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Camp NaNoWriMo Starts Tomorrow!

Is it just me, or does the name Camp NaNoWriMo make you really want to sing the Camp Anawanna song from the old Nickelodeon show Salute Your Shorts?

I’m absolutely thrilled that tomorrow is the beginning of National Novel Writing Month‘s very first camp themed summer session. I look forward to writing a novel in a month every November, but unfortunately November happens to be end-of-semester time for me.

Although our fearless writing club at my school pushes through and balances both GPA and novel-writing, it’s a challenge. July and August usually come hand in hand with a lighter workload and fewer responsibilities than November, especially for students.

Above: Fearless writers, ready to take on anything; writing a novel in a month? Been there, done that.

That’s why Camp NaNoWriMo is the perfect chance to dive into novel-writing head first, without having any experience whatsoever. You have far less to distract you from one of the craziest creative goals you’ll ever set: writing a 50,000 word novel in a single calendar month.

So, with less than twenty-four hours before it’s time to put your pen to the paper (or set your fingers typing) if you plan to start in July, I have a few tips for beginner WriMos and veterans alike.

Get over yourself.

Ernest Hemingway said that the first draft of anything is, essentially, a giant turd*. Yet we often delude ourselves into believing that the moment we put a word onto a piece of paper, it is final. Writing the first sentence to a novel is terrifying. What if it turns out terrible? What if my novel ends up starting out like this?

“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents–except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.”

First of all, look at how many words that first sentence is! Of course, it’s crap. But it’s long crap! If you write a horrible opening sentence, don’t freak out. Don’t delete it either. Just mark it with brackets, bold lettering, italics, another color, whatever. And then start a new opening sentence.

You’re not going to publish this novel at the end of the month. Actually, if you’re like me, you won’t even look at the thing for another thirty days out of fear that it’s downright terrible. Remember: You’re writing for fun. If you want to make a profit off of it later through publishing, just know that you’ll have a lot of editing to do, and accept that. So did Hemingway.

*P.S. His actual quote involves a four letter word, if you care to look it up. My version is more fun.

Take an idea and run with it.

Humans are imaginative creatures. Just think back to the games you used to make up with your friends when you were kids—or all of the creative ways you or your siblings found to torture each other. You don’t really have to be extraordinary to write a novel. You simply need to be a little imaginative.

Have you ever come up with an idea and then said, “That would make a great [novel][movie][video game][comic book][anything else here]!”? If so, then why are you sitting around waiting for someone else to write it? It’s your idea! If not, you’re still in luck. There are loads of WriMos in the Adopt a Plot post willing to donate their random spark for your use instead.

Still need to get your imagination going? Go explore a little on Flickr. Find an interesting photo. Come up with a story about it. Come on—you’ll at least get 1,000 words out of it!

Above: Interesting photo? Check.

Now, take your idea—whether it’s a fleshed out legitimate story arc or simply, “There was this girl on the beach and this other random person and it was really ominous and this is going to be REALLY COOL!”—and start working with it. Get out some scratch paper and word vomit all over it.

Start writing random facts about your characters and your setting. Write how they would interact with each other. Write about their problems. Let your pen trail wherever your mind wants to go and see where it takes you. Your creative gears just need a little oiling and a little push to get them turning again, but never fear. Those suckers will roll out of control like nobody’s business by mid-July.

Make time, be prepared, and have fun.

It’s probably much easier to set aside time to write 1,613 words every day in the summer than it is in the fall. Get up a little earlier. Go to bed later. Cut out an hour of TV each night. Tell friends and family what you’re doing so they can offer verbal support and also support you by leaving you alone while you’re in writing mode. Carry a notebook everywhere.

Write while on the bus, waiting in line for the final Harry Potter movie (come on! BEST TIME TO WRITE EVER!), on your lunch breaks, waiting for your computer to load something, waiting on hold, or while someone else is driving on a long road trip.

Above: This author proves that the random story you start writing on coffee house napkins can net you millions of dollars. But your mileage may vary.

Also, make sure you have what you need to write. Find a good spot to do most of your writing. Maybe it’s at your desk, at a coffee shop, or in a tree. Stock up on pens you like and a notebook you like. Seriously. Writing with a flowing pen on nice paper is way more inspiring than writing on an old water-stained scratch pad with a dying free pen you stole from your school.

If you like to type, get an ergonomic keyboard—even if you have a laptop (they usually connect via USB). Get a wrist rest or a supportive glove to wear while typing. The last thing you want is for wrist pain to kick in mid-month.

Recruit some friends to take this on with you or go at it solo. Either way: have fun. Write whatever the heck you want. This is no assignment. It’s not a contest. You’re doing it for your own benefit and amusement. Don’t pretend to be the kind of author you’re not. Let your voice come out and enjoy every minute of it.

Photo Credit: Brandon Warren – licensed under Creative Commons.