What I Learned at Camp: How to Plan for Persistence

Every new writing project is a chance to tell a new story… and to learn something about yourself. We’ve asked writers to share what they learned about their writing during Camp NaNoWriMo. Today, participant T. M. Spencer shares what she’s learned about planning and persistence:

Dear fellow Wrimos,

This past Camp NaNoWriMo was probably my worst one yet. In fact, I haven’t won a Camp NaNoWriMo event since my very first one in April 2014. Back then I wasn’t even with the 21st century and was writing by hand. Still, I’ve had great fun with each and every Camp since, even though I haven’t won any of them.

This one was no different, but July brought a few problems that I had no control over. Normally I would get up, stick the kettle on to boil and sit down to write. This has been my tactic for dealing with any NaNo. I tend to hole up in my house, in my Harry Potter pyjamas and just type until I’m hungry or in desperate need of more tea! (I can’t do very much at all without tea, in all honesty. How British of me!) I’m very much a solitary writer; I’m an introvert so it tends to come with the territory…

As I said, July brought with it a few problems I had no control over, the biggest one being “The Summer Cold”. Towards the end of July, I was helping at my church’s Holiday Club. All was fine to begin with: until the day I woke up without my voice; by Thursday I was asleep all day, full of The Summer Cold. No more youth work for me that week! And no writing either, because I was just so tired. Add into all of that my responsibilities as a sub-editor for a music and arts website and there was very little time for any NaNo writing. I never did make it past 10,000 words, and I’d planned a reasonable 25,000 words by the end of Camp.

I have a plan—sort of—for The Big One in November, though. I’ll still have responsibilities elsewhere as I did this time around, but with some careful planning (and an attempt to avoid The Winter Cold) and many long nights it can be done, and done well. My advice for those of us that didn’t reach your word targets (myself included): Keep Writing.

So it didn’t work out this time, it doesn’t mean it won’t ever work. And you don’t have to limit yourselves to April, July and November. In fact, you shouldn’t limit yourself to anything. Only you can tell your story the way it’s supposed to be told. Break the rules. Break your rules. Do what you can when you can. The important thing to remember is not to give up, otherwise nobody will ever have the chance to read your story.

With love,

T. M. Spencer

T. M. Spencer lives in Glasgow, Scotland, but is originally from Norwich, England. She has participated in NaNo-related things since November 2013 when she signed up mere hours before November 1 on a whim, with no idea, no plan and no laptop! NaNoWriMo ‘14 was the first year T. M. was able to type, which was very exciting! Coincidentally, that was also the year she won.

Top photo from Word Cafe.