Monday, April 13, 2015

Doing the Camp NaNoWriMo Writing Challenge



This month, I embark on my second NaNoWriMo enterprise.  NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month, which is actually in November every year.  The original event is held with the goal of reaching fifty thousand words, or completing the equivalent of an entire novel.

I successfully completed the 2012 NaNoWriMo challenge but did not actually complete the book I was writing.  It was about zombies.

In April and July, the NaNo group offers a "camp" where you can join to write a self-determined amount of words.  This year, for the first time, I signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo with the goal of finishing (or at least getting substantially on the way towards finishing) several of my works in progress, which are all romances.  My goal is thirty thousand words towards this worthy, if somewhat amorphous, accomplishment.  I kid myself that my publishers are eagerly awaiting these works but really, in the world of writing, you are your first (and often only) motivator.  So I am writing these romances for myself.  And sometimes I go a little too easy on myself, which is why I need the kick in the pants that NaNo offers.

Unique to the Camp NaNo experience is the opportunity to join a "cabin" with other writers.  You can talk to them and encourage them on their way.

I'm excited to be into my second week of Camp and so far I am on target.  Fingers crossed for a successful finish.