Ensign’s Log, Entry 26: Camp NaNoWriMo Results!

Ensign’s Log, Entry 26: Camp NaNoWriMo Results!

If you’ve been wondering why this blog has been kind of quiet for the past month, the answer is relatively simple.

July is host to Camp NaNoWriMo, an offshoot of November’s well-known and well-loved National Novel Writing Month. Although it’s been going on for a few years now, I haven’t successfully participated before, mostly because the past few years I had a full-time job. This year, though, I not only had time on my hands, but also internet access and–most importantly–a wonderful group of writers who formed a cabin with me and a few other friends.

How did it go? I’ll let the following graphic speak for itself:

CNW Winner

That’s right I won! Not only that, but our cabin did a spectacular job in terms of cumulative word count. There were late-night word sprints, letters written home to Mom, and end-of-the-line celebrations involving many virtual s’mores.

My word count wasn’t a huge one–unlike NaNoWriMo, you can set your word count goal (minimum of 1k), so I aimed low: 6,000 words, to work on something involved in a secret project I may or may not have mentioned before.

I crushed my project word goal in the first couple of weeks, then went on to more than double that total by the end of the month, working on a separate project (ironically, a novel I once started for an April Camp NaNoWriMo but have yet to complete.)

Did I enjoy the Camp? Yes, definitely!

Will I do it again next year? Quite possibly, if my writer’s group hosts a cabin again. Without their support, I doubt I would have gotten as far as I did.

Would I recommend it to other writers? Yes! The wonderful thing about the Camp NaNos is that they’re flexible in terms of word count. They also occur twice a year–in April and in July–offering different times for people to participate. If Novembers tend to be crazy for you, but you’ve always been intrigued by the NaNoWriMo challenge, I recommend checking out Camp NaNo. Create your own cabin or choose to be sorted into a random one. You can also go at it alone, but I think having cabin mates really helps to keep you motivated and on top of your daily word count goal.

6 Comments

  1. Heck yeah we’re having another cabin in April!!!!

    I think we have enough people for two cabins. 😀

    The November NaNo is too much for me, but I loved the customized goal aspect of camp.

    (And we actually beat our cabin goal by 7k words. *nudges Corinne* Which is even more exciting than when we thought we were just super close.)

    1. Awesome! I can’t wait. 🙂

      NaNo was my introduction to novel-writing so I still do it every year for fun.

      *also nudges Corinne* We unofficially beat it, yes, which is pretty darn amazing given everything going on for folks!

    1. Yeah! NaNoWriMo’s wonderful and I do it every year, but it’s a lot harder to find a group. I tend to hang around on my regional forums, but even then it’s hard to keep up with everyone. I like having the cabins.

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