Letters from Camp: Week Three

Camp NaNo can be thrilling, challenging, and revitalizing—sometimes all at once—but more than anything else, it’s fun. We’ve asked Campers to share their daily thoughts in a series, Letters from Camp. Read about what your fellow Campers are thinking:

April 18

Dear sleepy me,

The words you type while you’re dozing off don’t count. They do not exist. They have way more punctuation, exclamation and question marks than any other word in any other language.

Please don’t. If you’re tired, just stop, log off your laptop, set it aside and go to bed. Don’t try to cheat on Camp. That’s not fair. Also, you can ruin the rest of your paragraphs just because you’re stubborn enough to keep on “typing” as your eyes start to lose focus.

Now stop, get to bed and don’t touch the laptop until you get enough sleep.

Love,

Kahitna

April 19

Dear Sara,

You’re going to hate me by the time May rolls around.

I’m sorry for all the crap I’m putting you through, all the garbage that’s to come and all the pain in your past. You’re an amazing lady and I really want to tell your story, but if it’s all sunshine and lollipops then it just wouldn’t be YOUR story, now would it?  You don’t think you’re a hero. You don’t think you’re anything special, but that just isn’t true. You are the center of a world of characters and events, heroes and villains, victims and survivors. I’m going to put you through the mill, because I have to. Not because I want you to hurt or fail but because if you don’t fail sometimes you won’t learn. Succeeding on the first try only teaches you one way to do things. Failing, creates questioning; and questioning is the soul of learning. So I’m sorry you had such a rough early life. It sucks that the world keeps kicking you in the teeth.

I can’t even promise that your tormentors will get theirs in the end. All I can say is, I know you’ll stand tall and do yourself, and me, proud.

Sincerely,

Your Author.

Dear potato,

I know I was peeling your skin off, but did you have to remove half my fingernail?!

Sincerely,

A writer who will now not be able to finish Camp due to an injured finger

Dear Self,

It’s great that you’re suddenly interested in re-watching all the Lord of the Rings films and reading the books, but whatever happened to this writing thing you were supposed to be in April? Does that ring a bell at all?

Sincerely,

The part of you that wants to write but simultaneously pops in the next movie

Dear McGee and Jayce,

You are an both adorable balls of fluff. Normally I would adore your snuggles but now is not the time. You can lay on my lap or next to me but my keyboard is not a place to nap. I know the iPad screen reacts to your paws…but please stop swatting the screen. You are wonderful kitties but right now I need to write.

Lots of love

Mom

April 20

Dear fingers,

I am ever grateful to you, my precious (though dying) fingers.  At the beginning of the month, you flew across my keyboard, managing to write 10k words in five hours.  You linked seamlessly with Brain *waves* and finished a story that will forever hold the most special place in the depths of my computer’s memory chip.  I am so very proud of you!  However, twenty days later, you are hanging on to life by a thread.  Your nails are cracked and worn from hitting the keys.  Your knuckles are red and swollen.  Your tips cry the sweat of your struggles.  You are desperately pushing on to the very end, even if the end may not be in sight.  But, I have good news for you.

Only 10 days left!

Yours forever,

lovingwriter

April 21

Dear Story,

This month has been a series of ups and downs, behinds and aheads, but I think I finally worked you out. I’m still a bit behind but it isn’t about the word count (I tell myself as I type away furiously to continue my winning streak). In all seriousness, finishing you is most important  and it’s taken this month of Camp to finally get inspiration for an ending that isn’t as lackluster and predictable as the one I previously had in my head. This new idea is a different direction, and not what I planned on happening, but I am a pantser after all, so it isn’t the only thing I didn’t plan on happening. All isn’t going to go well for the characters which is a bummer for them, but I think it’s going to work out well for you. I’m excited, to have this more complete and interesting ending, one that you deserve.

Sarahann

We’ll post more Letters from Camp as April (and our projects!) come to a close. In the meantime, you can share your Letters from Camp on the official forum post.

Good luck, writers!