Camp has begun!

Today is the first day of CampNaNoWriMo. And I came prepared! Okay, so I did not plot beyond a vague idea of where I was going; I did not plan characters beyond a general idea of a main character and a few others. After facing resistance and a lack of inspiration, the day before camp begun, ideas started to flow. My muse gave me enough to get started, but not enough to make me bored.

Yes, I am a 'pantser'. I am winging it. Detailed outlines, character sheets, and research would only bore me. To me, the excitement comes in the exploration, in figuring things out as I go. I have an idea of an ending in mind, but I'm perfectly okay if it ends differently.

Today, as I began writing, without any clear idea of what I was doing, ideas came to me. The story began unfolding itself before my eyes. Plot points clarified themselves. The setting came into focus. Scenes ended naturally and led to new ones. All I had to do was to keep writing. So that's what I'll continue to do this month. Show up, listen hard, write, and see where it takes me. I am so excited after today. I got to 2,320 words effortlessly, a respectable enough word count, and am choosing to stop based on sheer exhaustion. Maybe not every writing day will go this smoothly, but I have to trust that it will work out.

One trick to surviving this month is to embrace terrible writing. I am serious. My sentences are clunky and my paragraphs don't flow. That is for fixing later. My energies are best spent getting the story on paper.

(source)

Another trick that I am using this month is handwriting it. I did NaNoWriMo in November on my laptop, but to be honest, my laptop is too distracting to me. Even if I close out other programs, disable wireless, and have my writing program in full screen mode, I still get antsy and disinterested. I think I am programmed to use my laptop for short bursts of concentration - reading a blog post, checking a website, writing an email - and then switching to something else. Perhaps the internet is too tempting for me so close by. Whatever the reason, the writing doesn't seem to flow.

Whereas, writing in a notebook is something that I have done since I first learned to write. It's how I attempted my first novels at 13 and 14, it is how I have kept my journals to this day. And I find that I can focus much better with just a notebook, for all I can do is write (and doodle occasionally in the margins). It means that my wordcount is always just estimated; however that seems to be the only drawback right now.

I think the important thing is knowing what works for you. So many people write differently. For many people, outlining is a way of life, and handwriting a whole novel is inconceivable. That's okay.

There is a great topic in the NaNo forums titled "Your NaNo Rules". I have found it to be a great discussion. So many people have good ideas about how to write, reward themselves, make sure they stay on track, etc. But these rules stood out the most to me:

Rule #1: Write. Or else.
Rule #2: Rule #1.

When it comes down to it, those are the only rules you need.

So here's to a great June for all writers out there. Hope the writing goes well and you have loads of fun.