Competition

Even though I love to write, often I need motivation to weigh the scale in favor of writing–and less in favor of other things like sleeping, eating, and well, everything else. Having someone willing to read my manuscript helps, but with no exact deadline, I still find myself putting writing too far down on the priority list. That’s why I signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo.

The flock

I’d heard of National Novel Writing Month a long time ago. But for me to attempt to write a novel in November–wasn’t going to happen. But this past June, one of my writing friends told me about Camp NaNoWriMo in July. Seemed like perfect timing to give me that extra little bit of inspiration.

I started off fairly productive. Every day I’d log on and see how I was doing compared to the others. Where was I in the flock of writers? Ahead? Behind? One of the middlers?

I had a good 9,000 words in when I left for vacation. And everything stopped. I had brought wrist bands thinking I’d write in the car–and I drove most of the way. (wristbands don’t help one drive and write, too bad.) When we reached Colorado,

All alone

there were always cool things to do, like white water rafting, caving, and shopping in Manitou Springs. Oh, I looked at the writing now and then–but it seemed like work and I was, after all, on vacation. Without internet access, I didn’t have to face my cabinmates and their ever increasing word count. I didn’t have to see their encouragement, or face their ‘why aren’t you writing’ questions. So I didn’t write.

Swimming hard

But now, now I’m back home and everyone in my cabin has more words than me. When you’re coming from behind, you have to swim hard and fast. I vow to write long and often. All I have to do is… start. Quit quitting. Begin. Turn on the computer, pull up my document, and start typing words on the page. I can do it.

And so can you. Join a writing group. Be a part of NaNoWriMo. Take a writing class. All of these are ways for you to harness the power of others. Go for it.