(8 Tools for Pacing Your Novel.)

But what people don’t talk about as often is: Why? Why would anyone take on such a daunting challenge (which equates to writing 1,667 words every day in November), and what do they get out of it?

We’ve asked members of our community (including the staff and volunteers of the nonprofit that runs NaNoWriMo’s free programs) to share the often overlooked benefits of writing a novel in a month—both silly and serious, heartfelt and practical. To celebrate this year’s 25th annual NaNoWriMo challenge, here are 25 of the best benefits we’ve received from this ambitious creative endeavor:

Words! So many words! 

“Words that might have taken you years and years to produce otherwise. Sure, the draft will be messy, but all first drafts are, and now you’ve got so much more time to revise it.”

—Marya Brennan, Director of Programs

Form a creative habit. 

“They say it takes about 22 days to form a habit. November has 30 days, which makes it just long enough to form and enforce the writing habit. Whether you get that novel done, hit 50k, or only manage to get some of it finished, attempting to write a novel in 30 days can help you find your rhythm and launch your writing into the rest of the year.”

—A.K. Child, co-Municipal Liaison (ML) for the Northern Virginia, U.S.A. region

You can answer questions no one else knows the answer to. 

“What’s on a wizard’s grocery list? Do you think a fairy or an alien would win a fight? What exactly does my hamster do when I’m not home?”

—Josie Gepulle, Programs Associate

Community and friendship! 

“When I first moved to Boston almost 20 years ago, I only knew my roommate. At a talk from NaNoWriMo founder Chris Baty, I decided to volunteer my time to help boost my self confidence. I became best friends with my co-ML, and I’ve met almost all of my other friends through NaNoWriMo over the years since. It’s been a super fun experience and I can’t imagine November without it!”

—Jordan (QueenOfTheUniverse), co-ML for the Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. region

It’s really, really fun. 

“I seem to forget this every year until I sit down and start writing on November 1. In a world where it feels like you’re expected to turn every creative pursuit into a side hustle, there’s something glorious about diving into your imagination to see what you discover just for the sheer joy of it.”

—Sarah Mackey, Director of Community Engagement

Time management skills. 

“I wrote a first draft of my history dissertation while my baby took naps, thanks to the 5+ years of NaNoWriMo I already had under my belt.”

—Tiggy McLaughlin, ML for the Northwest Pennsylvania, U.S.A. region

NaNoWriMo is so liberating. 

“It’s a way to escape your inner editor, to let the words flow without worrying about whether they will survive the delete button. It’s an affirming way to get your butt in the chair, and to ignore, for a little while, all the things that intrude on your writing time.”

—Michelle R. O’Rourke, ML for the Great Falls and Helena, Montana, U.S.A. region

Self-confidence. 

“Some of my students said NaNoWriMo gave them confidence: Now, when they look at a task like calculus or applying to college, they remember they wrote an entire novel in a month, and they know they can do this, too.”

—Jennifer Ansbach, Educator from Manchester Township, New Jersey, U.S.A.

You get a chance to play…

“…with words and characters and plot lines and donkeys and wizards and mermaids and space aliens and big ideas and small ideas and planets and gopher holes. NaNoWriMo abounds in spontaneous whimsy, wackiness for wackiness’s sake, experimentation as lifestyle, as breath. NaNoWriMo is a hidden pathway to our inner child (who should be our outer adult).”

—Grant Faulkner, Executive Director

NaNoWriMo has a unique energy that proclaims ‘anything is possible.’ 

“It’s the perfect time to experiment with a new genre. The motivation and support from the NaNo community will give you the impetus to write, and all the writing prompts and events will help you get over your inner resistance.”

—Sonia Rao, ML for the India, Asia region

Bragging rights! 

“How many people can say they’ve written an entire novel in just one month? Impress your friends, family, coworkers, dates, neighbors… anyone you come across, really.”

—Katharine Gripp, Communications Director

I get the unruly story out of my imagination and make it tangible. 

“For me, writing the first draft of a novel is the hardest part of the process, the part most prone to writer’s block. Forcing myself to write 50,000 words in one month—a much larger output than I would otherwise accomplish—forces me to shove my inner critic aside and just get the words down on the page.”

—Virginia Duke, co-ML for the Billings, Montana, U.S.A. region

NaNoWriMo helped me to create goals and stick to them. 

“The Young Writers Program let my imagination run as free as I wanted to, without any barriers or school topics blocking me in. Honestly, these words aren’t ‘just words.’ They are pieces of myself.”

—Calla C., Young Writers Program participant

You’ll actually finish your novel! 

“For 30 days you feel like you aren’t doing much of anything, but if you just have faith in the process and add even one word each day, the magic of NaNoWriMo hands you a completed manuscript at the end of the month!”

—Morgan Bell, ML for the Newcastle, Australia region

It’s good to do something for yourself. 

“November can be a tough month for a variety of reasons. Why not take a break from reality and write your worries away? It’s always good to get your emotions on paper; it’s basically free therapy!”

—Josie Gepulle, Programs Associate

I found my writing club during NaNoWriMo. 

“It consists of a writing mentor I can reach out to, a writing buddy to compare work with, and a few fans who urge me on. My mentors help me over cracks in the writing sidewalk that can make me stumble; my writing buddies help me over gaps of time that stop me from writing because I’ve lost focus; and my fans are the real heroes, helping me hurdle my mental mountains by saying, ‘Did you finish it yet?'”

—JLNickymaster, co-ML for the Central Valley, California, U.S.A. region

Think how strong your wrists will get! 

“Sweater season is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and show off those toned flexors. Just make sure to pause for stretch breaks in between word sprints.”

—Marya Brennan, Director of Programs

Bravery. 

“Without NaNoWriMo, I suspect that I would still be stuck in my world of daydreams, not brave enough to spill them out on the page.”

—Abigail, Young Writers Program Student from New Zealand

You’ll accomplish so much. 

“If you concentrate on pushing words out instead of writing the ‘perfect’ words, you will achieve a lot more and you will be surprised by the quality you achieve when you look back (after a resting period, of course!).”

—Shari Mickle, ML for the East Valley, Arizona, U.S.A. region

NaNoWriMo is a distillation of the creative experience, 

“removed from the expectations of class, gender, race, sexuality, nationality and age. It’s proof that truly anyone can bring a story to life—and if you can do that, you can do anything. Great for your self esteem, terrible for your sleep.”

—Nick Fierro, Former Intern

NaNoWriMo, and writing, saved my life. 

“No matter what’s going on in my life, come November, I must participate. I don’t know what life would be like without NaNo and the incredible community I’ve built around me.”

—Candice Greene, ML of the Boise, Idaho, U.S.A. region

The tight timeline helps to overcome perfectionism and procrastination—

“the two main destroyers of creativity. When writing speedily, we are able to let go of our inner critic, our negative self-talk and self-doubts, thus giving our creative brain full play. This often results in portions of scintillating prose which make you wonder (in delight): ‘Did I really write that?'”

—Sonia Rao, ML for the India, Asia region

It ignites your cooperative and competitive spirit. 

“‘Co-opetition’ (a phrase coined by NaNoWriMo participant Ren B.) is ‘the act of challenging your friends for common benefit.’ You have no idea how motivating it can be to write alongside thousands of others until some of those others start reaching their goals ahead of you…”

—Marya Brennan, Director of Programs

Writing can be the outlet you need, 

“especially if you ever feel like it’s hard to speak up or that your voice isn’t heard. Public speaking is the enemy of shy introverts everywhere, but maybe you can stand up for the things you believe in by writing a novel. You have the power to envision a better world and encourage others to do the same. That’s the magic of storytelling.”

—Josie Gepulle, Programs Associate

Claim your creative confidence. 

“Once you know you can do it, NaNoWriMo opens you up to the reality that yes, you truly can be (and are!) a writer.”

—Tiffany T. Cole, Social Media Manager

While November is the biggest community challenge hosted by NaNoWriMo (with hundreds of thousands of participants each year), we also have year-round programming, resources, and community. Our Young Writers Program provides online classrooms for educators and parents, as well as free resources such as Common Core-aligned lesson plans and Young Novelist Workbooks.

Sign up to join this November’s challenge, and discover the benefits you’ll get from writing a novel in a month!

The post 25 Benefits of Writing a Novel in a Month appeared first on Writer's Digest.

For me, I started out the month super strong. In the first nine days, I wrote 16,842 words. I felt unstoppable! Then we had an unexpected death in the family, and I lost all momentum. I didn’t pick up my project again after day nine.

(NaNoWriMo: Making the Most of Community)

Looking back at the years I did cross that finish line, though, I know there’s a lot of emotion as the month comes to a close. If you met your goal, you can feel elation, excitement, and maybe you’re even buying yourself a little something to celebrate! If you fell short of your goal, you can feel frustrated, discouraged, and maybe a little disappointed.

No matter what word count you ended with, the question is always What next?

Finish Your Novel

Keep going! If you didn’t meet your goal, that’s OK; there’s no NaNo penalty that means you have to scrap your project. You are still the amazing, bad-ass writer who started the month of November with a goal and a heap of passion.

Did something keep you from completing this challenge? This year, it was travel and grief for me. As time moves on, I feel more ready to get back to the page. A few years ago, it was my work schedule that got me up really early in the morning, working 12 hours in a physically demanding role, and then pure exhaustion once I got home. Whether it was family, travel, work, or something else, pinpoint what tripped you up and come up with a game plan for how to keep rolling forward. Is it setting a smaller word goal? Planning a few hours a week on your schedule where writing is your only focus? Experiment with different options and find the one that works best for you.

If you completed the challenge but your story isn’t complete, then keep going! Even if you don’t stick to the 1,667 word/day goal, having a daily word goal might help you keep up your momentum. Look back at last month and see what helped you succeed. Keeping your eye on those strategies, continue implementing them to get all the way to The End!

Here are some articles on the site that might help you:

• Kate Bromley: On Deciding When a Book Is Finished

• Writing for the Time Impoverished: How to Structure Your Writing to Make Sure You Finish Your Novel
• How to Know When Your Manuscript Is Ready

Take a Break

When you finish your novel, it’s time for you to take a little break! That could mean something different for everyone—I have some mutuals on Twitter who write fanfiction for some breathing room after they finish a large personal project. I like to take a break from writing by replacing writing time with reading time and knocking some books off my TBR list. Whatever a break looks like for you, go ahead and take it!

But writers, beware. A break without a deadline can put you in a writing dry spell. The longer you’re completely away from the page (and your project), the less motivated you will find yourself to go back to it. My advice is to give yourself a deadline, and then when that day comes, get back to work!

Get Feedback

While you’re taking your break, it can be a great idea for you to hand your project over to someone else. Having feedback as you go into your revisions can give you a better sense of direction and a clear finish line.

I’ve spoken before about NaNoWriMo’s amazing writing community. However, if you don’t have any writer friends you feel comfortable giving your manuscript to, there are other options! When it comes to selecting a beta reader or professional editor, here are some articles here on the site that can help guide you:

• Writing Mistakes Writers Make: Not Accepting Feedback on Your Writing
• Peer Reviews: Seek Quality in Your Beta Readers, Not Quantity
• What Is a Professional Editor and Why Should Writers Use One?

Start Editing

Even if you don’t want to employ a reader to give you feedback, you’ll still need to revise your finished draft! Don’t let yourself off the hook for revisions, because it can take a great project and make it fantastic. You’ll want to pinpoint what’s working best in your story and reinforce those; when you spot your problem areas, you’ll want to address those head-on.

To help you, here’s some great advice from our site:

• The Copy Editing and Proofreading Checklist All Writers Need
• Timed Editing: For Focus, Productivity & Your Manuscript’s Best Health
• Editorial Road-Mapping: Start Your Self-Editing Process Here
• Reverse Editing: How Going Backward Can Bring Your Manuscript Forward

Celebrate!

No matter what, jumping into a writing challenge is a great show of passion. Celebrate that! You’re working to better your craft and share your stories with the world.

And just because November is over doesn’t mean you can’t harness the NaNo spirit moving forward to continue finding the strategies that get words on the page.

To help, consider this free download! Featuring a combination of NaNoWriMo-specific writing advice and motivation, Grant Faulkner, the staff of NaNoWriMo, and the editors of Writer’s Digest have also curated this exclusive set of articles and 30 writing prompts to help first-timers and seasoned Wrimos alike as you embark on your novel-in-a-month journey and beyond.

Click here for your free download!

The post NaNoWriMo’s Over … Now What? appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Grant Faulkner and the team at NaNoWriMo have been kind enough to share the following quotes from their NaNoWriMo Pep Talks. From your fellow writers here at Writer’s Digest and at NaNoWriMo, we hope these words help you reach your goals!

Featuring a combination of NaNoWriMo-specific writing advice and motivation, Grant Faulkner, the staff of NaNoWriMo, and the editors of Writer’s Digest have also curated this exclusive set of articles and 30 writing prompts to help first-timers and seasoned Wrimos alike as you embark on your novel-in-a-month journey and beyond.

Click here for your free download!

The post NaNoWriMo: Almost to the Finish Line appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(FightWrite: Fighting Monsters)

But before we go further, remember that a writer’s job first and foremost is to serve the story. Serving the story is like cooking: you should only include ingredients that make that particular creation shine. If I’m making a hot fudge sundae, I’m not going to top the thing off with a hot dog wiener. Don’t get me wrong, I love hot dogs. I also love hot fudge sundaes. But the only place I want them both at the same time is in my stomach.

A fight scene, just like everything else in the manuscript, must serve the story. The job of a fight scene is to keep the story going by providing a backdrop, catalyst, or an opportunity for symbolism. A fight scene cannot be in your work simply because it is awesome. Hot dogs are awesome, too. But not if what you are making is a hot fudge sundae.

I say all of this because it relates to the quick and dirty fight scene guide that we’re about to jump into. Remember, we are assembling the pieces of our manuscript monster. For our NaNoWriMo fight scene, we will have three parts: the bones, the ligaments and the muscles. After I introduce each, I will use them all in an example.

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The Bones: What needs to happen

Bones provide a frame for our body. Without bones we’re just skin puddles – which may be the grossest thing I have ever said. For our NaNoWriMo fight scene guide, the bones are what needs to happen in the scene to further the plot. This is why your fight scene has to have a purpose that serves the story. That purpose is the framework for the scene.

The Ligaments: The injury goal

Ligaments connect bones together so that they can maintain the frame of our body. In a fight scene, the ligaments are the injury goal, what one character wants to do to the other. Even if the injury doesn’t happen, it will explain how the characters are moving. A character who means to stab will move differently than one who means to shoot. The ligaments in our fight scene have to hold together the bones. In other words, we can’t have an injury goal that doesn’t support the framework of what has to take place.

The Muscles: The moves that get you there

Muscles are for movement. After looking at what has to happen and the injury goal, consider a few basic movements that meet that goal while also serving the needs of the story. That is underlined because if character A needs to live and have a black eye for the next scene, character B shouldn’t hit them in the head with a mace. Getting hit in the head with a mace is devastating. It would likely kill character A, which stops the story.

Here’s an example of how the bones, ligaments and muscles work together for our NaNoWriMo fight scene rough draft. We will look at one of the most iconic fight scenes ever: the battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. If you haven’t seen the movie, everything that follows is a spoiler.

The Bones: Luke needs to find out Vader is his father.

The Ligaments: Slashing/stabbing

The Muscles: Luke goes for Vader’s chest, Vader blocks, Luke extends his arm, Vader cuts his hand off.

You can, of course, write more than that if you’d like. All you really need is enough for you to piece the scene together in edits. Honestly, you could leave it just like that and move on to the next scene. But, if you wanted to write a quick bit of action, the bones, ligaments, and muscles will give you something to build on.

For this scene, let’s say I haven’t figured out all the dialogue. That’s not a big deal. I’m going to write down what I know has to be there and then use filler in places where I feel like something should be I just don’t know what.

Vader advanced. Luke blocked the strikes, the force of each blow pushing him backward onto the raised walkway.

Vader rushed in, pushing Luke to the ground. He pointed down at Luke with his saber, “fda;ldjfladjlfjdalkj”

Luke parried the saber away from his face and the fight resumed. In the midst of the melee, Luke extended his arm and Vader relieved him of his hand. Luke cried out in pain.

“Join me slkjdflkjdalfkj,”Vader said.

“I won’t join you, alkjdalfkjaldkjfdl” Luke screamed back.

“Obi Wan didn’t tell you about your father.”

“He said you killed him.”

“No, Luke, I’m, like, totally your dad!”

And…scene…

Again, in the edits you will flesh all this out more. Maybe in the first edit you clean up the movement. In the second edit you add sensory details, whatever your process is. If you don’t have a process yet, just know that without getting something on paper, nothing else can follow. Don’t allow yourself to get so bogged down in a scene that you run out of gas for everything that follows.

I hope this helps you through your NaNoWriMo fight scene. And, remember as you write, you aren’t bringing the monster to life. You’re just assembling it. Keep a note by your work station that reads, “Just get the bones on the table.” That’s all you have to do, add to the framework of your story monster. You can shock it to life later.

On a different note, here in the U.S., we celebrate Thanksgiving at the end of the month. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not thankful for this crazy job I get to do. Without you writers, and the amazing Writer’s Digest, I wouldn’t have it. Ok, that’s all. I’m not crying. You’re crying! Stop all this nonsense and get back to writing!

Until the next round at FightWrite on WD, get the bones on the table!

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The post FightWrite™: NaNoWriMo Fight Scene Guide appeared first on Writer's Digest.

So far this year, we’ve defined what NaNoWriMo is and whether or not prepping for the 50,000 words-in-one-month challenge is best for you. Today, I’m going to dive into what really makes NaNoWriMo special: the community.

What makes NaNoWriMo so exciting, in my opinion, is that so many other people love it. In my online writing communities, we start asking each other about NaNo starting September 1—are you prepping this year? What project do you have in mind? How are you keeping your schedule clear? The excitement is infectious. It really makes you want to dive in and get working!

There’s really nothing like an evening of word-sprinting with fellow writers! Getting together to bang out a few thousand words, snacks littering the table between you, fingers flying over keyboards … a lot of people really thrive in this kind of environment, and it can be the motivation to jump into your story or a kick-in-the-pants if you’re behind in your daily word count.

While there might have been some virtual write-ins (an event where people come together to write and encourage each other) before 2020, the pandemic has really brought the online community to the forefront of a lot of people’s minds. Luckily, NaNo makes it really easy to connect with people in your area who are interested in online and in-person events.

First, you’ll need to sign up for a free account at NaNoWriMo.org. Next, you’ll need to go to the community tab and click “Home Region” in the dropdown—this is how you’ll connect with other writers! Once you select your region (mine is USA :: Maryland), you’ll be able to see social media groups, forums, a calendar, and even Discord groups where you can either engage with people or make plans to meet up.

Click for your free download!

Come Write In is another NaNoWriMo program that you’ll want to keep your eye on—public libraries, bookstores, and even college campuses have become Come Write In locations that host meetups and write-ins. Last year, my local library went virtual and hosted these via Zoom; this year, I’m hoping to be able to meet up with people in person!

If we can’t get together in person, there are still plenty of ways to connect with fellow participants. Personally, I love engaging with the forums on NaNo’s site. There are general ones—on everything from tips to avoid procrastinating to what everyone dreamt the night before—to more specific ones about writing based on trauma or how to properly outline a novel.

Looking for a specific community? NaNoWriMo has forums that act as safe spaces for neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and writers of color. As a member of the LGBTQ+ forum, I can say that having this space to discuss things like how sexuality impacts character and plot has been monumental—other than a few close writer friends, I’d never had people with whom I could have these kinds of conversations.

How about a specific genre? You can find writing groups on the NaNo site dedicated to women writers over 40, weekend writers, writers with dogs … anything you can think of!

If you do have a core community already, you can create a private group for just you and your friends. This will give you an opportunity to host your own virtual write-ins, check in with each other and follow each other’s progress, and even just catch up.

NaNo also hosts virtual events, which you can check out on their calendar. These range from topics hosted by NaNo partners (like a world-building talk by the creators of World Anvil) to weekly meet-and-greets for writers of color. If you find the forums a little overwhelming or you’re more a face-to-face kind of person, these events are definitely for you!

I find NaNo’s Twitter pages to be helpful as well. You can find lots of fellow writers in the comments of the @NaNoWriMo page, and even stay on track with their @NaNoWordSprints account. What I love about @NaNoWordSprints is that they not only give you a time period during which you write as much as possible, but they also give you an optional prompt to get your gears turning. This can be extremely helpful when low on inspiration, but it’s also great to be able to write at the same time as other people and share your success.

What’s your favorite way to connect with fellow Wrimos? Let us know in the comments section below! 

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The post NaNoWriMo: Making the Most of Community appeared first on Writer's Digest.

October 31, 2020, I asked a friend if she was planning to join our group of writers for the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge.

“Ah,” she said. “Normally I would, but I totally forgot about it. I haven’t done any prep work!”

(What Is NaNoWriMo?)

This got me thinking—do you need to prep for NaNoWriMo?

Friends, you must know this about me: I am a prepper. Not of the Doomsday variety, but in almost every other aspect. I have the kind of person who didn’t need to stock up on toilet paper at the start of 2020 because I already had enough to get my household through lockdown. When you ask me to throw a party, there’s no last-minute scrambling for the smaller details. Even when a wrench gets thrown into our plans, I’ve usually already got a backup plan ready to go.

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Click to continue.

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All this to say, that when it comes to prepping for NaNoWriMo, I’m usually starting in September and know the story inside and out by the time November 1 rolls around.

Not everyone’s brains work that way. There’s no right or wrong way to approach writing; only a right and wrong way for you. Because of that, NaNoWriMo creators and participants generally align themselves into several categories: plotters, pansters, or both.

Plotters are generally thought of as people who need a roadmap, a packed bag, and a tank full of gas before starting on the writing road; pansters, on the other hand, will jump in the car at a moment’s notice just to go with the flow.

Before we continue our conversation, take this quiz to determine which you are!

If you identified with the notes on the left, then you’re most likely a plotter! A plotter is a term most commonly applied to storytellers who like to plot their stories before writing them. A common tool used by the plotter is an outline that acts as a sort of road map or guide for writing the story.

If you connected with the notes on the right, then you’re most likely a panster! A pantser is a term most commonly applied to fiction writers, especially novelists, who write their stories “by the seat of their pants.” The opposite would be a plotter, or someone who uses outlines to help plot out their novels. 

If you were split between the two, then you’re probably a bit of both! You might like a little structure but also aren’t afraid to pivot your project when needed.

Perhaps it is not a surprise that I generally align with the Plotter! What about you? I’d love to see what writing personality you got in the comments below.

To prep or not to prep? Well, I guess it depends on what kind of writer you are! For more information on NaNoWriMo (and the different ways to approach it) and how to prepare for it, try some of these articles here on the WD site:

• What Is NaNoWriMo?
• Storyboarding For Success: Plotters vs. Pantsers
• A Plotter’s Roadmap to NaNoWriMo
• Your NaNoWriMo Survival Guide: Before, During, & After
• How to Prepare for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

And don’t forget to sign up for your free NaNoWriMo account here!

Click here for your free download!

The post NaNoWriMo: To Prep or Not to Prep? appeared first on Writer's Digest.

“No. What is it?” I asked, not knowing that the answer would change my writing life forever.

The short answer: It’s an online challenge where writers come together during the month of November to write 50,000 words of a work-in-progress. You can sign up for a free account at NaNoWriMo.org.

The long answer: Well, NaNoWriMo is…

A Starting Place

Many people begin their NaNo journey with a project that they’ve been wanting to work on but haven’t quite gotten started yet. In 1999 when NaNoWriMo first began, the idea behind the 50,000-word goal is that it’s just about industry standard for the length of a novel.

Now, it’s more of a goal post—while 50k is still the finish line for the competition, but many people join just to create a daily writing habit, to write the first draft of a poetry chapbook or short story collection, or even for hobby projects like fan-fiction stories meant purely for entertainment.

NaNoWriMo can be whatever kind of writing challenge that you want it to be! Including…

A Pressure Cooker for Works-In-Progress

Yes, many people start a new NaNo challenge with a new project. However, if you’ve got 20,000 words of a book already written, there’s nothing in the rules saying you can’t add 50,000 words to that word count during the challenge! The spirit of the challenge is that you should aim to write 50,000 words; if you need a kick to get your work-in-progress down on the page, you can definitely go ahead and do that.

A Community

Online…

There are plenty of ways to engage with NaNoWriMo before, during, and after the challenge; the site has a list of forums where writers can ask each other questions, get tips and advice, and even just chat about whatever they find most interesting about their genres or projects!

You can create a private writing group on NaNo’s site where you can chat with your writing buddies and share encouragement, challenge each other to word sprints (where you try and write as much as possible in short bursts of time), or even just keep each other accountable by sharing your daily word count!

You can follow @NaNoWordSprints on Twitter and participate in daily word sprints led by the Twitter account. They also provide some prompts in case you’re struggling for some inspiration and everyone shares and chats in the comments of the posts when the sprints are over.

…And In Person!

There’s a regional lookup, where you can look for groups of local writers who can communicate via the website, see local calendars and forums, and even plan to host meetups!

You might also be surprised by what close by is a local Come Write In meetup location! Come Write In is a “program connects libraries, bookstores, and other neighborhood spaces with their local NaNoWriMo participants to build vibrant writing communities,” according to the NaNo website. My local library and one of my favorite bookstore/coffee shops are Come Write In locations, which I found out by researching their calendars.

For writers who are a little more hands-on, you can apply to volunteer as a Municipal Liaison! While this year’s deadline to apply has passed, you can always apply next year. You can find more information on this on NaNo’s website.

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One of the biggest obstacles any writer faces is finishing the first draft of a novel. As Nora Ephron said, “I think the hardest part about writing is writing.” Enter National Novel Writing Month, which has generated one of the most effective approaches to writing a first draft and bounding to new imaginative heights.

Click to continue.

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A Writer’s Resource

NaNoWriMo understands that a successful project isn’t just built on the page; it’s also about the work you do before and after writing!

There’s an entire segment of NaNo’s website dedicated to prepping for NaNoWriMo; you can find this most active during October of every year. As someone who used this prep for last year’s project, I can happily say that it’s an easy and direct way to get your project organized and ready to be written on November 1.

During your project, you might find your vigor waning, your words coming slower, your characters deflating. When you need a little inspiration, you can head over to the NaNoWriMo Pep Talks part of the site, where famous authors share their wisdom and encouragement to help you keep going toward that finish line!

Interested in trying out everything from writing software to classes to writing organizations? People who sign up for NaNoWriMo’s free site have access to special offers from many different companies and communities centered around everything writing!

And when the month of November is over, there’s still more to get from being a NaNoWriMo writer! A section of the site is dedicated to the editing and publishing paths that come once your project is done being penned, and a smaller, less formal version of the writing challenge happens every April and July, called Camp NaNo. During Camp NaNo, you choose the word count goal, rather than reaching for the November 50,000 words!

Is that answer long enough for you? This is just a taste of what NaNoWriMo has to offer! To sign up for your free account to get access to all of this and more, head over to the NaNoWriMo website today! You can also check out the articles that Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of NaNoWriMo, has written here on the WD site.

Are you planning to participate in NaNoWriMo this year? The WD Team is! Let us know in the comments if you’ve got a project in mind for this November.

The post What Is NaNoWriMo? appeared first on Writer's Digest.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the largest writing event in the world: National Novel Writing Month (a.k.a. NaNoWriMo).

If you don’t know about NaNoWriMo, more than 300,000 writers sign up each November for a simple but audacious challenge: write 50,000 words of a novel in a month. That translates into a very do-able 1,667 words per day.

The idea is to banish your internal editor, plunge into your imagination, and write your story today—not during that novel-killing period of time known as … “someday.”

One’s creativity shouldn’t be a hall pass from the stiff and forbidding demands of your life. NaNoWriMo’s gift is to make creativity a priority for a month—and we hope, longer.

But NaNoWriMo is so much more than a 50,000-word challenge. In honor of the approximately three million writers who have taken part over 20 years—including bestselling authors like Elizabeth Acevedo, Erin Morgenstern, Jasmine Guillory, Hugh Howey, and Marissa Meyer—we’re telling the truth about what you can expect from NaNoWriMo.

1. Expectation: You’ll finish NaNoWriMo with a ready-to-be-published novel.

Truth:There’s lots of conflicting writing advice, but if there’s one thing everyone agrees on, it’s that your first draft won’t be perfect. NaNoWriMo is the time to let your imagination fly and explore all the possibilities of your story, so you’ll need to edit your mad dash of writing, fix the typos, and maybe write another draft (or two. Or 12). That’s why we provide an in-depth editing and revision initiative, “I Wrote a Novel … Now What?”, which occurs in January and February.

Plus, 50,000 words is the equivalent of a short novel or novella. You may find that your story needs many more words before it’s finished.

2. Expectation: You’ll write a lot during NaNoWriMo, but none of it will be any good.

Truth: Just because your first draft isn’t perfect doesn’t mean that you should throw it out. As we said above, no one writes a perfect draft on the first go, and quantity can lead to quality because you’re likely to take creative risks and make imaginative leaps in order to keep pace with your daily word count. Besides, all that writing has another purpose: You’re practicing your craft and honing your skills to produce high-quality work. The more you write, the better your writing will get.

3. Expectation: You only get something out of it if you reach 50K.

Truth:The 50,000-word goal is great for inspiring writers who may feel stuck in their normal writing practice, but the NaNoWriMo experience is all about the work you put in to get words on the page. Writing with a rigorous goal in mind encourages you to sit down and write every single day as well as introduces you to some seriously enthusiastic writing buddies to keep you accountable. While that 50K win can feel pretty good, the real reward is in the process. Those benefits remain the same whether you write 10,000, 25,000, or 100,000 words.

4. Expectation: You don’t need a plan or outline; just start writing on November 1!

Truth: That’s one way to do NaNoWriMo, and some people swear up and down that it works. We call them pantsers, since they write by the seat of their pants. For the plotters and plansters (see what we did there?), an outline or plan of some kind is the key to staying on track in November. That’s why we provide NaNoWriMo Prep resources during September and October to help writers deepen their ideas, develop characters, build worlds, and outline the plots of their novels-to-be. But no matter what degree you prep for your novel, it’s always good to honor the “Yes, and …” improv spirit of your pantser side during November.

5. Expectation: Writing is something you have to do alone.

Truth: There’s a whole community of writers you can join! Whether it’s at a local write-in at a library, coffee shop, or community center near you, at a Virtual Write-In with the NaNoWriMo staff, or using one of our group word-sprint options, you’ll be amazed at how writing with others to keep you accountable will help keep the words flowing. It’s the good kind of peer pressure. Plus, if you attend an in-person event, sometimes there are stickers (and cookies)!

6. Expectation:NaNoWriMo is only for people who have never written before.

Truth: While we certainly welcome brand new writers, there are plenty of established authors who use NaNoWriMo to help them write the first draft of their next bestseller (including Sara Gruen, Rainbow Rowell, and other big-name authors)—and everything in between. The spectrum of writing experience among NaNoWriMo participants varies widely, but our programs provide the tools, resources, and community to help writers at any stage or level of familiarity and education tell the stories they want to tell.

7. Expectation: NaNoWriMo is only for people who want to publish novels.

Truth:Writing, just like knitting, ballroom dancing, or any other art form, can be a robust and fulfilling hobby. If it’s not your goal to be published, you are not any less of a writer. NaNoWriMo is home to many writers who find joy in the practice of writing but have no desire to share that work in print. Those novels are still novels, and those stories have an important place in the NaNoWriMo community.

8. Expectation: It’s best to write when you’re inspired.

Truth: Inspiration is often characterized as a thunderbolt—a brilliant flash that strikes from the heavens—and that metaphor certainly holds truth because moments of inspiration can be a sudden igniting force. But those big, gobsmacking moments of inspiration are rare. NaNoWriMo teaches that inspiration is conjured in the telling—in overcoming whatever lulls that strike with willpower, grit, and as much caffeine as it takes. The words you create every day are fruit-bearing kernels of inspiration. Each word beckons for more words to follow. “If I waited for inspiration I wouldn’t really be a writer,” said Toni Morrison.

9. Expectation: I don’t have time for NaNoWriMo; I’m too busy.

Truth:NaNoWriMo isn’t for people who have time for writing, it’s about making time for writing. It’s about deciding that for just one month, you’re going to prioritize creativity in your life. Maybe that means the house gets a little messy or you eat a little more takeout in November, or your kids watch an extra show every day or you spend a little less time playing Fortnite. It’s all about finding the little pockets of time in your life that could make space for your writing and sticking to it all month long. We’ll be there to help you find those pockets and make the absolute best use of them that you can.

10. Expectation: This is just a one-off thing that happens in November.

Truth:NaNoWriMo is a year-round, fully-staffed nonprofit that puts on programs to support creative writing and literacy around the world. That’s why our Young Writers Program provides a free writing platform and classroom resources to support creative writing in approximately 10,000 classrooms. And why our Come Write In program works with more than 1,200 libraries, bookstores, and community centers to create inclusive, welcoming spaces for their local writers. Not to mention our dedicated online community, who are always ready to share writing advice, act as critique partners, or just chat about writerly interests.

You can track writing and revision goals on multiple writing projects throughout the year, or you can sign up for Camp NaNoWriMo, a virtual writing retreat that happens each April and July. At any given time of year, a NaNoWriMo write-in could be happening in your neighborhood because NaNoWriMo isn’t just a November thing—it’s a worldwide community of people who are passionate about creative writing and the change it can bring about in people’s lives.

One last truth: Some might expect that they have to pay for this big bundle of creative mojo, but it’s all free because NaNoWriMo believes that everyone should have the opportunity to write their story. So don’t wait to write your novel. 

In WD University’s 12 Weeks to a First Draft, you will tackle the steps to writing a book, learn effective writing techniques along the way, and of course, begin writing your first draft. Register today!

The post Expectation Versus Reality: 10 Truths You Should Know About NaNoWriMo appeared first on Writer's Digest.

But never did I actually try it for myself. That wasn’t the case this year.

I really, really didn’t think I could do it. Surely I have too much to do. Surely I can’t stay consistent. Surely I’ll get stuck. But here I am with 50,201 words and a good idea of how I can expand and polish all of that into a novel I’m proud of. How about that.

Here are a few things I learned along the way.

1. It’s so, so much easier to take on a novel if you bite off one piece at a time.

I’m… a bit scatterbrained. But my NaNo project was probably the most consistent and well-paced project I’ve completed aside from a daily jog in my entire life. I’m not even sure what I swapped out to make time for it, because except for the nights when I woke up with an idea that I HAD to write down, I didn’t lose any. I expect I replaced video game time with writing; that would explain why Link has ben dawdling in the same area in Breath of the Wild for the past month.

I’m thinking of using NaNo’s word count tracker to accomplish other month-long goals. What’s the conversion rate from words that need to be written to square feet of my closet that need organizing?

2. Pushing yourself to write on a deadline encourages—no, requires you to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

I had been mulling the concept behind this novel since January, but I had barely written 50 words of notes and a weak attempt at a high-concept pitch (which I’ve since perfected, by the way).

At the end, I’ve come to the conclusion that many of the 50,000 words I wrote are not going to go into my finished product. But if I hadn’t taken the time to write out those scenes, I never would have have figured out that they didn’t work.

And if I hadn’t pushed through most of those scenes, I never would have figured out what was wrong with the concepts in my head and what I needed to do differently.

Really, the most valuable thing I got out of my mostly-pantsed NaNo project was a firm, plotted scene list that I truly believe makes up a good story arc with rich, interesting characters and only a few small pieces that need to be worked out.

On that note…

3. A scene list or loose outline really helps when you’re unsure of things.

I know not everyone is an outliner. In fact, I’m not much of a plotter myself. What I mean by “scene list” is what I would think of as being something between plotting and pantsing—what my pal Jeff Somers might call “plantsing.” Basically, I made a list of scenes I wanted to make up Act 1, each about one sentence long. “Character 1 does X.”

When it was time to write and I didn’t have something specific in mind, I picked a scene from my list and wrote that. Rinse and repeat till Act 1 is done, then make a scene list for Act 2. This also kept me from creating narrative problems—or at least, too many of them—for myself down the road.

4. Making writing part of your routine solidifies it as a habit. An addictive habit.

I’m a cardio junkie. So I get that doing a little bit of something (running, writing) every day helps you do a whole lot more of it eventually (marathons, books). But somehow, because I’m an editor and a journalist, I thought I wouldn’t have time for more writing. For fiction writing.

But it turns out that fiction is pretty damn fun to write, and the more I did it, the more excited I was to jump back in every day, and the easier the ideas came to me.

5. If your idea is strong enough, you can figure out how to express it. BUT you have to commit to that expression.

I never thought of myself as a fiction writer because I have only had a few fiction ideas that I ever wanted to pursue in earnest. My best friend, on the other hand, comes up with compelling story ideas on basically a weekly basis. She’s destined to become a short story goddess, and probably a famous novelist too. Me, I harp on one idea constantly for a decade before switching to another.

And it’s because I obsess over the details. I try out a storyline, get tired of it, alter it, change the characters, change the setting, the tone, the emotional depth, the overall message behind it. I could rewrite the same story in a dozen ways, each with a different tone and message, but all with the same characters and core plot points. It’s infuriating.

But this time, I decided on my tone (satirical, wry humor) and my two MCs ahead of time, and those elements remained absolutely rigid. Of course, if I was in a somber mood, the tone of my writing was more somber, but that just means I need to rewrite it later when I’m feeling more lighthearted.

6. Voraciously reading (or listening to) the authors you’d like to emulate can help you stay on-tone.

One of the most useful tools fueling my writing over the course of the month was audiobooks. I listened to dozens of sci-fi and humor books on my daily jog or bike ride leading up to and during the month. It helped me figure out some of the trickier elements, like describing fictional technology or alien species. However, I found the best author to listen to for a humorous book was Terry Pratchett. No one, I learned, has ever mastered the art of humorous simile and action like Terry Pratchett (except maybe Douglas Adams). For example: “The light was misty and actinic, the sort of light to make Steven Spielberg reach for his copyright lawyer.”

7. Write something easy if you’re not in the mood for large thematic elements.

When I’m writing dialogue, it happens fast. I hear the characters talking. I don’t have time to write out dialogue tags or ensure the proper nuance is there unless I want to lose some of the conversation, so I just write out the back-and-forth, and then finesse it later. Sometimes I can perfectly envision a town or a forest and get that down. If that’s what’s coming to you at that moment, put it on the page. Adjust or work it in where it belongs later.

8. Write down your ideas as they come to you.

I will forget literally anything I don’t write down. I tried to buy my husband deodorant for a full week before I added it to my actual work calendar and got it done.

Ideas for dialogue, descriptions, plot changes, character motivations and more came to me in bed, at work, in the car, wherever. I would find myself rehearsing dialogue as my characters, thinking up witty ways to explain settings and actions. When these come to you, WRITE THEM DOWN.

Hand-writing your notes, I find, can also help test ideas and let them flow before you transcribe what works into your process doc or writing software.

Just make sure you can read the hand-written notes…

9. Making a list of things you learned from trying NaNoWriMo helps you solidify those lessons.

Believe me, I’m literally doing it right now and it’s making me feel better. It just helps you parse out what you learned and keep going.

I would write down more lessons learned (because they numbered far more than 9), but I have another chapter to write. Whether your tried and won, or tried and didn’t quite make it there, I hope you had as great a month as I did.

We’re looking for short SHORT stories of 1,500 words or fewer. (That’s less than a day of NaNo writing!) Enter your best one for a chance at cash prizes and more!

The post 9 Lessons Learned from a First Attempt at NaNoWriMo appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this free Writer’s Digest download, November Writing Prompts, you get 10 great novel writing prompts designed to help spark your creativity and bust through writer’s block at any moment throughout November (or any month, really). While any of these prompts could work as stand-alone stories, they could also serve as scenes in your novel. In fact, feel free to modify them any way your want to fit your story! Best of all, this exceptional guide is free to download!

Enter your email to join the Writer’s Digest newsletter and get your FREE download!

NaNoWriMo Tips: Story Starter Examples

Sometimes we all need a little help writing a book. We hope this freebie filled with clever writing prompts can get you closer toward your writing goals. Here are a couple of examples of what you’ll find in this free download:

Your New Home

Your spouse wants to move out of your new apartment, saying that there is a large space you both can move into. When you go to visit the new digs, you find it’s an abandoned warehouse at an old train yard. Clearly you can’t live there. Only your spouse just spent your lifesavings to buy it. What do you say?

The Living Doll

While shopping downtown one day, you find an antiques store that has a rare, old doll. You buy it for your daughter. A few days later she tells you her new toy can talk. You don’t believe her, until one afternoon you find yourself alone in the house, and it starts talking to you. Write this scene.

Don’t get left in the writing cold this November. Novel writing month is meant to be fun, not infuriating, so download these story starters today to help you break out of your slump and get your word count up.

Download All 10 Free November Writing Prompts Today!

So whether your attempting to write a novel in a month, or would like help writing any time of the year (because, let’s face it, not everyone can dedicate 30 straight days to writing), this free download will help you overcome writer’s block. Get unstuck with these great prompts today during our celebrations of national write a novel month.

The post Cheat Sheets for NaNoWriMo (November Writing Prompts) appeared first on Writer's Digest.