Bye, Bye Camp!

It's official. I've bailed out on Camp NaNoWriMo. I began to feel like it was really stretching my time and trying to usurp my priorities (such as keeping my house clean and spending time with my Tyler when he's home from work). Then, because of life and some morning sickness happening, I fell behind in daily word count goals. Tyler encouraged me to keep trying  even though I was several thousand words behind, so I did. Finally, though, after a particularly busy couple of days (and focusing more on keeping priorities straight), I reached a point where there would be no catching up unless I really did take myself deep into the woods. So I bailed. I also breathed a deep sigh of relief. It's good to realize that this is not the time in my life for seriously pressing deadlines; I can be more relaxed and do a better job at being a wife, a mother, and a homemaker--my main goals.

Now, before my family crashes my blog with whining, this does not mean I'm giving up on the story. They enjoyed it enough and said enough sweet things about it to make me think it may have some value, so it gets to live. It's just that I won't be finishing it in June, and--realistically--not this year.

Remember: one of my main goals is being a mother. I realize that, as this year progresses, motherhood is going to take up more and more of my time and focus. And I realize this is not going to lessen until I'm just about an empty-nester. And I'm good with that. I would rather raise some blessings than be able to continue churning out a book every year.

Does that mean I'm not going to churn out any books? Hardly. I'm still a writer. But I'm a mother and a realist and I know that my book production is going to slow waaay down. Like I said, I'm good with that!

All that being said, don't desert me now. Just because I've recognized my book completion rate will slow down doesn't mean I don't have some fun stuff in the works...

So secretive, I know. It's a habit of mine. Just ask my family.

Does Camp NaNoWriMo sound interesting to you? They're doing it again in August, so if you want to take on the challenge to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days, check it out here: www.campnanowrimo.org.