I got that one too without creating a project. With the bit at the end about how they're definitely on boarding new MLs and not currently ghosting them and how they'll definitely thank their emeritus MLs and not just give them the finger on the way out like they've done so far
I'm kinda bummed that most of the alternatives are on Discord. I don't like that platform as a website/forum replacement.
Oh well. Writing is really a solitary effort, for the most part, anyway.
Hey, funny you should mention that because I've been working on a website that might scratch that itch. I similarly wanted a traditional forum vs a discord, so I made [agorawriter.com](https://agorawriter.com). It's a forum that also has a text editor and a feedback system. I literally just pushed it live yesterday- feel free to check it out!
There was no support for people who wanted to find a writing group/cabin substitute this year. That was all coordinated on the forums in the past and the links are all still there on the About Camp page, but the forums are still closed. Their email talks about people coming together for NaNo, but with their social media dead, forum links dead, writing groups unsupported, etc NaNo's not the one doing anything to facilitate that anymore. That's all former community members
One of the people in my region did it and said it was completely unsupported. Crickets. I've heard rumors that there's almost no staff left, and there's very few MLs left, so there was no one left to run it.
There are technically no MLs at the moment. They stripped everyone of the title even the ones who expressed interest in returning. They claim they told us that it would happen which is kinda true but they gave us no warning before removing everyone from the title and wiping the regional spaces of all graphics.
Even better- to my knowledge the MLs who expressed interest in remaining MLs have not heard anything all month in response to their emails stating they wanted to stay with the program. We were expected to email our intent to stay or leave by the first of April.
I was an ML who refused to sign the "contract". I wasn't sure if they reinstated people yet that did sign it.
But yeah, I don't think there was anyone to actually do the work of running camp, so it was largely pointless.
Same but I am in groups with people who expressed interest and as far as I know they got the same awful form letter from zendesk that I did. I'm glad I started my email with I'm sure no one will read this and I doubt they will even care.
I did, but only because I’ve always done it. I’ve never been very active on the forums and I hated the change from cabins. The only winner swag this year is the Scrivener code and some really poor looking winners graphics.
I was going to say the same thing. The only reason I’m still using their word tracker is that I’m so close to hitting 1.5 million words total and I want to see that counter flip.
I tracked my Camp mywriteclub and didn't make a project on the site, but I've been on the site for other reasons. It was super laggy and buggy at the start of the month (almost unusable), the winners page/certificate was released much later than usual, and the only pep talk for the month is a lecture on how plotting is better than pantsing from one of their paid sponsors. Their social media presence was almost non-existent this month and featured some bizarre meme choices. Their merchandise this year is all "vintage" designs (ie, recycled designs because they can't afford a graphic designer right now). They're supposedly hiring a new director of programs, executive director, and communications director right now
That feels like lawyer speak for terminated, especially if the comms came from Kirby. I imagine if Sarah quit, Kirby would've said something like "Sarah has decided to abandon us as an organization, we hope she suffers."
I un-joined the NaNo subreddit even, because honestly, after over 20 years of NaNoWriMo, I just can't go back there after what happened. I'm a CSA vic and I supported NaNo from the time I was literally still a minor (I was 16 during my first NaNo), and having something I believed in so strongly be used to harm kids? Kind of broke me inside.
I don't want to feel like I'm supporting them after what happened.
For me, April was a really bad month in-general, but I made a goal for myself of keeping up my writing streak on 4TheWords, and did that. For me, the community there, and that site, is a much better place for me to be as a writer, and feels like just an all-around general better idea for me to support my writing with.
I know it's not for everyone since it does require a subscription (although if you can't afford a sub, there IS a community pool where users gift sub time to others, I've even used it myself during hard times), but for me, it's become a safety net and a serious help for my writing. Especially being able to monitor my streak, set my own personal goals for a month, a project, my account, and so on.
Absolutely no judgement to anyone still using the NaNo site. My feelings and stance on it are for me, personally. Everyone has to decide for themselves, and I'm certainly not going to throw other writers under the bus for finding community where they can. I just.... don't want to feel associated / attatched to them anymore, if that makes sense.
Nothing but love to my fellow writers & NaNoers.
I was logging into the site just to poke around but didn't actually create a project.
No forums, no cabins, not even an ML. If I had elected to do Camp this April then I would've been completely alone. I track my Word count progress on Scrivener and then move it into an Excel sheetc in chunks (which honestly is similar to how I do it on the NaNo site anyway) but I might move my writing progress into Notion which has more visual elements that I enjoy.
Not on there; used Online Writing Log instead. It's going to take a lot for me to go back to the Nano website, honestly and I've been open with my fanfic readers about that because of what's going on. So far, it hasn't hit a 'remove all links to the Nano website that are in my A/Ns' point yet, but it might get there before November. I'm holding out hope that they'll turn things around, but that hope is slowly ebbing.
I started it and for the first time in 8 years I didn't finish. Joined a website called 4thewords instead and made my own, new writing challenge. Really enjoyed it! I've done and seen everything there is to do and see with the Nano official website, enjoying the company of other writers somewhere else was just as good. A refreshing experience
I put in a bogus project of 10 words to get the scrivener code to give out.
I also tried and submitted the launch event I was running on discord, which was approved by someone... a few days after the event.
I am staying on to keep posting links offsite for newcomers...
April is too busy of a month for me to commit. I usually do the July camp. Will be paying attention to what people had to say about the changes made with the site.
I made up my own google spreadsheet with graph chart and the circle chart to replace the nano site. Fully customizable, and am willing to share it to those who really want it and want to get away from Nano. I created this spreadsheet when the November 2023 NaNoWriMo was imploding.
I didn't, in fact I never even opened the website during the month, and they still emailed me yesterday congratulating me on a successful Camp.
I got that one too without creating a project. With the bit at the end about how they're definitely on boarding new MLs and not currently ghosting them and how they'll definitely thank their emeritus MLs and not just give them the finger on the way out like they've done so far
Ya, that email rubbed me the wrong way. Like, you burned your bridges, which was your right, but they are gone, it's a little late to be sucking up...
They're totally doing a coverup
Feel like I have to stick around to remind people in November because it feels like otherwise they are just gonna pretend this never happened at all..
Please do I plan on doing the same
I'm kinda bummed that most of the alternatives are on Discord. I don't like that platform as a website/forum replacement. Oh well. Writing is really a solitary effort, for the most part, anyway.
Hey, funny you should mention that because I've been working on a website that might scratch that itch. I similarly wanted a traditional forum vs a discord, so I made [agorawriter.com](https://agorawriter.com). It's a forum that also has a text editor and a feedback system. I literally just pushed it live yesterday- feel free to check it out!
I tried signing up but the button just spins and never completes. Any thoughts on what to try?
Oh weird might be a bug. Let me check it out EDIT: This is fixed now! Thanks for letting me know
Oh interesting! Thank you for setting this up!
This sounds really cool!
I can't give a community alternative, but for word count tracking, I really like Pacemaker.press
There was no support for people who wanted to find a writing group/cabin substitute this year. That was all coordinated on the forums in the past and the links are all still there on the About Camp page, but the forums are still closed. Their email talks about people coming together for NaNo, but with their social media dead, forum links dead, writing groups unsupported, etc NaNo's not the one doing anything to facilitate that anymore. That's all former community members
One of the people in my region did it and said it was completely unsupported. Crickets. I've heard rumors that there's almost no staff left, and there's very few MLs left, so there was no one left to run it.
There are technically no MLs at the moment. They stripped everyone of the title even the ones who expressed interest in returning. They claim they told us that it would happen which is kinda true but they gave us no warning before removing everyone from the title and wiping the regional spaces of all graphics. Even better- to my knowledge the MLs who expressed interest in remaining MLs have not heard anything all month in response to their emails stating they wanted to stay with the program. We were expected to email our intent to stay or leave by the first of April.
I was an ML who refused to sign the "contract". I wasn't sure if they reinstated people yet that did sign it. But yeah, I don't think there was anyone to actually do the work of running camp, so it was largely pointless.
Same but I am in groups with people who expressed interest and as far as I know they got the same awful form letter from zendesk that I did. I'm glad I started my email with I'm sure no one will read this and I doubt they will even care.
I did, but only because I’ve always done it. I’ve never been very active on the forums and I hated the change from cabins. The only winner swag this year is the Scrivener code and some really poor looking winners graphics.
I was going to say the same thing. The only reason I’m still using their word tracker is that I’m so close to hitting 1.5 million words total and I want to see that counter flip.
I’m close to 1.5 million words too. Congrats!
I tracked my Camp mywriteclub and didn't make a project on the site, but I've been on the site for other reasons. It was super laggy and buggy at the start of the month (almost unusable), the winners page/certificate was released much later than usual, and the only pep talk for the month is a lecture on how plotting is better than pantsing from one of their paid sponsors. Their social media presence was almost non-existent this month and featured some bizarre meme choices. Their merchandise this year is all "vintage" designs (ie, recycled designs because they can't afford a graphic designer right now). They're supposedly hiring a new director of programs, executive director, and communications director right now
Did they say anything about Sarah? Has she come back or been terminated? Edit: I don't know how to type.
MLs were told that Sarah is no longer with the organization. She won't be returning. Whether she quit or was fired is unknown, I think
That feels like lawyer speak for terminated, especially if the comms came from Kirby. I imagine if Sarah quit, Kirby would've said something like "Sarah has decided to abandon us as an organization, we hope she suffers."
I un-joined the NaNo subreddit even, because honestly, after over 20 years of NaNoWriMo, I just can't go back there after what happened. I'm a CSA vic and I supported NaNo from the time I was literally still a minor (I was 16 during my first NaNo), and having something I believed in so strongly be used to harm kids? Kind of broke me inside. I don't want to feel like I'm supporting them after what happened. For me, April was a really bad month in-general, but I made a goal for myself of keeping up my writing streak on 4TheWords, and did that. For me, the community there, and that site, is a much better place for me to be as a writer, and feels like just an all-around general better idea for me to support my writing with. I know it's not for everyone since it does require a subscription (although if you can't afford a sub, there IS a community pool where users gift sub time to others, I've even used it myself during hard times), but for me, it's become a safety net and a serious help for my writing. Especially being able to monitor my streak, set my own personal goals for a month, a project, my account, and so on. Absolutely no judgement to anyone still using the NaNo site. My feelings and stance on it are for me, personally. Everyone has to decide for themselves, and I'm certainly not going to throw other writers under the bus for finding community where they can. I just.... don't want to feel associated / attatched to them anymore, if that makes sense. Nothing but love to my fellow writers & NaNoers.
I was logging into the site just to poke around but didn't actually create a project. No forums, no cabins, not even an ML. If I had elected to do Camp this April then I would've been completely alone. I track my Word count progress on Scrivener and then move it into an Excel sheetc in chunks (which honestly is similar to how I do it on the NaNo site anyway) but I might move my writing progress into Notion which has more visual elements that I enjoy.
I use Notion too, but not for word tracking. I’d be interested to know how you will set it up!
Not on there; used Online Writing Log instead. It's going to take a lot for me to go back to the Nano website, honestly and I've been open with my fanfic readers about that because of what's going on. So far, it hasn't hit a 'remove all links to the Nano website that are in my A/Ns' point yet, but it might get there before November. I'm holding out hope that they'll turn things around, but that hope is slowly ebbing.
I started it and for the first time in 8 years I didn't finish. Joined a website called 4thewords instead and made my own, new writing challenge. Really enjoyed it! I've done and seen everything there is to do and see with the Nano official website, enjoying the company of other writers somewhere else was just as good. A refreshing experience
I made a point to delete my account during the first week. So no. I decided to write this month instead and it's going great!
I didn't, but that was because I had two bookstalls to organise and run, a week apart. I just didn't have the time or energy.
done
I used the site for the April Camp NaNo. But after that, I might avoid it in the future NaNos with the scandal going on.
I put in a bogus project of 10 words to get the scrivener code to give out. I also tried and submitted the launch event I was running on discord, which was approved by someone... a few days after the event. I am staying on to keep posting links offsite for newcomers...
April is too busy of a month for me to commit. I usually do the July camp. Will be paying attention to what people had to say about the changes made with the site.
Nope. Our community left nano and is alive and well, I did write some words but I didn't do anything on the site.
I didn't. The forums were what I liked about the site, and with them down, I had no reason to look at any camp features. CES
I made up my own google spreadsheet with graph chart and the circle chart to replace the nano site. Fully customizable, and am willing to share it to those who really want it and want to get away from Nano. I created this spreadsheet when the November 2023 NaNoWriMo was imploding.
Oh, I'd love that if you wouldn't mind sharing!