Well, I did it. 50,000 plus words in about 25 days. April was a busy month, busier than I expected, so I kicked myself a few times for signing up for Camp NaNoWriMo. What did I get myself into when I already had enough on my plate?

But once I commit to something, I have to see it through.

It sure feels good to accomplish such a feat. 50,000 words. Wow! It's daunting, but not impossible. Though it took the first two weeks to get it together and build up steam, by the third week the words came like a freight train and I got to my destination well ahead of schedule.

I love how the story turned out. I love the characters and I love the setting. It's hard not to love the fictional town of Rock Creek since I based it on the actual town I reside in. By the way, the name of the creek is very real.

Someday, I'll go through this "book" and begin the revision process, but not until I finish  my current WIP. Isn't it just like us creative types to start one project, get bored, start a new one, and get bored again? To be honest, Camp NaNoWriMo was the change in pace I needed. It gave me a renewed appreciation and a surge of excitement for the story I've been working on for years (which I will finish). In the meantime, I'll continue to bask in the glory of my successful stay at Camp NaNoWriMo.

CAMP NANOWRIMO ANYONE?

I've participated in National Novel Writing month a few times over the years. Writing 50,000 words in a month really isn't hard for me once I buckle down and get to it. But in November with Thanksgiving taking up some of that time? Not so easy, especially since we usually go out of town for the holiday. I'm forced to squish 50,000 words into three weeks. That's 2,381 words a day. Not an easy task when you have a job and a family. But I did it! Yea!

Then I heard about Camp NaNoWriMo which takes place in April. Oh, oh. Another month with a holiday, but it so happens we usually don't go away for Easter. I can do this. And I get to be in a virtual cabin with 12 cabin mates. I love camping, virtual and otherwise.

I sign up and get this crazy idea about writing a fictional story loosely based on the history of the small town I live in. We've been residing there almost ten years and during this decade, I've heard some incredible stories. So much fodder, so much history, and a lot of interesting people. 

National Novel Writing Month and Camp NaNoWriMo are both wonderful ways to focus on creating a first draft of a potentially great novel. I challenge other authors to check it out, if you haven't already. Cabin assignments will take place in six days, so it's not too late to sign up.