July’s Camp Nanowrimo might be the most productive. Here’s why.

We interrupt our Spring Author Interview Series for an exciting announcement. It’s time for summer camp.

And by summer camp I mean Camp Nanowrimo, July Session.

Ah, I love this. It brings back fond memories of the summer camp I went to as a girl. The songs, the terrible food, the wonderful smores. I learned to cook a whole Thanksgiving dinner over a campfire. I learned to read a compass, paddle a canoe, use a swiss army knife. It was a great time.

Even if you don’t participate in Nano, I think you should consider doing Camp Nano in July. Because aside from the obvious differences I discussed before the April session, there are a lot of other reasons now is the perfect time for a camp month.

November is hard

Last year I nearly killed myself doing Nanowrimo. My dumb self thought it was a great idea to plan a vacation the same month. Then we lost power at my house for three days. I did it because I’m a Gretchen Rubin Upholder, so once I set a goal I’m going to die before I don’t meet that goal. I’m not saying that’s healthy. I’m just saying it’s who I am.

That’s the thing, though. Lots of people have Novembers like mine. Busy with holidays and vacations and other family obligations and events. Students have finals on top of all of that. Honestly, November is a hard month to write a freaking book. I swear that’s part of the point. If you can write a book in November, you can write one any time.

On the other hand, if you can’t write a book in November, maybe you can write one in July when there isn’t all that extra stuff going on.

Summer is a great time for students to focus on a creative project

Nanowrimo isn’t specifically aimed at students, but a lot of students flock to it. Students who have nothing to do with their brains for the Summer. Who might need a project, but are accustomed to exterior structure. Writing a book is a great Summer project. July’s Camp Nano is a great launch point.

July is often longer and more boring than we think it’s going to be

I know, mid-June it’s hard to believe, but by July you might get sick of Summer activities. Look, I love swimming, cooking out, camping and all the other festive Summer fun. But there are limits. Having a project, a major goal can give you something to do during the days that are so, so much longer.

If you didn’t quite make your goal in April, learn from that experience

I know a lot of people participated in the April Camp Nanowrimo session. I also know that a lot of people didn’t reach their April goals. My goal changed twice. At first, I wanted to edit for 39 hours. Then, thinking that would be too easy, I upped it to 50 hours. I upped it to 50 hours a couple of days into the month. That was dumb! So I moved it to writing 50,000 words instead, which was more than my original goal but less than the new goal I hadn’t planned for.

I learned from that experience, and I think I can successfully edit for 50 hours in July. I took into consideration why I couldn’t do it in April; I didn’t plan for it, I started late, I was already behind when I made the goal, I hadn’t taken into consideration that April was likely to be a bad depression month due to reasons.

If you tried to do Camp Nanowrimo in April and didn’t reach your goal, take heart. Figure out what stopped you from reaching your goal, and what you can do to overcome that.

If you wrote a book in November Nano, now is the time to finish it

Did you write a novel in November that you’ve been trying to edit, but you just haven’t found the time? Well, brothers and sisters now is your time. Right now, sit down with a calendar and figure out if you can finish the editing in July. You’ll feel so much better, having succeeded in doing something most people only dream of; You’ll have written a book.

I know I talk with my business hat on pretty frequently. Right now I’m going to take that hat off and remind you of something; writing is fun. Writing is campfire stories while snacking on marshmallows. Writing is making up a story to amuse a bored child. It’s spilling your guts onto the page, making up stories to comfort yourself and maybe someone else. That’s what I love about Camp Nanowrimo. It reminds me that writing is supposed to be fun.

Don’t forget, Nanowrimo works. Here’s the proof.

In Devon’s world, magical work is as common as turning a pot or fletching an arrow. What isn’t common is a man with thread magic. When Devon finds that he is a seer, weaving prophetic tapestries, his family tries to keep it a secret.

But the family can’t hide Devon’s visions after he predicts a devastating plague in the dragon lands of Coveline. He travels there to help the dragon queen save her people.

Meanwhile, Devon’s sister Lenore joins the Church of Singular Light. As Lenore learns to serve, and falls in love with her city, she discovers a dark underbelly to the church.

Lenore fights for her city, and Devon rushes to find a cure to the plague, while an unseen enemy raises an army to destroy Septa from within.

Get it here now.