NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It happens every November and is largely supported by their Twitter account and the NaNoWriMo website. It is a writing challenge everyone can get involved with. The idea is to write 50,000 words in thirty days.
This challenge is super fun. I’ve been an active participant since 2018. So I decided to create this guide to help you discover more about NaNoWriMo. Hopefully, you will be inspired to try it this year.
#NaNoWriMo is a fun challenge that brings writers from all over the world together. You work alongside other writers in a monumental effort to create an entire novel in just one month.
It’s reward enough to complete the challenge. But if you “win” NaNoWriMo, you also get a ton of perks like discounts on top writing tools & services, an exclusive winners t-shirt, and the super cool “winner” badge added to your NaNoWriMo website profile.
But there’s so much more to NaNoWriMo:
“NaNoWriMo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes in the transformational power of creativity. We provide the structure, community, and encouragement to help people find their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds—on and off the page.”
https://nanowrimo.org/about-nano
The website is packed with tools and resources. The best of which is NaNo prep, a complete course designed to help you prepare in advance to write your novel. There are even quizzes to help you figure out which type of outline you’ll need.
The NaNoWriMo website is not just for National Novel Writing Month. The resources available are a great benefit for any writer, any time. Best of all they’re free and available all year long!
The site even offers places for you to connect with other writers – including a section to meet up with writers near you! If you’re not into chatting online, you can listen to pep talks from seasoned experts.
From forums to writer’s groups, it’s an introvert’s dream – connection without the pressure of interaction.
In addition to all the support offered on the website, NaNoWriMo is also extremely active on Twitter throughout the year and especially during events.
One of my absolute favorite things to do is Word Sprints:
How to do NaNo Word Sprints:
1. A moderator is online for a set time period, anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.
2. They tweet when it’s time to start writing and for how long. Sometimes they include a prompt or picture for inspiration.
3. You write as much as you can, as fast as possible, until the time is up.
4. There’s a brief break, coffee is usually encouraged. Then you repeat the process until you’ve got enough words for the day.
During events, like NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNo, there are sprinters online 24/7. So you can participate as often or as little as you want.
For more ways to stay connected, you can subscribe to the e-mail list where they send you advice, tips & tricks, promotions, and updates on their writing challenges & events. Some topics they’ve covered include “So You Wrote a Novel… Now What?” and “New Decade. New Writing Goals.”
NaNoWriMo also offers year-round promotional deals on the top writing tools, services, and apps:
During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, NaNoWriMo even created #StayHomeWriMo for all the writers in quarantine and lockdown, or otherwise stuck at home.
“In response [to the COVID-19 social distancing], we put together seven weekdays worth of activities y’all might take on to support your physical, mental, creative, and social well-being — and we’re calling it #StayHomeWriMo!”
https://nanowrimo.org/stayhomewrimo
*Update, #StayHomeWriMo has been discontinued due to lifted restrictions. But the NaNoWriMo website is still a great way to write, stay connected, and find support!
Don’t want to wait until November? You can do Camp NaNoWriMo in April and July.
These events are more flexible, allowing you to work on any writing project you choose. There is no word count requirement – unless you choose one for yourself.
You don’t have to work on a novel. Just pick a writing project and get started. I find the comradery and support helpful and encouraging.
Here’s a project I worked on for Camp NaNo in April of 2020:
As you can see, NaNoWriMo is amazing. If you’ve never participated, I highly recommend it. It’s so empowering to write with other writers and work towards a common goal. It’s a truly life-changing experience. You can read about my first NaNoWriMo fail here.
If you’re wondering how this site can offer all of the amazing things they do, it’s because of donations. I donate every year during November. I give $25-$50 and it’s matched by my company.
If you don’t feel like giving money away for nothing, they also have a store with all kinds of cool merch to grab up.
Do you have a #NaNoWriMo story? Have you won before? Please feel free to share in the comments!
Good old NaNoWriMo, responsible for the first drafts of four published fantasy novels of mine and counting.
Wow! That’s awesome. It is definitely a beautiful thing, helped me write two novels so far. Not published, but working on it. 🙂