Are you ready for Camp NaNoWriMo 2013?
How do you really know when you’re ready for any writing adventure? I honestly don’t feel as prepared as I should. Though when I look back last year, I wasn’t really prepared much in November. All I keep trying to reassure myself that this experience in April and July will be just as amazing in November. All that really matters is that I write, and every thing else will come after.
I learned about the pesky Inner Editor & Inner Critic through my NaNoWriMo experience. That Inner Critic needs to pack its bags and fly north somewhere because it’s not going to persuade me to change my mind on what I’m going to do. I will write in April and July no matter what. Now that Inner Editor is like a kid pestering you to constantly edit everything you write, and stopping your flow. The Inner Editor has to leave too, but only for vacation. I just imagined my inner editor editing in Orlando, Florida… “Sorry, but that theme park ride disclaimer has a word spelled incorrectly.
I really panicked on Monday when I realized that there was only a week left, and now we have several days before Camp NaNoWriMo begins. Though I felt reassured that I wasn’t the only one in the boat panicking. A few others I know that will be writing in April, told me that they didn’t have much planned out either. As you know from last week’s post, I’m a planner, but the more I think about it… It seems like I plan a bit and then I write to see where I end up. That’s all I can do really. I have to sit down every day, and write as much as I can till I reach my goal. That’s what everyone else will be doing as well. Though we know that we have support from our family, friends, cabinmates, and fellow writers.
The things I remembered doing before NaNoWriMo last year were:
1) Making the decision to participate, and which story I was going to write (I already had an story idea that I had started and I wanted to make it into a novel).
2) Letting people know through social networks, and talking about my plans to participate in NaNoWriMo. Also learning who will be particating locally, and personally.
3) Researching what I could about writing a novel, any tips that my help prepare me, and any other information.
4) Planning out my plot and characters through NovaMind. It was useful to visualize the information, and a source where I can find information quickly while writing.
5) Creating a NaNoWriMo board on Pinterest related to images to my story. It was a way to visualize what my characters might look like, setting, and it springboard my thoughts to what I might do for the story.
6) Create a playlist on Spotify of songs that connect to my story, or inspire me.
These are basically the same things that I’ve done this time around (except I feel like this time I had to think more about the story to figure it out), and I’ll do these things again to prepare before July. Hopefully it continue to help me. Right now I’m glad that Easter landed in March this year. I really love Easter, especially when it’s connected to my Catholic faith. Even though I’m a bit worried about Camp NaNoWriMo, I’m thankful that I can focus a bit more during holy week to prepare for Easter. Next month, I don’t have much planned besides transitioning to shadowing my friend Melissa who teaches composition at our local university, and few other important things. I’ve got the time, but I have to use it well.
To all my fellow campers (aka writers), remember we’re all here to support each other so we can get to our goals. It might get crazy difficult during the writing process, but we can get through it. Lastly, don’t forget to have fun.
תגובות