National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is an annual, Internet-based creative writing project that takes place between November 1 and November 30, where participants attempt to write a 50,000 word manuscript. Freelance writer Chris Baty started the project in July 1999 with 21 participants in the San Francisco Bay area. In 2000, it was moved to November, and launched an official website. In 2005 NaNoWriMo was registered as a nonprofit organization due to the event growing strongly every year, which became the Office of Letters and Light. By the 2010 event, over 200,000 people took part and wrote a total of over 2.8 billion words. By 2015, 431,626 people participated (633 different regions) in NaNoWriMo, and of those participants, more than 40,000 won.
Strictly speaking, the world doesn’t exactly need your novel. While there’s no shortage of good novels out there, there is a shortage of readers for these books. Also, there a lot of badly written novels out there that need not be read. But what NaNoWriMo does is it encourages people to write. Just as reading is good for you, so is writing, even if it is for yourself. Getting people to create with words is actually a good thing, a great thing, and that is what makes NaNoWriMo and its mission shine. At the very least, a person has created something that is meaningful to them. And for a few of the industrious and talented folks, it might be the beginning of something special, providing them a healthy jolt of confidence that can evolve into a meaningful piece of literature. So I encourage all you novel writers out there to join in the fun and write, write, write, with the expectation that the one thing you will gain from this experience is challenging and satisfying your creative juices.
Writers wishing to participate first register on the project’s website, where they can post profiles and information about their novels, including synopses and excerpts. Word counts are validated on the site, with writers submitting a copy of their novel for automatic counting. NaNoWriMo focuses on the length of a work rather than the quality, encouraging writers to finish their first draft so that it can later be edited at the author’s discretion. The website provides participants with tips for writer’s block, information on where local participants are meeting, and an online community of support. Well-known authors write “pep-talks” to keep them motivated throughout the process. Municipal leaders and regional forums help connect local writers, holding writing events and providing encouragement.
To win NaNoWriMo, participants must write an average of approximately 1,667 words per day in November to reach the goal of 50,000 words written toward a novel. Organizers of the event say that the aim is to get people to start writing, using the deadline as an incentive to get the story going and to put words to paper. There is no fee to participate in NaNoWriMo; registration is only required for novel verification.
