Are You Ready for Camp NaNo?

I’m a planner. I might have mentioned that a few times.

It wasn’t always that way.

I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I used to do my homework on the bus in the morning on the way to school. For years my teachers probably thought I had a problem with writing as my scrawl will have been like a spider scuttling across the page. My writing ISN’T good, but it was the bus speeding between potholes. Honest, Sir!

But, things are different now aren’t they? No, not really. I do leave things to the last-minute and wing it a lot of the time. Though I could argue that I plan it that way. This year’s Camp NaNo an excellent case in point.

I decided at the end of 2012 that my two challenges this year would be the A to Z Challenge and July NaNo.

A to Z done and dusted (and almost recovered from) and July is ages away.

No?

Wait, July is NEXT MONDAY.

My intention was still to take part in July NaNo even though I’m still finishing the latest draft of I Can See You and other than a few notes and the story rolling around inside my mind, I had no plan in place for the 2nd book in the series.

One week to go. ARE YOU CRAZY?

Nobody answer that. My sanity has nothing to do with this challenge. I have left things until the last-minute, but a few nights ago I set up the new file on Scrivener and at about 23:00, I decided to bullet a couple of points to at least show willing.

After half an hour and three pages of notes later, I decided I was done for the day, just before the day finished with me. The following morning, I added another page and have already loosely mapped out a good deal of the book. I didn’t realise it was all coiled up inside waiting to be unleashed.

When I plan, I like to leave a lot of leeway to be sidetracked and go off on tangents with the story or the characters. I will plan out the first 7 chapters and last two in a little more details over the next couple of days as I already know the ending, which gives me something to twist and turn towards as I dig deeper into the story.

From being a million miles away from being able to start Camp NaNo I now feel I have a map on how to get to the campsite and I have at least assembled my clothes ready to pack. A far cry from completing my homework on the bus to school. Only just.

Are you Camping NaNo style this year?

If you’re interested, you can read all about Camp NaNo here and rather than forcing you to write 50,000 words in one month, you get to choose how many words you’re aiming to write. You’re in control 🙂

Happy writing!