What is NaNoWriMo?

National Novel Writing Month, known colloquially as NaNoWriMo or November, is a challenge for novel writers. NaNoWriMo is a daunting challenge to produce a novel in a single month. Events occur across the world to motivate writers, educate aspiring writers and bring the idea of teamwork into a task that is typically something done in self-imposed solitary confinement. Of course, all novel writers still work alone, but they have other writers cheering them on, which is not common in the writing industry. Amateurs and professionals alike can use NaNoWriMo to find their peers and take what they can out of the temporary novel-writing community.

This year, 2011, more than 250,000 people around the world will try to write a novel in the month of November. The challenge is not for a long novel. A novel of 50,000 words -- roughly 175 pages -- is the goal, though writers can write longer novels, if they wish. Some writers might scoff at the idea that a novel written under such pressure in such a short time could be successful, but Sara Gruen's "Water for Elephants" is proof that the NaNoWriMo challenge is not one to be taken lightly. She wrote the novel for NaNoWriMo and it has since become a bestseller and a popular film.

The challenge began in 1999 with a much smaller following that it boasts today. Chris Baty began NaNoWriMo in San Francisco, California. Twelve years later, it takes place around the world. Any writer wishing to participate opens a profile on the NaNoWriMo website and posts information about their novel and their progress. The site has a word count function so participants can keep track of their progress.

In countries where people participate in NaNoWriMo, libraries, coffee shops and bookstores host events known as "write-ins." Writers congregate at these events and encourage each other to reach their writing goals. Depending on the event, there may be refreshments and socializing or they may just be writers silently working alongside each other. The NaNoWriMo website has a list of participating areas that host events. Some areas are underserved, so there may not be "write-ins" within short driving distance. However, writers can host their own write ins together. It is all about motivation and encouragement. Meet with a few people in a coffee shop and get writing.

While NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, it is not restricted to novelists. Short story writers can participate in NaNoWriMo by writing 50,000 words worth of short stories. Technically, short story anthologies are novels, so it does not break any rules. Short story writers have to submit the entire anthology at the end of the month for counting, however, or the NaNoWriMo site will not be able to count them as a winner.

According to those involved, NaNoWriMo is not about creating a masterpiece. Yes, it is about quantity rather than quality, but it is more about creativity than anything else. It's about expression. When writers pressure themselves to write words and not bestsellers, they often find that taking the pressure off creativity and putting it onto production allows their creativity to come out unhindered. Writers stop halting their work with little questions about how interesting what they are writing is and start letting what they want to write be written.

Source

nanowrimo.org