Why I’m Participating in Camp NaNoWriMo This Month
It’s finally April, and that means it’s time for Camp NaNoWriMo. This is held twice a year in April and July and can be easier to complete than NaNoWriMo because you get to choose your word count goal. I am a huge fan of Camp NaNoWriMo because I feel like I put less pressure on myself to complete it. I like to use the two sessions as a way to keep writing throughout the year. Here are a few reasons why I’m writing this month and why I think you should join me.
A lot of us have a ton of free time right now. I, like many other people around the world, currently don’t have a job to go to. I’m very grateful that the company I work for decided to close indefinitely to protect us and our guests. I haven’t had this much time away from work since I was in high school, and I know many other people are currently in the same boat. This is a scary time, and what better way to spend it than to write?
By April 1, 2020, I had already been in self-quarantine for 15 days, and I had run out of things to do. Harry Potter movie marathon? Finished. Make some Potter DIYs? Done. Annoyed my roommate and my cat? Check and check. I’d also completely reorganized all of the closets in my apartment and sanitized every inch of my living space. By the start of the month, I was completely out of things to do, so I was overjoyed when I remembered that April is a Camp NaNoWriMo month. I could spend the next 30 days submerging myself in a story that I create, and I would be surrounded by fellow campers while I did so. How could I sit around being bored when I had 50,000 words to write?
One of my main goals right now is to be creative. I want to make art, complete some DIYs, compose some Wrock songs, cook, journal, and write. I need to keep myself busy, and creating things is the best way I can think of to do that. In the past, scientists and artists have discovered and created wonderful things during quarantines, and I want to do my best to continue that tradition. Let’s get something good out of this horrible, scary situation. This is why I’ve committed to completing Camp NaNoWriMo this month – so that I can keep busy and have something to show my friends and family when we can finally be reunited.
Another reason why I’m writing a novel this month is that I literally have nothing better to do. My state is currently under a stay-at-home order, so I can’t go out. My workplace is closed, and I don’t have the option of working from home. I’ve already cleaned and reorganized. What else can I do but write? I’ve been working on a novel-length fan fiction for a few years now, and this is a great opportunity for me to get another part written. I feel like this is the best way that I can utilize my time while also doing my best to stay home and flatten the coronavirus curve.
Are you planning on writing for Camp NaNoWriMo this month? What are you planning to write about? Are there any fellow fan fiction writers? Let us know in the comments and stay safe.
