Camp Nano: Wrap Up

6:00 AM


Well, stalkers. I have to say, this Nano was quite the endeavor.


This was my second nano event and I made it with one minute to spare.


That’s right, guys.


One whole minute.


I didn’t think I would make it there for a second. But with my lovely writer friends cheering me on, I managed to grind out the last thousand words I needed to finish.


Can we just like, hurl chocolate and confetti now? And maybe a few coffee beans? Thanks. *dances in all the things*

 
Needless to say, that's why I was a little late posting. Sorry about that. I'm sure you all were mourning my disappearance and drinking loads more coffee on my behalf. XP
 

I learned a lot of things during this nano camp, and I will now sum up a few. I already have ideas for some other posts going in depth of some of these, but here’s just a summary.

 

 

1: What works in one draft won’t necessarily work in another.


When I started this thing on April first, I was like, “oh yeah, this’ll get me motivated. This will make me edit, and I can totally do 70k in 30 days. Easy peasy.”


Ha. Haaaaaa.


No.


I didn’t realize how much more time edits took. While in the first draft, 70k would probably have been doable, it was completely impossible in this second draft. And I had to bump down my goal a whole stinkin’ 30k words. Which I don’t regret, but still. That’s a big difference.




2: Editing is terrible.


Yeah, I already knew that, but Nano just kind of reminded me. I am going to take a nice break from my WIP for a bit, and I have no desire to edit right now. Like, I just want to go read. Please just … NO EDITING. DON’T MAKE ME EDIT. NOOOOO.

 

3: Second drafts are not going to be perfect.


Yeah, I’m still struggling with this one. I want to get it right, but I already know that’s not happening in this draft. Which means I might have to postpone giving this book to betas till later. *heavy sigh* I’m really not sure yet.




4: Writer friends are the best.


Yeah, I already knew that. *is saying yeah way to many times* *is also tired*


I regret nothing.

 


5: If you put on headphones and blast the playlist for your WIP, anything is possible.


At 10:30, after a hard night when I was ready to go to bed, I came in to the computer and sat down. I had an hour and thirty minutes … and three thousand words to pound out. I was rewriting mostly, also. I was able to copy paste a little bit at the end and touch that up, but most of those words were new and fresh from my fingertips.


I’m telling you, music works wonders guys. Any Spotify lovers here? *looks around hopefully*

 
 

6: It’s okay not to like your book a little bit.


I’m so frustrated with my WIP right now. I’m so mad. Like, why can’t you just be perfect, book? Why do you require so much effort? But complaining doesn’t get much done, so …



7: Sudoku is a life saver


Seriously guys. It’s great bribery to grind the words out. And also a great “brainstorming” excuse.

 

8: Coffee is life


But we all already knew this, didn’t we? XP


Okay, I’m done now.




Just kidding.

 

9: Editing is dangerous.


Yup. I said it. Editing is dangerous.


You have to be careful.


No, I don’t mean go into your second/third/fourth/etc. draft afraid. But you do want to watch out. There are so many ways to write just one little scene, and if you aren’t confident in the way you've chosen to do something, it’s all too easy to just rewrite it and change it up again. I’m planning a post which I will probably publish this Saturday about the Woes of Editing and I’ll go into more detail about this point.


But yes, I did complete Nano, but just barely! And my stats were quite wobbly, unstable things.
 
 


How are you guys? Still alive? Did you finish Nano? Did you not finish Nano? How do you feel?


Also: I went and ate a pickle after I received my lovely winner’s certificate. I would have gotten ice cream, but I was tired and it was all the way downstairs, and I’d already had a cupcake earlier that night so … *heavy sigh* Trying to be somewhat healthy hear.


POINT BEING: what is your celebratory food after accomplishing a great writerly thing?


*showers all the people in chocolate and hands out warm mugs of coffee and hot cocoa*

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25 comments

  1. SPOTIFYISAMAZING! I follow some writer friends and stalk what they're listening to. xD My food is coffee, because, yes, coffee is life. :D

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    1. IKR? I love finding playlists for my writer friends' books and fangirling XP Especially when I get to read thier book while listening to the music they chose for it - that's the best! (And yesyes, you speak much wisdom, for coffee is liiiiiiiiife)

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  2. Congrats on finishing!! I didn't do Camp NaNo, but I'm thinking I may have to try it sometime.
    Oh, and chocolate is definitely my celebratory food! :D

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    1. Ahhhhh yes! I would suggest doing camp nano in July if you're a slower writer. You can set your own goal, rather than trying for the 50k in November, thus making it easier (if you want. Or you can actually make it harder!) Camp is a great way to find your pace :)
      Yesssss chocolate. *hums happily*

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  3. Chocolate, chocolate is liffeeee.

    Okay I think you deserve a million rounds of applause by finishing with a minute to spare. That is insane. Seriously, you win at everything. *claps*

    Spotify is freaking amazing okay. SPOTIFY GIVES ME LIFE. What's your spotify name?

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    1. Hehehehe well thank you! *bows politely* it was very stressful and only a little terrifying XP I really wanted to make it!

      Yes, chocolaaaaaate. You guys are smart, becuase chocolate is the best! (besides coffee, of course.)

      As for my Spotify name, I'm just Hannah White. Sadly, it's a pretty common name (why couldn't my parents be a biiiiit more creative???) but if you scroll down just a bit you should find me pretty easily :D

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  4. Congratulations on meeting your goals! I admire people who can do NaNo because I've never been able to meet a goal that high is such a short time. I always have way too much going on in my life for it, and it sucks. I need a couple days of nothing so I can just do like, 15k sometime or something. :P
    But it's so awesome you did that, so congrats once more! I'm curious about how you use Sodoku with writing. Just as something to go to when you get tired or what?

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    1. Thank you! And with camp nano, remember that you can set your own goal! Even just 1k :)

      I use soduku as a reward for my strenuous writing efforts, primarily (hehe) XP Though when I'm stuck I pull it up and play while talking to myself. It took me a few days to get good at it so that I could play in expert level and think about other things at the same time, so now it's just the perfect touch of mindlessness and gear working to the brain XP It just helps me think and take a step back, I guess. I should do a post in it heeeehehehee XP

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  5. YOU CONQUEREDDDDD!!! *throws confetti* YOU DID IT! Hannah, I respect you so much for editing this month. You go, girl! :D

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    1. THANK YOUUUUUU!! *dances in confetti* IT WAS REALLY HARD BUT IT WAS WORTH IT AND I'M STILL ALIVE SO THAT'S A PLUS

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    2. OH YEAH I THINK IT'S ALWAYS A PLUS WHEN YOU FIND OUT THAT YOU'RE STILL ALIVE. *nodnod* :P

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  6. YAYYYYYY!!! *dances to spotify with you*

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    1. *hops around* *whispers* I've been listening to TOP be proud of me XP

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  7. Congratulations, Hannah!! That's fabulous!! XD I don't do Spotify, but I (almost) ALWAYS have music blasting when I write. ;)

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    1. Thank you! *beams* I'm curious, what do you use if not Spotify? *stares with big eyes*

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    2. I use an app on my iPad known as PlayTube. :) With it you can download any YouTube videos to listen to anytime. ;) I loooove it!

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    3. Ooooooh that's cool! *goes to check it out*

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  8. Yaaayyyyy Hannah!
    I <3 Spotify. And cake is my celebratory food. Or bread. Or chocolate. Or any kind of food. I just really like food =P
    Congratulations on winning Camp NaNo!

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    1. Ahhhh SPOTIFYYYYYY *happy flailing* and FOOOOOD YESSSSS.

      Thank you, lovely! <3

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  9. YAS HANNAH YOU DID IT AND I AM SO PROUD OF YOU <3

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    1. AHHHHH THANK YOUUUUUUU *hugs* I'M PROUD OF YOU TOOOO AND AM WAITING FOR MORE ILIAD STUFFS *cough cough* *hint hint*

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  10. Congrats! I have yet to finish Nano yet, but I am hopeful that one day I will! Chocolate is the perfect reward.

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    1. Ahhhh, yes I agree. :D Also, camp nano is a great thing because you CAN SET YOUR OWN GOAL AND THATS AMAZING! So if you figure out your pace and set the goal accordingly ... ;)

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  11. Oh yes NaNo I WON IT ALSO HOORAY *fistbumps* My brain may or may not be partially fried since I did a 4k on the last day, which is like a record for me. I'm thinking of attempting a 10ker though... XD
    Celebratory food? SOUR PATCH ALL THE WAY. XD

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    1. *applauds* 4k in one day is great! I'm not sure what my record for words in a day is. I think I did 10k one day in November with Katie. That was insane XP

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