Summer Camp Reading Challenge 2025
This year's Summer Camp really feels like a milestone for me. I aimed for copper as usual and not only achieved it but put out two articles that I'm truly proud of (with art! I made art during Summer Camp!). One of those, my Ohesa article even got onto a shortlist! I'm floored by that, especially because other people are out there writing such amazing stuff.
So let's get on with that! Here are ten articles from worlds both familiar and unfamiliar to me that I really enjoyed. I got new ideas for description, marvelled at some ideas, hope some people will turn these ideas into full stories and learned that I really love item descriptions.
Check them out!
(Sorry for the not-so-sleek layout on this one, folks, I have a train to catch in 10 minutes)
Well outside my usual wheelhouse of interests, this article describes a set of futuristic beauty products. I thought the author did a great job of establishing an atmosphere of both polished luxury on the one hand and dystopian expectations and wealth inequality on the other. The descriptions were also nicely sensory, with smells and sensations that really gave me a feel for the products. I feel quite lucky I caught this one on strixxline's stream!
I'm so invested in Yeia's Blatian Empire by now, despite definitely not having read all their articles on the subject yet, that I'm always thrilled to see new articles about them. This document does a really great job of highlighting the culture of the writers, emphasising their values and religion and what they view as their home. The prose is excellent as well and it makes for a very engaging read.
How could I not love an article about tea? I adore Mochi's scenery art; I really hope I will be able to draw such beautiful scenes for lots of my articles in the future (I really enjoyed making a scenic banner for the Ohesa article, but it was a lot of work and I lucked out on a reference pic!). The descriptions of the different types of tea were very fun to read. Comparing with the Mirratech article above, I think I might just love descriptions of item variations in general - I think they give a world a lot of flavour.
I loved meeting the different characters - such an engaging way to write an article. It makes for a very immersive experience, especially because the character dialogue is hidden behind a click. Combined with Tyrdal's reliably excellent evocative prose, Aran'sha always feels like a feast for the senses.
Loved the combination of investigation, psychology and supernatural/afterlife presented in this article; together with the mentor/apprentice system it immediately brought "buddy investigator" shows and books to mind (but probably with a greater focus on healing).
I want a series of stories about a mentor and apprentice seeker going about their profession in Suh-mer Qiamp now!
The level of detail put into describing the different materials and decorations and what they signify (or when it's just practical) is great here. It also gives a nice little glimpse into Paddlewick society and who's who or what certain families are focused on.
An excellent example of a short and sweet article! This little band of rascals honestly makes me wish for a story about their heist adventures. It fits the light tone of Ayun Sovos perfectly and somehow the prose just exudes excitement and humor. Some crime okay :)
I'm a complete sucker for myth that involves personification of nature, so this article hit the spot. Especially for something as ethereal and yet powerful as wind currents, adding myth can really enhance that feeling of tremendous force that nature can bring. Whether that's something that's true for your world or just true for a specific character, it can be a powerful storytelling tool. There is some stunning art in this article as well; they look deceptively simple but the lighting, colours and linework are really good!
I love language worldbuilding, even if my technical skills in this department are very limited. This article doesn't approach it technically though, but dives fully into the prompt by linking history and culture to the idioms. It's very fun to see how idioms similar to English ones might have a completely different meaning in the context of beings who live in the water rather than on land! Breaking up the information about the history of the language into slightly different perspectives or styles also worked super well to make it instantly understandable yet it still felt very much in-world.
Hanhula has written a fascinating powder keg in this document article. I love how Enlai (and associates) apparently manage to walk that fine line of letting the document inspire real indignation and a practical desire for change without crossing into "so provocative the government will kill us all" or suggesting that they need to burn everything down and start from the ashes. It's so intriguing when characters try to pursue non-destructive and yet drastic change; I found myself really hoping it works out for them.
Thank you so much for featuring my tea article! I had fun writing it, tea is the most important thing on planet Cilvarth, so it was important I nailed the article :D <3
Thank you for writing it!