You may have noticed the Camp NaNoWriMo dare appearing on your Dashboard and thought to yourself, "Self, what the heck is this Camp NaNoWriMo thing, and why should I join it?" Never fear! We're here with all the answers (plus some bug spray, tent poles, and pencil sharpeners).

What is Camp NaNoWriMo?

• Camp NaNoWriMo is a writing event that happens in April and July. It's different from NaNoWriMo in November because you can work on ANY type of creative project, not just a novel. First drafts or revision, scripts or stories or poems or essays—all are welcome! Just set a goal and get writing. 
  
  

Visit Camp on YWP to learn more!

How can you participate?

• Create your Camp project on the YWP site and write in our one-of-a-kind writing space, complete with stats, charts, dares, and word sprints. Chat with other young writers doing Camp in the Camp NaNoWriMo forum. Just accept the Camp NaNoWriMo dare to get started!
  

• 13 or older? Sign up for a NaNoWriMo account and you can form an online writing group with up to 20 other writers.
  

• Are you an educator? Lead your whole class on a month of creativity, or challenge your most enthusiastic students to participate on their own.
  
  

Contest Updates

"Now What?" Young Writers Contest — We received over 500 novel excerpt submissions, and so far, we're blown away by the effort and creativity that went into them. We'll announce results by the end of March (that gives us time to choose finalists, and for our guest author judge Kat Zhang to choose winners). If you sent in your work, thank you! We know it can be scary (and exciting) to send your story out into the world, and we appreciate your bravery. Please consider sharing your excerpt in the "Now What?" contest forum and reading other young writers' hard work.

Young Writers Flash Fiction Contest — Write with us during Camp, then submit a short (short!) story of up to 300 words by May 31 for the chance to be published on the NaNoWriMo blog and YWP website. Look for more details in April.