Prepping For Camp

I never went to summer camp as a child. We had a big swimming pool in our backyard and the rest of the neighborhood used us as camp. We used to jokingly call our house "The Vaiana Cabana" for all of its summer frivolity. When I was in college mom had the pool taken out in favor of a more practical two car driveway. I didn't argue as I knew I'd moving on in life soon enough and would have to find a home with a pool of my own.

Fast forward more than a decade later and here I am, in the same house with no pool to speak of and summer looming over me. I finally need camp!

Perhaps that's why I find myself so excited that Camp NaNoWriMo is back again this July! Next week I'll be packing up all of my idle time and shipping it off to writing land. Of course, this will probably slow up my reading a bit and, in turn, my reviewing, but hopefully not detrimentally because I have been enjoying it immensely!

Right now I am in the prepping stages. I'm gathering support in my virtual cabin with cabin mates from my online writing group as well as my "in real life" writing group. I am deciding what project I am going to work on for the month (I think I came to a conclusion on that front last night) and I am reminding my husband that the binge writing is on its way again.

Twenty four hours ago I had no idea what I was going to work on in July. Last night I pulled out my writer's notebook and began to free write. I'm excited by what it gave me. I came out of last night's work with two projects I want to work on! So now I'll just have to work out which comes first and hope I am up to the task.

I have participated in two other NaNoWriMos. I have two completed first drafts as a result. I was tempted to take this time to rework one of them. There are good stories buried under all the crappy writing, I just know it. However, through each process I have learned so much about how to approach this and I want to walk in to this project with those educated eyes. We'll see where it takes me. 

If you, too, are planning on taking the plunge into NaNoWriMo binge writing, let me know - the more the merrier in terms of support staff.

For now, I am going to do some more laundry and bake some writing brownies so I am free from distraction in July and full of sugary energy.

What do you think of these writing challenges?

Have you taken one on yourself? If so, what was the result of your commitment?

Writing A Novel From A to Z

April first marks the beginning of Camp NaNoWriMo. Since this past November's NaNoWriMo was a bust for me, I am taking this opportunity to begin (and hopefully finish) my brand new novel. At the same time, in the blogging world, April first marks the beginning of the A-to-Z Challenge, something I've wanted to do for a long time. I spent all of March daydreaming about numerous themes to embrace for the challenge unable to to see the perfect theme that finally struck me this morning: Writing A Novel!

This month I will be on the journey of creating my second novel and steeped in the writing process. I will come up for air, escaping my fictional world briefly each day to come here, to  Rivera Runs Through It, to share some gems (alphabetically appropriate, of course!) about writing a novel.

Here is how the calendar lays out for the challenge:

While this doesn't show the topic I will be writing about each day (I'll be figuring that out along the way and would love suggestions for future letters!), at least it gives you an idea about the schedule. Also, for fellow bloggers, this shows you how the A-to-Z Challenge will play out this year if you want to join the fun (the theme is your choice!).

Okay. It is time for me to get to work. I am writing a novel this month. I am doing an A-to-Z blogging Challenge. Lots to do. Wish me luck!

Fellow writers, are you signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo this year?

Do you have any suggestions for a "Writing A Novel From A to Z" topic you would like to see me cover this month?

Fellow bloggers, are you joining me for the A-to-Z Challenge? If so, what's your theme?

Thanks for reading! 

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Here are my A-to-Z Entries for April 2013

A: Writing a Novel - Act Structure
B: Writing a Novel - Beta Readers (and Alpha Readers, Too!)
C: Writing a Novel - Character Development 

D: Writing a Novel - Dialogue
E: Writing A Novel - Editing
F: Writing a Novel - First Draft
G: Writing a Novel - Grammar  
H: Writing a Novel - The Hero's Journey
I: Writing a Novel - Insecurity  
J: Writing a Novel - Journaling
K: Writing a Novel - Keep Going! 
L: Writing a Novel - LINKS!
M: Writing a Novel - Motivation
N: Writing a Novel - No Nos
O: Writing a Novel - Organization
P: Writing a Novel - Promotion  
R: Writing a Novel - Revision
S: Writing a Novel - Setting
T: Writing a Novel - Theme
U: Writing a Novel - Ugly Truths  
V: Writing a Novel - Voice
W: Writing a Novel - World Building 
X: Writing a Novel - Xenogenesis
Y: Writing a Novel - YouTube
Z: Writing a Novel - Zen 

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