My Views on the Camp NaNoWriMo Challenge on Mind Key

Me.

NaNoWriMo has been a thorn in my side since I started blogging years ago.  My writer friends would say Join NaNoWriMo, Charla! Join NaNoWriMo, Charla! Just the mouthful should have told me how difficult this challenge would be.

I don’t write novels, which is the main focus of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writer’s Month) but I do write.  I write personal stories on my blog.  Every once in a while I throw in a bite of fiction or a puff of poetry, but personal stories and experiences are my forte.  So I figured I didn’t qualify for NaNoWriMo.  I mean, why would I?  I can barely find time to read novels, certainly not to write them!  

 

But then I joined the Mind Key Community.  Being surrounded with so many talented professionals, I have been encouraged to spread my writing wings and push myself.  That does NOT mean I’m trying to write a novel.  Uhn uh, no way!  But I have been told that you can be a writer without focusing on fiction and novels, so that’s what I’m doing.   

Camp NaNoWriMo brings together a small group of writers, spanning multiple writing genres, who are available to encourage each other on our individual writing journeys.  Some of us know each other and others are completely new.  Some have lofty word count writing goals and others (like me) are shooting for word count a bit lower.  There is one thing ties us together though, and that’s the Mind Key Community.

You may have seen the Camp NaNoWriMo Mind Key Writing Challenge (wow, that’s mouthful!) posted daily on the Mind Key site and Facebook page.  What we’re doing (mostly to encourage each other to write) is choosing an excerpt of our writing and posting it for your viewing pleasure.  We’re also hoping to get your encouragement.  It’s not always the easiest thing to write, you know.  Putting pieces of yourself, your heart and soul, out to the public for applause or criticism, praise or ridicule can be stressful.  

And that is why I’d like you to come vote!  Take a minute out of your day to visit either the Mind Key page or Mind Key on Facebook to read our excerpts.  Read the writing you see there, send out some encouragement and vote for your favorite.

Who knows?  You might get invested in a fabulous story line or even find a blogger you adore!  

Take the time to be part of our community and make it your community.

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Here are a few example excerpts from our talented writing pool:

I let the red back in, because it also felt good to be mad. Being mad at Jesse made sense. Forgiving him for using me was just too much to swallow. He touched my face again, this time with a finger, and sucked that bit of red away.
Danielle Rose

Rarely was there an absence of color and energy, at least in one room. I just wish I wasn't so concerned with beating my dead horse of a husband with pleas for another chance. I wish I spent more time reminiscing with Dad about our Laurel and Hardy VHS nights and staring at the microwave waiting for the popcorn bag to approach combustion.
Tara Lesko

Hank is a long haired Chihuahua.  As we walked along the path (it was crowded!) we heard several “Oh he’s so cute!” and even one, “He’s a purse dog!”  Had Hank known what a purse dog was, I’m sure he would have been horribly offended.
Charla Dury  <-- ME!!!

It was his the smooth, velvety voice that had seeped through her mind for days, calling her and promising to help discover her true power. She wanted to know everything about him, right then and there, but his slow movements and relaxed doe eyes hinted that he was still examining her, trying to figure out where to start. She had a million questions but soon, the effect of the wine mixed with the exhaustion of traveling for days, cradled her into a sleep.
Tamara Rokicki

Have you been following your favorite Mind Key writer? Now it's easier than every to read, share and vote! Please...
Posted by Mind Key on Friday, April 17, 2015

The Camp NaNoWriMo Mind Key Challenge

I have undertaken an amazing adventure.

Yes, yes, relaunching Mind Key is an amazing adventure… and please don’t think I’ve dropped the ball on this yet.  We have a wonderful community built, and we are all working together (which is incredibly inspiring) to create a blog worthy of what you expect from a community dedicated to creativity, inspiration, connection and growth.  Meanwhile, we’re looking to add new members and creating a calendar of events that couldn’t possibly leave anyone wanting for things to do. 

There will be more to come in upcoming days, including fantastic contests, online and live classes, and possibly a radio show.

As part of this I want to introduce you to a fantastic contest that simply couldn’t wait.  The amazing adventure I’ve mentioned is called Camp NaNoWriMo.  For those of you that know of NaNoWriMo (aka National Novel Writing Month), this is quite similar.  For those of you that think I’m speaking Orkian, let me explain.  Each November National Novel Writing Month encourages novelists to commit to writing 50,000 words (a short novel) over the course of 30 days.  Camp NaNoWriMo does the same thing, but by allowing participants to choose their own word counts, and assigning them into online support “cabins” with other writers.  For example, I’ve chosen to write 40,000 words this month.  Others, like Rebecca Godina, have chosen as little as 10,000. The point is to commit to writing.  Altogether the Mind Key cabin has committed to write a total of 155,000 words during the month of April.

It’s all about being motivated.  So Mind Key cabin mate, Tamara Rokicki had a fabulous idea to post excerpts of what we wrote each day on our cabin message board for motivation and inspiration.  It worked so well I was inspired to take it a step further.

So each day, our cabin members will have an opportunity to choose one 300 character excerpt written that day for submission into the Camp NaNoWriMo flash contest.  Each day I will post the previous day’s excerpts and ask you, our loyal readers, to choose your favorite.  At the end of the month the writers will choose their best of the best for a final match-to-the-death round.  We will ask everyone who has voted over the month to return and place their vote for the best of the best in this death-match.  The winner gets a week-long blog series on them and their work, plus maybe some other goodies yet to be determined.

So what do you think?  Are you ready to vote for your favorite Mind Key writer and discover some beauty and inspiration along the way?


Let's meet the writers:
Danielle Rose
Charla Dury
Rebecca Godina
Tamara R.
Kim H.

And here's today's excerpts - please click below, and comment on your favorite to vote!
Don't forget to share using the convenient little buttons in the sidebar.
Thanks!

Mind Key Challenge Day 8 is up! Charla Dury won yesterday's round. Please click below and vote for today's favorite excerpt... http://a.pgtb.me/B4XjDX

Posted by Mind Key on Thursday, April 9, 2015

Welcome to the New Mind Key

Once simply a novel, Mind Key has blossomed into The Mind Key Project - a hub of knowledge and resources, a community of practitioners and artists, and a calendar of events aligned with connecting people with each other and with their goals and dreams.

Why “Mind Key”?  The term was chosen because we each have the potential within to create the life we want.  There’s no healing, no reality, no dream that is beyond our reach… but finding the resources to bring these things to fruition can be difficult.  Especially in a world full of “nos,” “can’ts” and “impossible.”

It is my belief that nothing is impossible, if only the space is created for it to happen.  That space begins within our own bodies, our minds and our hearts.

“Mind Key” the Novel, is a fictional account of 17 year old Noelle Ricci’s journey on this path of self-discovery.  How she became aware of Spirit and of the intangible world around her, how she came to understand the overwhelming energy and emotions swirling within, and how with direction and practice she slowly used them to build the life she wanted for herself.

Today the Mind Key Project has become a community of individuals, businesses, artists and practitioners with the same intention - to help others fulfill their purpose… and that’s why Mind Key is such an eclectic forum of resources:  with the intention of bringing people together with the modalities of growth that best fits them.  

I am pleased and honored to introduce to you a growing community of artists, writers, healers, practitioners, readers and mediums who are all dedicated to discovering their personal legend and to helping you discover yours.

Please take time to visit the Mind Key Community to learn about these incredible individuals and subscribe to our Newsletter, Calendar and Blog where you will receive regular updates of new happenings, pertinent resources, and insightful information on a variety of practical, theoretical, and imaginative topics.

We would also love for you to find us on Facebook and share Mind Key with others.

If you are interested in being a part of the Mind Key Project, we are always looking for fresh ideas and energy.  Please contact me directly at danielle@mindkey.me to learn more.

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May the road rise to meet you….

Danielle Rose