Hey campers, who’s joining me?
It’s my first attempt at what the folks at NaNoWriMo have pitched as a “virtual writing retreat” where you set your own focused writing goal for the month of April. I had no plans to join until a writer friend prompted me yesterday and I realised it was just what I needed!
So, what am I writing?
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Camp NaNoWriMo (April 2022)
My plan is to write the first drafts of a few short stories with the characters of the books in my published series of gay romcoms, The Rise and Shine series. I’m calling them the Rise and Shine Stories and I’ve got so many ideas!
- I’ve got a couple of ideas for little stories before the events of the first book, Duck and Dive, that could serve as mini prequels.
- I’ve also got a few fun scenes that could fit in nicely between the books. Some of these are brand new scenarios, and some are scenes that were only ever brief bullet points and so never made it into the second book, Slip and Slide, or the third book, Over and Out.
- I’ve even got one idea that I’ve had in the back of my mind since first drafting Over and Out. I originally envisioned it ending that book, but then I decided it wouldn’t work, and ending it where I eventually did served that book much better. Still, who doesn’t love a nice epilogue, the chance to spend even a little more time with the characters? I plan to pick up that thread and write it for those who love a little extra!
Now, I’m targeting 500 words per day, which should result in three short stories of approximately 5000 words (i.e. 15–20 pages) each by the end of April! Then, once they’ve been edited and polished up, I’ll give them away to my mailing list subscribers as a special thank you for all their support.
If you want to read the stories for free the minute they’re released, you can jump on my mailing list too – I’d love to have you on board! You’ll get two other exclusive short stories right away as thanks, then 1-2 emails per month with my writing updates and other bookish goodness. My mailing list subscribers get all the best stuff first!
I’ll probably be keeping track (i.e. procrastinating) on Twitter (@gbralph) throughout the month. Come cheer me on or crack the whip, whatever gets you going. If you’re participating in Camp NaNoWriMo, you can also buddy request me on NaNoWriMo (user: gbralph).
Why write this now?
I’ve just finished the bajillionth round of edits on my current work in progress, Book 1 of The Milverton Mysteries, which is the book I first drafted during my first regular NaNoWriMo attempt in November 2021.
If you want to find out more about that manic month:
- Here’s the post where I kicked things off: My first NaNoWriMo
- I also pondered the often repeated advice that you must write every day! Or not?
- Then at the end of the month I summarised the results of writing a novel in 30 days.
- And while the experience (i.e trauma) was still fresh, Mark Stay chatted to me about surviving NaNoWriMo for a Deep Dive episode of the Bestseller Experiment podcast.
My original plan for April was to move back to my other work in progress – The Pirate and the Baker (working title) – to make edits based on beta reader feedback. But I’m all edited out for the minute and in dire need of a blank page, the opportunity to write something fresh… enter Camp NaNoWriMo!
Want to keep tabs on me?
As I mentioned above, I’ll probably be keeping track (i.e. procrastinating) on Twitter (@gbralph) throughout the month. Come cheer me on or crack the whip, whatever gets you going.
If you’re participating in Camp NaNoWriMo, you can also buddy request me on NaNoWriMo (user: gbralph).
Or, if you’d prefer to get only occasional updates (1-2 per month), jump on my mailing list and you’ll also score two exclusive short stories right away!
G B Ralph 