So my sister and my writer’s group back home in Madison has a “cabin” at Camp NaNoWriMo and I was invited to join. At first I was like, sorry, wish I could fly back home from Singapore and stay in a quaint cabin on a lovely Wisconsin lake, but I really can’t. Then I found out it was a virtual cabin, lol. So I’ve signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo! I’ve signed up for NaNoWriMo before but never actually done it. Not because I’m too lazy; mostly because I usually don’t need to set goals around word count. I’m pretty good at cranking them out. Last November, my sister, also a novel writer, finally pressured me into signing up for NaNoWriMo. That girl’s done it–and finished!–several years running now. You go, sister! At the time, I’d finished Hooligans and had started the months and months and (still continuing) process of editing and re-working and that’s what I wanted to focus on, so I as a quitter before I even started.

Anyway, now in July, they have a Camp NaNoWriMo. The difference, as I understand it, is that you can set whatever goal you want for word count. It doesn’t have to be 50,000 words. And it’s summer camp themed, and that’s just fun! So I’m all signed up now. A good friend and I are starting a new novel together, have already started I suppose, so now I do need some pressure to write. It’s tentatively titled Rafa and Rose. Click here to see what it’s all about!  So this new novel is what I’ll be focusing on in July, in between all the crazy travels I have coming up in July. Thailand, Cambodia, and Bali! (one of the benefits of living in the concrete jungle of Singapore…all those destinations are a stone’s throw away)

This is what I imagine it’ll be like: (though I don’t know how much pizza there is in Southeast Asia outside of Singapore and apparently Ho Chi Mihn City, which has Pizza Huts)

Camp NaNoWriMo here I come! If only it were a real cabin on a lake…. I’ll just imagine I’m here while I write then, maybe get one of those soothing sounds albums with birds chirping or something.

(Fox Lake, Dodge County, Wisconsin)

Or here, but with my laptop on that there picnic table 😛

(Kettle Moraine State Forest, Ice Age Trail. Like my Spotted Cow product placement? Oh, Spotted Cow, how I miss you….)

Click here to go to the Camp NaNoWriMo website and learn more!  One of the things I’m most looking forward to with Camp NaNoWriMo is connecting with other writer friends from my old writing group and meeting new writer friends, cuz let’s face it, writers are just amazing people, right? If you’re doing camp NaNoWriMo and want to be my camping buddy, my camper name is “sarahjoydrop.”

Anyway… SARAH!!! Get back to editing Hooligans for the thousandth time! Sorry, sometimes I need to yell at myself. I have to get all the way though it before I start working on Rafa and Rose again….

Have you ever done NaNoWriMo? How was your experience? Any tips for meeting your goals?