Equipment For Your Campaign

I've won two NaNos with my Neo, so I'm sticking to that. I upload the files to my iMac just as a backup and don't do any writing on the desktop. The Neo keeps my inner editor from wasting too much time, and I'm not distracted by Scramble and work emails. I highly recommend it! The Neo was the best purchase I made for my writing.

I also need to load my iPod with writing music, whatever that is. I keep a small Pucca notebook with character ideas and plot ideas that I can jot in when I'm not writing and refer back to to make sure I don't call Lily "Percy" or something like that.

Since this is only my second year, I'm still working out some of the little things, but for the most part I use a laptop (what kind depends on whether my current laptop continues working...I've been having laptop-issues recently, so I'm sure I won't be using this one for NaNo) to write the actual story. I've started using yWriter, so I might use that for NaNo this year...maybe. I have a notebook for writing on-the-go, usually a standard-sized 3 subject, spiral binding so I can flip the pages around without worrying about it falling apart (I'm hard on notebooks). Whenever I'm going somewhere that I can't carry a full-sized notebook (much less a laptop) I bring a little pocket-sized notebook, or at least a few random bits of paper, as well as a pen (or, if no pens are available, a p-p-pencil...[i hate pencils.]) to scribble down any random idea I might get. I usually "write what I know", so I don't need too much research, but whenever I come across an Idea (yes, capital 'I') that I think could be better expressed (or just eat up word count) with more research, I usually use wikipedia - and on rare occasions, textbooks from school. As for inspiration, I have my new iPod NaNo (lol...) full of all my music; throughout the year I build up playlists of "Writing Music" that match various emotions, so I can listen to music to get me in the mood for whatever scene I'm writing (Cheerful, Depressing, Optimistic, Pessimistic, Lovey-Dovey, Realistic, etc.). Also, I make sure to keep a Reality Check whenever I plan to write for an extended period of time so I can afford my trip back to Earth ;)

2007: Angelus Lapsus {{Complete}}
2008: Silent Memories {{In Progress-ish}}

Basically the family computer, or my mom's laptop if she'll let me. Also, random notebooks or whatever paper I have in my binder, and my ipod, filled with Japanese rap music, the Beatles, Harry Potter Wizard Rock, and piano music... >.<

I'll be using my HP laptop when out at write-ins or at home. I'll be taking my novel on a flash drive to (cough) work and write on my work (cough) computer too. I always have a spiral notebook for notes or where I can't have my computer, keeping a printout of the last page written handy.

I'll be using my iPod and iTunes (depending on where I am and what computer I'm on).

I hope that's enough. It's worked the last two years.

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"Try to be one of those people on whom nothing is lost." Henry James
Too bad I have such a bad memory!

Me laptop and me brane neither of which work very good.

There are three types of people in this world: those who can count, and those who can't.

I've become obsessed with Scrivener, a mac based program for story planning and writing. I'm probably going to have to use my Neo quite a bit of the time though since the internet is a deadly distraction when it comes to my noveling.

Well, I got my desktop computer for home, and my cheap-ass laptop for elsewhere. I've got a notebook that I write stuff in, but it's my computers that are my real workhorses.

--
I made a website! http://www.mossroot.com
I published a webzine: http://www.daikaijuzine.com
I did other cool stuff too.

I got a new lappy! Hopefully I won't get BSOD'd every 20 seconds like I did on my old lappy. I also have a Sansa MP3 player and a notebook. And that's about it.

Have you heard the news that you're dead?
No one ever had much nice to say.
I think they never liked you anyway.

I'm using the Compaq laptop I bought for last year's NaNo. I have earphones for it. I have music loaded on it.

I use WriteItNow software (cheap, from the UK, used it last year, works well for story/character/plot organization), and I have some plot points and backstory and character info in there already.

I have a notebook with lined paper. It should have a detailed outline in it. It doesn't. Mr. Bebe bought it for me as my other noveling notebooks are full. This one is pristine. It needs some doodles.

I have my mighty pen for vanquishing Zombiegoat (you know, the pen is mightier.....ah, I'll stop beating a dead horse.)

As for research, this year I'm writing a trashy romance novel with a biomedical and emergency medical setting. I'm pretty solid on the EMS stuff, but will have some of my handy medical texts nearby. They are pithy tomes, and make for great exercise equipment, too. Other than that research, I'll probably just google for information about helicopter mechanical failure and crashes, silent poisons, and a few other details.

I'm making lists of sexual euphemisms. Feel free to make suggestions.

Oh, and I'm using my freezer. I've frozen 21 meals so far. This is to ease the "burden" on my family while they support me. Where is the rolling eyes smiley?

Melissa

2006: Ummmm...
2007: Ruby Marks (Winner)
2008: The Marriage Codicil (Presumed Winner)

Lame old desktop computer, although hopefully I can snag my mom's old laptop every once in a while. My wonderful iPod Touch (oooh, I'm gonna be procrastinating on that alot, huh?), a notebook for writing under my desk at school, my "That Was Easy" button from Staples (I'm gonna press it every time I reach my word count), a bit of chocolate always on hand, and, being optimistic, my muse and lots of fabulous fat plot bunnies. :P

-Sierra :)

2007: Runaways- Young Adult (42,076)
2008: The Other Side [working title]- Fantasy

Laptop: New HP, the tablet kind (fun!) running linux. I may be writing in plain text this year because my Comp. Sci. course has made me a fan of LaTeX but I can't be bothered to do excessive formatting while I write. Generic wiki/stickynote program for keeping notes on characters. Second monitor so I can write and procrastinate at the same time! Or something like that...

PDA: An old Compaq iPaq which I may or may not be able to get working by November. If it's working I'll keep notes on it.

iPod: Because music is inspirational... in theory, at least. If nothing else, it quashes whatever song would otherwise be stuck in my head.

Bike: Old, but sufficient for long rides that give me plenty of time to think about characters and plot development.

Pencil and Notepad: For those ideas that come at the wrong times and are too important to entrust to my fickle memory. May be replaced by PDA.

73 for now,
~Darin Wick

Have a nice day!

I'm a bit of a hybrid; a blend of old school and new hardware :P

*Pen and paper: my main source of writing. I expect to nearly have the entire story outlined by the time Nov. rolls around and the arduous task begins.

*Gaming PC (my lifeblood): my treasured PC which is periodically upgraded, but currently boasts a decent graphics card, boundless software to distract me, and a BAMF sound system!! ^_^ And of course some writing programs thrown in there... :P

*An iron will (supplemented by loads of free time): only took half semester courses this time around, so i'm already done with most of them, leaving me with an over-abundance of time to work with-- NO EXCUSES this time ^^;;;
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wow... can't believe I'm prepared this year :)

But my supplies include....

my old trusty dell insperion (although I may be upgrading mid november!)

my mp3 player complete with "mood" songs... (I'm gonna make play lists that my characters would dig.. crazy i know!)

three note books.... one for character buliding, one for rough draft, and my mini for ideas or on liners....

blue sharpie pen (cause I'm in <3 with it)

various treats to suffice any sweet tooth cravings i may get

my phone, for texting distractions breaks

Fiction is the truth inside the lie.~Stephen King
http://krissymarie82.livejournal.com

Wow... ya'll come prepared. I have Cerridwen, my MacBook, and Barney, the iPod. Add in some coffee and the internets, and I'm set to go.

Those sharpie pens are amazing =o
I'm using that too... xD

2007 Out There : Finished!
2008 Unknown Title :

Note:

One motorhome parked on the sideyard
One extra-long extension cord
Several gallon jugs of fruit punch
Several boxes of Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper
Several boxes non-Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper
One laptop
One pair of headphones
Three notepads
One folder filled with notes
Numerous receipts from work with writing notes on them
One cell phone connected to writing buddies across California
One blanket
One pillow
One hoodie
One set of keys for getting back into a comfortable bed at late hours or driving away into the night (or sunset, as the case may be)

Ans sundry other goods to be named and tallied.

This is my first NaNo, and I'm pretty scared. The scariest possibility is actually winning and therefore having an legitimate claim to being a writer. Thus far, it's been largely theoretical. Frightening visions of the future aside, here's my arsenal:

The MINION Mk III (Multi-Instrument Network Interface / Operations Node mark 3), my trusty HP laptop. Indispensible.

Dragon Naturally Speaking 9. I recently purchased it for the express purpose of geting myself to produce more material. We'll see if being able to speak my prose will garner any advantage over typing.

Microsoft OneNote. My pastor got me this lovely little piece of software, which is essentially a digital notebook. You can type anywhere on the page, add images, sound, and video, and arrange individual pages into tabs and books. Brilliant for organizing ideas. May just throw everything in there for later editing. Otherwise, it'll be in OpenOffice Writer.

Hours upon hours of music on the aforementioned laptop. Also on my iPod. I've had entire story ideas germinate from songs. And of course, they're great mood enhancers. I've got Finnish fantasy metal for epic space combat (Nightwish), modern celtic ballads for melancholy romance (Loreena McKennitt), and a variety of instrumental tracks for background noise as needed.

A nearby Starbucks, open late. If I have to get out of the house, I have at least one place I can go. I'll have to research others.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, RC. Whatever you end up with at the end of the month will--like most of our stuff--probably be such crap you still won't feel right calling yourself a writer.

There are three types of people in this world: those who can count, and those who can't.

My Dell laptop with blue tooth keyboard and mouse (rollerball mouse for at home) are pretty much it. I have the basic plot in my head. I generally don't do outlines or notes or anything, unless I do a lot of brainstorming and have to write it down to remember. I tune out whatever noise is around me as a general rule, so I don't bother with music or anything.

Oh...snacks. Definitely snacks.

Jennifer Walker
NaNo 2007: Flying Leaps Winner
NaNo 2008: Bubba to the Rescue

Mac Pro and MacBook Air

Scrivener for planning and writing

OmniOutliner for to do lists

Git: geeky version control software

Time Machine (built-in Mac software) for hourly backups to local external disk

Amazon S3 offsite storage for offsite backups

JungleDisk to make offsite backups to Amazon S3

Wordpress runs my fiction blog, where I'll probably post each scene as I complete it

MarsEdit to compose blog entries

Mr. Coffee for motivation

NaNo buddies for inspiration, encouragement, and commiseration

Dale

2006: Jeremy Comes Home (winner)
2007: Many Happy Returns (winner)
2008: The Three Faces of Magic (tentative title)