CampNaNoWriMo Update: Momentum

It’s time for a CampNaNoWriMo update.

Since July 1^st, I’ve been working on the sequel to my first indie published book. I would like to say that it’s going well, but it’s not. I’ve been sidetracked by migraines and other random busyness. On the days that I do write, I’ve made good progress. Unfortunately, those days don’t come as frequently as I’d like.

I am, however, seeing some positive things out of this experience beyond increasing my word count. I’m learning lessons that impact my whole life and that’s what makes camp so memorable. I’m seeing that there are some morals to this story. I’ve come across a few during this month. One of them is momentum.

The value of momentum is greatly underappreciated. It’s the whole “a body in motion tends to stay in motion” principle. I’ve found when I’ve got some momentum going, my words flow easier. This month has proven this. Losing my momentum is like starting a car on a cold day. It will start, but it takes a minute to get warmed up. I’ve also found that it’s harder to get back in the “mood” of the novel after I’ve let a few days pass.

This is a camp great lesson. Keep moving. And it’s a great camp lesson to apply to every area of life. If I’m allowed to modify the principal above, I’d say “a life in motion tends to stay in motion.” Whether your “motion” is exercising, studying or any other activity that takes more than five minutes to complete, keep moving.

Which brings us to another story moral: to get moving, take a step. A simple statement, I know, but so often, I find myself standing still while lamenting over how hard it is to get moving. Getting moving, most of the time, is taking the simplest and most obvious step, but it is the hardest to accomplish. I think that’s because we expect to take on the whole process at once, instead of realizing that it is a process. Processes are accomplished in steps.

In order to get through the process, you need momentum. In order to get some momentum, you’ve got to get moving. Try it this week. Get moving and get some momentum going.  Onward, campers!