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Peg Cheng

Author + Blogger + Teacher

June 24, 2016 By Peg Cheng

Headed to Camp NaNoWriMo

Camp-Nano-2016I’m leaving for camp in six days!

Well, I’m leaving mentally and emotionally and metaphorically, but not physically. I just signed up to join Camp NaNoWriMo this July. As their site describes it, Camp NaNoWriMo is an “idyllic writers retreat, smack-dab in the middle of your crazy life.”

Sounds perfect.

But only very recently did I feel this way.

For years, I thought NaNoWriMo, aka. National Novel Writing Month, was stupid.

I mean, why does anyone need to write a novel in one month? As someone who likes to take a year or more planning, plotting, and writing a book, I didn’t see the value or sense in trying to make people write a whole book in one month. Why shouldn’t writers just work at their own pace? Why just one month? I kept thinking, WHY? WHY? WHY?

But, after slowly but surely working on my novel over the past five months, and feeling lonely and discouraged for many days, I’ve reached a place where ONE, I just really want to finish my draft; and TWO, I’d love to get support and encouragement from other writers doing the same thing.

So, I’m rolling up my metaphorical sleeping bag, packing my hiking boots and s’mores fixings, and I’m headed to Camp NaNoWriMo!

During the month of July, my goal is to write Act 2 and Act 3 of my novel, and thus, finish the first draft. I’m currently at a little over 14,000 words and estimating that it will take around 41,000 more words to tell the rest of my story. That’s a grand total of 55,000 words.

My next five blog posts will be updates from camp and how the writing’s going. I don’t know if doing this NaNoWriMo thing will help. I don’t know if I’ll like my fellow cabin mates–I’m in a virtual cabin with 11 other suspense/thriller writers that I can message and “chat” with–or if everyone’s going to be weird and critical. But I want to try.

So off I go.

If you smell burning marshmallows in the coming weeks, that’ll be me, taking a break from all my writing at camp.

Peg Cheng is the author of The Contenders, a middle-grade novel centered on the question, can enemies become friends? She is currently writing another novel that is a re-imagining of the Snow White fairy tale set in 1980s Seattle. Peg is also the founder of Prelaw Guru, a law school application consulting company, and the author of The No B.S. Guides for prelaw students.

Filed Under: NaNoWriMo

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brenda says

    June 26, 2016 at 1:28 PM

    Camp NANO WRIMO or bust!!
    Go Peg’ I’m joining you!

    Brenda of The KAC

    • Peg Cheng says

      June 27, 2016 at 1:22 PM

      Yaaaaasss! You bring the marshmallows and I’ll bring the chocolate and graham crackers (gluten-free, of course). See you at camp! ๐Ÿ˜€

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What people are saying…

Lizz Zitron, College Professor

The Contenders is the middle grade novel you’ve been waiting for: diverse characters who are funny and real. Eunice and her friends and family feel so real–they are flawed, kind, complex, a little mean at times, and just wanting to find their place in the world. Highly recommended for every middle school collection.

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I’ve done my fair share of personal finance reading and, well, Rebel Millionaire is probably the single best thing I’ve read. Why? So effortlessly simple and effective. As I’m about to turn 31, this is just the nudge I needed to start saving and investing for my future. Thank you, Peg, and Plaid Frog Press!

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What I love so much about your writing is how personal it is. It gives me permission to accept and love my own humanity, while also giving really helpful tips and mindset shifts, and next steps too.

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