Week 2 of Camp Nanowrimo is upon us! For some, this is a pinnacle achievement – a whole week of writing dangerously under your belt! For others, it’s as dreadful as opening a door down to the dark cellar.
Week 2 has gained a bit of ill repute, and for good reason: for many NaNo participants, this is “hell week,” the time when word counts flounder and inspiration takes a weeklong vacation. I remember dreading the start of Week 2 for many NaNos because, faithful as a trope, the excitement would dim and the doubts creep in almost like clockwork at the start of that week.
For some, Week 2 never brings a break in stride. For others, it’s a time of crippling self doubt, story loathing, and even quitting. So as we start off Week 2, I want to give a small piece of advice that’s helped me through many a Week 2:
Write 100.
The principle is simple: no matter how much you hate your story, no matter how great your doubts, write 100 words each day. If need be, break that down into 10 different 10-word sprints throughout the day.
Something great usually comes from Write 100: either those 100 words push you over the hump and 100 becomes 1,000, or you have just 100 more words and a manuscript that didn’t die in the trenches of Week 2. Either way, it’s progress, a solid win in your NaNo backpack.
NaNo goals can often start to look daunting once we’ve cast out from safe harbors and into the raging seas of deadlines and word count goals. Don’t sweat it. Go slow to go fast – in other words, you can always catch up later! But for the doldrums, for the Week 2 blues, try committing yourself just to write 100, each day.
Keep your peace. Keep the story alive. See you in Week 3, campers!
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