Most writers who have been on the internet have heard of NaNoWriMo, that challenge where you rite 50,000 words in a month. Not as many know about Camp NaNoWriMo, which happens twice a year in April and July and you can set whatever goal you want.
I find Camp NaNoWriMo the perfect place to start for writers who feel intimidated by 50,000 words in 30 days. And Camp Nano can be used for anything. Some use it for editing, finishing their previous manuscripts, short stories, plotting and lots of other things too.
For most Camp NaNos I find myself setting myself the goal of 10,000 words (though it has been as low as 1000 when I tried writing in Italian). This year, I am attempting to write a short story about a woman who explores an abandoned theatre and finds a ghost.
Once finished, and after lots of editing and revisions, I hope to share it with my blog readers. But, like many people, I have found myself hitting a writing slump around the half way point, so here’s a few tips!
Change Where You Write
My most common problem is getting stuck and bored while writing. Usually, I write at a desk but I’ve noticed that moving where I write helps my brain get unstuck. It stops staring at the screen blankly and finds new ideas or new inspiration from the different surroundings.
If you write on the sofa, try sitting at a desk, or on your bed. If it’s warm and you have a garden, try sitting outside and soaking up some sun! While it may not work if you are easily distracted by a different environment, sometimes moving locations gives your brain a little boost.
Take A Break
If you’re feeling burnout and are struggling, sometimes the best option is to take a break. Maybe it’s something in your personal life or work life that’s really stressing you out and the added pressure of writing isn’t helping. Take a break. Do something that lets you release your emotions in a safe way. I always try drawing or painting, but maybe you like knitting or meditation is more your thing. Whatever it is, taking a break isn’t bad. Sometimes you need time to take a step back and take some time before diving back in.
One Sentence Is Better Than None
If you’re like me and you hate skipping a day even when you need to, write one sentence. It can be a one word sentence, it doesn’t matter. It’s something. Sometimes it gives you the idea for the next sentence and before you know it, you’ve got a paragraph, or even more. But sometimes it’s just progress and you can take a break and catch up once you’ve recharged or had tie to think about whatever your story needs.
So, hopefully those tips are helpful and happy Camp NaNo! Feel free to share tips and best of luck with whatever you’re writing!