Summer Camp Pledge 2022

A new summer dawns. Creative sparks fly as the hammer falls down onto the anvil. There, molded in copper, it says "I pledge to create, spread cheer , and most of all; chill!"

Every summer, World Anvil runs a community event called Summer Camp. In it, they publish several sets of prompts, and encourage people to write at least three hundred words for as many of them as possible. Complete a certain amount, and you're rewarded with badges and bragging rights. This year, 8 articles nets you a Copper Badge, 16 Silver, 24 Gold, and 31 the coveted Diamond Badge. You can read more about Summer Camp, and why I'm writing a pledge for it here.
Like last year, I make no promises to get anything above Copper. Even if I did end up going for, and getting, diamond last year, things will go as they go.
My goal isn't a set amount of articles, but to have a great time writing and following whatever inspiration comes from the prompts and the community.

My History with Summer Camp

Summer camp has a special place in my heart. I had only just joined World Anvil. At the time, I was struggling with a several years long art block. I had a streak of creative projects that just fizzled out for one reason or another. It was tough, and I felt frustrated, and I felt really lonely in my creative pursuits.
Summer camp was probably one of the best things that could've happened. Being creative alongside so many others... I felt seen and like I was accomplishing something. It helped reignite that creative spark. Since then, I've written 16k words here in Solaris, and almost 120k on the morning realm! Even more importantly, I've made some awesome creative buddies ♡ (shoutout to the lodge and the WA discord!)

Camp Chill

Last Summer Camp I heard one refrain more than any other; Diamond or die! It was amazing seeing peoples passion. There's no doubt that stretching towards a goal can be motivating and can really help push you into accomplishings things you didn't think you had in you.
However, more than I think we creatives need to push ourselves to productive extremes, I think we all could do with learning how to create and have a good time doing so. I think some of us fear that unless we force ourselves, we won't make anything. However, as Qurilion quotes; "Nothing that's forced can ever be right. If it doesn't come naturally, leave it."
So hereby I welcome you to join me at Camp Chill. The guidelines are simple. Write when you want to, and write what you want to. All that means is, don't force yourself to write. Trust me when I say that the writing you do with joy will be some of your best. Trust yourself to create without a cudgel.

Summer in Solaris by Annie Stein

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Camp Chill Guidelines

Remember the prompts are suggestions, not requirements.
Write what you're passionate about, leave what you aren't.
Relax when you feel tired.
Fight off any pesky brain-squitos trying to make you doubt your work.
Don't abandon your non-summer camp goals! Write that article you're itching to write, even if it doesn't fit any prompts.

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If you'd like to repost these rules, Amy Winters-Voss made a block version you can easily copy by adding [block:1050823] to your article

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Personal Goals

Creative Goal
One short comic for each theme.

I'd like to build my confidence in making comics, and the best way to do that is by drawing them. These should ideally only be a few panels. I don't want to overwhelm myself.

Motivation
To have fun!

Creating is my fuel. When I write and draw, I feel like myself. I want to continue that, and I've learned that the most sustainable way for me to keep creating is to keep it fun and light rather than making it feel like work.

Writing Goal
Copper badge or beyond!

I would like to write four or more articles in Solaris, and two or more articles in the Morning Realm. I'll decide more in detail as the prompts are released.

Reading Goal
Read and comment on at least one article every day

There's no better way to cheer eachother on than by taking some time out of the day to go enjoy what everyone else is creating. That's why I want to challenge myself to read at least one article every day, and to leave a comment while I'm at it.

Themes

During Summercamp we'll get eight prompts for four different themes; Expanse, Leadership, Discovery and Monstrous. These overarching themes will influence the prompts, and to prepare I've done some brainstorming on what I might write for each of the four themes.

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by Annie Stein

Expanse

The scorched wastelands of Mercury are ripe for inspiration, from the boiling hot maria, the sharp scrapes from the shrinking of the planet, and the hidden ice sheets that the locals mine for water. I'd love to write more about the dayside and nightside and how that affects things.
Other expanses worth exploring is the interplanetary transport systems, from long haul trucking to luxury liners. Not to mention the Oort Cloud, full of horrors and, well, perhaps it indeed is best not to mention it.

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Leadership

The Keystones are a big part of the setting that deserve their own article sooner rather than later. These mortals are bestowed godlike powers by their home planet to guide and protect it. Every planet has their own traditions and rituals surrounding them.
I'd also like to write about the various world leaders, from Saturns Merchant Princes, to the Jovian Senate, the matriarchal monarchy of Neptune, and so on. We'll see what fits the prompts.

by Annie Stein

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by Annie Stein

Discovery

What is a Sci-Fi lite setting without some amazing tech? I'd love to write about Remote Projection, where you upload your conciousness to a vessel at your desired location. Once synced, you control the vessel rather than your own body, and can interact in real time. It's an important technology in a world without FTL travel or communication.
There might also be a prompt that works well for exploring some terrible lost artifacts of the eldritch horrors in the Oort cloud, and the locations where they were once worshipped.

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Monstrous

Sometimes, you become the monster to protect those you love. I think this might be the theme where we look at the Sentinels, the defenders of the Sol System. These valiant defenders have their humanity stripped and their natural talents honed into lethal weapons.
I also hope to expand upon the Scourge, the invading force that Project Ikarus and Penumbra were established to fight.

by Annie Stein

Inspiration

To help guide me this Summercamp, I took a deep dive into my own meta for inspiration. This Summercamp I'd like to focus on the following two points of drama, since they both are important to what's going on in Mercury.
I like to wear my inspiration on my sleeve, so I wanted to highlight some of the poems that have influenced the philosophy I bring with me when I write for Solaris. I also included some art by the incredible Möebius.
Recently I also watched a great retrospective on Speculative Evolution, which inspired me to create a list of all the media I'd like to watch for Solaris. If I feel myself running dry creatively, I hope I remember to check that list and find something to watch to get inspired.

Points of Drama

1. Sol has turned on its own system. The angels who once guided humanity are now scourge hellbent on destruction. The sustained collaboration of the planets has, for now, suceeded in containing the fight to Mercury.

2. The last Keystone of Mercury sacrificed herself to chain the Sun and contain the invasion. She left no known heir, and with the majority of the population seeking asylum all across the solar system finding the next Keystone may prove to be quite the challenge.

Dive into the Solaris Meta to see what else you can learn.

1. But tonight he is alive and in the north field with his mother. It is a perfect summer evening: the moon rising over the orchard, the wind in the grass.
And as he stares into the sky, there are twice as many stars as usual.

The Two-Headed Calf by Laura Gilpin

2. Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too truly to be fearful of the night.

The Old Astronomer by Sarah Williams

3. And you have fixed my Life – however short. You did not light me: I was always a mad comet; but you have fixed me. I spun round you a satellite for a month, but I shall swing out soon, a dark star in the orbit where you will blaze...

Letter to Siegfried Sassoon by Wilfred Owens

See the Solaris Meta for more...

by Jean "Möebius" Giraud

Closing Thoughts

As I am writing this, it is the 29th of June, and we're only two days away from July. It's one thing to plan, and another to be in the middle of things. I hope my pledge has been helpful for you, I hope it inspires you to go out there and create something awesome!
I want to thank each and every one of you who has supported me during my first year here at world anvil. You've made this weird little creative very happy, and I hope you continue to enjoy my work. I know Summercamp gets intense, and I want to assure you that it's okay if you can't keep up with everything. Remember that first and foremost, we're here to have fun together. Live gloriously, my friends, and go worldbuild!

by Annie Stein

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