Camp Nano, July 2017 /// YOU CAN DO IT

6:00 AM

So. You signed up for nano. You entered in your target word count. Then you smiled and settled back in your nice swivelly desk chair and, if you're like me, said, "Dude I got this."

Twenty-eight days later, you realize just how wrong you were.

I'm sure most of you are rocking it. And I'm also sure a good part of you are "not rocking it".

I'm in the later category. I'm "not rocking it".




But does that mean I'm failing nano? If you're in the "not rocking it" category like me, does that make us failures?

It's really easy to whine and say, "Ugh I'm so behind I'm such a failure. I'm failing this. Blah blah blah poor me ugh." But I challenge any of you who might be thinking this way to stop and ponder those words for a moment.

Are you really a failure? Are you really failing Nano?

In order to answer these questions, we need to go back to the beginning.

Why did you sign up for nano? 

Think about that question really hard. It might be as simple as, "Well, I always do." Or, "One of my friends wanted me to." Simple or complex, like, "I want to reach the part where so-and-so faces off with my antagonist."

My reason for signing up for this July's nano was fairly straightforward. "I want to write a short novel."

I tend to write really long, so writing short has been a challenge. But I have three days (two by the time you'll be reading this) to finish, and 15k left of my nano goal. I'm approaching the end, yes. But I'm not there, and I don't have long to catch up.

But at the same time, I don't feel like I'm failing. I feel like I'm going about slowly, because I am, but if I don't reach my nano goal, I'm actually going to be okay with that.

Why? Why am I okay with that? My stated goal above is "I want to write a short novel." That goal involves finishing it. But if I don't finish it, I'll still be okay?

There must be more to this.

I did nano because I wanted to write. I knew I'd be busy. I knew it would be really hard to make time for writing. I knew it was unlikely I'd be able to finish a novel anyway. But I still signed up because I knew that if I did, it would make me write. I would find times where otherwise I might not have.

I would make the time to do what I was capable of.

That's how you win nano. You do what you can, and you do it your best. 

I could have written 100k or three full novels, and I'd still feel satisfied like I do with an itty bitty 25k. Because no matter the word count, the heart of the goal is still the same.

Write what you can.

So if you're behind on your goal, relax. You're doing what you can. You've made the time you could, and you're writing. Do you realize how amazing that is? How amazing YOU are?

Well, you are amazing. You're writing this month, and that is fantastic. You're spending one month of your precious summer working towards something you love.

And that makes you a winner.


How is nano going for you? Have you "won" yet? Do you think you will? Why did you sign up for nano? If you're not doing nano, what are some goals you made this month, and have you met them?

<3

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14 comments

  1. I didn't join Nano. I'm new to that kind of stuff plus the way my summer's going, I probably wouldn't have been too good at it. My goals were to finish a first draft in the entire month of July even though the first draft was only two to three chapters in. And I didn't actually start until July 11th when my muse returned. But I got farther than I thought and have actually made it about halfway through the first draft of my second novel.

    I think your post is inspiring for those who joined or didn't join. Your saying that whether we reached the lofty goals we set for ourselves or not, we still wrote out stories and that's what's important.

    Amazing post!

    iviewrites.blogspot.com

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    1. Ah that's so amazing! *high fives* Finishing a first draft in one month is not easy, and getting halfway is just SO AWESOME! Get yourself some chocolate and coffee or other treat - you deserve it!

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    2. I actually just had some chocolate custard tonight, so its all good. Thank you for the encouragement. I'm excited to be halfway through it, but I wish plot bunnies for other stories would be quiet until I finish. I don't even know how many novel ideas I have saved on my computer. Its crazy.

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  2. Do I think I'm going to "win" NaNo? Ummmm...no. Not at all. XD (I'd have to write for about five hours each day and with two major assignments due next week, that's basically impossible.) I'm not sad about that all, however! I've finished this round of rewriting/editing and AM SO HAPPY. I did what I set out to do, and that makes me smile. :)

    Also, YOU'RE amazing! YOU CAN DO IT! *throws encouragement confetti and hugs* I'm so proud of you for fitting in writing around your ridiculously crazy life! :D

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    1. Whoopsies, I should have written "that at all" not "that all." XD I was so excited I forgot to proofread...

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    2. Whoa, wait. YOU FINISHED GR???? OH MY GOODNESS. THAT IS SO AMAZING!!! I'm so happy for you!!! *hurls confetti and coffee beans*

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  3. Ehehe ... *joins you in the "not rocking it" category* xD. BUT YUP, WE'RE STILL DOING GOOD! Literally, this Camp Nano has been so good for me - it's been tons of fun hanging out in the cabin with you guys, and I found the inspiration that I needed for the novellas I'm writing right now! (also SORRY that I've been slacking about commenting on your blog! IT'S EPIC AND I ALWAYS ADORE YOUR POSTS AND STAN'S MAKEOVER LOOKS SO GOOOOOD. <3)

    ~ Savannah | Scattered Scribblings

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    1. Awww nah man, you're totally good! I'm the one that's been slacking! For some reason I never get notifications when you post? Like, I'm not sure what's up with my blogger feed, but I'll be sitting there wondering why you haven't posted and then I'll check your blog and realized I've missed, like, five posts. *sigh* I think I'll sign up for getting your emails and maybe that will fix it? *wanders over to your blog*

      Thank you for commenting though, and for being an awesome cabin buddy! You're a lovely human and I love hearing from you <3

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  4. I didn't do NaNo this month, although I'm planning to do it in November. It can be so stressful, but at the same time, the important thing is simply that you're getting words down even if it isn't the amount you originally planned. Because it's all about progress, right?

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  5. Yeeeesssss this is so true <3 I just reached my goal of 15k yesterday and wrote more than I've ever written in a day! But this month has been working so hard towards giving up my perfectionism in writing and trying to finish a first draft <3

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    1. That's so amazingggg and I'm so proud of you <3 <3 <3

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  6. Hey, just remember, as long as more important stuff got done, that's fine! But if writing is not happening because of Pinterest or Netflix, /that/ is not okay...

    As long as you are happy with what you got, then who cares if you met the original goal or not?

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