Hello everyone!

Guess what!? It’s almost July, which means…. it’s time for Camp Nanowrimo!

I feel like we all talk about Nanowrimo in November which is this huge thing, but Camp Nano doesn’t get as much attention. Personally, I actually prefer Camp Nano and I want to share with you guys why I love it so much.

What is Camp Nanowrimo?

Camp Nanowrimo is a month-long, biannual challenge for writers. During the months of April and July, we sit down with other writers and plug along on our manuscript for an entire month. Unlike the strict 50,000-word count goal for Nanowrimo, in Camp Nano, you can set your own goal, whether it is in words or in minutes.

Why Camp Nano?

1. Challenge yourself!

Do you like challenges? Do you have a story idea but just didn’t have the chance to write it yet? Or are you working on your WIP but need a final push? What I love about Camp Nano is that it lets us focus on one thing for a month and gives me the motivation to get it done.

2. Write, edit, plan. Do what you want!

Camp Nano can be tailored to whatever we are working on at the moment. What if you’re in the middle of a draft? What if you are in the editing phase or the outlining phase of your WIP? No worries!

One misconception with Camp Nano is that you have to be starting a new novel as with Nanowrimo. That is not the case! You could be editing, or brainstorming, or writing the second half of draft #9. Whatever it is, you can go on and join Camp! Which brings us to the next point…

3. Set your own goal.

Chances are you know about the 50K word count goal to “beat” Nanowrimo. That’s pretty crazy isn’t it? What if we have school? What if we have work? What if we know that July is going to be a crazy month, life-wise?

The 50k word target doesn’t work for everyone. That’s completely fine for camp Nano because you get to set your own goal! Maybe 5K, 10K or 25K is more reasonable for you. Or maybe 50K is nothing to you and you want an even greater challenge of 60K or 100K (in which case I am so very jealous of you right now because I can never write so fast!)

If you are editing or outlining a novel, you can choose to measure your progress in minutes rather than words. Maybe you want to aim for 1 hour a day (30 hours a month), or even as little as 15 minutes a day (450 minutes a month). The point is that we pick a goal that is realistic and achievable for us.

4. Join a community.

When we think of writers, we might think of people holed up in the middle of nowhere with their pen and notepad (or laptop, in this day and age). For the longest time, I thought writing was a solitary task. But the thing is, it doesn’t have to be.

During Camp Nanowrimo, we are not alone. We can be a part of a community where everyone is working towards their writing goals. I personally love being in an active cabin where we share our progress and frustrations, and ultimately encouraging each other to meet the goals we set for ourselves.

(Our cabin is looking for new campers, so if let me know if you want a Camp Nano cabin and I’ll send you an invite!)

Do you like challenges, whether it is writing, reading or other activities? Are you participating in Camp Nanowrimo this year? What are your other plans this summer?