Well. I packed for the campsite in virtual NaNo’land and arrived and had a look around. Even in these virtual places you need to see where to pitch your virtual tent so you can see the virtual stars light up the virtual sky at night.
** Crazy man alert **
Hello. Sorry. Lost myself there for a moment. We have reached the end of day THREE of this round of Camp NaNo. Three days already and have I been doing any actual writing?
You bet your pumpkins I have.
Day One started well though I was still in planning mode for a while (and in watching tennis mode) so I didn’t start writing until 3pm. I did hit 1,400 words though so happy with that. I rewarded myself with an hour in the garden.
No! Don’t do THAT.
H A Y F E V E R
S T E P A W A Y F R O M T H E P O L L E N M O N S T E R S
Too late. I did it. 48 minutes of weeding and a day and a half of being unable to breathe. No matter how many times I blew my nose. (I counted until I hit 42,000 and then stopped. Counting not blowing.) The hayfever tablets I take DO NOT WORK and the spray up my nose had no effect.
I ended up not sleeping at the end of Camping Day One and Day Two started with a lurking migraine and a touch of neuralgia to keep it company. That day I wrote ZERO words. No problem. The least of my worries. At least the power of liquid ibuprofen helped clear things up for the start of Day Three.
Day Three we had no plans to go out and I was refreshed to hit the ground running. I ended the day with over 5,000 words, a personal best for one day since my records began. WooHoo!
Another day like that would be nice as I head into Day Four.
This year, Camp NaNo lets you decide on your word count target. I’ve decided to keep to the 50,000 words. Not that I necessarily expect to reach that target, but I figure set the target high and if I hit 35,000 I’ll be happy. (Happier if I hit the 50k 🙂 ) The idea is to get myself writing on as regular a basis as I can. Ride that wave until I finish the first draft.
I have a title for this book. It is the second in the D.I. Camwell stories and is called LttV. That’s right. I’m using abbreviations only at this stage. I like to keep a little back from you. 🙂
How goes your Camp NaNo experience?
Random photographs today are from Rufford Abbey Country Park. A nice place to head to chill out. Have a wander around and catch some fresh air.
Pete Denton 
I notice you seem to favour Camp NaNo over the main NaNo? Is it because you don’t like crowds? 🙂 Or is it just that November isn’t such a good month for you? Or some other reason?
Anyway, sounds like you’re going well so far, keep at it, look forward to hearing about your progress!
Part of the reason I’ve done the two camp versions is just leave from work. Last year I took the Olympics off and this year we’ve done the same with Wimbledon. At home for part of the NaNo so makes sense to write.
November I’ll be at work all the month so less time to write. Also, August and July have 31 days. 1 extra day can make ALL the difference 🙂
Strange to see your new gravatar, I keep wondering who is this smiling, windswept person 🙂
Ugh. I feel you pain, sort of. I’m not participating in Camp NaNo, but my 12-year-old also suffers from hay fever. This time of year is miserable for her. Haven’t tried liquid ibuprofen – that will be next! Thanks for the tip 😉
Btw – 5,000 words is impressive!
Thanks, Gwen. The liquid ibuprofen is good if her sinus flares up. It did the trick for me 🙂
We’ve tried it now for three days and it’s certainly helping. Thanks again for the valuable tip.
I’m not participating this year, not because it doesn’t work–it does. Four years ago I jump-started a novel (managed 40,000) with NaNoWriMo. I ended up putting the novel on hold to work on other projects, but, I am sure I’ll come back to it. Meanwhile, the characters and the plot continue to develop (something I had to wait for). The best thing it did for me was start the habit, which is why I’m not participating. I have my own habits and goals now, and have been able to stick to them, consistently for the past 4 years.
I’m convinced that setting goals and sticking to habits are the simple and proven formula that results in a finished project. Good Luck to you–and just keep writing!
Thanks, Tracy. I agree. Find what works for you and go with it. I like to let stories develop over time and you can always go back to first drafts. It’s when there are NO drafts we have a problem 🙂
Sorry about the allergies. I suffer too. And congrats on the good writing day.
Thanks, Connie. Hope the allergies keep at bay 🙂
“Crazy man alert” – LOVE IT! And 5,000 words?! Well done! I haven’t done very well the last two days at camp, but I’m hoping to beef up my word count tonight. And we nearly visited Rufford Park last weekend – it’s on my list of places to visit in this heat wave we’ve been promised 🙂
I hope you enjoy Rufford. We’ve been a few times over the last few years. It’s a nice place to go a chill out and there’s a nice walk around the lake.
Good luck hitting the word trail again. 🙂
Thanks Pete 🙂
With a heatwave about to hit ( fingers crossed) it’s not going to get much better. I laughed HA HA when told to get a rock salt lamp in the room I work in- it’s worked so far and I’ve even got a rock salt tube to breathe through for 25 mins a day, that helps too ( called Salitair) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SALITAIR-SALT-THERAPY-INHALER-FOR-ASTHMA-BREATHING-/120928401015?hash=item1c27e4f677 I promise I’m not on commission. good luck with NaNoWriMo Pete.
As I write this I AM TOO HOT!
The heatwave has hit, but I steered clear of the garden today. Maybe tomorrow I’ll cut the grass again!
Thanks for the link. That sounds like it might be worth investing in 🙂
You;re making early progress and promise at the start – good for you! There really is no way to predict what’s going to come up and bite you on the rear The courage is knowing how to work around it – seems that tissues and iuprofen may be your muse!
Hahaha they might be my muse! Having some good wordcount days of late. I need to ride that wave for as long as I can.
Good to see you getting into the spirit of camping out… Rufford Abbey Country Park looks like it would be lovely for a stroll so long as you had dosed up on antihistamines first 🙂
I need to leave the house with breathing apparatus at the ready 🙂
Glad to hear the garden couldn’t keep a good man down for too long. It’s amazing what time outside can do to the respiratory system. Congrats on 5k in a day–that’s awesome. 🙂
Thanks. I have now started gardening wearing a face mask. I look like an idiot, but it keeps the pollen away 🙂
I was really happy to break 5k in a day and followed it up a couple of days later with another 5.4k day. Back at the day job tomorrow so I needed to get a head start. Nice to be writing again rather than editing 🙂
Congrats on your excellent start to Camp NaNo in spite of your Hay Fever! Hope you have recovered.
Whilst ever this warm spell lasts I can feel it lurking 🙂
Unlucky on your hayfever! Well, it happens. I’m glad you’re back on track. Good luck 😀
Thanks 🙂
I had a simialr experience – I went down withflu on Day 5. Got to the doctor the following Monday. I think the antibiotics interfered with my allergy tablets. But eventually I got back in the groove and have caught up now 🙂
Oh, no. Good to hear your back in the groove. You never want the flu but especially when you’re camping 🙂