So. Day 15 of Camp NaNoWriMo is dust and I thought I’d do another round-up post.
The first eight days I was on leave from work and managed to write 22,537 words, which is 3k more than the same point last August when writing the first draft of A Scream In The Woods.
I only managed a further 500 words over the next FOUR days! That’s what the day job does to me 🙂
At least I’ve had a blast through this weekend and have burst through the 30k mark.
WooHoo!
At the halfway stage of NaNo, I’m at 33,000 words. Only 17k left!
To be honest, I’m not bothered whether I finish Camp NaNo any more. I want to finish the draft of this novel. It’s worked its way inside my head and needs releasing.
I do hope to hit the 50k words before the end of July, but the target is to finish this first draft. However long it takes me. After all, Writing is for LIFE not just for NaNo. 🙂
Now, I bang on about being a planner, but …
BUT …
I do like tangents and my characters have taken liberties with my plans so far. They’ve already taken me in directions I hadn’t planned and dominated some of the earlier scenes. I like it when they do that.
I have to map the next few chapters out, but I’m pleased with the results so far.
Even if you’re a planner, pantsing is a great hobby 🙂
If you’re taking part. Happy NaNo’ing.
Thanks for reading.
Pete Denton 
That day job gets in the way, I agree. But 30k….fantastic. My hat’s off to you. Btw I downloaded that police procedure book and there are some great little things in their I had no idea about.
The day job does get in the way. They should give me a month off (paid obviously!) to write. That would be good. 🙂
Good to hear about the book. Happy reading 🙂
My intention was to participate, but I talked myself out of it. I’m quite good at that. Congrats on your accomplishments!
Thanks. I’m usually good at talking myself out of things as well. I really needed to write this book so NaNo seemed the perfect excuse 🙂
The same thing happened to me when I was at Camp. The deadline no longer mattered, it was finish the draft or else! I made the deadline (actually a little early) but the real sense of accomplishment came when I typed the words “The End.” I have no doubt that you’ll finish your draft…and then go on to finish the revisions. Good job and good luck, my friend.
Thank you 🙂
It is a good way to start a first draft and like you say, provided you keep at it and reach “The End” what more can you ask for?
Happy writing 🙂
So maybe you’re a “plantser” rather than a planner 😉 Congrats on your impressive progress.
You know what, Gwen, I think you might be right. I do like to plan and can’t write without a plan, but I do like it when my characters refuse to do as I command and go off and do their own thing. 🙂
Great progress, Pete. Keep it up.
Thanks, Dennis 🙂
Congratulations on your progress – great going! Looking forward to this new book.
Thanks, Noelle. I’m plugging away still and have just broken through the 40k mark. Onwards 🙂
Congrats on 30K! I am about the same point. I agree. I plan but not too tightly, the story has to have room for delightful twists and turns.
Oh, yes. Where would we be without the twists and turns. Happy writing 🙂
Congrats! I’d say you’re making good progress there. And yes, detours do happen, even to hardcore plotters like me. 🙂 They can lead to some fabulous things though.
They can. Already this book is going in a completely different direction to what I had planned. The plan is still my guide, but I do like the way it’s headed. 🙂
Sounds like you’re hammering through the draft pretty well! Congrats!
Thanks, Steve. I do enjoy this Camping malarkey 🙂
I didn’t realize this was happening! I should participate. I like your thoughts on planning. 🙂
Thanks. 🙂
They do the two Camp NaNo in different months each year and then the main event in November still. You should have a good. Definitely good for a first draft. 🙂
My sneaking suspicion is that the successful (and sanest) writers are those who work with the flow of the current story and characters. Maybe rigorous planning is right for one story, but a mix of outline and pantsing works for another. Whatever moves a story forward to a good completion is what works.
Thanks. You know I think I might confuse full blown planning with outlining. I need the map of where the story is going, but without the spontaneity of the pantsing my stories probably wouldn’t work. Like you say it is a case of finding what works and running with it 🙂
Well, you’re ahead of me! But I am just slightly ahead of schedule, so I’m not worried. I like going with the flow. My characters know what’s happening in this story far better than I do.
My postcard fom camp tomorrow includes an extract 😉
I like it when the characters don’t listen 🙂
Sounds like it’s going really well and 50k is no mean feat. My only question is this: What is Camp NaNo? I’ve seen lots of people talking about it and I have no idea what it is. At first I thought you all took your teepee’s somewhere but I’m thinking that’s probably not the case?! 🙂
Hahaha, Camp NaNo is part of the NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month where you’re challenged to write 50,000 words in one month.
The main NaNoWriMo takes place every November and they have a couple of floating challenges this year April and July. For the Camp NaNo competitions you get to choose your word count, but I’ve gone for the 50k.
Great way to write a first draft and get into the habit of writing you should give one a go sometime.
I do like the idea of setting up to write in a teepee. 🙂
Maybe that’s an idea for future camps! Lol. Will have to check it out, would love to give it a go sometime.
Congrats on the terrific word count! Goal setting and holding yourself accountable are great skills for when you have to write under deadline! 🙂
I like the deadline. I think if I didn’t have the deadlines I would take 7 years to write every book. 🙂
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