ARCHIVED THREAD FROM THE NANOWRIMO FORUMS: NANOWRIMO SURVIVAL KIT 2019

BACK?

samwiseglamgee | 2019-09-21 04:59:51 UTC | #104

It's been a while since I've won, so I should come up with a survival kit.

1. My laptop
2. Scrivener
3. An outline
4. Notebook
5. Coffee & tea
6. Ambient sounds
7. Cozy hoodie
8. Comfy socks
9. Yoga mat
10. Fall scents
11. Quick & healthy snacks

anon73547095 | 2019-09-21 05:26:04 UTC | #105

This is one of my favorite threads every year. I'm really determined to get back into writing after leaving a writing-centric job last year that burnt me out, so I plan to throw myself into NaNo. This year I'm still keeping it as simple as I can, though.

• Desktop - an aging Lenovo Erazer with a 32" monitor, a 20" monitor, a really comfortable keyboard, and the 2018 NaNoWriMo poster hanging above it. This is primarily a gaming spot, but it's going to be very comfortable for long-form writing.

• iPad Mini 4 - with a generic bluetooth keyboard. It's just the right size for writing and reading, and I replaced my seven-year-old MacBook Pro with it last year.

• Music - I finally convinced myself to pick up Spotify Premium for the family, despite my longtime refusal, because it's just so convenient. I'm still using a pair of Klipsch Image S3s, because I bought two pairs years ago and have taken immaculate care of them.

• Cat named Duck - to sit directly in front of whatever monitor I'm trying to write on, demanding pets or food.

• D&D - This is one of the few reasons I'll drag myself away from NaNo.

Everything else is the stuff I have normally - a little bit of sweets, homemade cold brew, and a family that understands when I want to work on things that are important to me. I haven't decided on software yet, as I discussed in another thread, but I'm leaning toward going completely minimal with Typora.

Fee_Bee | 2019-09-21 07:57:46 UTC | #106

Charged electronics -3 x laptops, ipad and phone so I can keep writing if power goes out long term. November is storm season and I have lost powers for many hours during past nanos. 2 of the laptops are old and don't get regular use anymore but still have decent battery life despite their age.

Prepared meals - I am meal prepping now so I just have to take out of freezer and reheat. I already do this for work lunches so not much extra prep required.

Tea - because tea is life

Notebook with my plan for the month - watch me not follow it despite planning for the first time ever. Still need it.

RageSheep | 2019-09-21 16:35:43 UTC | #107

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/dual-notebook-blank-lined-composition-notebookers/1127028614

EmpressTheodora | 2019-09-21 16:39:55 UTC | #108

[quote="samwiseglamgee, post:104, topic:4189"] Yoga mat [/quote]

This is it a good idea. Is it for doing yoga or writing on?

anon90096929 | 2019-09-23 14:49:13 UTC | #109

• My laptop with earphones. Maybe someday I'll actually get headphones.
• A study bench with powerpoint. Because I work better outside home.
• A hot or sweet drink - hot coffee or tea in the morning, bubble tea or something sweet in the afternoon, warm honey water in case of a cold
• YouTube playlist for my novel soundtrack, mostly. I also include Virtual Write-Ins I participated in and other content that affected my writing, including ambient sounds for when music becomes distracting
• Scrivener (backed up in DropBox) for planning characters and settings
• Google Doc for drafting
• Writing challenges e.g. word crawls and sprints. These helped to boost my wordcount countless times.
• Writing buddies in real life and on NaNoWriMo forums. Because we all need encouragement, don't we?

abydos6 | 2019-09-21 17:47:35 UTC | #110

I love your custom built desktops name...ooooohhhhh halloween candy, I do miss it here in Ireland.

Lupik | 2019-09-21 20:01:15 UTC | #111

• my tiny travel notebook and a pen for writing in mass transit
• my tablet for writing in less crowded on-the-go situations
• preferably a chair that doesn't make my back hurt in 15 minutes to go with my laptop desk (still working on that... Who decided to get these chairs for this dorm picked the worst chair I ever sat on)
• my dear Lenovo laptop, Flux, and hopefully some internet connection, for the main chunk of the writing

But most importantly

• ridiculous amounts of black tea. I will CERTAINLY go over the 100 bags in the biggest pack I found, so I'll need multiple of those

readscharlie | 2019-09-21 20:41:48 UTC | #112

Okay, can we please see a picture of Delilah? :heart_eyes:

anon79708525 | 2019-09-21 22:14:11 UTC | #113

I am a new writer and this is my first ever nano so I am quite excited! I am in the process of building my survival but here are somethings that I will definitely include.

Laptop Although I wanted a Chromebook this girl shall be my companion for nano and I am so hyped for it. Caffeine Coffee or caffeinated tea plus cookies. Notebook I have information in there and some notes.

I guess that is the basic stuff that I am certainly going to have for nano.

thestorycoordinates | 2019-09-21 22:27:56 UTC | #114

I love doing these every year! My list is very similar to the ones above:

• my laptop
• Scrivener (to keep my research notes, outline and draft)
• a freezer full of pre-made meals (lasagna, chilli, stirfry)
• snacks on hand like granola bars, trail mix, yogurt, fruit, veggies and hummus
• my bullet journal with my NaNo spreads
• a few playlists on Spotify
• candles
• a plethora of caffeine (Nespresso pods, tea, chai mix)
• a clean apartment (I also do a huge clean the weekend before NaNo too)
• Discord so I can complain about writing/celebrate successes with friends

I loved reading the lists above!

samwiseglamgee | 2019-09-21 23:32:48 UTC | #115

Yoga! I hadn't considered writing on it, but that is a thought... :thinking:

comaloider | 2019-09-22 00:19:25 UTC | #116

• Laptop - I was (un)lucky enough to get my hands on a Chromebook. Unlucky because I didn't know they don't support .exe files, lucky because I managed to set it up so I can access my Google Drive and write even when offline/without access to the internet.
• Tea - not a fan of coffee but I need some sort of energy boost. Non-caffeinated tea, herbal tea, hibiscus tea, lemon and ginger tea, green tea, black tea, 'heavy duty' tea (some kind of super strong Pu'er that made me stay awake for three days straight before I got used to it)... I do consider myself an enthusiast.
• Music/background Youtube videos noise - a double edged sword, as I tend to get distracted, but silence makes me jittery (feel free to recommend non-English music you like. I need something I don't understand so I can tune out the lyrics).
• Something unedible to chew on or else I'll gain twice my weight or eat myself alive

And that's... about it. I already have the habit of writing daily and I am aiming at a lower count (around 40k is where I'd love to land), I have WIPs to work on and about a dozen ideas waiting... so yeah. Ability to resist temptation and write instead of scouting forums (which I am doing right now) and the drive to make proper outlines and timelines (which I am currently procrastinating on) is optional but welcome.

TinyFist | 2019-09-22 02:35:02 UTC | #117

As an unML, I have had to expand my survival kit from just me to my whole region. WIthout an ML, they need special care.

So, my survival kit for just me:

• My laptop, Anility.
• NaNo BuJo
• daily BuJo
• Story Bible
• college ruled notebooks
• 0.28 gel pens
• reading glasses
• flash drive
• Aeropress, OGTG
• electric tea kettle, Betty
• The OctoPot
• This year's NaNoMug
• Mug warmer, Hanna
• flash drive
• pre-made meals
• pre-made dog meals
• pre-made dog treatos
• heated sofa, Deebee
• Teas and coffees
• Dr. Pepper
• Cheetos
• Moon pies
• 4 cuddly, snuggly dogs

And for my ML-less region:

• The Plot Pot (with plots and plot tokens in them)
• Novelists At Work table poster in stand
• Level Up coins to reward writers
• Writing Medallions to reward writers
• Winner trophies to reward writers
• Certificates for rewarding writers
• Horned Helmet for Word War winners
• Velociraptor head for Sprint winners
• Story Cubes
• bag of story tokens

Swag Kitty containing:

• Plot Ninjas
• steampunk writing pens
• velociraptors
• sidekicks
• writing totems
• Plot Gears
• individual Plot Pots

anon21036460 | 2019-09-22 04:32:15 UTC | #118

Ooh, love Nano survival kits! Here's mine:

• My laptop fully equipped with Scrivener or Google docs, or Word - I haven't decided yet.
• Super soft blanket
• Vanilla Macaron Tea or Mint Tea in a cute cough new cough coffee mug.
• Youtube playlist
• Earbuds
• Some kind of totem depending on what I decided to write.
• A yummy smelling candle.
• A bullet journal to help keep me scheduled and to keep a good write/life balance.

ETA

• Healthy SNACKS!

abydos6 | 2019-09-22 12:46:40 UTC | #119

I soooooooooooo love this, can I join your region lol. Sounds like you have it all planned out. Well done.

OOOOHHHH love to know more about the items in the swag kitty....kewl idea

TinyFist | 2019-09-22 15:50:19 UTC | #120

Since we aren't getting official swag :sob::broken_heart: I felt the local WriMos deserved to have UNofficial swag from their unML. So I went shopping at the Trashy Treasures place and bought writer related goodies they could choose from the Swag Kitty.

The Swag Kitty is a black cat plastic bowl.

Inside it, I have 2 different kinds of velociraptors - a small plastic roaring one and a fat cute larger plastic one, plastic cake topping Plot Ninjas to help kick plots into shape, a variety of plastic animals to act as writing totems, actual gears from clocks for people to use to help them get their plots in gear and running smoothly, the Plot Pots are tiny plastic cauldrons they can stuff strips of paper into with a variety of plot points written on them that they can draw out when they get stuck, tiny plushie animals/dolls to act as sidekicks, and the steampunk pens are pens that are keyshaped to help unlock their inner muse.

abydos6 | 2019-09-22 15:32:12 UTC | #121

I'm in like jail otherwise I would so like this, that is awesome. You are going to be a fantastic ML rebel or not.

TinyFist | 2019-09-22 15:55:32 UTC | #122

I've been in like jail. :sob: My condolences.

I hope so. I am one of those "if I see something, I do something" [1] people. It can be overpowering and intimidating to those swept along in my path, but man, we get things done.

[1] Not to be confused with those "see something, say something" people.

Vanessa_Ros3 | 2019-09-22 16:38:51 UTC | #123

I also listen to the LoTR soundtracks!!!

EmpressTheodora | 2019-09-22 19:43:00 UTC | #124

I really like these Plot Pots you have because you can imagine a stew or sauce in there and then say something like, "the plot thickens."

dragonwriterhp | 2019-09-23 01:03:17 UTC | #125

Laptop for all my writing needs

Google Docs for back-ups and writing while at work

Notebooks for writing when away from a computer

Abundant Pens for use with the notebooks of course

Candy for a combo of writing fuel and rewards

Coffee/Tea/Soda for all my caffeine needs

Video Games for keeping the hubby entertained

Full Pantry/Freezer/Fridge for avoiding going to the store and being prepared with quick or crockpot meals

Lady_Ebonique | 2019-09-23 02:14:06 UTC | #126

I've been doing NaNo for a while now and I never thought to have a survival kit. Such a smart idea!

Here's mine:

• Laptop ~ as @Ithendra mentioned (adorable name for a laptop BTW) I really should name him. He's old and persnickety. Maybe Albert. He seems like an Albert to me.
• Written?Kitten! ~ Because who doesn't like to be rewarded for writing with adorable pictures of kittens?
• Libre office
• Notebooks
• Mechanical pencils
• Water ~ Lots and lots of water (I don't like coffee or tea)
• Healthy snacks
• Writing Totem ~ I'm thinking of using my Loki IttyBitty plushie, but that may backfire on me. He is the god of mischief after all.
• Fingerless gloves
• Hoodie and ponchos ~ for when the cold weather finally arrives.
• Bofur hat ~ for inspiration and warmth. Also so I don't take myself too seriously. :wink:
• Musical playlists ~ I can't listen to music with lyrics while writing or I get distracted and start singing along. I also adore the LOTRs soundtracks!
• 30 Day Yoga challenge ~ Because I need Yoga with Adriene to kick my tush into shape.
• Dog ~ Ralph would never let me forget him - not that I could seeing as he's a black and white 80+ pound Bordernese (Border collie/Bernese Mountain Dog mix) with separation anxiety.

I'm probably missing something, but so far, this is what I know I'll need.

panickedfish | 2019-09-25 16:44:04 UTC | #127

NaNo Survival Kit

• Laptop (and work computer, if I’m being 100% honest)
• Google Docs
• Notebook/journal
• Paper calendar for sticking stickers and recording my progress
• Writing totem(s) - a plastic goldfish and an anime figure (usually Super Sonico)
• Picture of my bun, because she’s been my writing friend for the past 4 years and I miss her
• Yoga mat (I also love Yoga With Adriene!)
• COFFEE
• My writing friends!!

I feel like this is super unpopular but I don't usually write with music! I just try to tune everything/everyone out

QueenOrion | 2019-09-25 12:53:33 UTC | #128

[quote="Priscu, post:127, topic:4189"] I feel like this is super unpopular but I don’t usually write with music! I just try to tune everything/everyone out [/quote]

I don't do that either! My creative flow just plain ... stops when the music starts which is why I try to avoid it like the plague.

No- wait. Coffee shop music is ok. Workplace radios can be distracting, but the plot bunnies are able to pile up so high that they drown out everything else.

anon88264342 | 2019-09-25 13:35:42 UTC | #129

[quote="Lady_Ebonique, post:126, topic:4189"] Writing Totem ~ I’m thinking of using my Loki IttyBitty plushie, but that may backfire on me. He is the god of mischief after all. [/quote]

Or work in your favor?! Mischief might help pull the story along after all. :joy:

dogsnoots | 2019-09-25 16:53:37 UTC | #130

1. laptop and charger with Word (and Dropbox to frantically back up my novel on)
2. planning resources character and chapter outlines, along with reference notes about general world-building shenanigans
3. cosy clothes one of many very unflattering massive t-shirts and some baggy jogging bottoms
4. blanket for extra cosiness
5. a well stocked tea supply PG Tips is truly the elite choice, lads
6. ambient sound youtube videos either coffee shop sounds OR novel related fantasy soundscapes
7. scented candles nothing can make me feel more at peace than a vanilla sugar scented candle

jessicaburkhart | 2019-09-25 16:23:25 UTC | #131

Tea--specifically, green and white

Laptop--my Macbook is charged and ready

Outline--this isn't written yet ;P

Wrist brace--bad carpal tunnel

Hoodies/sweaters--I love cozy clothes while writing

Spotify playlist--instrumental tunes

Twitter--I like keeping up with everyone there too

trixiemattel | 2019-09-26 07:20:20 UTC | #132

• Tea/coffee
• insulated mug
• Printer/3 brand new reams of paper/ 3 toner cartridges
• headphones
• notebooks
• laptop
• microsoft word

abydos6 | 2019-09-26 07:38:54 UTC | #133

what an awesome thread

coffee_petrichor | 2019-09-26 11:13:50 UTC | #134

I'm doing my last semester of grad school and nano so 😬

LooseLeafWriter | 2019-09-26 14:28:50 UTC | #135

I hadn't thought about this yet. Having a list like this could be really helpful! My survival kit would include:

• My laptop and a dual monitor (when available). When I'm sitting at my desk, it's work time!
• Scrivener to organize my writing project
• Write or Die. For those days when I'm having trouble focusing, this can be a Godsend.
• Fountain pen(s). I handwrite a lot of notes/ideas, and I love fountain pens... need I say more?
• All the tea. My favorite is English Breakfast.
• An outline. I haven't created this yet, but I'm going in with a plan this year. Should probably flesh out my character profiles and magic system a little more.
• A rough schedule based on my outline. I need to carve out time in my day(s) to write. November's going to be a busy month for me with lots of traveling. I need something that keeps me going & yet is flexible. If I can't get the magic 1,667 words each day, I want to have a plan of when to make it up.
• Noise-cancelling headphones - As I consider all the traveling I have to do in November, they might help keep me focused.
• Flash drive to back up my work while I'm on the road. Alternatively, an internet connection to save to the cloud.

morporkian.hobbit | 2019-09-27 13:11:43 UTC | #136

My survival kit is:

-My laptop with MS Word

-A large mug with a hot drink - coffee in the morning, decaf, tea and cocoa in the afternoon

-Headphones - I don't normally listen to music while writing, but if I go to a coffee house I might need my Ghibli playlist

-All my outline docs, character sheets, timeline of the character's backstories...

-Sticky notes for when I have random ideas that I don't want to forget

-Hoodies and sweaters and plaids

-Pre-cooked or easy to cook meals - I just realized this is my first NaNo where I'll be living on my own...

-Discord, to communicate with my co-writer - once again, not something I normally do, but this year is a new experience.

anissina | 2019-09-28 02:37:07 UTC | #137

Mine is fairly small compared to most people.

Laptop
Scrivener
tea -same one I've had every nano for 10 years. I only drink it during nano or when I'm working on a writing project so the smell of it always kick starts my brain into writing mode. headphones/music
smarties - specifically smarties. I eat other candy too but for some reason this is the quintessential nano candy for me. Like the tea, after 10 years, I don't question what works.

hbrsly | 2019-09-28 02:52:15 UTC | #138

Coffee before noon. Tea until five. Margaritas when I hit my daily goal.
Laptop. I picked up an Acer Chromebook and I love it.
Journal-style notebook.
Lovely, smooth, probably gel writing pen.
Scented candle. Smelly goods while I'm writing is a must. Currently loving on my Pumpkin Harvest candle from Joann Fabrics.
Youtube for background music. I love to listen to Cathy Hay while I write. She could narrate a stereo instruction manual to me and it would be soothing and lovely.

trixiemattel | 2019-09-28 05:21:42 UTC | #139

So, you've decided to get zero sleep for a month? I hope you semi-enjoy life as a human zombie.

ESPer_out_of_Mind | 2019-09-28 06:00:20 UTC | #140

My NaNo Survival Kit remains, as always, almost as basic as can be:

• Laptop, of course, with OpenOffice Text and Notepad ready to go
• Waterbottle, constantly refilled because dehydration is a thing
• Green tea, also ready to go, for when it gets cold/water gets boring
• Dried fruit, for reasonably-healthy deep-in-thought distracted snacking
• A blanket, because my brain works best when it's cold
• Headphones and Ambient-Mixer
• My cat, who doesn't understand NaNo at all but likes to sleep on my lap when I'm typing, which is comforting albeit eventually murder on my legs
• Way too many prompts, notes and inspirational images

Now, if only I had a plot...

dianne_the_geek | 2019-09-28 06:20:16 UTC | #141

Laptop

Scrivener (not technically necessary, but I like it)

NaNo stickers

Cut veggies

Blank notebook for planning and thoughts

Coffee

Post-its for nightly/hourly word count goals

Music + headphones (especially at local write ins)

ToriAnneSkye | 2019-09-28 07:16:35 UTC | #142

cracks knuckles

1. Laptop: Because of some rough tendonitis, I have a hard time handwriting now as much as I love it and feel more connected doing it, I simply can't keep it up long enough to make a difference. Typing can still cause flare-ups, but I can get a LOT more typed.
2. Notepad for the specific novel: I do take notes to the side in a notebook to make sure I don't forget important or small details. Usually it's little thinkgs like 'dear lord, dumbass, her eyes are blue not green'.
3. My music playlists: I am heavily inspired by music. So I have dozens of playlists for varying moods/scenes/characters/etc.
4. Headphones: I am so easily distracted that just playing music, no matter how loudly, doesn't cut it. I need completely disconnected from the world.
5. Coffee. Just...lots of coffee.
6. Dabble: Most of my writing is done through dabble. A little through googledocs, but mostly dabble. I live for dabble.
7. Library: The best place for me to write, is the library. Few people, no one who will talk to me and distract me. No distraction cleaning. Lots of reference books right at my disposal.
8. Coffee
9. Waterbottle: If I start feeling dehydrated, I derail FAST.
10. Stopwatch: I write more when I'm fighting a clock.
11. Coffee!
12. Google Chrome Stay Focused extension: This blocks sites of my choice for a certain amount of time or time of day or only allows an alloted time. Like I said, I get distracted easily.

Vivieshaw | 2019-09-28 07:22:16 UTC | #143

One of my favorite threads!

Beverage Station: tea with all the fixings. teapot with cup and saucer, which are my NaNo totem. Water bottle. And a nice tray to carry it all to my writing spot.

Snacks: tootsie rolls, cut veggies, and potato chips are my staples.

Hardware: just my laptop with scrivener. I play it fast and loose with no external drive to save my work to. I don't know, I've never had a problem with losing material. But I don't use my laptop for much other than writing so it doesn't work very hard. I'm sure I'll regret this someday.

"Soft" ware: I write in bed or on a couch. (no back problems yet, but I'm pretty active otherwise so fingers crossed). So I need good pillows and a warm blanket.

Supporting material: my bullet journal. I've loved and benefited from this system for so long now. Even before there was a "TM bullet journal" I was making my own Notebook hacks, in one form or another. I do keep everything in one journal and have rolling dailies, so I'm in there every day motivating myself to stay on track.

Supporting humans: husband gets a special shout out. Very understanding when I disappear for a few hours, and I may have convinced him to join me this year!! Maybe with a smaller personal writing goal or just time spent on something important to him. We'll see!

Supporting non-humans: I have 3 sizeable pups. They're pretty good at cozying up and chilling out at my feet. Gotta love it.

Atmosphere: I recently got a diffuser so I may experiment with some scents while I write. I'm not big on music while I write so nothing there.

I think that's it. Thanks, everyone!

Magid | 2019-09-28 12:34:30 UTC | #144

[quote="Vivieshaw, post:143, topic:4189"] I play it fast and loose with no external drive to save my work to [/quote]

clutches pearls

sheridan | 2019-09-28 14:56:28 UTC | #145

@vanyahiril - interesting - what does your series/world bible consists of? I ask because in the past my NaNo has consisted of writing what was effectively a world bible (this was for a game I run).

GailGreen | 2019-09-28 16:48:18 UTC | #146

I love this thread. It's really helping me plan and prepare.

• My computer with NEW scrivener project prepared

• A months worth of planned meals (some pre-prepared and in the freezer) and weekly food deliveries ordered - so I don't need to spend time planning meals for the family

• A rough plan for my story

• World maps and place descriptions for my novel

• Character outlines

• Novelling hat

• A tidy and inviting writing space set up around new project (rather than ongoing one)

• Because it sounds like such a good idea cozy autumnal essential oil mix for my aroma diffuser and/or scented candles

• A playlist for mood music

• My large (10 cup) tea pot and decaffeinated earl grey tea

• Two large bags of good quality decaf ground coffee (because I can't drink more than 1 cup of the cafinated stuff before I get a headache).

• Bags and bags of pre-cut carrot, pepper and cucumber sticks and grapes and two large bottles of no added sugar diluting juice (so I don't finish November 2 stone heavier than I started).

• Lots of clean laundry

• Inspirational messages hidden in random places around the house for when I get discouraged! We did this to my dad when I was a kid one year, he was still finding them some 20 years later, after I'd gotten married!

Also, anything else I can think of later, after preparing all of that!

Mahikaa | 2019-09-28 17:29:28 UTC | #147

Balancing university or school along with nano sounds incredibly difficult. This will be my first time taking up Nanowrimo and I'm a school student. This November will be interesting, if not utterly crazy. Any advice for a school student nano-er?

Cathryn_Dalton | 2019-09-28 18:38:20 UTC | #148

This is my second time doing Nano, and my first as a college student, so I don't think I have a whole lot yet, but I can give you a few.

• Take time to relax and do something for self-care. I went to a few sessions at school about managing stress, anxiety, and time. I have a huge list of "self-care" items, some of them are better suited to me than others. I recommend taking time to watch funny youtube videos, or even just sitting outside (and maybe writing).
• Try to get ahead in the first part of the month. Building a buffer in your wordcount will help you later in the month when you have a mountain of schoolwork or need to study for a test.
• School comes first. Don't let your grades slide just because you're doing Nano.
• Sleep. Get a full night's sleep every night. Seriously. You're going to need it.

QueenOrion | 2019-09-28 19:30:13 UTC | #149

[quote="GailGreen, post:146, topic:4189"] Novelling hat [/quote]

What's that? I gotta know :smiley:

[quote="GailGreen, post:146, topic:4189"] Inspirational messages hidden in random places around the house for when I get discouraged! We did this to my dad when I was a kid one year, he was still finding them some 20 years later, after I’d gotten married! [/quote]

That's amazing! I love giving other's little notes, but I must admit that I've never been that fantastic at hiding them ...

GailGreen | 2019-09-28 19:55:19 UTC | #150

@alyssmooney "Novelling hat": something you wear on your head that states to the rest of your family/household "Go away, don't bother me right now, I'm writing." Can't remember where I first saw it, but I'm pretty sure it was somewhere on a Nanowrimo message board, blog post, or page...

Mine is an old-fashioned poke-bonnet I bought originally for specific history lessons back when I was a teacher... But it works brilliantly for this purpose. When it's on my head, I can't see distractions as much. And as the whole family knows I only wear it when writing - that means little trips to the loo or the fridge while writing aren't immediately misinterpreted as acceptable "oh, are you done writing, now? Can you please get me/sort out/do this thing for me?" interruptions.

Does that make sense? I'm sure someone else on here can give a better explanation of a Novelling hat than I...

QueenOrion | 2019-09-28 19:57:32 UTC | #151

Yes! It makes a lot of sense. I think I might take you up on that idea - when I get family members down here, that is.

Have you done anything 'to' it? Like written something over it or so? Or is it merely a wide hat that makes it physically impossible to see distractions? (I'm totally not imagining a cap of invisibility like the one Hades has ...)

GailGreen | 2019-09-28 20:06:34 UTC | #152

No, unfortunately, I haven't done anything to change it. But now that you mention it... It could probably do with some quirky updates! Thanks for the inspiration! :grin:

Carly_S | 2019-09-29 01:23:22 UTC | #153

@alyssmooney @GailGreen Cap of Invisibility Novelling Hat.... I like it! :heart_eyes:

elvenking | 2019-09-29 09:43:48 UTC | #154

This is my favourite NaNo thread by far! I love seeing what everyone has in their survival kits. :nerd_face:

• Laptop: at the moment I have a Chromebook which is cheap and cheerful to write on and lug around (great battery life), and a Mac desktop which I keep at home to do editing/serious work on, mostly because it has things like Scrivener and Photoshop on there. Saying that, I have been considering getting a Macbook for my post-grad work and NaNo, but haven't fully decided yet - the last Macbook I had, some years ago, really disappointed me.

• Scrivener and Google Docs: I do the primary chunk of my writing on Scrivener - or will hope to this year, since this is the first time I'm seriously going to try and use it for writing, but writing when I'm out and about is dumped in Google Docs and then ported to Scrivener later. It's a bit messy for some, but it works for me!

• My Pinterest boards: For inspiration when the will to write is lacking. I have one for each novel I'm working on; I find them extremely helpful for crystallising ideas and locations.

• My notebook: For scribbling ideas on the go, physically. Sometimes this helps cement timelines and notions of where I want things to go. It also helps me feel like I'm being physically creative rather than just staring at a screen.

• Coffee: A coconut flat white with a splash of vanilla, if you're curious. I work part-time at a coffee place in between completing my undergraduate degree and now pursuing a Master's, and I hope to spend my days off writing there if I can - in between post-grad things!

• Candles: I like anything with amber in it; at the moment I have warm amber and black fig candles and room diffusers. For this particular NaNo, I'll be looking for sea-salt candles which evoke scents of the sea! They always help get me in the mood.

• Sherpa hoodie: A recent purchase, but absolutely something I can't live without. It's thick, warm, and eco-friendly! Perfect for when nights get a bit nippy here in London and I need something to keep me warm while I'm writing.

• Plenty of sleep: I feel like I'll need it this year when I'm juggling schoolwork and lectures, work-work and NaNo!

QueenOrion | 2019-09-29 16:21:45 UTC | #155

@GailGreen Hahah no worries - I'd love to hear what quirky updates you make!

@Carly_S Yeessss - can we make that a Thing? I feel like that needs to be a thing.

caoimhe.aster | 2019-10-04 17:25:35 UTC | #156

My survival kit:

ILYS - like many here, I edit my WIPs in scrivener... but there is NOTHING BETTER for pure creation than ILYS! This will be my third year doing NaNo on ILYS, I could not survive without it, and I also credit ILYS for my one and only (so far) NaNo win!!! (I'm not great at winning NaNo but I still love participating!)

Coffee/Tea - coffee for the mornings, tea for the rest of the day & evening & night :smile:

Cozies - fluffy socks, thick knit sweaters, hot beverages (see above), flannel pajamas, warmed lavender wraps, candles, any and all other warm, cozy things!

Cats - I have two. They're indispensable.

Chocolate - or sweet biscuits, or muffins/scones, or any other sweet snacky things!

That's about it!

curtisa5 | 2019-10-04 18:18:39 UTC | #157

Yay! Its great to see there are other Wrimos who read (to decompress) during NaNo!

Chloris | 2019-10-04 19:03:33 UTC | #158

This is my first year doing nano while working part-time, and in a city about an hour away, so it's the first time I have an excuse to actually have some kind of kit for writing in places that aren't my bed. Lol. In previous years I've either lived close enough to walk home or have been full-time and not had any free time throughout the day.

• Bluetooth keyboard
• Huawei mediapad tablet
• I am a long time scrivener user, but this time I'm trying out OneNote as I can sync between devices
• Pen and notebook
• Some kind of overpriced coffee

curtisa5 | 2019-10-04 19:35:32 UTC | #159

My NaNo Survival Kit consists of:

• Laptop or desktop computer: I'm in the habit of using either my desktop (at home) or my netbook (at Nano write-ins or at my local library or café) to write my NaNo drafts.

• Scrivner or Google Docs: I use Google Docs on my netbook to write when I am away from home. But, I compile all my words within a Scrivner doc to keep track of my word count and keep everything in one place.

• Post cards from NaNo Postcard Swap: I participate every year in the NaNo Post Card Swap each year. So, I like to keep any created or received post cards around for inspiration.

• A curated playlist and headphones: Each year, I create a playlist that works well with my outline, which helps inspire the mindset and words needed to channel my MC or storyline.

• My regional NaNoWriMo swag bag/write-ins: The MLs with my regional NaNo group provide inspirational swag bags and a series of write-ins throughout November that help keep me on task.

• Twitter @NaNoWordSprints: This is a great way to increase one's word count if you are behind or to keep you ahead of the curve...and NaNo's Twitter sprints happen around the clock during November.

• Pen and paper for story journaling: I make sure to have pen and paper wherever I go during NaNo, in the event an idea strikes to help move my story along, and I don't want to use my phone.

• Hard copy and online thesauruses: This is an essential for me. I don't think I could write at all without access to a thesaurus. But, I do keep a hard copy version around out of habit.

• My designed book cover: I love designing the book cover for my 'novel' before it's written, not only to help me visualize it as being complete, but because it's fun to see each time I log into the NaNo site.

• A favorite fiction novel: Let's face it, I sometimes need to decompress during NaNo. So, it's not odd that I might read a novel in a different genre I'm writing as a bit of an escape. It's typically a book I've read before that I know I'll enjoy.

• Halloween candy: Because...'snacks'.

• Water: I don't drink coffee and prefer to keep myself hydrated, even when I'm not writing.

• Exercise: This is the first NaNo in which I will have already have an established workout routine. I'm hoping the post-workout endorphins will help my words flow.

• Mama Odie figurine: I like to use this Disney movie character from The Princess and the Frog to inspire a bit of writing voodoo when my words aren't flowing as I'd like.

I_m_With_Ieasha | 2019-10-05 05:24:50 UTC | #160

My NaNo Survival Kit:

• my laptop and charger

• flash drive

• Google Docs

• all of my notes and character profiles for my novel

• coffee, tea, and soda

• travel mug for on the go and a coffee mug for in-dorm writing

• Bath and Body Works aromatherapy lotions

• halloween candy

• word sprints through Twitter

• headphones

• Spotify

• my story's Pinterest board

• encouraging quotes scattered throughout my work space

• a list of prompts in case I get stuck

And I think that's about it!

svendlarose | 2019-10-05 17:50:14 UTC | #161

My survival kit involves the following items:

• Laptop - can't write without it.
• Dropbox - can't afford to lose my work in case of a laptop crash.
• Micro$oft Word - can't live with it, can't live without it.
• Dragon NaturallySpeaking and dictation headset - makes writing so much faster, especially after Dragon is trained.
• John Calvin Bear, my teddy bear - he chases away the plot bunnies.
• White noise generator - drowns out all the extraneous, distracting noise.
• Meal prep schedule and menu - to keep me from eating too much or too little and thereby screwing up my blood sugar.
• Scheduled reading and writing time - 7:30 to 9:30 every night, no exceptions.
• Eyestrain breaks - every half hour to keep my eyes from making me tired.
• A sign on my door saying "Writing - Do Not Disturb Except In Emergency" - I live with family so this is important.

I will add to this kit as needed, but that's all for now.

Toal | 2019-10-06 09:58:36 UTC | #162

• Computer It's where I write.
• Google Docs All the files I have on my setting, races, continents and gods are on there, as well as some of the timeline and some nations.
• Word processor Usually Google Docs, maybe MS Word.
• Headset To listen to music or talk to friends while I write.
• Snacks For eating and grazing on.
• Foot heater and fan For when the weather is hot or cold.
• Saturday D&D A break for a day will do me well.

Lord_Valis | 2019-10-12 21:39:29 UTC | #163

Scrivener, my typewriter, and my laptop (if I ever manage to get it fixed) Scrivener is my primary writing tool. The digital typewriter is for emergencies.

Copious amounts of coffee The one thing I live for.

Dark Souls series for when I lose motivation and want to brutalize helpless undead The primary inspiration for my novel. My dragon mug Because dragons.

Lots of candy Don't judge me.

My playlist Videos on writing

My trusty Cthulhu notebook

My character profiles

My location profiles

My outline that I am incapable of finishing

Draft of my NaNoWriMo 2017 novel to remind me that it's possible

Anti-anxiety medication because my brain is broken

anon73487077 | 2019-10-06 20:08:15 UTC | #164

YES! Videogame inspiration is the beeeest.

I used to play Bloodborne as my writing warm-up while I was working on my super dark Lovecraftian fantasy! Good times.

Now that I'm working on a Cyberpunk Racing novel, I play... I play MarioKart. I'm not even joking. :joy:

Majo_DL432 | 2019-10-07 00:13:02 UTC | #165

I only have:

• my computer
• my crazy cat
• snacks
• a notebook
• another less crazy cat
• music
• blanket or my bed
• character and history info
• my weird outline/word vomit (I'm a planster)
• maybe something to drink. I'm trying to drink water since I don't like drinking water (weird, Ik)

Lord_Valis | 2019-10-08 00:01:29 UTC | #166

I'm the last person to judge.

Tremolo | 2019-10-08 04:29:46 UTC | #167

My kit will include (but not be limited to) the following:

• Phone, tablet, laptop, and their chargers
• New folding bluetooth keyboard that slides neatly into my utility belt for deployment at a moment's notice
• My Google Drive folder, including:
  1. Outline/timeline (in progress)
  2. Character descriptions
  3. My reward system spreadsheet (enter total words written, enter previous purchase amounts, it will tell me how much coffeeshop/bakery/treats/etc. money I've earned and have available)
• Coffee with milk
• Tea with small cute teapot
• Electric kettle (don't laugh, Brits, I only got one recently and a lot of Americans don't have them)
• Frozen meals
• My kitty ear hats
• My bike (in a pinch, you can outrun writer's block on a bicycle!)
• Trail mix
• Sleep

EmpressTheodora | 2019-10-08 17:37:25 UTC | #168

I think I'm ready - here goes!

My laptop - a sturdy but aging HP with a NaNoWriMo sticker for easy spotting in the wild

My corgi notebook - for planning on the go (I'm a plantser)

My wrist braces - just in case; I have arthritis in my right wrist from an old injury and am really prone to sprains

Meditation Timer App - so I can meditate for five minutes whenever, wherever, and transition my mind from thinking other things to thinking writing things

My ukulele - for music breaks. I also play piano, but can't really play it when people are asleep at my house, which, with two little kids, is the only time I actually have to play something

Comfy headphones - for writing in public

Legend of Zelda soundtracks - see "headphones"

Writing Totems - My Professor McGonagall Funko Pop will be cheering me on from my desk and my Princess Peach Hotwheel car will come with me for writing adventures out and about

My Halo - for motivation. Funny story, I donated seconds before the forums crashed the other night and I never got to see it. Hoping the Discourse people install NaNo's plugin soon

Photos - to jog my memory of school days and for inspiration (I'm writing a memoir about teachers)

Candy - for rewards - a fun sized treat every 1667 words ...aaaaand...

Pokemon Shield - my reward for completing 50,000 words, already preordered

anon29753883 | 2019-10-08 18:23:29 UTC | #169

I have all the basics. What i need now are ideas for small rewards for completing goals. (I know im putting Pokemon Sw/Sh on my xmas list. DH, knows me too well.)

I was thinking small things like washi tape(where have you been my whole life?), or somethi g for my Tül Notebook System.

hanaonline | 2019-10-09 01:55:40 UTC | #170

So this is my first time traditionally doing NaNo, where I'm pretty serious and outlining as much as I can beforehand for a novel (in the past I was a rebel). So besides the obvious things like coffee, my laptop, music, comfy clothes, etc. I wanted to create a reward system in the way of a "punch card" like you would at coffee shops. I thought I would share it in case anyone else would like to print it out. Pretty simple, but I liked the idea. I think with each "punch" I'll reward myself by buying coffee or treating myself to something. As for the big 50K- if i reach it (hopefully) I'm still not too sure what to reward myself with but so far I think it's simply printing out the novel and binding it into a binder, just to have for myself.

Kuzts | 2019-10-09 03:46:45 UTC | #171

That's a super cute ideas, thanks for sharing the punch card!

normal_ness | 2019-10-09 04:51:35 UTC | #172

Laptop & Novlr (so happy to see them as a sponsor, they are awesome). And something for energy!

Imperial_Dreamer | 2019-10-09 05:15:20 UTC | #173

I don't really have anything past what I already utilize on a daily basis.

1. Laptop, in case I feel like writing somewhere other than my room, on my main PC.

2. Several jump drives because I am so paranoid about losing my stories that I always back up on several, along with backing up several other ways, and on other devices too.

3. Simple snacks all ready to go, usually all stacked up and sitting in a little basket under one of my shelves at my desk. Currently, I have packs of almonds, some granola bars, a little chocolate, trail mix, and some other bits and bobs. Quick and easy to grab if I'm suddenly hit by hunger and don't want to go downstairs and make something.

4. Loose-leaf tea and coffee, always at the ready. I should probably be drinking far more of the former.

5. Music.

6. Easy, quick to make dinners. Normally, these meals come courtesy of the slow cooker, something I use year-round simply because I like quick and easy meals.

7. My imaginary friends. No, I'm not kidding. Yes, they help immensely.

8. Computer games in general, including a VR headset. For when I need a break and something else to do for a while.

9. My kitty.

10. A nearby notebook and purple pen for quick note making on the fly. Especially helpful if I am not at my PC and need to get something down fast.

Zeisha | 2019-10-09 19:22:49 UTC | #174

My favorite water cup from Starbucks - Any other hydrohomies doing NaNo?

I really should join you with this. Because stars know I need to drink more water. I shall join you with my Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune water cup

shut_your_what | 2019-10-10 00:39:32 UTC | #175

1. My iPad & Stylus - I use this for all my writing stuff. My laptop is very old and what not... so it's not able to compete. Plus, I always have my iPad with me more.
2. Axel - He might be a plushie, but he's been my best friend since 2009. He's there for a hug when I need a chill pill.
3. Earphones & iPod - I can't do anything without music. It helps me concentrate and has helped me in other ways as well!
4. Unicorn chow - This is my go to snack. It's made up of mini-marshmallows, choco chips and Skittles!
5. Scrivener - This app is a HUGE lifesaver for me. I can't imagine not having it on my iPad to help me plan character stuff and chapter stuff as well!
6. Keru - He's my super fluffy blanket. He's so snuggly and comfy, and he's also comforting! I love rubbing his fluff on my cheeks because it calms me down!
7. My NaNo notebook - An organized notebook with all my notes and stuff!
8. My favorite hoodie - A Captain Hook hoodie. It's very rare and bad ass. It keeps me warm when I get a chill. :3
9. My meds - I can't be without them. I take a stimulant for ADHD, an antipsychotic for my severe anxiety and another one for my HBP/regulate my heartbeat
10. My doll Izzy - She has all sorts of close to dress in and stuff! It's something I find comforting, and I also really like to hug her as well. :3

Dragonfirediva | 2019-10-10 06:13:42 UTC | #176

I bet those writing buddies are cute!!!

CLWilliams | 2019-10-10 06:59:44 UTC | #177

This is my first NaNo but I'm starting to get excited. Never thought about a survival kit. Hmm 🤔🤔🤔:

My Lenova - once you go lenova, you never go back.

Lots of classical music - anything with lyrics will distract me but music drowns out the sounds of every day.

My bed and hopefully a new blanket - I have a very thin blanket right now that won't be helping me survive anything.

LOTS Of Earl Grey - my favorite tea.

Pain Meds And Metformin - gotta love the unhealthy life. Speaking of...

Lots Of Snacks - if I have to leave my room while writing, nothing will get done.

Google Docs - the one true saviour. No one will ever convince me anything is better.

All Info Thought Of For The Witch's Experiment - yes I have the name already. I've had the name for years. I just never really got around to writing it.

Maybe An Outline - still concidering. Never been the type of person who takes the time to do it, but I've never finished a book before either, so maybes its time I do.

JulieMDobson | 2019-10-10 09:44:39 UTC | #178

• Laptop - Deciding between using Word or Scriviner - only sorta can use Scriviner.

• Mini Laptop/Tablet - for when I'm not at my computer. It's doesn't always work properly, but does the job (most of the time)

• Notebooks - One is just for this NaNo project. Others are stashed around the house. I claim it's because if an idea hits, one will be nearby. But really it's because I forget where I left them. I try to keep one project in one notebook, but doesn't always work.

• Music - Sometimes I make a special list, sometimes I have certain songs I listen to for certain scenes - to set the tone. :wink:

• Coffee - extra coffee, and time to treat myself with Starbucks Caramel Macciatios - I wish they delivered.

• Cats - My unofficial cheerleaders, who usually distract me or fall asleep. Little cheerleading occurs. But I still consider them cheerleaders.

• Reading shall - not just for reading

• Twitter - to keep my followers updated (Fine, it's so I can distract myself)

• Instagram - Daily Coffee Mug and Word count Update photos (and possibly stalking celebrities, authors, as I procrastinate from my novel)

shut_your_what | 2019-10-10 18:27:48 UTC | #179

OH! I forgot to add my special necklace. It's called an Apache Tear (look it up! the backstory is very interesting. :3 ). A friend/neighbor found it in some mine she went to. She made it into a necklace and gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago. I never take it off [spoiler]unless absolutely needed, of course[/spoiler]! It serves as a fidget for me at times.

magicbeans | 2019-10-10 19:01:50 UTC | #180

hmm lets see...

• my laptop, obviously, with the google docs for my novel, outline, and character notes all open

• my sketchbook, for various notes, character and setting references and for doodling when i get bored

• tea! it's cliche but i gotta have my doubtful guest mug, a full kettle, and a box full of tea close at hand
• my novel playlist! its mostly soundtracks so that i don't get distracted, but there are a few songs with lyrics scattered in that i feel like really fit the vibe.
• a place to write outside of my apartment, which is usually my favorite coffee shop by campus
• plenty of fresh baked goods, like bread or brownies.

Mikki | 2019-10-10 19:49:17 UTC | #181

Hmmm I'm going to try to keep it simple :grin:

• Personal laptop/Alphasmart neo/work laptop
• My notebook (That has my small outline which isn't written yet lol, and random story notes)
• My phone for writing on the go and for music
• Earphones
• Instant Cappuccino
• Cozy socks
• Sweater/Jacket
• Snacks
• Blanket
• Video games for when I get stressed or tired of writing
• My kindle for when I need inspiration
• Writing software (I haven't chosen yet so maybe Novelize, Google Docs, or Novlr. Leaning towards Novelize)
• This writing app called Flowstate for when I need some extra encouragement lol It replaces the web app Write or Die for me. If you stop writing it deletes all of your words (It is not a secure website so use at your own risk).

BarbaraD | 2019-10-10 20:06:41 UTC | #182

First year last year and I only planned dried fruit and water. I also had a small notebook in my bag for when I was out, usually in doctors waiting rooms, and I got an idea for a scene. Got Scrivener trial and love it. Love some of your ideas and it has given me some for this year. I am going from being a pantser to a planner so planning survival kit makes sense. Thanks.

abydos6 | 2019-10-10 21:14:48 UTC | #183

this is actually a fablis thread, and I'm in like jail which is why I'm commenting and not liking....:upside_down_face:

anon76435796 | 2019-10-10 21:26:57 UTC | #184

• Hot chocolate. Whether it's made with coffee or regular water (I don't have the patience to continually stir/whisk milk while it's heating), this is my go-to drink while writing.
• Water bottles - gallon sized and a regular sized one. I need to get new ones. because the ones that I used to have got ruined. One melted when I ran it through the dishwasher and the other one I forgot had lemons in it. I don't understand the whole time marker printed on the bottle trend with water bottles atm. Do I look like I'm awake at 7 a.m.? I know that I can ignore the printing but eh.
• Desktop & laptop
• Outline & research

GreenPumpkin | 2019-10-10 22:31:36 UTC | #185

Laptop

Scrivener

Scapple A mind mapping software by the makers of Scrivener (So simple, yet so useful)

Smartphone To continue writing while I'm away

Snacks that are healthy

Google Docs For transferring later on to Scrivener

Earbuds

Music Application Any, really

Nanowrimo Forums

Fire_Diamonds | 2019-10-11 00:14:54 UTC | #186

I love mind mapping. It's a great way for me to visualize all my ideas!

luminousley | 2019-10-11 04:06:08 UTC | #187

i love everyone's different NaNo survival kits! mine:

• my old laptop- it does its best, that I am grateful for
• google docs- we go way back
• my Very Large water bottle- hydrate or die-drate
• lots of comfy clothing- i can't write if I'm physically uncomfortable(i mean i can but there are fewer words)
• a very long outline doc- tried to p(l)antser my novel last year and i won but it was really stressful. hoping to remedy that this year
• headphones and music- I'll either listen to kpop or something indie like The Lumineers as sorta background noise that I can focus on if i get tired
• free time to write??- idk where i'll find that but i have to so
• planner and inspo papers- couldn't live without em last year. daily mini prompts to keep me going
• harry potter word crawl/sprints- shouldn't need an explanation

Writer-phantasia | 2019-10-11 04:13:53 UTC | #188

My first NaNo, I've been out of my writing for ten years. So, this is what I imagine I'll need:

Desktop or Laptop - I'll likely spend most of my time in my office, with the door shut, but I'll need my laptop for travel times.

Kindle Tablet - I'll need a lot of my books at my fingers for guidance.

Google Docs - though back 10 years ago when I was writing, I used Word, I'm trying to adjust to the times. lol

Notebooks/Planners - I'll need a place to jot down notes, cause I think I'll always be more of a pen/paper type of gal.

Steady Supply of Coffee - Nuff said.

And no internet connection - because I am very easily distracted.

anon79779369 | 2019-10-11 04:27:55 UTC | #189

It's crazy how many people are using laptops and here I am with my heavy-duty gaming computer. XD That said, this will be the first draft I ever write by hand, so that will be interesting. I guess all else I really need is water and music. Hopefully I'll be moving to a better apartment before November with better internet and no roommates. Sadly don't have a pet, maybe I'll put my parsley plant on my desk to keep me company.

abydos6 | 2019-10-11 11:31:45 UTC | #190

I go between Big - Momma (desk top) and baby bubbles (laptop), as Big - Momma can't be easily moved...lol. :upside_down_face:

DystopianDuckie | 2019-10-11 12:30:00 UTC | #191

Good luck doing nano and college! I'm in my 4th year of uni in the UK and I've been finding it hard in previous years to do nano but I still try every year. @Mahikaa - I'd say my biggest tip on doing nano and school isn't even really writing-related, it's to take care of yourself and don't be too hard on yourself if you have to give up partway through. Having said that, you might write more regularly than me and be able to do both more successfully

DystopianDuckie | 2019-10-11 12:36:42 UTC | #192

I like that idea! I might try and break the 50K down into smaller amounts to trick my brain into working on it. I tend to get burned out pretty quickly doing Uni work as well

DystopianDuckie | 2019-10-11 12:46:38 UTC | #193

I don't tend to do survival kits but I also haven't won nano for a few years so why not:

• Laptop - for writing on, and general motivation. Although I have been considering hand-writing this year as everything else in my life is screen-based and it hurts my eyes. My laptop is called Lovelace for anyone interested, after Ada Lovelace and also the character in The Long Way to A Small Angry Planet. All good times. :computer:
• Scrivener - my usual writing software of choice. Still a bit sad that version 3 for windows is delayed but hey ho, I'll survive.
• Coffee - do I need to say more :coffee:
• Self-care - I really need to look after myself. I've got uni and pretty dodgy mental health so I'm going to put myself first. Lots of yoga, sleep, sims, and watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer while knitting on the couch
• Blankets and Pyjamas - because they're the best! :heart_eyes:
• Plan for my story - I wish this was more fleshed out but it isn't :hugs:
• Spotify - music while I'm writing is a must :headphones:
• Pinterest/Novel Cover - I'm writing a story set in space so nice pictures are always great for inspiration

That's all I can think of for now! Good luck with nano!

Writer-phantasia | 2019-10-11 18:52:12 UTC | #194

@anon79779369 if it makes you feel any better, my desktop (both of them) are gaming computers :) So you're not totally alone. :)

batkat | 2019-10-11 23:48:15 UTC | #195

A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That I always gather things and plan and overthink. Part of the fun of NaNo for me is the planning... well the planning and of pampering myself and being cozy so I can focus along with "a trillion" other people doing the same.

Things I have thought about for this year.....

Tools

• :computer: Hopefully a new laptop that I will have to think up a name for (maybe Penelope :slight_smile: ) and consistent use of file naming conventions
• :newspaper: Scrivener on both my desktop and laptop
• :memo: Simplenote on my phone and ipad - I am in love with this app....for every little thought I have
• :spiral_notepad: Notebooks - because I love the act of writing by hand and sometimes typing just doesn't inspire creativity
• :pencil2: Favorite pens and colored pens and markers to write with - maybe a Bujo with a NaNo :calendar: PURPLE!
• :cloud_with_lightning: Mindmapping with Scapple and in my notebooks and on a whiteboard
• :mag: Google, DuckDuckGo, Library books, Netflix, TV, Amazon Prime, etc for research and Google docs for keeping things in the :cloud: cloud
• :ear: Eavesdropping on everyone all the time, listening for those odd tidbits that spark inspiration or a sentence that I can weave into my story
• :people_holding_hands: Social media - it's the gift that keeps on giving - you can't make up the real life craziness that people post Free inspiration!
• :books: Reading books about writing inspires me during slump days or in the evenings Also books in the genre I am writing and NaNo YouTube vids and the Bible
• :construction_worker_woman: A work plan about how I am going to have energy to do NaNo and work a full-time job at the same time
• :house: Cleaning my house beforehand so I can gain more focus
• :notes: POST IT NOTES - my life would derail without them and index cards, almost as good
• :smiley_cat: Chat options for when I need social interaction: Twitter, Discord, the forums, etc.
• :zzz: Sleep and :bath: long bubble baths - it's where some of the best ideas are lurking Also Baby Magic Lavender bath for taking me away (better than Calgon)

Events:

:world_map: Second Life snatches and speaker events at Milkwood Book Island and hanging out at the campfire with friends :camping: and at my tent at Milkwood. I also get my :musical_note: from SL .... the blues. Nothing better than sitting on the roof of my house enjoying blues and a beautiful sunset

:bird: Twitter sprints and other fun things

:smiley: Discord chats and events and checking in with Redditors and various writing subreddits

:jack_o_lantern: Halloween night - I hope to stay up this year as I took that day off

:leaves: Daylight Savings time giving me an extra hour :clock1: November 3rd here

:tornado: Good weather, as in wind, rain and dreary days

Creature Comforts:

• :socks: Cozy blankets, scarf, sox, new jammies!! sweatshirts
• :tea: Loose-leaf Lapsang Souchong tea, my dedicated writing tea of choice and an assortment of others & honey
• :coffee: Coffee with seasonal coffee creamers and of course my old fave hazelnut & a new mug
• :potable_water: And also water, water, water
• But sometimes maybe some :beer: and/or :wine_glass:
• :candle: Scents of the season candles: maple and sugar cookies, cinnamon, etc
• :canned_food: Easy to fix or premade foods Freezer stuffs, canned, 3-5 ingred recipes, veggies and Hidden Valley Ranch dip and Frozen blueberries
• :candy: Halloween and Christmas candies to snack on
• :smiley_cat: Pillowssss and all my bedclothes all washed up and smelling fresh
• :sparkler: Pogo games for stress relief and to get away from it all
• :bed: Bedside table I bought for surgery this year.... reincarnated as a bedside NaNo writing station
• :weight_lifting_woman: Attempts at exercise/yoga/meditation
• :pill: Low dose Flexeril and wrist splints for carpal tunnel help
• :cat2: My cat child :heart: cos she is the best creature comfort of all

Big_Karuna | 2019-10-11 21:16:27 UTC | #196

My kit is less portable and more persnickety than most:

• A desktop computer with a nice big monitor. I have one at home, one at work. Laptop screens are too small and squinty for me to see well.
• A good solid keyboard. Laptops, again, with their chiclet keys, just don't work for me.
• Microsoft Word on both computers (check), and internet access for Dropbox on both computers (check).
• A notebook, for writing when I'm away from either of those desks.
• A filled fountain pen, ditto (and a gel pen for backup)
• A large mug of something to drink. Coffee if I'm scribbling in the notebook at the coffee shop, tea if I'm at a desk, water almost any time.
• Secret part of kit: Candy to nosh on. I'm especially fond of those little tiny Milky Ways that come in a bag. My doctor would not like me eating candy. NO ONE RAT ME OUT TO MY DOCTOR.

abydos6 | 2019-10-11 21:25:40 UTC | #197

I love your emojis

anon10473269 | 2019-10-11 23:45:15 UTC | #198

Oooh I forgot about this thread! Here's my survival kit:

• Laptop and power cord with Scrivener: my usual writing software, my scrivener binder holds all my random ideas and character sheets along with my manuscript all in one place. Fewer documents to worry about searching for on my hard drive.
• Snacks: I usually have chocolate, fruit, or crackers with me at all times when I'm writing. If I don't I'm writing somewhere where I can get them at a moment's notice.
• Bullet Journal: I keep my bullet journal with me most everywhere to write down any non-writing thoughts that I come up with to store for later. I also keep my writing goals there to mark off when I reach them.
• Tea, Coffee, or Hot Cocoa: I have one of these with me when writing. It's pretty cold where I'm at right now, so a hot drink tumbler is essential.
• Stuffed shark: Call me childish, I keep a little stuffed shark in my bag when I'm trying to get a lot of work done in very little time. He brings me comfort. His name is Grayback because I'm not creative at naming.

That's my survival kit

Tchailenova | 2019-10-12 04:51:48 UTC | #199

[quote="danielle-saints, post:16, topic:4189"] My favorite water cup from Starbucks - Any other hydrohomies doing NaNo? [/quote]

Hydrohomies represent!!! I recently bought a "Dia de los Muertos"-themed artic thermos cup and I love it to pieces. I fill that sucker with ice water and bring along two smaller bottles of water and pour those over the leftover ice whenever I need a refill. It's a great way to get me to drink something like 5 litres in a day without putting in a lot of effort :laughing:

(I'm a hydrohomie but i'm also remarkably lazy) :stuck_out_tongue:

Tchailenova | 2019-10-12 05:44:56 UTC | #200

So many great ideas in here! Also really useful for reminding me about the things i've forgotten! :grimacing: Here's a (revised) list I made while reading the other entries :smiley:

• GitHub and GitHub interfacing software: desktop for my windows tower and lappy, and a page with terminal commands saved on it for my mint box - Not sure if anyone else uses GitHub for writing projects, but it's an amazing tool.
• My Laptop just in case I have to leave the house for an extended period of time, if extra extra time, this includes my fancy mechanical keyboard (love those Romer-G tactile switches :heart:)
• My Artic thermos (for water) and my other thermos (for hot teas)
• Tea Kit includes electric kettle, pot, large stash of my favorite teas, tea light candles, warming stand
• Bullet Journal for wrangling and letting go of those flighty distracting ideas - also good for maintaining self-care habit trackers, and keeping my schedule close at hand
• Stabilo point 88 mini markers to spruce up my otherwise very minimalist November BuJo entries :sweat_smile:
• Robust suite of YT writing playlists I have three favorites, ranging from 100-250 videos per list, at an average of 40-120 mins per video :P there's a lot of stuff in there to keep me focused without boring me out of my skull with repeated songs
• Extreme HP Crawl click through for the goodies, including a truly epic spreadsheet
• Writing Buddies probably gonna lurk in the overachievers area again, see if their momentum can rub off on me again (last time i did that, i blew past my own goal! so, here's hoping), and also some other peeps through Discord :smiley:
• Self-Care Kit reminders from my discord buddies for posture, eating, drinking, and stretching; easy meals; and gentle reminders from my bro that I've missed too many showers :stuck_out_tongue:
• NNWM sprints and word wars on the forums and on twitter! I just love those twitter sprint sessions :smiley: they are excellent for getting started writing on any given day

bigfatboggart | 2019-10-12 10:22:15 UTC | #201

A clean house (a thorough house cleaning is my Halloween celebration).

Mine too! It never lasts! But my foolish optimism persists.

bigfatboggart | 2019-10-12 10:35:43 UTC | #202

My kit is pretty straightforward.

Laptop w/ Scrivener. (I finally replaced my fifteen-year-old monolith from college. I have a shiny new Lenovo IdeaPad now. His name is Malvolio, but I think we'll get along despite that.)

Spotify novel playlist. It's mostly LotR and video game soundtracks. Also a lot of Bear McCreary.

4theWords because I love those dumb little puppet things. So helpful!

Designated writing candle - Irish cream scented. I've Pavlov'd myself into knowing it's time to write when I light it.

Puppy buddy - his name is Gimli, he is a horrible distraction and no help at all, I love him so much.

I also have a lot of fandom-y things from the various novels and worlds I love. Like, an enormous painting of the White Tree of Gondor over my desk, Harry Potter jewelry...a dog named after a fictional character, for that matter. It's nice motivation, I think. All that stuff came from the imagination of a writer in the exact same position we're in now. Maybe someday, some fool will name their idiot dog after one of MY characters!

Anthelia_Marten | 2019-10-12 14:10:28 UTC | #203

So let's see... must haves:

• my laptop Darling, I heard somewhere that it meant "favorite minion" once, which always cracks me up, + Scrivener
• wireless mouse, touchpads are kind of a pain to deal with
• wireless key board, in case the NaNo curse stricks again and I have to write on my phone
• headphones, so I can kill my ears without bothering the neighbours
• music, I live at a main road so it can get pretty noisy and music really sets the mood for me (large scale battle, I got just the right song! dramatic death scene, I got tunes for that! fluffy heart-to-heart, there's a song for that!)
• empty USB, saving progress in case of the NaNo curse
• tea, for every occasion, to focus, relax, wake up, sleep or just because
• comfy clothes, if I sit down to write I don't want to be distracted by scatchy jeans
• blanket, I have this really large one that almost swallows me up, it can literally fit two grown people and a child with room to spare (tested it with my brothers)
• a clean house, nothing is more irritating than procrastinating with household chores when there is writing to be done (but the kitchen is really messy and what if someone invites themself for tea!)
• schedules and bullet journal, (writing, college, social stuff, chores, self care) without plan there will be utter chaos
• outline and notes, my red string and fact check tool, I'd get nothing done without it

optional stuff:

• warm socks, it can get pretty cold in November where I live
• wrist support, my wrists kinda hurt after long writing sessions, last year I bandaged them everytime I sat down to write, this time I'm testing some support glove thingies (all that wrapping got annoying and I felt like a mummy)
• hot-water bottle, I get really cold okay
• scented candles, something autumn-y
• stopwatch, on the NaNo main site, to keep track of how long I wrote (say I had a bad day and didn't reach my goal but I tried to write for 3 hours, that's still an accomplishment)
• guided meditation, I'm a night owl if I don't relax before going to bed and sort my thoughts I'll lay awake for hours thinking about the next sentence, scene, chapter, multiverse... (oh... is that a plot bunny?)
• snacks and prepped meals, one thing less to think about and better to have healty snacks at hand than to binge on chocolate and ice cream or something
• lip balm, I tend to bite my lips when I concentrate so...
• "The Walk"-App, to motivate me to go outside, fresh air and physical activity and all that stuff

Oh dear, that got pretty lengthy.