Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Gulp. Camp NaNoWriMo.

I've watched the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenges from afar, in awe. Like an eager spectator, I scroll through the Twitter feed, cheering participants on with favorites and hopefully helpful comments. But always with admiration for those participating, and the thought, "That is SO not for me."

I just don't work that way. My first manuscript, I made a lot of mistakes. But I learned a lot too, about the process. MY process, and what works best for me. My process doesn't allow for the under-pressure-writing style that comes with a NaNo project. My second manuscript grew organically, fed by careful thought and a promise not to make the same mistakes twice. It was a much better book for it. It was also the book that landed me my agent. Logic states that my "process"now appears to be tried and true. So why mess with it?

Ahem. I've come up with two reasons. The first, is that, as writers, we don't always have the luxury of working at the leisure of our muse. With a book contract, comes deadlines. And while I'm not there yet, (knock on wood three times, spin around, throw salt over my shoulder), I hope to be soon. I intend to be ready.

Also, I aspire to be a great writer. I believe, that to be really great at something, it is necessary to keep pushing the boundary limits of our comfort levels. Because in that space beyond our comfort levels, that's where I always seem to find the ways to grow.

So when a good author friend of mine said, "Hey! We saved a spot for you in our NaNo cabin for April!" I decided to take a chance. I decided to succumb, willingly and gratefully, to peer pressure.

Tomorrow, I will begin a challenge that terrifies me to the core. Tomorrow, April 1, I will embark on a month of NaNoWriMo camp…with a very lofty word count goal. (What can I say? I was raised to value the concept, "go big or go home.") I'm sure I will make some mistakes. Who knows? I might even trip and fall. But if that happens, I will do it with style and flourish, and I will try to keep a smile on my face. Because there are lessons to be learned and maybe it will even make a good story. And who knows? At the end of it all, what if I get to say, "I can write a book in a month."

Gulp. Here goes nothing, with the potential to be something.

Want to join me? Sign up here! Camp NaNoWriMo