Every November an event comes along that excites me. No, it’s not Thanksgiving. I hate Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims were jerks and turkey tastes like paper towels. No, friends, it’s NaNoWriMo. If you don’t know what NaNoWriMo is, I’m here to help. November is National Novel Writing Month (which is what NaNoWriMo stands for). Participants are challenged to write an entire 50,000 word novel between Nov. 1 and 11:59 p.m. and Nov. 30. I love this challenge, and I think anyone who loves writing will, too. Here’s why you should get involved.
1. It’s for a good cause.
According to the organization itself, which is nonprofit, the goal of the challenge is to promote creativity. NaNoWriMo itself is a nonprofit that “believes your story matters.” The nonprofit runs The Young Writers Program, which promotes writing fluency, creativity and the joy that comes with novel writing in K-12 classrooms. They currently service about 2,000 classrooms in several different countries. The organization also holds “write-ins” at libraries, bookstores and community centers all over the country.
2. There’s a place for every story and every author.
NaNoWriMo prides itself on supporting diversity in books, as well as creating writing confidence among its participants, especially the children in its Young Writers Program. The numbers are impressive. In 2015 the nonprofit boasted over 400,000 participants total, and 60,000 that took part in Camp NaNoWriMo. 250+ novels originally written during NaNoWriMo events have been traditionally published, including the hit book-turned movie Water for Elephants. They support every genre from fantasy to nonfiction, and there is a support system based on region.
3. It’s just plain fun.
It’s very challenging, of course, but the accomplishment you feel after completing a chapter or novel is worth it. I’ve met some great people during my time participating in NaNoWriMo. If you feel it’s too late to start your novel this November, don’t worry! NaNoWriMo has plenty of other events, too. Camp NaNoWriMo, which is a self-proclaimed “virtual retreat,” takes place in July. It is meant to provide writers the resources and support they need to complete whichever writing project they might be working on, not just novels. There’s even special national events and annual fundraisers to support.
So if you are an aspiring novelist and are just up for a challenge, consider writing for this good cause, and don’t forget to check out their website.