Author Sarah Raughley is your Camp Counselor for the third week in April, and brings you this week's Camp Care Packages:

As a writer, there’s lots to fear as you write your book. Think about the doubts that creep into your head as you trudge along and the page count gets bigger.

What if people hate this?

What if after all this work I’ve put in, this book ends up getting shelved?

Think about those doubts…

… and shrug.

What we fear doesn’t have to come to pass, and even if it does, it’s not the end of the world. But if we stop because of fear, we’ll never achieve our dreams.

No matter what, keep moving forward.

What's up at Camp?

• Got writer's block? Try our brand-new NaNoWriMo “Are You Stuck?” Flowchart! 
  

• Follow us on Instagram to chat to NaNo staff members about your writing project! We've scheduled all our Instagram Lives on the Camp NaNoWriMo Calendar so you can join a live conversation.
  
  
• Winner Buttons are now available to order! If you know you’re on track to complete your goal, or just want a little extra incentive to keep pushing through, use this winner button as a shining beacon of triumph.
  
  

Today's Writing Dare

Make a list of everything your main character fears, from big to small. Then, see if you can work one of those fears into a scene you write today. Maybe your hero has to get across a river but is terrified of bridges, or maybe they're forced to talk to their crush. How does your character react to their fear? Run, hide, fight, sing, talk to themselves, do jumping jacks, dance, pretend to faint, or something totally different?

Sarah Raughley grew up in Southern Ontario writing stories about freakish little girls with powers because she secretly wanted to be one. She is a huge fangirl of anything from manga to scifi/fantasy TV to Japanese role-playing games, but she will swear up and down at book signings that she was inspired by Jane Austen. On top of being a YA writer, Sarah has a PhD in English, which makes her doctor, so it turns out she didn’t have to go to medical school after all. Follow @s_raughley