I’ve tried this every couple of years since, like, 2009. The closest I’ve ever come to a “win” was in the spring of 2019, when I used Camp NaNoWriMo as a springboard to draft around 40,000 words of my currently-in-revision-limbo first draft of CODEX 17.
But I’ve got a revised outline for my new YA fantasy project, codenamed “A&A,” and a clear and obvious time window opening right now to get cracking on it. Here’s the working tagline:
He’s a moody human prince, sent away to Elf Camp to learn how to ride and shoot and hunt. She’s an immortal elf princess who’s better than him at everything, itching to get out of the woods and go on some real adventures.
Everyone’s telling them falling for each other would be a terrible idea—and everyone is absolutely right.
I’m actually going to shoot for a full draft, 70,000-plus words, but hopefully I at least get close to actually doing The Thing. Once this slapdash first draft is finished, I’ll have two book projects—and I can decide which one I push forward on.
[NOTE: In last week’s issue, I used an incorrect pronoun for Xiran Jay Xhao. I fixed it in the online edition, but could not un-send the emails. I deeply regret, and apologize for, the error.]