This time next week people from around the world will be working on novels – moreso than there normally are. Some have been planning for weeks, others are jumping in with only a vague collection of ideas. Some have targets of 50,000 words; others 10,000. They’re writing contemporary YA, adult scifi, children’s fantasy, adult romance, and many more genres besides. But whether it’s their first novel or their twenty-first, these people all have something in common.

They’re all participating in Camp NaNoWrimo.

An off-shoot of the famous National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for short), Camp NaNoWriMo challenges people to get that novel out of their heads and onto the page. But unlike the stricter classic NaNoWriMo, where to win you have to write 50,000 words of a new draft, Camp NaNoWriMo lets you set your own goals and even work on an existing draft. Need that one bit of motivation to get the last 10,000 words out? Camp NaNo! Just want to get past that middle part? Camp NaNo! Want to write alongside people from all around the world, but think 50,000 is too big a target or you’ve got exams in November? CAMP NANO!

Last year some staff and a bunch of teen readers leaped into Camp NaNo, as something to do with all the extra hours lockdown gave us. There were varying levels of success, with some reaching five (and even six!) figure word goals! Others learned more about fiction writing in general, to be more prepared for the next go around. And then there was me, getting some words down but mostly brushing up on my napping skills.

So if you’re wanting to join in yourself, head on over to the official NaNoWriMo site! I’m sure you can do better than me. And for tips and tricks, have a read of the two official NaNoWriMo books: No Plot? No Problem! and Brave the Page. Budding writers, keep an eye on the blog for more writing-related goodness and lists in the future.