Let's Get Writing!

National Novel Writing Month (November 1-30)

Ever dreamed of writing the great American novel? Well grab a notebook and shiny new pen and get to work right now!

November is National Novel Writing Month, also referred to as “NaNoWriMo.” Don’t let the “National” part of the title fool you- thousands of people from all over the world participate in this marathon writing project each year. The goal is to write 50,000 words in a month- that’s about 175 pages!

The “NaNoWriMo” project began in San Francisco in 1999 when a group of bored aspiring novelist decided to challenge one another to write an entire novel in 30 days. Finding the process immensely fun and rewarding, they decided to make NaNoWriMo an annual event. With the help of a website, some rules and rapid word-of-mouth advertising, NaNoWriMo has grown to include over 80,000 participants, including me! Literally hundreds of thousands of novels have been produced thanks to NaNoWriMo, some of which have since become published best sellers!

Anyone can register for National Novel Writing Month for free. If you’re worried about not being able to write an entire novel in one month, don’t worry: there is no penalty for not finishing. Participants refer to completing their 50,000 words by December 1st as “winning” but all the author really wins is the feeling of immense satisfaction (and a digital PDF certificate from the NaNoWriMo staff). Whether you’re a first time author or a seasoned veteran, now is the time to write!

Could you be the next Jane Austen or Charles Dickens?

Okay, probably not, but you never know unless you try!