GothNoWriMo - an Overview

What's a NaNoWriMo lover (yes, I am hooked after just two years) to do in the off-season but haunt the forums? I'm so glad I did, because I found an exciting new adventure to share with you.

What is GothNoWriMo?

GothNoWriMo is a writing challenge to write a Gothic Novel in one month (October). GothNoWriMo begins October 1^st and ends October 31^st. The goal is officially a work of Gothic Literature. However, you'll find the folks at GothNoWriMo open their arms to anyone attempting Gothic Fantasy or any type of horror or "dark" writing as well.

The word count goals are negotiable, too. Simply sign up for your preference, anywhere from 20,000 to 60,000 words, or more. This is wonderful if you aren't sure you're ready to commit to 50,000 words in one month. It's also a nice way to familiarize yourself with a new genre, or to warm up for November while leaving time for NaNo prep.

Gothic Literature and Alternatives

So what is Gothic Literature? You'll find both definitions and examples at the GothNoWriMo site. Bram Stoker's Dracula jumps immediately to mind for me, as a reference with which many people would be familiar.

Robert Harris has a great list of gothic elements on the Virtual Salt website. Key elements include mystery and suspense, gloomy settings, supernatural events or omens, and damsels in distress. Check out the full list to see if your story might fall into the category of Gothic Literature.

If not, you'll find novelists working away in the "Gothic Fantasy", "Creepy Comedy", "Horror", and "Macabre & Dark" genres. Everyone is very helpful if you have trouble figuring where you fit in.

Getting Started on GothNoWriMo

Sometimes it seems that everyone loves to be frightened. What better time than Halloween season to be working on a great, spooky story?

Head to the GothNoWriMo home page, register as a user, and sign up under the word count goal you like in the forums. That's the easy part. Check in with the genre you think your story will fall into for support, or ask around to see which genre you'll belong with.

Now, the hard part. Wait very, very patiently for October first, thinking about your story, preparing to write you story, doing your very best not to let your novel scare you awake in the middle of the night. Then, at 12:01am on October first (or, for those of you who assume a standard sleeping schedule, bright and early when you wake up), embark on the adventure of bringing your scary tale to life.