An Idyllic Space for Writers at the Milk Wood

by Kavella Maa | November 17, 2009 | One comment

Another location of interest to National Novel Writing Month participants is the Milk Wood Gypsy Camp. I found out about it simply by belonging to the “Writers Guild”; the group holds virtual write-ins there two or three times a week.

What’s a write-in? NaNoWriMo participants (“Wrimos”) know! It’s where a bunch of writers get together and write. Writing’s a lonely enough task, just by its very nature; it takes place exclusively between the writer’s brain and the paper (or computer screen). We often mitigate the isolation by performing our craft in groups. Being surrounded by other writers hard at work tends to give us a shot of energy and an inspiration boost. It’s hard to describe; the effect is somewhere between excitement (“Awesome! Check out all this creativity going on!”) and duty (“I can’t let myself be the only one in the group who’s totally procrastinating… I’d better get to work!”).

So some kind soul set up the writing area at the Milk Wood Gypsy Camp, and it is a thing of beauty. Start with the lovely natural setting, a forest with leaves gently falling and birds sweetly singing all around. Waters lap the shore on all sides. Add to this scene a bunch of picnic tables where an avatar can sit. Some tables have animated typewriters on them; others have paper, free wearable pen objects, and a writing animation. There’s also stacks of books–take one–and a “Sit and read” animation. It’s a cross between a library and a classroom and a picnic area.

When you sit and type at the typewriters, they make that awesome clatter-and-ding of actual typewriters, too. The more writers are at work at any given time, the more typewriter noises you hear. It’s the closest any area in Second Life has come, in my opinion, to simulating not only the look but also the feel of a “1st Life” activity. The sound of the typewriters yields that same charge, the buzz of “I’m surrounded by writers hard at work! I’m inspired! I yield to peer pressure! I will write!” Even sitting alone at a typewriter on some off-hour, the single typewriter clattering away is excellent background music for me to work to.

So the weekly write-ins are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1 PM SLT/Pacific. And during NaNoWriMo, there’s also a 20-minute “NaNo Writing Slam” every Wednesday at 1:30 PM SLT. It’s a “word war” to see who can write the most in that period of time.

Another bit of fun for Wrimos: you may send Harriet Gausman a “book cover” texture to paste onto one of the prim books “growing” from the NaNoWriMo tree. Tell her your word count during the daily 2 to 4 PM SLT window, and she’ll add it/update it on your book.

Harriet represents another group affiliated with this area, “Virtual Writers, Inc”, and if you give her your word count she’ll Twitter it to the group. For more about Virtual Writers, TP over to the Milk Wood Gypsy Camp and look for the strange little mushroom that promises a “pillow elevator to secret land.” It’s cool.

There’s lots more, and the groups often change the content and furniture around, so you’re best off just TP’ing over and exploring the area yourself. See you there!