Why I Like Camp NaNo and Dislike NaNo

So . . . this hasn't happened in a while. Seems all I post these days are Monthly HapPENings and Music Monday posts, and sometimes that gets tiring. I'm trying to write other, more interesting posts more often . . . but I've been saying that for a while, haven't I?

Anyway, this post (which might be a bit on the shorter side, and I hope that's all right) has been on my mind for a little while, and I figured now was the perfect time to share it. Disclaimer: any thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own, and you are free to think differently. This just comes from my experiences of participating in NaNo in 2018 and 2019, and the handful of times I've done Camp Nano.

In case you're not aware, let me briefly explain these events. NaNo--or rather, NaNoWriMo--is the abbreviated title for National Novel Writing Month. It takes place in November, where writers around the globe strive to add 50,000 words to their project, be it old or new, as 50k is the minimum word count for a novel. Camp NaNo operates a bit differently. Less popular and well-known than NaNo, it operates twice a year, in April and July. The biggest difference is that writers select their own goals, whether it's a word count, time limit, page count, or an editing goal. As I said, I've tried both, so these are some of my takeaways.

Why I Like Camp NaNo

1. You get to choose your own goal.

I know I've already mentioned that detail, but it's one of the biggest selling points for me personally. Everyone has different life circumstances, so being able to work around by choosing your target makes a huge difference in the overall experience. What I always preferred when doing Camp NaNo was a time goal, often 30 minutes a day. The number of words I pumped out varied, and there were some days that I didn't do as well--but at least I was still writing daily. After those 30 minutes, I could decide if I wanted to keep going, or stop there. Sometimes I would write for another 15 or 30 minutes, or even longer. Sometimes I called it quits there. The important thing was that I could keep my mental health up while still writing regularly.

2. It has a community vibe to it.

When I write, I love knowing that I have people cheering me on, encouraging me, giving me constructive feedback, and just being there for me. Camp is great for that. I shared an online cabin with a friend of mine, and we could support each other and keep ourselves positive. There's just this atmosphere of . . . understanding, maybe? Like, you chose a goal that was right for you, and you're celebrated for trying to reach it. And even if you don't hit it, it's okay. You did your best, and that's all that matters. It's like everyone is running alongside one another in a race, but some people's finish lines come sooner than others'. And there's nothing wrong with that; in fact, you're congratulated for doing what was best for you.

3. You end the month feeling good about yourself.

This probably crosses over into things I've already said, but whatever. When the month is over, and I look back on it, I feel positive about the progress I've made. I've written every day, I've made some good progress in my story, and I've managed to look after my mental health while I'm at it. Taking some time every day to be able to chill and just relax for a while is very important to me, so that's a huge bonus. I can end Camp saying it was a good experience, and if I ever feel up to it, I can challenge myself a bit more next time. Now, I don't necessarily think one even should write every single day, but it's nice to do it for a month and see the fruits of your labor afterward. Camp is just really positive overall.

Why I Dislike NaNo

1. Your goal is chosen for you.

So I understand that the appeal of NaNo is that you can actually manage to write a whole novel in a month . . . but is that really manageable? If you want to hit the goal of 50,000 words in a month, that means writing a minimum of 1,666 words per day. And if you don't hit that daily goal, suddenly each day becomes more and more daunting. Thing is, that type of goal isn't made for everyone. Some people work full-time jobs; for example, I work 8-4 at a job that can be quite mentally exhausting. Coming home to then pump out so many words can be quite challenging--oftentimes too challenging. It really does a number on your mental health. It's just not meant for every writer.

2. It has a competitive vibe to it.

Maybe it's just me, but after my first time trying NaNo, I've never felt it as a community getting together to try their best. Rather, it's felt competitive. To use the race example again, everyone is racing each other to get to that goal of the big 50k. Some people defy all logic and reach the finish line super quick, while others manage to pull in by the end of the month. But if you fail, then you suck. It just seems very . . . cutthroat to me. Both times I tried NaNo, I failed and only got 20-30k words written. And you're not congratulated for that; you're only celebrated if you succeed.

3. You end the month not feeling good about yourself.

I don't what it's like to finish NaNo, but I imagine it must feel something along the lines of, "I'm really tired, but I'm happy that I did so well, so I deserve to rest a while." The way I ended my first NaNo was, "I'm super burnt out, and I really don't want to see my story again, so I'm gonna take a break for a long while." The second NaNo may have been a bit better, but not by much. I end the month feeling kind of jealous of others and frustrated with myself and my writing. I know that's a "me" problem, though I don't think it makes my feelings illegitimate. Sure, I've made great progress in both Shattered and The Darglia Unravelings when I've participated in NaNo. Not hitting the goal, however, ends up making me feel more like a failure than anything else. In the end, I'm not convinced that any writing is worth allowing your mental health to take a beating.

So those are my thoughts on Camp NaNo vs. NaNo. I hope it doesn't bring you down or anything if you're participating this month. Again, these are just my feelings on the events. Will I ever take part in NaNo in the future? Maybe. But if I can't find a way to do it while also taking my time to refresh myself, then no, it's not something I want to do. I'd rather do Camp once or twice a year. It's more my style.

I suppose I'll end on saying this: if you've miraculously finished NaNo already, you are a hecking genius and I wish you all the best as you finish off the month! And if you're not done yet, I'm cheering you on from the sidelines. You've got this! But don't neglect your mental health in the process. I know I've talked a lot about it in this post, but seriously, it's important. The job I currently work has taught me to value it and look after it well, because no one else can or will do it for you.

That's that! What're your thoughts on my reasons? Do you prefer Camp or NaNo? If you're trying for 50k this month, how far along are you?