At the start of every year, when I’m planning what writing I’m going to do over the course of the next twelve months, there are three months that I always plan around specially. Those are April, August, and November, which are the three months of Camp NaNoWriMo (in April and August) and NaNoWriMo (in November). I love all three of these events. I love the rush of creating. I love being around other writers who are just as enthusiastic about writing their books as I am. I love how inspired and motivated everyone is, and how that makes me feel more inspired and motivated. I love how the quantity and the quality of my work both improve every time I challenge myself a little more. Is it any wonder that these are my favourite months of any year?
Camp NaNoWriMo (April and August) is by far the most versatile of the two forms of challenge. While NaNowriMo challenges you to write a 50k word novel in 30 days, Camp NaNo allows you to pick your own goal. You can choose to write more words than 50k. Or you can choose to write less. You could track how many pages you’ve written instead, if you prefer to do that way instead. You can write non-fiction, or scripts, poetry or prose, or continue a book that you’ve already started writing. Or, like I often do, you can choose not to write something new, but instead to edit an old project. There is so much freedom to customise your goal and your project.
For anyone who has never tried NaNoWriMo before, joining Camp NaNoWriMo is the perfect way to dip your toes in the water and try something a little less intimidating than the full challenge of 50k words, which can be so daunting if you’ve never tried it before. It’s a creative boost to work on your project without the pressure of having to start something new, or write quite so much, especially if you’re often very busy. And it’s a great way to get in touch with an amazing and active community, who are always willing to rally together and cheer each other on, help each other out, and celebrate all the victories, big and small.
This April I will be starting out with another project ready to edit. This will be draft four of ‘The Shattering Song’, the sequel to my novel ‘The Crystal Tree’. My amazing beta readers have read it and given me their expert opinions and advice, I’ve planned out my edits, and now am ready to jump in with both feet and give this next round of edits my best effort. I want to use the encouragement and creativity of Camp NaNoWriMo to springboard me through this new set of revisions, and I hope to come out the other end having finished draft four and all the edits that I have planned. A lofty goal? Maybe. But what is life without a little challenge?
Camp NaNoWriMo is a huge part of my writing life, as well as a large part of my writing friends’ as well. With a good community around you, a challenge in front of you, and the motivation to go out there and create something, I believe that we can all achieve something great. Come April 1st, I’m going to be opening my manuscript and starting work. I hope I’ll see you at the starting line too, pumped and ready to do something truly amazing in April.
If you’re new to Camp NaNoWriMo, or you’re looking for some tips and motivation, I’ve written quite a few posts on the subject in the past, if you’d like to have a browse through. If you’re new to Camp NaNoWriMo, I hope they might inspire you to give it a try. And if you need some reassurance or motivation, or just some extra support, then hopefully they’ll prove a little of that for you too. I hope one of these posts will spark something for you. Will you be doing Camp NaNoWriMo too this April? If so, what are you planning on working on? What’s your goal?
What Is Camp NaNoWriMo And Why Should You Participate?
Some Useful Tips To Help You Conquer Camp NaNoWriMo
Staying Motivated When You HAVE To Write
How Do You Motivate Yourself To Keep Going During Camp NaNoWriMo?
Bad First Drafts Are Just Part Of The Process
I’m a huge fan of Camp NaNoWriMo, too! I’d love to invite you to join my cabin this April if you’re interested?