Well, I'm back from Camp NaNo.
My Camp NaNo t-shirt and Minion pajama pants are covered in chocolate and peanut butter and marshmallow. I refused to use those creepy Camp showers so I smell like fear-sweat. And wine. (Oh, come on, of course I didn't use the showers! Where else would a serial killer/giant rat/super-flu lurk?) My huge flashlight has run out of juice and is battered and cracked.
Much like me and my WiP.
I have picked up and put down this story for years. I lugged it to this conference, shoved it at that critique group. I wept bitter, angry tears. I know in my gut the story is alive and breathing, buried somewhere in the muck of pacing problems and point-of-view issues. It's waiting for me to dig deeper, harder.
And I will.
Camp NaNo is over, but the year is not. I've got time - to get this done, to get this right. And so do you. If your creative plans didn't work out last month, don't give up. Let's go into May with a plan and a positive attitude.
My plan positively includes eating more s'mores. And writing, of course. Care to join me?
*****
How was your April? Accomplish a goal? Make progress on a challenge? Have any big creative plans for the summer? Anyone going to Camp NaNo in July?
*****
 |
| For more information . . . |
I would like to go to Camp NaNo in July, but I have to wait to see what's going on with my other writing endeavors at the end of June. I'm definitely on board for eating s'mores! It'll help me get over not accomplishing anything I wanted/needed to in April. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I'll tackle the July Camp session either, but good luck to us if we do. After all, the s'more, the merrier! :)
DeleteSaving that peanut butter for later?
ReplyDeleteYou will figure it out!
Peanut butter has little chance of lasting long in this house. :)
DeleteAh, the problem manuscript... I have one of those just sitting and waiting for me to find the time. It even got a little agent love back in the day, but I couldn't get myself to love it enough to fix it. Some books are like that, eh? One day.
ReplyDeleteYep, this one got some love, too. It needed work then. It needs work now. I've shelved many manuscripts, but this one still calls to me.
DeleteI have one of those too. I wear my pajamas all day when I can! Mine has Avengers and kitties on them. Too bad the kitties and Avengers aren't on the same ones! Keep on pushing forward. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat if the kitties were dressed as Avengers? :)
DeleteGreat attitude. We all have time. And we can all do it! :)
ReplyDeleteWe can! We will!
DeleteYes! I finished my NaNo project and am very pleased with the outcome. A month ago, I felt like chucking it out the window. Keep going!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent, Jennifer! Good for you!
DeleteI did very well the first few months of this year, completing my #100words100days challenge. It was hectic... but so worth it!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of going to CampNaNo in July. Depends. I'll work on it.
Happy IWSG Day!
Writer In Transit
Great job, Michelle!
DeleteAnd you've got plenty of time to decide about Camp in July.
I love that you're refusing to give up. You owe it to your characters and they'll repay you in kind. Keep moving forward!
ReplyDeleteNot sure about my characters repaying me - some of them are rather nasty, and the nice ones won't like what happens to them.... :)
DeleteI'm not sure about Camp NaNo in July, but I'm considering it. I definitely didn't get as much done in April as I had hoped, but ... I am still writing, still going. That's the best I can do.
ReplyDeleteHappy writing in May!
You ARE still writing, still going, Tyrean - hang in there! And you've got time to decide re Camp in July so no hurry on that.
DeleteNot to mention spiders. Welcome back. So far, nothing as worked out as I've planned this year. But hey, plot twists! I'm with you for plowing ahead, because quitting is just not an option.
ReplyDeleteAnd, of course, those spiders were huge and hungry.... :o
DeleteAnd yes on plowing ahead!
Hi Madeline, don't give up on that manuscript. My April was good, I wrote quite a bit. I plan to write more in May.
ReplyDeleteGlad your April went well, and I hope the same holds true for you in May. :)
DeleteHang in there and nail that book! I can sympathize--I've dug more than one book out from under a chaotic pile of never-mind.
ReplyDelete—Rebecca
My IWSG Post
I'm hanging in and hanging on! :)
DeleteWorking on something that isn't quite right can be frustrating. But I have no doubt you can do it. Pick it up and try to see it with a critical eye. If that does't work try websites on revising. Something will hit and all will be well again.
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
The revelations keep coming, bringing with them more and more and more work. I hope it will all be worth it in the end.
DeleteI'm sure you'll get your book just right. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteRonel visiting on Insecure Writer's Support Group day: Autumn Decisions
Thanks, Ronel!
DeleteWait - s'mores with peanut butter? That sounds AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this little pep talk - was doing good on writing but I'm cutting myself some slack to tend to life's busyness, and this helps me know I'll get back on it...soon.
I was talking peanut butter cups AND s'mores but now...oh, yum! :)
DeleteYou'll get back on the writing - no worries.
You're not giving up on that story, so that says you know it's worth the struggle. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteThere is nothing like an ole WIP to keep us company AND inspire our creativity.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the story keeping me company! Although, some of the characters? Not so much. :)
DeleteAnd thanks for Following us here at TSR!
I had a good April and am hoping to continue that into May. No S'mores for me though, it triggers my IC. =(
ReplyDeleteGood luck in May! And s'mores are not necessary - okay, for me they are! - but anything that's a treat for YOU works. :)
DeleteI hear ya- both on the camp showers and the frustration. I just sent my latest to some trusty readers because I'm honestly kind of sick of looking at it myself.
ReplyDeleteI've come up with so many variations on the title - so I don't lose track of which version I'm on - that I've lost track. Now I just refer to it by its initials.
DeleteSometimes those stories that are the most troublesome are the most worthwhile in the end. You won't rest until you've got it right. Here's to a productive May and rest of the year!
ReplyDeleteI hope you're right, Nick! :)
DeleteSure, I'll hang out with you and eat s'mores any old time. I haven't written alongside anyone in many years, but that might be fun, too. Better skip the wine until we reach a word quota, though.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that manuscript. Obviously, you love it and believe in it, so I'm confident you'll get it straightened out to look the way you envision it.
Ha on the wine and writing! When I took cooking classes, we weren't allowed to drink the wine until we were done cooking and about to eat. Wine and knives? Not a good combination. :)
DeleteGood luck with your story. You'll make it to the end, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Olga!
DeleteLOL. You make pain seem so funny when I know it's torture. Tackle that thing and getherdone.
ReplyDeleteIf I didn't laugh about it, my peanut butter cups would get all mushy from my tears and there's no way I would allow that to happen. :)
DeleteKeep believing and persevering, and you will make it through. My Camp started strong, but I was ill for the last two weeks. Although I kept writing and editing as much as I could (not much), I completely failed to track it or update it on the site. I may not have reached my goal, but I made progress. So I will continue to persevere and believe I will get this project done despite the setbacks.
ReplyDeleteSome progress is better than no progress. The fact that you kept working on it, even though you didn't feel well, shows your tenacity. You will get it done!
DeleteBest wishes for getting it done and right :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lynda!
DeleteWhat a fun post! And I just want to say that when I first heard of camp nano, I thought it was a writing retreat, and I would so have gone on that writing retreat! :)
ReplyDeleteIf I was going to go to an actual Camp NaNo, it better be one of those "glamping" type camps, where there are gourmet s'mores and an actual bed in the tent. :)
DeleteYour description of Camp Nano had me chuckling. I'm sure your WIP will see the light of day soon.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, I would settle for it peering out from under the bed where it's hiding and seeing the glow from the nightlight.
DeleteAll the best with your manuscript. Keep at it. As for me, my April was really okay. I got the final revision in chapter 12 in my manuscript finished.
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Glad to hear your April was productive, Pat!
DeleteSound super frustrating. Eat plenty of smores and keep at it. It will all come together in due course. I don't like marshmallows, but save some Hershey bars and graham crackers for me.
ReplyDeleteThe more s'mores I eat, the more words I write...and the more pounds I gain. Sigh.
DeleteGood luck with the story. You can do it. I will probably do July NaNo as do most every year, but will decide the closer it gets.
ReplyDeleteInteresting you do Camp NaNo every year! I've only done Camp a few times, but I like the flexibility of the goal. Although, I'm not sure the flexibility likes me. :o
DeleteA positive attitude is the best way:) I am trying to do that. I'm taking a break from my novel I wrote during camp, unless it haunts me :) And working on some short stories as I have a goal to finish and published some. I think all we can do is keep trying, best of luck:)
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's good to set aside one project, shift gears and work on something else for a bit. Good luck with those short stories!
DeleteYep, I hear ya! I didn't do Camp NaNo this year, but I have a manuscript that's breathing inside me, and I'm trying to get it "right" enough to let it out into the world. In my case, it's a picture book, but no less sweat-inducing.
ReplyDeleteFirst let it out on paper/screen then worry about the world later. You can do it! :)
DeleteGood that you're excited about bringing that story to life! Go for it!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on surviving Camp NaNo! For some reason, only NaNoWriMo works for me. The camps don't have the same effect--can't figure it out.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people feel the same way. I'm on the fence - I like the structure of NaNo, but I also like the flexibility of the goal for Camp. Big surprise, I can't decide something! :)
Delete