Please don't bring my friendship with Shadow into this... That was pretty uncalled for. Just because I'm her friend does not mean that there's any bias going on. If anything, it's your opinion that has more influence over mine because you're more responsible and helpful, whereas I tend to just hang out in the Cup o' Joe section. :/

Yay, categories! I do rather like that idea because we have people of all ages on here and it'll be a good balance.

Aww, sorry. I didn't mean to be rude, I just wanted to say that she respects you a lot as an individual and often considers your ideas because you're awesome like that. xD

Yeah, that's very true.

It's perfectly fine. XD Yeah, I didn't really think you meant it in a rude way; I just got a little defensive, because I don't want people to you know, think I'm Shadow's secret spy or anything. >.> You know how it is.

It's fine - I get defensive like that, too. :3

I wanna start making the prototype for the wordcount thing. I wonder what it should look like, though. ^^ Which color? And should it have designs on it or anything? xD Maybe Kiri or someone would like to help draw it. :3

Oh, and I think it shouldn't be called TwigNoWrimo. That'd imply, well, 'Twig Novel Writing MONTH', and as it looks it isn't really gonna be a month. xD Perhaps TwigNoWriSum(mer) or TwigWriSum (Twig Writing Summer, 'cause some people might not write full novels)?

Idea: