Surviving the Wild(er)ness

CAMP NaNoWriMo
SURVIVAL KIT

Here it is… the eve of Camp NaNoWriMo. Tomorrow starts the frantic thirty day writing frenzy and I can honestly say that I am not ready for camp.

So, to get me in the mood, I put together a little survival kit for myself to help me get through the next thirty days with my sanity intact. I am willing to share my treats so come along and join the party with me!

What would writing be like without a brand new journal to write down all of my plot ideas? The first item in my Survival Kit is this gorgeous lined journal with fun pictures of Venice on a lime green cover. There is also a matching lime green pen that (fortunately) writes in black ink - lime green ink might be too hard on my eyes after a while. I do love the stretchy band that goes around the journal to keep it closed but it could also pose as a bookmark in a pinch.

Since I don’t drink coffee, the next item in my Survival Kit is a mug with plenty of hot chocolate to give me that caffeine kick. Who doesn’t love a good cup of chocolate? Of course, if I’m on the go and need a chocolate boost, I’ve got my trusty ceramic cup with lid. Earth Day is celebrated in April and it’s a perfect way to stop into those cafès and say “Fill ‘er up,” without contributing to the overflowing dumps. I can do my part to help the environment by reusing my mug and reducing my waste while writing my NaNo book.

And speaking of chocolate, I have to have lots of it during Camp! Reese’s Peanut Butter cups are my absolute favorite and I just love chocolate with nuts (I’m a bit nutty myself so this is quite appropriate!). 

Also, those late writing nights might require some popcorn and I’m a sucker for Smartfood’s cheese covered version. I definitely do not think that one bag will be enough!

We all need some pizza at Camp but looking at all those calories above, I think I’ll go for the Goldfish version. The great part is that I can pack my pizza up in little bags for that spicy pick-me-up when I’m not writing at home. No need to worry about reheating pizza slices and getting tomato sauce all over my clothes.

Trail mix is such a wonderful staple that it has to be added to my Survival Kit. The medley of peanuts, chocolate, pretzels, dried cranberries, raisins and anything else salty and sweet is a great snack idea when fuel is running low and ideas are hard to come by.

Camp would definitely not be complete without S’mores! It’s a staple for those late night writing sessions around the crackling fire while staring up at the stars and working out dialogue, actions, emotions or just plotting the next scene. I can already taste the gooey marshmallows as they melt between the chocolate and graham crackers.

But all that outdoor air might make me a little bit cold, so my Survival Kit will certainly need a warm blanket to stave off the chill. I can wrap it around me while I write, write, write. I can’t let tiny goose bumps stop me from reaching 50K words!

I also have to have my much-needed computer to continue working on my NaNo novel. It contains all of my NaNo book versions, access to the internet and the Camp NaNoWriMo website. While notebooks, journals and pens are important for note taking, I find that typing my stories work much better for me. My hands don’t cramp up as much and my fingers can keep up a little faster with my brain. Typing my story is also the easiest way to upload my words onto the NaNo website to document my daily word count and my final word count on April 30.

But, as electronics are so important to people nowadays, we have to find a way to keep our words in the unfortunate or unlikely event that our electronics might fail us. My Survival Kit must include a flash drive so I have another way to save my precious words. I’ve read way too many blogs where writers share that they had lost chapters or even entire novels when their computers conked out. I love the motto: Always be prepared. Always back up your novel! You need to prepare for the worst.

My last item in my Survival Kit is more of a symbol – an important symbol that reminds me of what I am doing and why. If life gets hectic or crazy during the month of April, I don’t want to fall too far behind or give up on my 50K word goal. This 2012 NaNoWriMo Winner shirt is a reminder of what I can do. I was able to accomplish my writing goal during the month of November on my first try. If I have any doubts in the next thirty days, I just have to take out my Winner shirt and remember that I CAN DO THIS! I have the power within me and I won’t let anything stop me from or derail me from accomplishing my goal.

So I ask you: What is in your Camp NaNoWriMo or Writing Survival Kit? What helps you to push forward? What do you need to accomplish your writing goals?

Until next time ~