Ever since I first discovered Nanowrimo two years ago, I’ve enjoyed learning more and more about it. Did you know that apart from the official event in November, there are two mini-events? That’s right. Camp Nanowrimo takes place in April and July. It’s different from the November event because you can set your own goal.
This year, I set my Camp Nanowrimo July goal to 30,000 words. At the same time as I was working on my Camp project, I was editing another manuscript and doing other writing related tasks. If you’re interested in knowing how I fared for Camp Nanowrimo July 2020, keep reading.
Did I hit my goal?
As I mentioned in the introduction, my Camp Nanowrimo goal was 30,000 words. I am pleased to say that I did hit my Camp goal, with a few days to spare. A part of me wanted to shoot for 35,000 or even 50,000. But I knew July was going to be a stressful month for me and I wanted to have fun and not feel overwhelmed. I am so glad I did this. The 30,000 was still a challenge, but it was a reasonable, attainable one. One that allowed me to not freak out during my low word count days. Because, boy did I have many of them.
Writing everyday
Besides hitting a word count goal, one of the purposes behind Nanowrimo is to get writers in the habit of writing everyday/consistently. While I don’t think you need to write thousands or words everyday to be successful, I like having the challenge to write most days of the month. It’s a habit I’m still working on building outside of Nanowrimo related months. Luckily, I did manage to write everyday in July. Some days the word count was below 100 and other days it was nearly 3,000. But I wrote. And I’m so proud of myself for making an effort to do so.
Is my project done?
Most people aren’t going to finish their book at 50,000 words (the November Nanowrimo goal), thus my book sure isn’t finished now at 30,000+ words. It’s a great starting off point, but I have a long road ahead of me. The novel I’m working on is a historical fiction novel told in dual perspectives (I have a soft spot for dual perspectives). While I am many times off with my word count predictions, I believe the end word count will be around 90,000 words. So while I am glad for the push Camp Nanowrimo gave me, my journey with this book is far from over!
Updates on Project Sunflower
Project Sunflower also came out of Camp Nanowrimo July, only last year. This book has been through a couple rounds of self-edits and has met the eyes of a Critique Partner (CP). I am hoping this is the manuscript I will query, since I want to pursue traditional publishing. Currently, I am seeking beta readers and CPs for this project, going through edits in a printed out copy of the manuscript anddddd, as of late, I’ve began rough drafts of a query letter!
The query process is not going to happen for a while, but it’s been keeping me motivated through my editing process. I really feel excited with this book, even after the multiple re-reads and edits. I’m excited (and nervous) to get more outside feedback, since i know how vital that is. Crossing my fingers I’ll be able to nab an agent with this project.
That’s all!
Thanks for taking the time to read my Camp Nanowrimo July updates. It’s been such a fun journey. I’ve become more and more connected with the writing community online. Live write-in streams have been a lifesaver on days I did not feel like doing anything! Where are you in your writing process? I’d love to know!
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