Every November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The goal is to write a novel in a month and I wrote about how I was preparing it here and what I gained from it here. Obviously it’s not November, but every April and July a similar challenge is introduced. Instead, Camp NaNoWriMo allows you to set the flexibility of writing towards your own goals. Plus, you can work on any writing project, it’s not specifically for writing a novel even though it’s hosted by the NaNoWriMo platform. This year I will be participating for the first time and so I thought I would post how I am preparing for Camp NaNoWriMo, now that I’ve already completed one novel in a month challenge.
This time around, I will be using the same goal as in November and writing 50,000 words. In November I was working full time and in school part time and with quarantine it should be much more relaxed. It breaks down to 1,667 words a day which takes me about an hour and a half. This time around I am trading the romance genre for horror to challenge myself a bit more.
At the end of this post I will also be updating about my last books and how that’s currently going! By the way, if you aren’t into writing but are still wondering what to do with your time if you have a shelter in place order, check out my posts:
- 15 Things to Do When You’re Stuck at Home
- 10 DIYs to Do When You’re Stuck at Home
- The Books I’m Reading this Spring
How I’m Preparing for Camp NaNoWriMo
Camp NaNoWriMo will be a great opportunity this year for anyone who has ever wanted to write a book, screenplay, short story collection, poetry collection or anyone who is up to the challenge! A lot of people aren’t working right now, and writing takes my mind off of everything that is happening and it might for you too.
1. Setting up Camp NaNo
Camp NaNoWriMo is hosted on the same website as the November challenge. I announced a new project and set my word count goal at 50,000. I haven’t named my project yet because I’m not sure yet what I would want to name it, so I just called it “Project Camp NaNo.” If you want to participate in Camp NaNo, you can create an account on the website here and announce your project. If you do, be sure to add me on the website! My username is maddiemd.
2. Making a Brief Outline
I’m not majorly concerned with an outline. If I plot too much, I will end up going another direction and wasting all that time plotting anyways. If I don’t outline anything, on the other hand, I won’t know what direction to go. For this brief outline I just want to summarize the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution.
I also want to create a Pinterest board with some of the aesthetic and how I picture the characters to look. It’s not really necessary, but I just feel like being extra. It’s also a little helpful to visualize the mood I’m going for. I’m also going to try to make a Spotify playlist with music that fits the vibe I’m going for. I feel like it will put me in the right mood to write what I’m going for, and I also just want to experiment with different writing atmospheres. I realized in November that I couldn’t write with music, but since then have started listening to a French Jazz Café music playlist and it’s actually been really nice. So I want to test out different music and see how it will affect my writing.
3. Creating a Writing Spot
I learned in November that creating a spot to write in with the ideal atmosphere is important. In the beginning of the month I had a solid spot to write in and a specific time, atmosphere… the works. Towards the end of the month when finals hit, my routine was messed up and I ended up moving around my room. Everything felt off. Before April I need to set up a place where I will be able to write.
Overall
I don’t think I will need to do that much prep since I am more of a go-with-the-flow kind of writer rather than a planner. Washington right now, where I am, has a stay at home, stay healthy order and I worked at a preschool that has been temporarily closed. Since all of April I will be at home, I am going to have a lot of time to write anyways and I think it will help with my routine, keeping me busy, and help me feel more creative.
How my First NaNoWriMo Book is Going
Since we’ve got how I am preparing for Camp NaNoWriMo out of the way, here is how my first (November NaNo) is going…
To sum it up in one word: unproductive.
I lost my motivation and got really busy between taking a full quarter with school, applying to nursing school, and work. It’s over now, so I don’t really have an excuse anymore. I have edited about 20% of it at this point and I am wanting to finish.
Putting it aside for a couple months was great to gain a new perspective since I had essentially forgotten what I had written. I plan on finishing editing this draft by May and then editing one final time for a third draft. After that I will find beta readers and then decide if I want to self-publish or try to go the traditional route. If I do self-publish I have a cover in mind that I want to hire someone to create.
Overall, I am just glad that I’m not rereading it and thinking it’s absolute garbage. I actually am pretty proud of what I wrote and it’s something that I would have actually wanted to read. Whatever route I choose to pursue I will keep posting my updates on here in the future! I’m also going to be posting on my Camp NaNo experience after April, too.
That’s How I’m Preparing for Camp NaNoWriMo + My First Book Update!
Have you ever wanted to write a book or are you participating in Camp NaNoWriMo? Let me know in the comments below!
