Camp NaNoWriMo

Having written a 50,000 word novel last November, as part of the NaNoWriMo challenge, I am currently taking part in a new challenge, Camp NaNoWriMo. Once again, the aim is to write 50,000 words in a month, and the new camp version takes place in July and August.

I had decided that the next novel I wrote would be outlined and planned, as I found the "discovery writer" method I used in November to be a bit unsatisfying. But when I heard about the challenge in July, I decided not to wait until November. I am now working on the second of two novels I had been thinking about writing for years. Having ideas for plot, characters, and setting in your head is not the same as outlining a novel! Things still change when you start writing them down, and I'm waiting to see if this novel drifts as far from my original thoughts as the last one did.

July is not such a good time as November, for me, because I dislike the summer heat. I usually feel more motivated and creative when the weather is cooler. But at least this time I happen to have less pressure of work, so I'm taking advantage of this free time to be a full-time writer, until the next job comes in. I know I should be getting ahead, writing more than the minimal word count each day in case I have to spend hours working later in the month, or be away from home. So far I haven't managed to do this, though I find the daily word count relatively easy to achieve. I'm learning what my limits are, how much writing I can do, and how tiring it can be.

After I finish this novel, my aim is to start the revisions of the previous novel. I have not looked at it since I finished it on November 30th, and I know it will need a lot more work before I consider it finished to my satisfaction. I have often heard that it is good to put a piece of writing away for several months and then return to it with fresh eyes, seeing the product rather than the process. I hope I will be able to evaluate and revise it more objectively, as if it were someone else's writing. Eventually I will have to do this for the novel I am now writing.

I find it difficult to critique my own work while I am writing it. Perhaps the creative mind is naturally resistant to analytical thinking. I think if I were constantly judging my words and the structure of my work, it could cause creative paralysis. On the other hand, I want my writing to improve so that eventually it naturally requires less editing or revision.

I am enjoying this challenge, and encourage any readers who find this idea inspiring to sign up for Camp NaNoWriMo in August, or for NaNoWriMo in November and start writing their own novels.