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Guides • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Sep 19, 2023

What is NaNoWriMo? And How to Win in 2024

National Novel Writing Month, or "NaNoWriMo" for short, is an annual event in which participants attempt to write a 50,000-word novel in November. The event was founded in 1999 by Chris Baty and a group of friends in Northern California's Bay Area, and has since grown to become a global phenomenon, with hundreds of thousands of participants.

NaNoWriMo's Rules

Starting after midnight on November 1, writers begin drafting a new novel (or a fresh rewrite of an old one) and attempt to finish by the end of the month.

Planning and outlining beforehand are allowed and even encouraged, but continuing a current work-in-progress is not officially sanctioned by NaNoWriMo — though plenty of writers bend the rules to suit their needs.

The challenge ends at 11:59 pm on November 30. Anyone who completes it is considered a winner. 

Winners are given digital banners and certificates to display if they choose — and winners’ T-shirts are available for purchase. But most importantly, you’ll have a brand-new draft of a novel, and the satisfaction of knowing that you rose to the challenge.

Get started now! Register for NaNoWriMo here

Please note that Reedsy is not affiliated with NaNoWriMo. We merely encourage writers to take part and cannot offer any tech support for your NaNo entry. 

Reasons for taking part in NaNoWriMo

Maybe you’ve always wanted to write a novel , but could never find the time. Or you’ve tried writing novels but just can't manage to finish them. Perhaps you’ve even completed one before, but were frustrated by how long it took you. Or maybe NaNoWriMo just sounds like a crazy, exciting writing challenge!

Whatever your reasons, you're not alone. People come to NaNoWriMo from all sorts of writing backgrounds. But perhaps the three biggest driving factors are:

• It forces you to simply sit down, turn off your inner editor, and work .
• The practice of writing so much so fast can really improve your craft (even if it doesn't always feel that way).
• NaNoWriMo turns a solitary struggle into a collective event; not only will you enjoy the camaraderie of fellow participants, but you'll also learn from this knowledgeable writing community !

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Reedsy’s NaNoWriMo Toolkit

Crush your word count goal with planning templates, tracking tools, and more.

Indeed, one of the best things about NaNoWriMo is that thousands of other writers have already done it — and are very happy to offer their own pearls of wisdom on how to succeed. On that note, we've compiled all the best NaNoWriMo tips from both authors and editors on how to conquer this November writing challenge!

Tips for winning NaNoWriMo 2024

Choosing what to write about 🤔

Laying the foundation: your plot, your characters, and who you're writing for.

1. Find a story you absolutely love

“Write the book you love, not the one you think you should write," says Nathan Bransford , author of the Jacob Wonderbar series. “If you’re creating something you aren’t head-over-heels in love with, you’ll peter out before page 50. Make something you'll be proud of for a lifetime!”

2. Understand what people like to read

That said, if you're hoping to eventually publish your novel, you'll still want to incorporate elements that appeal to your target market . This is why, according to editor Tom Flood , reading is a key part of NaNoWriMo prep: “Make sure you read contemporary publications in your genre and age target. Then, as they say, write to the current market.”

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3. Come up with characters readers will care about

For Tom Bromley (author, ghostwriter, and head instructor of Reedy’s three-month course, How to Write a Novel ), creating characters readers care about, as opposed to likable ones, is key.

"One of the biggest mistakes that people make when they're starting to write is to confuse the idea of caring about a character with liking a character. Sometimes there's a danger of what I call nice person syndrome, where the writers feel that if your central character is a nice person, that's going to be enough. But that's not the case.

"By any stretch of the imagination, and by stretching the imagination, you need to make your characters deeper and more interesting, more difficult, and the reader will respond accordingly. Unlikeable characters can still be compelling, often more compelling than characters that were just a bit nice and a bit dull." 

This is just a snippet from one of Tom's lessons on characterization — head over to the course page to find out more about all the things you can learn from Tom, or enroll below.

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📝 Creating an outline

Once you know what kind of book you’re writing, you can outline it! Here are a few ways to approach this stage.

4. Write a single-sentence story concept before you start

“Novelists need a solid framework to the story,” says author C.S. Lakin . “Make sure your premise is compelling enough to deserve a full-length story. Otherwise, it's a waste of time. Get that one-sentence story concept nailed first, which clearly defines the protagonist and his goal.”

5. Consider writing a chapter-by-chapter outline

Having nailed down your concept, editor Shelly Stinchcomb recommends expanding it into a chapter-by-chapter outline. “Once you have your idea and characters in mind, take the time to plot your story from beginning to end — before you start writing. This allows you to know the purpose of each scene and streamlines the writing process.”

6. Or plot only your most important scenes

Then again, maybe a “skeleton outline” will work better for you. “Sketch the main dramatic scenes and major points of conflict , so you'll have a basic roadmap to work from,” says author Derek Murphy . “Hit those major scenes so the story will have purpose and direction. Then you'll be able to spend your time writing,  not trying to figure out what happens next.”

7. Research and “build the world” of your novel

Speculative fiction writers, this one's for you! “A lack of worldbuilding , continuity, or cause and effect are the biggest problems I encounter with NaNoWriMo manuscripts,” says Michael Rowley , the UK editor of Andy Weir's The Martian . “A little planning on backstory, geography, culture, specialist knowledge, or working out the technology for a sci-fi novel can go a long way.”

Get more tips from Michael Rowley on worldbuilding here .

8. Let your characters determine the story

Again, well-developed characters are key to a strong story — and if you're struggling to outline, they may just be the solution. “When you outline a character’s motivations, you'll uncover what situations would cause them the most conflict,” says ghostwriter Hannah Sandoval .

“You’ll learn how they react to situations and interact with each other. This can help you turn a general plot idea into a complex web of biting conflicts, high stakes, and exciting, realistic dialogue. And if ever you get stuck along your plot trajectory, you can use character maps to fuel a new idea!”

⏰ Finding the time to write

Writing 1,667 words per day is a serious challenge, to say the least. Here's how to find the time to do it.

9. Treat your writing time as a job

“Set aside a certain amount of time each day, whether half an hour or two hours, to write — and then show up ,” says editor Lourdes Venard . “Make sure friends and family know this is your writing time: you are not to be disturbed.” Indeed, setting up this non-negotiable writing time is the only way you'll get through the month.

10. Set ground rules in advance of November

“Have a plan,” suggests editor Maria D'Marco , “and make your choices about that plan before November arrives. These decisions might include no writing on holidays, no writing on weekends, no writing when exhausted, etc. Accept these choices entirely and inform those around you. Make them now, not in the middle of November, when your judgment may be compromised.”

Find the perfect writing schedule for November by taking our 30-second quiz!

Which NaNoWriMo writing schedule is best for you?

Find out here! Takes 30 seconds.

11. Try writing in several shorter “sprints” per day

“All you need is a few 15-minute bursts of writing each day,” says editor Lindsay Schlegel . “Sit down, do it, and move on. Don't worry if you don't write enough words in the first few days. The creative juices will start flowing, and you'll make up for it by the end.”

If you’re one of those writers who loves Twitter and procrastination a bit too much, we highly recommend this (free!) online course on building a rock-solid writing routine!

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✅ Finishing the first draft

Tips on balancing your priorities and maintaining inspiration as you power through your first draft.

12. Give yourself permission to be imperfect

When it comes to this pressure-cooker November writing challenge, perfect is definitely the enemy of good. “When your goal is 1,667 words a day, you can't obsess over the quality of your writing,” notes editor Kaitlin Severini . “Just write now, and revise later.”

13. Don’t be afraid of mistakes — they often result in inspiration

Editor Jim Thomas echoes Severini's thoughts and urges writers to not sweat the small stuff. “My advice would be that in the creation phase, there are no mistakes. This is not a time for the critical voice. It's time to be open and forgiving to yourself and the material, wherever it takes you.”

14. Trust your characters, even when they wander

Again, we really can't overstate the value of listening to your characters as you write. “Follow whatever crazy character shows up and leads you down the rabbit hole, and let yourself be surprised!” says author Anne R. Allen . “The point of NaNo is not to write a perfect book or stick to your outline; it's to break through mental barriers and release your creativity.”

As we already mentioned, character development is an important part of your pre-writing prep. And while something like a character profile template (like our one, which you'll find below) is a great starting point, you're not bound to anything you decide early on. If your character begins to stray from who you initially thought they were, then let them!

Reedsy’s Character Profile Template

A story is only as strong as its characters. Fill this out to develop yours.

15. Use this opportunity to experiment a little

“I did NaNoWriMo in 2009, and it changed my writing life,” says author and blogger Joanna Penn . “My biggest tip would be to use the time to play — don't take it too seriously. No one ever needs to see what you write, so let go of any self-censorship and let it rip on the page.”

16. Think of the NaNo as “putting sand in the sandbox”

“First drafts are all about putting sand in the sandbox; you come back to build a castle later," says editor Rebecca Heyman , master of the extended metaphor . “The goal of NaNoWriMo should be to collect as much sand in the box as you can. Not every grain of sand will end up being part of your masterpiece, and that's okay. Just get it in the box, and go from there.”

17. But don't ditch quality just so you can hit 50,000 words

While NaNoWriMo's ultimate goal is quantity, you still shouldn't be careless with your writing. A bit of tough love from editor Sasha Tropp : “You can't say your NaNoWriMo manuscript is a story when it's actually a disjointed stream-of-consciousness mental regurgitation. The point of writing 50k words in a month is not the number; it's about the process, the discipline, and connecting with your ability to converse in prose.”

18. Motivate yourself with social validation

“Join some Facebook groups or start your own where everyone posts their daily word count,” advises Derek Murphy. “Not only will it keep you writing, but it will also give you an immediate endorphin rush when you post your word count wins!”

19. Find new ways to inspire yourself

Murphy also suggests using Pinterest to create a mood board for your book: “Grab pictures of actors or models that fit your characters. Add pics of your scenes, houses, towns, objects or places of interest. Find art that matches the mood of your story and makes you feel the way you want your readers and characters to feel.

“If you don't like Pinterest, post all the pics in a blog post, or cut them out and make a bulletin board. Look at your 'world' before you start writing.”

🙅‍♀️ Don't edit as you go

If you want to win NaNoWriMo, you can't get caught up in editing! Here are a couple of tips to assist you with this.

20. Try not to think about what you've already written

“Let the ideas and words flow unhindered by not worrying about the previous chapter or even paragraph,” says author and book coach Ben Galley . “That way, you can focus on using your daily time wisely, and get all the words onto the page before worrying about the cleanliness of your manuscript.”

21. Remember: you're not writing a novel, you're drafting one

“NaNoWriMo should really be called NaNoDraMo,” says editor Scott Pack . “Because that is what you are actually doing: writing the first draft of your novel. Avoid the temptation to edit or perfect your work as you go along — just get the bloody thing written!”

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✍🏽 Tips for writing fiction

Now for some more advanced, craft-based writing tips to help you write the best novel you possibly can.

22. Use dialogue to relate exposition

“Avoid too much introspection and the dreaded info-dump ,” editor Laurie Johnson recommends. “Try to weave the backstory into the present story using dialogue or mini-flashbacks. These are both much sharper ways of delivering info than simply telling the reader , as they allow you to keep up the pace and show how the character feels about it now.”

23. Help your reader "see" the world you've created

On a similar note, editor Geoff Smith encourages writers to take great care with their imagery. “It's hard for readers to form visuals in their mind's eye — the author has to guide them every step of the way. See Elaine Scarry's Dreaming by the Book for the best guide to writing imagery that I know of.”

24. Don't write pages of lush prose when plain English will do

It's all too easy to overwrite when you're trying to fill the pages for NaNo. Here's another solid gold nugget of wisdom from Geoff Smith: “Serving the reader most often means telling your story in the clearest possible way. Plain English is beautiful, and ideas deserve to stand or fall on their own merits. Make your point and move on.”

25. Follow the next logical step in your story

“Only write what must happen next,” author Eliot Peper urges. “There are so many things that could happen next that writing fiction can sometimes feel like an exercise in the paradox of choice. But at every point in every story, there is something that absolutely must happen for that tale to function. The detective discovers a fateful clue. A disaster separates tragic lovers. The protagonist realizes that she's been lying to herself.

“Writing what must happen generates momentum, and momentum is the fuel that drives any compelling narrative (and any NaNoWriMo writer!)”

🏆 Conquering writer's block

The two things all NaNo contestants fear: a blank page and the taunting stare the blinking cursor. Here's how to vanquish them — and all other aspects writer's block — this month.

26. If you're blocked, skip that scene and come back to it later

“NaNoWriMo is all about getting words on a page, so keep going no matter what,” says Dylan Hearn , author of Second Chance . “If you get stuck writing a specific scene, stop, make a quick note of what you want to happen, and then move on to something else. You can always go back and finish it later!”

27. Be kind to yourself when you can't write

Maria D'Marco reminds writers not to beat themselves up too much. “Accept that there will be delays, interruptions, and times where you are brain-dead,” he says. “Navigate these obstacles as they arise and move past them — they are not the 'enemy,' they are just life.”

28. Use dialogue to unblock yourself

Author and self-publishing guru Mark Dawson has a simple tip to offer: “If you get stuck, start with dialogue and see where it takes you.” If nothing else, dialogue is often more fun to write than pure plot! So if you're feeling stuck or frustrated with your novel, try a few pages of light banter between your characters; you'll most likely feel more inspired afterward.

❄️ What to do in December

You’ve reached the end of November with a 50,000-word manuscript — amazing job! But remember, this is only the first stage of novelizing. Before you publish (if you choose to do so), there's still quite a bit of work to be done.

29. Put your draft away for a month

“After NaNoWriMo, writers should put their manuscripts aside for a month or more,” editor Lourdes Venard suggests. “Then go back to that initial draft and revise, revise, revise!” The time away from your manuscript will be crucial to seeing it with fresh eyes, and you'll be able to self-edit much more successfully than if you started on December 1st.

30. Make use of beta readers and/or critique circles

Again, fresh perspective is critical, and sometimes the only way to get it is through other people! This is why editor Kate Angelella suggests using third-party readers during your revision process. “To get the most out of your editorial experience, do your second and third pass, and consider beta readers or workshopping before turning the manuscript over to the editor.”

31. Don't get an editor for your very first draft

“When you finish your first draft, by all means, enjoy the moment and uncork the champagne,” says editor Andrew Lowe . “But then put your manuscript aside for a few weeks. After that, come back to it and get to work on the rewrite. Working with an editor should come after this point . Otherwise you'll just be paying an editor to fix things you could have fixed yourself!”

For more of Andrew Lowe’s insights on refining your first draft, check out his Reedsy Live session on the topic. 

📖 Tips for revising

Prior to looking for an editor , make sure you've reworked your manuscript as best you can. Here are our best tips for revising your manuscript post-November.

32. Reread your first and last chapters side-by-side

To maintain consistency with your manuscript, editor Jill Saginario offers one simple technique: rereading your first and last chapters, so you can compare your original intentions to where your story actually ended up.

“So much of NaNoWriMo is about hitting small targets that it can be difficult to see the forest for the trees,” Saginario says. “Sometimes writers start with one story in their head, and it changes so slowly that they don't notice the tonal shift between from start to finish. Reading chapter one and your final chapter side-by-side can really help control for that shift.”

33. Read your manuscript out loud

“I always suggest that writers read their writing out loud to themselves,” says editor Sasha Tropp . "Make sure that it flows well and will be easily understood by readers. I do this as I edit, and find it incredibly helpful if I'm unsure about the structure of a sentence or the pacing of a paragraph, as well as for cutting out unnecessary details and excessive wordiness.”

34. Reduce repetition and excessive description

Indeed, one thing you should always aim for in your writing is efficient language. A useful technique from editor Laura Mae Isaacman : “Analyze the message of each sentence. What is it conveying? If two sentences in a row convey the same information, one might need to be cut.

“Hint: keep the simpler one. When your language gets too flowery or stressed , it becomes inauthentic, and you’re probably veering off the road of your narrative tone.”

35. Don't let the cat out of the bag too soon!

And our final tip comes from editor Katrina Diaz , who will leave you with an essential warning:

“One of the products of quick writing is something called front-running, or heavy foreshadowing. Often the writer doesn't even realize they've given away too much too early. But readers are more astute than you might presume, and they want to figure out the plot over the course of the novel.

“Let the twists and turns of your plot be revealed in the action, rather than alluding to the impending doom long beforehand. Being hyper-aware of your foreshadowing will truly help you with tension and pacing, and make your story a thousand times better.”

Bottom line, NaNoWriMo is a lot of fun and can even help you achieve your writing dreams. And while it is certainly challenging, that’s a big part of what makes it so rewarding! Best of luck — we can't wait to read what you write.

2 responses

Sasha Anderson says:

31/05/2020 – 21:11

27. Don't write pages of lush prose when plain English will do“Serving the reader most often means telling your story in the clearest possible way. Plain English is beautiful, and ideas deserve to stand or fall on their own merits. Make your point and move on.”Doesn't this depend on your style? Surely some writers write for the prose, and some readers read for it. And most want the book to meet at least some minimum bar, rather than having a series of boring, repetitive sentences...

↪️ Martin Cavannagh replied:

03/06/2020 – 10:13

"Surely some writers write for the prose, and some readers read for it." I think some readers do relish an author who can craft beautiful prose, but I'd argue that this piece of advice is more for newer writers who might think that quality prose is made up for ornate metaphors and lush turns of phrase. In most cases, there's a lack of confidence in the reader's imagination. Often, the best writing has a way of sparking their readers' minds to fill in the blanks, which will often create a much more powerful effect than pages of description.

Comments are currently closed.

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National Novel Writing Month begins in November, and if you’re planning on organizing your own novel writing intensive, you’ve got some NaNoWriMo prep to do. Novelists of all fiction genres use NaNoWriMo to bring a novel from idea to finished book, and if you’re itching to blitz through your first draft, November is the month to do it.

30 days isn’t a whole lot of time to write 50,000+ words, but with these NaNoWriMo tips, you’re sure to make significant progress on your novel. Let’s look at the NaNoWriMo prep you can do to simplify this November’s National Novel Writing Month.

What is NaNoWriMo?

What is NaNoWriMo? Every year, book writers around the world dedicate the month of November to writing a first draft of their novel. Because of its rapid success on the internet, national novel writing month—abbreviated to NaNoWriMo—is now a phenomenon of the creative writing world, particularly on social media.

What is NaNoWriMo? Every year, book writers around the world dedicate the month of November to writing a first draft of their novel.

In addition to its presence as an internet trend, NaNoWriMo also has its own nonprofit organization , which includes a novel writing camp for young adults and a blog with novel writing tips.

Although its name specifies novels, there are no NaNoWriMo rules against memoirists participating each November. Writers of all genres use this month to make headway on their books, so if you’re writing a memoir, short story collection, essay collection, or even children’s books and poetry novels, feel free to participate! (Poets can also participate, although April is NaPoWriMo , or national poetry writing month.)

NaNoWriMo Words Per Day

If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo, how many words per day should you write?

A novel is defined as any book-length project that contains 50,000 words or more. The month of November has 30 days. So, at minimum, you should be writing 1,667 words a day, or approximately 11,700 words a week.

At minimum, you should be writing 1,667 words a day, or approximately 11,700 words a week.

However, there are two things to note here. First, November is a month of several holidays, including (in the U.S.) Thanksgiving and Black Friday. If you plan to celebrate these holidays, or if you have other events lined up throughout the month, it may make sense to write 2,000 words a day. This gives you 25 writing days, plus 5 break days, and you still end the month with 50,000 words.

Second, while the minimum length for NaNoWriMo books is 50,000, most novels require more words. In fact, most debut novels range between 80,000-100,000 words.

Although you cannot predict how long your book will be, if you want to write your entire first draft in a month, it’s safe to plan for more NaNoWriMo words per day. If your goal is 80,000 words, you will need to write an average of 2,667 words per day; if it’s 100,000, shoot for 3,333 words per day.

13 Tips to Write Your Novel During National Novel Writing Month

Do you want to participate in National Novel Writing Month, but you’re worried about making your word count? Get some prep done with these 13 NaNoWriMo tips.

1. NaNoWriMo Tips: Know Your Writing Process

Many novelists have developed their own processes for writing stories. A famous process, for example, is the Snowflake Method , wherein the writer tells their story in a sentence, then a paragraph, then a one-page summary, etc., expanding the story until it’s full-length.

Knowing yourself as a writer is one of the most important NaNoWriMo tips. Before you research different novel writing methods, you should know that there’s two types of writers: pantsers and plotters.

Knowing yourself as a writer is one of the most important NaNoWriMo tips.

Pantsers are novelists who “write by the seat of their pants.” In other words, they plan very little, writing a story with just a vague concept in mind.

Plotters, on the other hand, nail down every important detail of their work before they start writing it, including their stories’ plot points, characters, point-of-view, and even themes.

What kind of writer are you? You might not know off the top of your head, and if that’s the case, maybe experiment with some short story writing . Write a short story using each method, and see which one feels more comfortable for you. Then, do some research on the different methods for writing a novel, as they may help you outline and prepare for November.

2. NaNoWriMo Tips: Do Some Outlining

Even if you’re a true pantser, you may want to do a little planning before you start a NaNoWriMo project, as minimal outlining can save you loads of time. During National Novel Writing Month, every minute is precious!

Your story outline can be as simple or as complex as you see fit, but spend time thinking about the actual plot of your novel. Give consideration to the elements of Freytag’s Pyramid , like the inciting incident and the climax. You can also plot your novel in a couple of different ways, like mapping out different scenes or themes instead of merely plot events.

At its most complex, a story outline can include all of the elements of storytelling, which we’ve listed below.

3. NaNoWriMo Tips: Know the Elements of Storytelling

Every novelist must have a basic understanding of the rules of storytelling. While short fiction, at its simplest, can simply be a character and a few plot points, a novel involves complex structure, planning, and storytelling.

Your NaNoWriMo prep will start with these basic elements:

• Plot , the basic events that propel the novel along.
• Characters , including a protagonist and antagonist .
• Point of View , which defines who is telling the story and from what vantage point.
• Conflict , which propels the plot and defines the characters’ motives.
• Settings , which often tie into deeper thematic elements.
• Themes , the deeper ideas that define your novel.
• Style , which is the author’s thumbprint, defining how the story is told .

Learn about all the elements of storytelling, plus 20 storytelling techniques, in this article:

Capturing the Art of Storytelling: Techniques & Tips

4. NaNoWriMo Tips: Plan for the Holidays

Depending on where you live, November has several holidays which might interfere with your writing. Plan for those holidays accordingly.

For example, if you live in the United States and you know you will travel for Thanksgiving, make a gameplan for your writing on those travel days. Can you write in the car? Will you have writing time before or after dinner? Can you type on your phone while your family watches the football game?

If you know you won’t be able to write during those days, plan accordingly, as you will have to write more NaNoWriMo words per day.

5. NaNoWriMo Tips: Write at the Same Time, Same Place

NaNoWriMo is an intensive month of writing. To set yourself up for success, plan to write at the same time, same place, every day.

A consistent writing habit will make meeting your word count goals much, much easier. By blocking out the same time every day, you can keep yourself from making appointments and commitments that interfere with your writing. Additionally, your brain needs to be switched on for creative writing, and writing at the same time will help prepare your brain for this.

A consistent writing habit will make meeting your word count goals much, much easier.

The same is true for writing in the same location. Certain environments cue our brains to think and act certain ways, especially if we create a habit of doing the same behaviors in the same environments. If you have a specific place where you can write and only write , try to write in that same spot every day.

Once you sit down in the same place, at the same time, every day, you’ll find that your daily word count is that much easier to reach.

Of course, not every writer has the luxury of a consistent daily schedule. If this is the case, don’t fret, but do try to set yourself up for success. For example, you can try to schedule 15 minute writing bursts throughout the day, or you can use a voice-to-text app and write while you’re driving or making dinner.

6. NaNoWriMo Tips: Write With Friends

One of the hardest parts of NaNoWriMo is keeping accountable to your daily word count. Writing your novel alongside friends makes it so much easier.

Because NaNoWriMo is an online phenomenon, there are writing groups scattered across the internet. Writers participate in the challenge on social media sites like Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, Tumblr, Slack, and Discord.

There are also NaNoWriMo forums specific to the challenge, such as those listed at this wiki .

Whether your writing friends are online or in person, try to build a system of accountability with other writers. You might find your next writing partner in our Facebook group !

7. NaNoWriMo Tips: Build in Rewards

Often, writing a novel is thankless work. It can be hard to find encouragement as you churn through your first draft, and as you write further into your project, you may end up liking it less and less.

This type of writer’s fatigue happens to all novelists. Because writing is often a solitary experience, try to build some encouragement into your own writing schedule.

Rewarding yourself for meeting your writing goals will help motivate you to write, both today and the next day. That reward can be dessert, a TV show, a hot bath, a glass of wine—really, anything that makes you feel good and doesn’t require too much thinking.

When you reward yourself for your hard work, you’ll feel much more capable of tackling National Novel Writing Month one day at a time.

8. NaNoWriMo Tips: Ignore Your Inner Critic

Every writer has an inner critic. It’s that voice in your head telling you “this sucks,” “that makes no sense,” “your characters are flat ,” “your story is boring,” etc.

The inner critic can be a useful tool, particularly when you’re editing. While it can sound harsh or demeaning, it can also guide you from your first draft to a manuscript ready for publication.

What it’s not useful for is writing the first draft. In addition to wasting your time and energy, your inner critic can make you lose motivation fast , convincing you that you should not finish your novel.

Your inner critic is your first draft’s worst enemy, and if you listen to it too much, you won’t come out of NaNoWriMo with a novel.

This is perhaps the most important of NaNoWriMo tips: Your inner critic is your first draft’s worst enemy, and if you listen to it too much, you won’t come out of NaNoWriMo with a novel.

For most writers, turning the inner critic off completely is impossible. But you can ignore it. Focus on putting one word in front of the other without judging your work, and if you find your self-criticism keeps interrupting your train of thought, find ways to stay inspired.

9. NaNoWriMo Tips: Stay Inspired

An essential component of NaNoWriMo prep is finding inspiration. As you plod through the month of November, knowing where to turn for inspiration will keep you motivated and silence your inner critic.

Joining NaNoWriMo forums and writing groups will help keep you motivated: when you’re surrounded by novelists making progress on their work, you’ll feel more inspired to make progress on yours. Additionally, it helps to talk about your feelings as you push through your writing, because if you’re losing motivation or questioning your novel’s worth, it’s likely that someone else is, too.

Additionally, famous novelists have talked about the difficulties of novel writing since the invention of the novel form. Motivational writing quotes might help you make it through the next day’s word count, such as these quotes at The Marginalian.

Wherever inspiration strikes, hold onto it, and let it keep your writing flame lit through November.

10. NaNoWriMo Tips: Don’t Go Back and Edit

Many novelists tend to be perfectionists. While this tendency will help you through the editing portion, it will likely deter you through National Novel Writing Month. No matter how much you want to go back and edit something, eschew the impulse. Do not go back and edit. Leave what you’ve already written alone .

There are two reasons for doing this. First, you simply do not have time to edit. Editing will create rabbit holes that you’ll tunnel down without stopping, fixing every minor detail you can without contributing to your word count. While those edits are valuable and necessary, you don’t need to make them at this time. You will only get stuck on what’s wrong with the novel, foregoing all progress to make everything perfect.

Second, editing and writing are two different tasks. Your task in November is to write. Once you open the editing floodgates, you won’t be able to stop, and your inner critic will be unleashed once again, deterring you from finishing your first draft.

Your edits can wait. What you might fix now, in November, you will certainly also catch and fix in any other month. Keep your inner critic turned off, and just keep writing. You’ve got 11 months of the year to dedicate to edits!

11. NaNoWriMo Tips: If You’re On a Roll, Keep Going

Every writer, during NaNoWriMo and otherwise, has good writing days and bad writing days. (If you don’t believe me, read this recent blogpost from Neil Gaiman about his bad writing days—I find it refreshing to know even the pros struggle.)

You often can’t turn the bad writing days into good ones, and you certainly can’t predict which days will be which. What you can do is milk the good days in preparation for the bad.

Milk the good writing days in preparation for the bad ones.

If your goal for NaNoWriMo words per day is 2,000, and you’ve spewed out 2,500 words with time to spare, keep writing. It doesn’t matter that you’ve already reached your daily goal: milk today’s inspiration for all that it’s worth, because you may have a tough time getting the words down tomorrow.

Writing extra words when you can gives you some buffer space, because if there’s a day you don’t meet your word count or have to take a break, you’ll have worked in some wiggle room so you’re not so tight on words.

12. NaNoWriMo Tips: Count Everything as a Success

It’s easy to get lost in all the reasons your novel needs work. With over 50,000 words drafted, many of those words will likely need cutting and editing, and there’s no guarantee that your novel will ever be published.

Additionally, writers often base their success on specific things. Is my novel long enough? Did it get picked up by a literary agent ? Does it already have a following on social media? Do publishers want to print it? Does it already have presales?

While these are certainly measures of success, they’re not the only ones. Just writing the damn thing is a huge accomplishment: with only 26 letters, you’ve created an entire world, complete with characters, settings, events, and deeper ideas. That’s unbelievable!

Again, writing is often thankless work. You are your work’s biggest advocate, and it’s important to act as such, because no one else knows how important your novel is quite like you do.

You’re writing a novel! Novel writing is hard! You’re doing it anyway! This, alone, is a huge success. Congratulations!

13. NaNoWriMo Tips: Enjoy the Process

Typically, I’d shy away from giving NaNoWriMo advice like this. I always hate when an article tells me to “have fun!” as one of its tips.

That said, if you get so lost in achieving a certain word count that you forget to enjoy the writing process, you’re not serving yourself as a writer.

NaNoWriMo is a time to come together, join a writing community, get lost in a story, and enjoy the craft of fiction writing. Although it’s a competitive process involving immense toil behind a keyboard, it’s also an opportunity for writers to immerse themselves in the wondrous act of creative writing.

If you stop enjoying the process, or if you don’t have fun writing your novel, it shows in your work. Your writing might get tedious to read, the story might veer of course, or you might lose interest in the story as a whole. This is the worst thing that can happen to you as a creative writer: once you stop enjoying the process, you start questioning whether you want to create at all.

So, don’t let this happen. Make National Novel Writing Month fun! Whether it’s by rewarding yourself for meeting your word count goals, participating in a writing group, or giving yourself mental health days to decompress, don’t lose that spark that compels you to create. It is much better to have 10,000 words and a love of the craft, than 50,000 words and a hatred for writing.

Successful NaNoWriMo Books

Do NaNoWriMo writers get published? Absolutely! Many successful novels have been written during National Novel Writing Month, including:

• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• With Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo
• An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
• Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
• Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• Wool by Hugh Howey
• Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
• Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington
• The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh

Follow our 13 NaNoWriMo tips, and we might add your novel to this list!

More Resources for National Novel Writing Month

Want more resources for your NaNoWriMo prep? Start with these articles.

• How to Write a Novel
• How to Come Up With Story Ideas
• How to Start a Story
• How to Write a Compelling Story
• How to Write Dialogue: Tips, Examples, and Exercises
• Why “Show, Don’t Tell” is a Golden Rule of Creative Writing
• What Causes Writer’s Block, and How to Overcome It
• Foreshadowing Definition: How to Use Foreshadowing in Your Fiction
• Writing Urban Fantasy
• Writing Speculative Fiction
• Writing Magical Realism
• Writing Historical Fiction

Get More NaNoWriMo Tips at Writers.com

Are you ready to start writing your novel? Writers.com can help! Take a look at our upcoming fiction courses , where you can get some NaNoWriMo prep done and start writing your first draft.

Have a great NaNoWriMo this year, and happy writing!

Sean Glatch

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Home / Book Writing / What is NaNoWriMo: The Ultimate Guide

What is NaNoWriMo: The Ultimate Guide

If you're part of any writer groups or you spend any time researching writing online, you've probably heard NaNoWriMo mentioned once or twice or a few hundred times. It's a huge annual event that many writers take part in to challenge themselves, and to have a little fun in the process. I won't lie to you, though: it's also a stressful experience for some writers.

But that's why I'm here with this NaNoWriMo Ultimate Guide. I'll tell you all about what this event is, how to take part in it, how to “win” it, and how to do it all without stressing about it.

Let's get started.

• What is NaNoWriMo?
• What are the rules for NaNoWriMo?

How to Prepare for NaNoWriMo

How to win nanowrimo, other nanowrimo faqs, table of contents.

• Developing Your Story Idea
• The Writing Before the Writing
• Character Development
• Choosing POV
• Writing an Outline
• Scheduling Your Time Wisely
• Creating Accountability with a Writing Buddy
• How many words per day to win NaNoWriMo?
• What happens if you win NaNoWriMo?
• Which month is NaNoWriMo?
• How old is NaNoWriMo?
• What is the point of NaNoWriMo?
• How Many Pages is 50,000 Words?
• Do You Have to Sign Up for NaNoWriMo?
• Does NaNoWriMo Cost Money?

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. This completely free yearly writing challenge has one goal: Write a book of at least 50,000 words during the month of November. That's 30 days with an average of 1667 words per day.

Crazy, right? But maybe just crazy enough to work…

If you're an aspiring writer looking to get your first book done, NaNoWriMo may seem like an impossible feat, especially if you don't already have an established writing habit. But don't let this scare you off. With a little preparation and dedication, it's entirely possible to get 50,000 words down in 30 days. 

Plus, it's a great way to get into the habit of writing every day — something that separates the aspiring writers from those that make their living selling books.

If you're an author with a couple of books under your belt, NaNoWriMo could be a great opportunity to push your creative writing to the next level.

But what are the rules? How do you become a NaNoWriMo writer? And, perhaps most important of all, how do you prepare? Let's get into the nitty-gritty now.

The rules are pretty simple, and they're not really enforced because “cheating” does no damage to anyone but the cheater. Luckily, I know you don't cut corners. You're in this to become a better writer! So let's take a look at the “rules” now.

• Your novel must be at least 50,000 words and written between November 1st and November 30th.
• Writing done before November 1st doesn't count, although you can include outlines, character profiles, research, and citations in your draft. Basically, the 50,000 words should be prose written during November.
• Write a novel. The term “novel” is broadly defined here. If you say it's a novel, it's a novel.
• You should be the only author of 50,000 words. If you're co-writing a novel, each author should contribute 50,000 words of their own. (I don't recommend co-writing a novel during NaNoWriMo, as it complicates an already limited timeline).
• The writing must be coherent (you can't just copy and paste one sentence or one word to get to 50,000 words).
• You need to be at least 13 years old to participate, and if you're under 17, you have the option to sign up for the Young Writers Program .

That's it! Simple enough.

Now let's get into the fun stuff: NaNoWriMo prep!

In order to succeed during NaNoWriMo, you'll want to do some early preparation before the challenge starts on November 1st. The prep list includes simple things like signing up, but it also includes getting your story, characters, and POV prepared so you can focus on writing. It's also a good idea to prepare a schedule in advance.

Let's start with the sign-up process.

The folks who run NaNoWriMo make it super easy to get signed up. They're gracious people and they're doing so much to encourage creativity! Plus it's totally free!

First, head over to the NaNoWriMo website and click the “Sign Up” button. You'll be taken to a page where you'll enter your email, create a password, and select a user name.

Next, you'll see a banner at the top like this:

Click on the button to start filling in the information about the NaNoWriMo novel you'll be writing. You don't have to know the title right now, as you can come back and edit that later.

Follow the prompts and fill in any relevant information as you go through the Overview, Goal, and Details windows. Once that's done, you're all signed up as a NaNoWriMo participant! You can explore the other options presented on the website or you can get to the writing prep outlined below.

Once you're all signed up, it's time to develop your story idea. If you already have an idea, that's great! If not, you'll want to nail down at least a broad idea before you move on to the next steps. You certainly don't want to wait until November 1st to decide what you're going to write about.

Here are some ways to get the idea-juices flowing:

Search for a writing prompt – There are plenty of free writing prompts all over the internet. There’s a great Subreddit dedicated to prompts of all kinds. It’s a good place to start!

Determine what genre(s) you want to write in – will it be science fiction, memoir, romance, thriller? The most successful books are written to market, and starting with the genre helps.

Determine what kind of “feel” you want your story to have – Gritty? Hopeful? Tear-Jerker? Many writers find that keeping the feel in mind as they develop their idea is helpful. 

Determine the overarching theme of the novel – Theme and feel can be two different things, although they're often complimentary. Some common themes are: Love, overcoming fear, forgiveness, trust, and survival.

Ask yourself “What if?” questions to spark inspiration – Asking “what if?” during both the plot development and the writing is a great way to spark inspiration and keep the story going.

Once you have a general idea, it's time to get some writing done. But not prose writing yet. Save that for when the challenge begins.

Instead, get to know your story idea through these writing exercises:

Come up with a logline – This is usually a concise, one or two-sentence summary of your book. It is the Who, What, When, Where, and Why. It should focus on your main character and the conflict. If you're stuck, browse Netflix and look at the short descriptions for the movies there. These are the loglines.

Come up with a pitch – A pitch is similar to a logline, but it's a bit longer. You can go into more detail, but try to keep it under 300 words. Focus again on the main conflict, protagonist and antagonist, and what's at stake.

If after you write your logline and pitch the story still interests you, move on to character development. If not, make some changes or shift to another idea. While you may not feel the flutter of inspiration during the entire writing process, this step should have you excited about your idea. If you're not inspired, you should probably find another story idea.

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Character development is hugely important in any fiction novel. And if you go into NaNoWriMo with a solid idea of who your characters are, what they want, and their internal motivations, you'll be able to focus on writing and meeting your daily word count goals instead of stopping to think about what your characters would do next.

For the major characters in your story, you'll want to write character profiles. If you're not sure how to do this, visit this blog post on how to write character profiles . It will also help to write a character arc for your protagonist(s).

For guidance on character development, ask questions like these:

• What do they want most?
• What is their biggest fear?
• How do they respond to adversity?
• What is their greatest flaw?
• What will cause the character to change by the end of the plot?

Click this link for a giant list of character development questions.

You'll also want to consider which POV you'll use for your book. The most common ones are first person and third person, but even those have certain styles within them that you may want to consider.

POV is important because it's one of the primary factors in how you tell your story. Some POVs are necessarily limited, while others can provide a little too much freedom for some writers.

If you're unsure, check out this post on character POV and try some writing exercises that use different POVs to see which one you like best for your story.

Outlining your novel is perhaps one of the best ways to prepare for NaNoWriMo. Even if you're a “pantser” and have never written an outline before, preparing for NaNoWriMo could be the best time to learn. An outline can help you nail down your story structure, your inciting incident, character development, and help you prevent writer's block during November.

Just remember that an outline is only a guide, and to trust your gut as you write. You may find that something else works better for your story as you write. Many “pantsers” worry that working from an outline while writing fiction can stifle creativity, but it's easy enough to use the outline as a guide that you use for inspiration, not a specific roadmap that you must follow.

Creating daily goals is essential for success during NaNoWriMo, but you also need to create a schedule in order to meet those goals. For many writers, this means carving out time to write whenever they can. Since most people barely have free time to spare, creating a schedule often takes communication with those around you, making sure they know that you will be working toward your writing goal during the month.

Those who succeed in writing a novel during NaNoWriMo find that they usually have to trade writing time for time otherwise spent watching television, surfing social media, or doing other activities that are fun but not necessarily productive.

There's a great post on the NaNoWriMo website on managing your writing time while working full time.

One of the great things about the NaNoWriMo organization is the fact that it brings so many people together with a common goal. You can easily join the NaNoWriMo community and find a writing buddy to help you stay on track during November. You can also find a writing group of NaNoWriMo veterans to help you get ready for writing 50,000 words during the 30-day challenge. 

The NaNoWriMo forums are great places to meet other authors and get excellent writing advice for a successful November.

Winning NaNoWriMo is all about meeting the minimum word count goal of 50,000 words written during the month of November. You're not in competition with other writers, and there can be as many winners as participants.

If you write every day during the month of November, you'll need a daily word count of 1667 words. You can record your word count from your dashboard on the NaNoWriMo website. Or you can keep track on your own and then verify your word count with the website once you’re done.

Note: there are goal tracking features built into Atticus, which will automatically show you where you are in your goals in real time as you write. Definitely check that out .

There isn't just one winner for NaNoWriMo. If you get at least a 50,000-word draft done, you've won! Once you upload your manuscript to the site so your word count can be verified, you'll get a banner and/or a certificate you can proudly display.

But best of all, you'll have the draft of a full-length novel written! That's the real prize for winning NaNoWriMo. You can then work to self-publish the novel or shop around for a literary agent to get it traditionally published.

National Novel Writing Month takes place in November every year. However, many writers begin preparations as early as September.

The first NaNoWriMo took place back in 1999.

The point of NaNoWriMo is to spur creativity and challenge writers around the world to practice the craft by writing a 50,000 word novel in just 30 days.

Depending on your margins, spacing, and font size, a 50,000 word manuscript usually comes to between 100 and 150 pages. In a published book, 50,000 words is about 165 pages.

You don't technically have to sign up for NaNoWriMo — you can just work on your own to write 50,00 words in November. But there are a number of resources and tools to keep you on track if you do sign up.

Participation in NaNoWriMo is free, but they do encourage those who are able to donate to the organization so they can continue hosting the yearly writing challenge!

NaNoWriMo is an opportunity to challenge yourself to write a novel faster than you're probably comfortable with. It's a big undertaking, but it's a great way to spur creativity and unlock new levels of productivity as a writer.

With a little planning, you can come into November prepared and with all the tools you need to succeed. It's important to remember that you shouldn't expect to have a perfect novel done at the end of those 30 days. You'll have a first draft that you can work from with revisions and editing to turn that manuscript into a novel that's ready for beta readers and, eventually, self-publishing (or trying your chance at traditional publishing). 

Good luck! May your work-in-progress be a blast to write!

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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How to Get the Most Out of National Novel Writing Month

Embrace your messy first draft and commit to NaNoWriMo’s boot-camp vibe.

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By Concepción de León

Four years ago, Jasmine Guillory was an aspiring novelist with an idea and an outline, but she was stuck in a creative rut. When a friend asked if she would be up for a writing challenge of putting 50,000 words down in one month, she immediately said yes.

Guillory used the month to complete half of a book draft and three years later published her best-selling debut, “The Wedding Date .” “Having someone help push me into the pool really helped me,” she said, “like, ‘All right, I’m going to start swimming now.’”

Guillory, who has since written three sequels, is one of the success stories of NaNoWriMo, the nonprofit that organizes an annual writing marathon every November called National Novel Writing Month. Founded in 1999 by the writer Chris Baty, the event, often also called NaNoWriMo, started with 20 or so of Baty’s friends, but since then millions have participated. The organization also operates virtual camps throughout the year and programming for teenagers.

In addition to Guillory, writers such as Sara Gruen (“ Water for Elephants ”), Rainbow Rowell (“ Eleanor & Park ”) and the National Book Award winner Elizabeth Acevedo (“ With the Fire on High ”) have written partial drafts of their books during the challenge.

NaNoWriMo enlists professional writers like Guillory and Rowell to write pep talks for participants. It also organizes in-person events and encourages people to connect on Twitter or the website’s forums. NaNoWriMo’s executive director, Grant Faulkner, describes it as “one part writing boot camp, one part rollicking party.”

[Ready to write? Here are the digital tools to help you make a go of NaNoWriMo .]

The goal of NaNoWriMo is to finish the month with a 50,000-word draft, which breaks down to roughly 1,667 words a day. For some people, that makes the process feel more manageable, but even so, pushing through the fear of failure or lack of discipline isn’t easy.

According to James Clear, the author of “ Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones ,” writer’s block is a form of procrastination, which is generally rooted in the avoidance of negative emotions . “The pain of not doing, it has not yet become greater than the pain of doing it,” he said.

Clear suggests scaling down the first action so that you can’t say no — even if it means writing only one sentence per day to start. He also suggests prepping your environment to encourage the habit, such as leaving a blank document open at night to make it easier to get started in the morning.

Some authors consider writer’s block a myth, one that romanticizes the creative process, but Faulkner said he does think that “writers can be shut down by trauma or depression or horrible experiences.”

It can also result from a lack of practice. Anna Borges, who has been participating on and off since high school and now works as an editor and writer, said she had a hard time coming up with a new project this year. “It’s the first time in a while that I’ve worked on something that’s so completely new, which I think is just asking for writer’s block to take over,” she said.

Borges is revising a young adult novel she wrote a few years ago and has another book, “The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care,” out this month, but took up a new project for NaNoWriMo this month. “Part of still doing NaNoWriMo is just constantly trying to tap back into how much joy I got out of writing as a kid before it was my day job,” she said, “coming up with stories just to see what would happen.”

And it helps that the draft is “allowed to suck,” she said.

Clear said the best way to approach NaNoWriMo is to make writing a habit. “The real goal is not to write a book,” he said, “it’s to become a writer.”

Faulkner agreed that the word goal isn’t the most salient part of the experience. (Only about 15 percent of participants end up writing 50,000 words.) Instead, he said, it’s a way of “ training people to show up ,” making them feel their stories are valid and providing encouragement through community .

“I like to think that we are part of a movement that is making writing and publishing less exclusionary, that is opening it up to diverse voices,” he said.

Guillory said when she was doing the challenge, she was excited to come home every day to get to work. Now she does mini NaNoWriMos on her own throughout the year when she wants to immerse herself.

Both Guillory and Borges said they were motivated by the word-count demands to squeeze in short writing sessions throughout the day — sometimes during lunch breaks or while they rode the subway.

Ultimately, the challenge is about getting people to start and worry about the rest later. “You have to write,” Borges said. “For all the advice out there, it boils down to, You have to write, and it’ll either get better or worse, but you have to do it.”

Follow New York Times Books on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram , sign up for our newsletter or our literary calendar . And listen to us on the Book Review podcast .

Concepción de León is a staff writer covering news and culture for the Books section. More about Concepción de León

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What is NaNoWriMo? Rules and reasons to do it

What is NaNoWriMo? Learn all about National Novel Writing Month, the rules, and 8 reasons why write-a-thons and writing bootcamps are worth doing.

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• 10 Comments on What is NaNoWriMo? Rules and reasons to do it

What is NaNoWriMo? Why take part? What are the rules? Learn about this annual write-a-thon and why writing a book in a month (or making a good start) is worth doing in November:

What is NaNoWriMo?

National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo for short) is an annual write-a-thon that takes place in November each year.

During the event, writers around the world attempt to write 50, 000 words of fiction between the 1st and 30th of November. This may form the first rough draft of a manuscript, or process work towards a draft.

Founded by writer Chris Baty ‘accidentally’ in 1999 , NaNoWriMo is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Annual participants have grown from 21 in its first year to 427,653 writers participating in 2021. The writing organization’s ethos is:

… to help people find their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds — on and off the page. NaNoWriMo.org

8 reasons to do NaNoWrimo and other writing bootcamps:

Learn what you can achieve, make actual writing progress, build a writing habit worth keeping, nurture connections with other writers, stay accountable with targets, gain perspective on writing process, improve your story craft with practice, prepare for writing your next book.

Learn more about NaNoWrimo’s rules, plus reasons to try and reach 1667 words a day (or whatever you can manage to write realistically!):

What are NaNoWriMo’s rules?

Heather Dudley supplied rules in the official NaNoWriMo forum which are (as of May 2019):

– Write a 50,000-word (or longer!) novel, between November 1 and November 30. Traditionally, this had to be [work] on a new novel; now, we allow you to continue existing works. – Only count words written during November. None of your own previously written prose can be included in your NaNoWriMo draft (though outlines, character sketches, and research are all fine, as are citations from other people’s works). – Write a novel. We define a novel as a lengthy work of fiction. If you consider the book you’re writing a novel, we consider it a novel too! – Be the sole author of your novel. Apart from those citations mentioned two bullet-points up. – Write more than one word repeated 50,000 times. Heather Dudley, ‘Welcome to Rules & Regs! What ARE the rules, anyway?’, NaNoWriMo forum .

So whether you kickstart a novel from scratch or refine and extend first chapters, the main thing is to write 50,000 words in one month. This equates to a doable average of 1667 words per day.

What are the benefits of doing NaNoWriMo?

Some authors are on the fence about NaNoWriMo.

Shaunta Grimes , for example, in a popular Medium article titled ‘Why I Don’t NaNoWriMo Anymore’ advocates slowing things down if you want to build a sustainable writing career . Grimes says something very true about the payoff of gradual (versus instant) gratification:

It’s like this shining beacon that promises all of the good stuff now. But here’s something that I guess someone ought to tell you: You might finish your first draft this November, but it takes a lot longer than that to produce a work of fiction that’s fit for public consumption. In fact, it took me longer to make that first book readable because I rushed it out. Shaunta Grimes, ‘Why I Don’t NaNoWriMo Anymore’, Medium, May 22 2019.

A counter to this is you can view NaNoWriMo as a step in what is ultimately your  process. Grimes acknowledges exactly this when she says:

Doing it was magical for me, because once I knew I could write a novel, I knew I could learn to write one well.

So what are some of the benefits of doing a writing challenge like NaNoWriMo, or your own, edited version that strikes a balance between just getting the story down on paper and taking your time?

Even though Grimes stopped doing NaNoWriMo every year for the reasons she mentions, she touched on an important point: Creative process has valuable stepping stones or milestones.

These stepping stones may be collaborative processes such as working with a book writing coach , or doing a writing bootcamp.

They may be tackling writing challenges that arise in your first NaNoWriMo and finding creative solutions in discussion with other writers.

Whatever you use NaNoWriMo for (making progress on a work already underway or starting a new, serious project or a fun one ‘just for kicks’), you’re bound to learn something along the way by dedicating as much time as you can to writing in one month.

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If 1667 words per day aren’t feasible, though, adjust your writing goals . Taking part and committing to your story are already wins.

The NaNoWriMo rules aside, you don’t necessarily have to write 50,000 words in November alone.

As Grimes says in her Medium piece, writing is hard and writing meaningful, polished scenes with clear, communicative style and playful verve takes time.

Yet as Julia Cameron says in The Artist’s Way for Parents , structure helps creativity to flourish:

In limits, there is freedom. Creativity thrives within structure. Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way for Parents: Raising Creative Children (2013)

Having a structured writing process , whether it’s a 30-day plan to write a novel (or something slower and gentler like a six-week plan) is useful. It creates space to check in with your own progress and objectives. Structure helps us keep putting one word after another, freely.

Will fiction you write during NaNoWriMo be publishable?

If you’re racing to meet targets, maybe not the first draft (though first drafts rarely are ).

In a Now Novel Q&A on story planning, writing coach Hedi Lampert spoke about how there are at least three drafts worth doing for a story. A ‘down draft’ for getting your ideas down, an ‘up draft’ for picking up on nuance and anything big you missed, and a ‘dental draft’ for polishing your language. This idea Hedi credited to the late author and writing educator Anne Schuster.

To be able to complete even one of these drafts, though, it so helps to build a writing habit that consists of sitting down and getting words on the page regularly.

Try writing morning pages daily to start each day of the writing challenge with a creative kick.

Once you have that, you don’t need NaNoWriMo rules or targets to kick into gear.

There are benefits to doing NaNoWriMo or a writing bootcamp or course beyond how many words you produce.

A major benefit is connecting with other writers. Holding one another accountable and sharing advice and insights is motivating in itself.

The value of community comes up often in our own reviews as a motivating factor in being a Now Novel member:

I like the site because the age range of members is wide and reading and critiquing other people’s work really helps with my own writing. Critiques from other members often make me think about something from a different angle. Now Novel member Christine, testimonial via TrustSpot

Whether you engage on NaNoWriMo’s official forums or join another free-to-participate NaNoWriMo group like our own, good connections make writing more fun. You might even build incredible friendships along the way.

Accountability is a common struggle for writers because self-discipline is tough . The instant gratification we get from entertainment such as reading a thriller, watching TV, or scrolling through social media idly is much easier than writing often.

This is why a program like NaNoWriMo is useful as with the additional word count targets you set yourself to reach 50,000 words, you’re not writing in the dark. Clear, SMART writing goals help, too.

Writing sprints are also a great way to maintain accountability, so buddy up and write in silence, together.

Doing NaNoWriMo gives you something that money can’t buy because it is experiential: perspective.

Once you know how hard (or, if you are lucky, how easy) writing a novel is, you may find you are kinder to yourself about ‘slow’ writing days where 500 words (or fewer) feel like no progress at all.

Perspective is essential to creative process because without it, it’s easy to get discouraged.

When you commit to writing 50,000 words in a month, it’s inevitable you’ll learn a lot about story craft.

Challenges will come up. Joining NaNoWriMo-oriented forums where you can ask questions provides many opportunities to learn from other writers at a similar stage to yourself.

The NaNoWriMo organization runs many story craft events.

Here at Now Novel we have short courses, workbooks and free email-based writing tutorials that will help you answer questions that arise as the month hurtles past.

The important part of a write-a-thon or writing bootcamp is to have fun. Pick a project you’ve always wanted to write, or practice a genre you’ve never tried before.

However you choose to use it, writing in focused sprints for a month will only improve your craft. In the end, you’ll have put in the practice and preparation to make your next story your strongest yet.

Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year?

Comment below and tell us why you are (if yes) or why you’re not (if no).

Join Kickstart your Novel for a more structured approach. Have fun in a six-week program to write your first three chapters and story plan. Get professional feedback, workbooks and videos, and story outlining tools to structure your ideas.

Related Posts:

• Now Novel's NaNoWriMo Hub: How to be NaNoWriMo Winners
• 7 reasons writing a book makes you a champion
• 7 essential rules for writing dialogue
• Tags NaNoWriMo , writing process

Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.

10 replies on “What is NaNoWriMo? Rules and reasons to do it”

I heard about NaNoWriMo in 2008. What a kick to talk, for the first time, with another writer. Somehow I found the website in 2010 and began. I’ve been in every NaNo, a Script Frenzy (HARD), and several Camp NaNo’s where the rules are relaxed. I have usually won, usually contributed to Office of Letters and Light, and usually despair of getting even an idea. The first one in 2010 was my best. I took one of my secondary characters and took off with it. I think it worked okay, filling in some of the holes in the back story of my ‘art therapy’ I unknowingly had been writing for over 20 years. Anyone can do it. We have all done writing. If nothing else, write about a part of your life with names changed to protect the innocent. No one will read it unless you want someone too. It can be any kind of quality. Kick your critical self (inner editor) out the door when you sit down to write. (Easier said than done.) But – Just – Write!

Hi njn, that’s commitment! Thanks for sharing your experience and tips.

Is there formatting rules, like those required for manuscripts?

Hi David, thank you for your question. Do you mean for NaNoWriMo? None other than the usual way one would format a manuscript (many publishers provide guidelines on their submissions pages that are a useful starting point for deciding things such as font size and spacing). Penguin Random House say, for example:

We would prefer manuscripts that: have 1.5 or double spacing use a serif font like Times New Roman, Garamond or Century, size 12 have page numbers use paragraphing are not written completely in CAPS

I hope this answers your question! Thanks for reading our blog.

After reading the above intro and all the links on the side of the page, I still do not know how to join NaNoWriMo for this coming month. Is there a fee? Is there a place to sign up? Thanks.

Hi Ghosha, thank you for the feedback! I will update this article accordingly so that it’s clearer. There is no fee to join NaNoWriMo and you may sign up via NaNoWriMo’s website at nanowrimo.org .

If you’re planning to do NaNo, you can also join our dedicated group for NaNoWriMo 2022 in Now Novel Groups, our chat forums and critique community which is free to join. Once signed in, you’ll find the group here .

Hi I’ve joined NanoWriMo2022 but am not sure how to start. Do I just type in a Word document or is there a template in which I write every day and which will automatically do a word count to chart progress?

Hi Indrani! Thanks for joining. You just type in a Word document (or Google Docs or your word processor of choice). I would suggest keeping a separate document or spreadsheet to record your word counts each day, what you enjoyed and what was challenging. That way you can monitor your progress, and keep a record of what went well and what you’d like to work on in your writing and story craft moving ahead. Word has the convenience of an inbuilt word count.

If you’re planning on sharing segments for feedback from the Now Novel community, the Writing Pad on the site tells you your word count and you can also export segments of your story to PDF and view character and plot outlining you’ve done in a sidebar as you write.

Due to constraints, is this a course in writing, fee? Editing? Thank you.

Hi Smith, thank you for reaching out. NaNoWriMo is an annual challenge to write a draft book of 50,000 words in the month of November. There is no fee to join and participate. If you’re looking for courses, we offer courses and guides with a range of fees (from free to six-month courses with coach feedback, workbooks and sprints). You can learn more here . If you’re interested in editing, you can get a no-obligation quote via our editing services page . I hope this is helpful.

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NaNoWriMo: how to make best use of the annual writing month

Novelist David Barnett talks to some of the famous names who got started by joining the nationwide creative drive – and offers his hints for success

I f everyone has a book in them, then November is the month that many of those books are conceived. NaNoWriMo , or National Novel Writing Month, comes of age this year with its 21st birthday, and the concept remains as simple as it was in 1999: over 30 days, write at least 50,000 words of your novel.

Almost 368,000 novels have been completed by participants. There are no prizes or league tables, just the satisfaction of taking part – and the potential creation of something publishable.

There remains some sniffiness over NaNoWriMo in some quarters, usually published novelists who like to point out that some people write all year round. Half the world wants to write, it seems, and that means they think they can. Yes, writing a novel is hard work. And for every author that gets published, hundreds – possibly thousands – fail. But does that mean that we shouldn’t write novels just for sheer enjoyment?

It’s the same reasoning I used to apply to Parkrun, dragging my unfortunate frame around a 5km course every Saturday morning. I was not running with ambitions to compete in the Olympics or finish a marathon, but does that mean I shouldn’t have done it? It got me in better shape. Each time I improved a little. And I actually liked it. This is how we should approach NaNoWriMo. Beyond the writing, it is a big, global, online support group where writers can cheer each other on via social media. At the end of it, there might be 50,000 words of fiction and a sense of achievement. And it might well lead to bigger things.

Crime novelist Elizabeth Haynes has participated in NaNoWriMo every year since 2005. The words she wrote during NaNoWriMo one year formed the bulk of her first novel, Into the Darkest Corner, published in 2011. Every November for the last 15 years, she has used NaNoWriMo to kickstart books, and every year she is fed up with people snarking about it.

“Every year without fail I see something, a tweet, a blog, an article in a national newspaper, the gist of which seems to be, ‘Oh no, not November again. All those people thinking they can write. All of those manuscripts flooding agents’ offices! Please just don’t!’” she says. “It isn’t a competition. The world needs more novels, more readers, more writers. You want to be heard? Ignore everyone else. Work hard.”

Haynes had no intention to publish her first NaNoWriMo effort: “It was purely for fun. Publishing had always felt like something that happened to others, not me. I had three goes at NaNoWriMo before I had something with a beginning, a middle and an end. That was the first time I had something I thought I could actually edit.”

Many writers have used the intense 30-day deadline to get them going with a new project. Erin Morgenstern, author of The Night Circus and The Starless Sea, hasn’t participated for years, “but when I did, I always liked it for quickly getting words down for rough drafts without overthinking everything. It’s what got me writing seriously in the first place, because I used to write a few pages and hate them so I’d stop. Having peer pressure and a deadline worked wonders.”

What everyone can agree on is that bashing out 50k words is just the start of the journey, not the end. Most publishable novels are double that, and need to be edited within an inch of their lives. “I do maintain that the word ‘draft’ should be somewhere in the name, but National Novel Draft Writing Month doesn’t have the same ring to it,” says Morgenstern.

Five tips for taking part in NaNoWriMo

1) To hit the target, you’ll need to write at least 1,667 words a day. Sometimes the writing will flow; other days it won’t. If you write over on the good days, allow yourself a day or two off during the month to recharge. If you fall behind, catch up the next day rather than letting the word deficit pile up to the end of the month.

2) Never mind the quality, feel the width. Get the story down – you can polish your prose later.

3) Decide: are you a linear writer or a modular writer? If you’re the first, keep writing the story as it happens until you either finish it or the month ends. If you’re modular, write scenes from different points in the novel. They can be stitched together later. Both approaches are perfectly valid.

4) Let your characters drive the story. You can outline your novel, but leave some leeway for your characters to do unexpected things and go along with them for the ride. Plot and structure can be finessed in the edits.

5) Some days you will feel like deleting the whole thing and giving up. Don’t. If you can push on through the bad days, welcome to the world of writing.

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Home » Blog » National Novel Writing Month (And Why It Matters)

National Novel Writing Month (And Why It Matters)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

National Novel Writing Month, or “Nanowrimo” as it is affectionately called by it’s dedicated participants, is a right of passage for all writers.

It is a recurring international event that has taken place each November since 1999. The premise of national novel writing month is simple and exactly as it sounds – write a novel (50,000 words) in a single month (November).

This may seem like a terrifying feat, but it’s really not so hard when you break it down. When they say “write a novel” they don’t mean write, edit, proofread, rewrite and prepare a novel for publishing. No, the goal is to just write 50,000 words – a first draft.

To complete this goal, it averages out to 1667 words per day. This is possible with some commitment, focus, dedication, and probably some help.

National novel writing month has thousands of participants each year, but it is not for the faint of heart. Writing a novel in just a month is an exciting challenge, but it doesn’t always come without difficulties or frustrations. There are some things you should know before diving into Nanowrimo.

Nanowrimo Template

Many people spend a lot of time in October planning their Nanowrimo novel. Others wing it completely come November 1. Whichever route you take, 30 day doesn’t leave you a lot of extra time.

We’ve created a template specifically for Nanowrimo which will make things a little easier for you. It walks you through each day of the month, outlining what should be happening in your story at that point in the novel:

Each section doesn’t necessarily need to be one chapter – that’s up to you. Many novels have more or less than 30 chapters. But these guidelines should help you manage the Nanowrimo time crunch.

National Novel Writing Month Will Require Discipline

Unless you are a professional writer and/or author, writing 1667 words in a day is a lot. Probably more than you are used to doing, at least every day.

With that being said, it is possible, but you will need to put a real effort in for it to happen. You will need to practice some discipline. It can help to schedule your writing time or plan to do it at the same time each day.

There will be days where you don’t want to do it. You will be too tired, too busy, or something better may come along. You need to push past these things, and no matter what, do it anyway. This is the only way that novel will get done.

50,000 is not Really a Novel

Yes, Nanowrimo’s whole baseline is the concept of writing a novel in a month. While 50,000 words do technically make a novel, most publishers won’t consider it.

50,000 words is still an impressive amount of words to write in just 30 days, but you will need a little more than that if you plan to pursue actual publishing.

Even the short side of basic young adult novels is usually around 60,000. Nanowrimo is slightly misleading in this way.

You are Going for Quantity Over Quality

In most areas of life, the goal would be reversed. With Nanowrimo, you are simply looking for quantity. Your word count is your biggest focus. That’s not to say you should just sit there and type random words that don’t even create a logical sentence for 30 days straight. But, you aren’t exactly writing top-notch prose all day long either. With Nanowrimo, you want to be fast and plentiful in getting in your words, and this doesn’t leave a lot of room for quality writing. This comes later.

You Won’t be Editing Anything During National Novel Writing Month

Does this sound scary? To some, it does. There are writers out there who strive for perfection and they are meticulous about editing everything until it looks and sounds great. If you are going to succeed at Nanowrimo, editing needs to be forgotten about completely until December 1 at the earliest.

Of course, we all have free will and you are welcome to do as you please. However, every minute you spend editing your words is a minute you’re not spending on writing more words. This ties in with the quantity over quality idea. The words you write during Nanowrimo don’t have to be stellar. They just have to be there. So, it is most advisable to lock away your inner editor. Once a word is on that page, it stays there until November is over.

Doing National Novel Writing Month Alone is Hard

The national novel writing month website is there for two reasons. First, it is the home base of the whole event. All the necessary information and instructions are found there. Second, it is a community – and a big one at that. Nanowrimo has many different areas where you can connect with others, and it is recommended that you do so. Finding friends and support during this month of crazy writing will be more helpful than you can imagine.

The Nanowrimo website has a huge online community that you can spend hours perusing. From helping to chatting, to inspiration, there is a thread for anything, and they are all full of lovely, helpful people:

• Nanowrimo tips and strategies – includes topics on character help, Nano prep, plotting, writing basics, and world building.
• “Now what” resources – includes some steps you can take after that first draft is finished, such as critiques and feedback.
• General Nano chit-chat – includes topics about general Nano stuff – writing prompts, potential issues, places to vent, places to generally socialize.
• Resources and writing support – includes topics to help you with the writing itself, such as the adoption society and helpful links.
• Genre-specific threads – there is a topic here for every genre, so take your pick!
• Age-specific threads – Nanowrimo has a wide range of age groups that participate. This section includes places for the kids, the young adults, and the older members to section off and get to know each other.
• Off Topic – of course, there is a place for some non-nano chatting to happen. A great place to de-stress and give your brain a break.

The forums have pretty much anything you can think of. If you need help with any part of your novel or any part of the process, you will find it on these forums.

The forums are vast and comprehensive, the but Nanowrimo community doesn’t end there. Some may choose to participate on their own and only engage others through the internet, and that is totally fine! However, if you want to take it a step further, Nanowrimo helps you find people to connect with locally.

If you want, you can search for your town or city. Nanowrimo will help you find the nearest regional forum and give you a chance to connect. The regional forums are usually private and only available to those who choose to join the region. There will be all kinds of discussions going on here, from write-in times to crazy writing games.

Many regions will host events throughout Nanowrimo. A couple of these may be parties or social gatherings, but most will be write-ins. These are times where writers meet up in person – usually at a community center, coffee shop, or library – and write together! This is a great way to make friends, ask for help brainstorming, and get in the zone. Sometimes an hour will go by at a write-in where no one even talks because everyone is writing so much! Attending write-ins regularly throughout November is a great way to ensure your word count stays on track.

The National Novel Writing Month Website Can Help You

Even if you do decide to venture out to some write-ins, there are still going to be some times where you are writing at home by yourself. The forums are a great way to stay connected, but they can’t really help you with your word count itself. The national novel writing website does have some tools you can use to give your writing a boost.

• The word sprint tool. This sets a timer for you, for any length of your choice. The goal during a word spring is to type like the wind and never stop writing until the time is up. You can do this without a clock, but the count down tends to help with motivation.
• The dare tool. Along with the word sprint counter, there is a dare button. This is designed to give you a short, simple writing prompt to get the creative juices flowing. It will give you small instructions, such as “set something on fire” (in your novel!) or “put a dog in the next scene.”
• Goal trackers. Set a goal for yourself, in the way of words written or hours spent, and keep track of how much you accomplish. This is a great way to stay accountable to yourself.
• Pep talks. Each year Nanowrimo brings in authors to create pep talks for writers. You can access current pep talks, as well as the whole archive. These can be great for moments when you’re feeling stuck, lost, or hopeless about your novel.

You Don’t Have to Follow all the National Novel Writing Month Rules

Nanowrimo does come with a set of “rules” that make it what it is. Following these rules will give you the true, authentic Nanowrimo experience. However, there is no governing body. You aren’t signing any contracts or officially agreeing to anything. At the end of the day, Nanowrimo is meant to get you writing, and that’s it. Don’t be afraid to break some of the rules if it makes things more fun for you.

The Word Count

The goal is 50,000 words. Most people aim for this, and some will succeed. However, not everyone’s lifestyle if the same and this goal may not be realistic for everyone. If you know you are very busy, or if there is something else going on with your life, don’t be afraid to lower the goal. It’s totally fine. You’ll feel much better at the end of the month having accomplished a goal of 20,000 words, than feeling like you failed at an unreasonable goal of 50,000.

On the other hand, if you have endless time on your hands and you know your idea can really stretch, don’t be afraid to aim higher. Lots of people hit 80,000 words or even 100,000 in the month of November. If this is you, then go for it. Don’t stop on November 12 just because you already hit 50,000.

The “Start Fresh” Rule

Technically, you’re supposed to start a brand new novel on November 1. Something you’ve never worked on before, save for maybe some outlining. Again, doing this will give you the intended Nanowrimo experience. At the end of the day though, it is not truly mandatory. If you have a project on the go that you think the push of Nanowrimo can help you finish, then work on that.

If you have a really cool idea from six months ago that already has 10,000 words, you can use that. Many writers have used the national novel writing month premise to help them finish a project, and it has worked out great for them. Don’t let anyone bully or pressure you into putting away your current work if you don’t want to. Be a Nano rebel – it’s a thing, you’re not alone.

Don’t Expect Miracles

It is true that Nanowrimo is responsible for getting thousands of writers actually writing, and this is so great. But, an exercise in writing is really all Nanowrimo is in the end. It is true that some books have been published as an indirect result of Nanowrimo, but there was more to the process than just writing the first draft in 30 days.

At the end of the month, if all goes well, you will have the first draft of a novel. Just remember, not a lick of editing or polishing has been done. Just because you have a complete story, does not automatically mean you are going to become a published author. This takes a lot of time, work, and diligence even after Nanowrimo has finished. Keep your expectations in check, and Nanowrimo is sure to be a wonderful experience.

Have Fun With It

The worst thing you can do during Nanowrimo is stress. At the end of it all, it’s supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to inspire and empower you as a writer. If you miss a day, it’s okay. If you get some writer’s block, it’s okay! If your friend is 30,000 words ahead of you, who cares? Let yourself enjoy the process. Let Nanowrimo make you a better, more disciplined writer, and you will have won no matter what.

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National Novel Writing Month: NaNoWriMo

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30 Days • 50,000 Words • One Life-Changing Experience

What is national novel writing month  nanowrimo is an effort to encourage people to work on that novel they've always intended to write "someday"--today, national novel writing month (nanowrimo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. on november 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 pm on november 30. valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, nanowrimo is for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel., throughout november, aspiring authors work on their novels with encouragement from authors and other writers, and keep track of their word counts on the nanowrimo website .  sign up  here  and start writing, events at the library, writing programs at the public library.

Do you write better when motivated by others, or do you simply want to meet and support other creatives in the Albuquerque community? Check out our writing groups! From groups that meet monthly to special writing workshops led by local authors and writing professors, our branches have something for every writer.

Ongoing Writing Programs:

Cherry Hills Library

Cherry Hills Writes: 2nd Monday of the month, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Recommended ages 16 and up.

Cherry Hills Writes: Critique: 4th Monday of the month, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Ages 18 and up.

International District Library

Mixed Media Journaling: 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.

All Ages Writing Group: 4th Saturday of the month, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Rudolfo Anaya North Valley Library

Journal Writing: Every Thursday from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

NaNoWriMo Write at Home

Check out our NaNoWriMo video that features our resident writers Shana and Laura! Learn about what NaNoWriMo is, which published authors started as NaNo winners, and writing prompts to test your creativity!

NaNoWriMo Resources

• Author Pep Talks
• Local NaNoWriMo Groups Do you write better with a group? Take a look at the local NaNoWriMo page for more information. NaNoWriMo login required.
• Writers Helping Writers

Local Writing Groups

New mexico based writing groups.

• Croak and Dagger - Sisters in Crime Mystery Writers
• Land of Enchantment Romance Authors (LERA)
• New Mexico Literary Arts
• New Mexico Writers
• NM Book Co-Op
• Southwest Writers

Books to help you write your novel 2

Writing inspiration.

Books by celebrated authors to keep you writing.

Books to help you write your novel

Writing tips, tricks, and exercises.

Books to help polish your writing for the publishable market.

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• URL: https://abqlibrary.org/NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month  (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. The challenge: draft an entire novel during the month of November.

Why do it? For 30 crazy, exciting, surprising days, you get to lock away your inner editor, let your imagination take over, and just create!

Participants begin writing November 1 and must finish by 11:59 PM on November 30. The word-count goal for our adult program is 50,000 words, but the Young Writers Program (YWP) allows 17-and-under participants to set reasonable-but-challenging individual word-count goals.

Novelists can write directly on our website (or in a separate document), find inspiration in our noveling resources, and tap a worldwide community of fellow writers for support.

The YWP also helps K–12 educators facilitate NaNoWriMo in schools, libraries, and community centers around the world. We provide virtual classroom spaces on our site, as well as student workbooks, Common Core-aligned curricula, and free motivational materials.

Learn more about our program and impact.

Step-by-Step Guides

• How NaNoWriMo Works for Writers
• How NaNoWriMo Works for Educators
• HELP & FAQ
• CONTACT US
• TERMS & CONDITIONS
• PRIVACY POLICY
• CODES OF CONDUCT

A PROGRAM OF NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH, A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT THAT BELIEVES YOUR STORY MATTERS.

Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival in N.H.; Mass. Center for the Book graphic novel reading challenge for May; and more

A weekly digest of literary events from around the region.

New award-winning poetry collection captures the sinister in everyday life

A molten heat flames at the center of Heather Treseler’s new poetry collection, “Auguries & Divinations” (Bauhan), winner of the May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize. She writes of what it is to emerge into a world, and then try to escape it for another one, and the violence and release involved with the efforts. She captures the sinister underbelly of suburbia, its quiet perversions, its everyday violations, transgressions, repressions, “a silence as lethal/ as measles,” where the slow-road peace of the cul-de-sac brings to mind drowned kittens, or rabbits, or sickly children. Anne Sexton lives between the lines here, and in them, too, “peering in windows/ wide-eyed, alert, not a stitch under her skirt.” There’s a searching quality to the poems, a way-finding. “To live is not to garner all you desire,/ to roil in your narrow shell, hard limits/ of the actual.” There are crows, sparrows, hawks, and herons, birds to remind us of how we are all migrating across time, into new existences, new desires and wonder and pain. Treseler is deeply attuned to the erotic, to the ongoing heat and want, to the mouth-on-mouth and press of bodies. How it changes, and does not, over time, the “chance to be momently carried across/ into somewhere, something, someone else.”

Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival in New Hampshire runs April 12-14

Next weekend brings the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival to the University of New Hampshire in Durham, including a full schedule of readings, performances, an outdoor poetry carnival, workshops, and a small press fair. The festival opens on Friday with a reading from New Hampshire Teen Poetry Prize winners including Leonardo Chung, Pearl Hoekstra-Toste, and Pranavi Vedula, followed by headliners Diannely Antigua, Mckendy Fils-Aime, and Nathan McClain. On Saturday, among many other events, Heather Treseler (see item above) and Anthony Walton will discuss revision; Jennifer Martelli and Jennifer Jean will talk about publishing your poems; Oliver de la Paz, Marcus Wicker, Jennifer Militello, and Tim Liardet ponder How We Can Hope; Kali Lightfoot and Dawn Paul will offer perspectives on wilderness and writing the local; Mary Buchinger, Frances Donovan, and Jennifer Badot will host a generative workshop on dreaming your way into a poem; Allison Adair, Ben Berman, and de la Paz will showcase and discuss on-the-spot poetry; Jill McDonough will read; Bianca Stone will offer a master class; Daniel Brock Johnson and Ebele Okpokwasili-Johnson’s multimedia performance honors slain journalist James Foley. Adobo-Fish-Sauce fuses cooking and spoken word poetry. This year’s winner of the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Prize, Kweku Abimbola, will read with Camille Dungy, Alexandria Peary, and Kevin McClellan. Sunday closes out with a reading with Dan Harrison, Caleb Jagoda, Julia Roch, Virginia Schoff, Stone, and Myles Taylor. The festival is free and runs April 12-14. For more information and a complete schedule, visit unhpoetry.com .

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Massachusetts Center for the Book offers graphic novel reading challenge for May

The Massachusetts Center for the Book offers a yearly Reading Challenge, setting a theme or prompt for each month of the year (January’s: a book you read years ago that you may feel differently about now; February, a book with a color in the title; and so on). May’s challenge is a graphic novel, and to gear up for it, MCB is offering a reading and discussion with three graphic novelists on Thursday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Tufts Library in Weymouth. Joel Christian Gill, chair of the MFA in Visual Narrative at Boston University, will discuss his book “Fights: One Boy’s Triumph Over Violence.” Artist David Ortega will discuss his work, which includes the graphic novel “Días de Consuelo.” And artist, actress, storyteller, and teacher Phoebe Potts will discuss her graphic memoir “Good Eggs,” about her journey of trying to have a family. The event is free. For more information, visit massbook.org/events .

“Short War” by Lily Meyer (A Strange Object)

“Playboy” by Constance Debre, translated from the French by Holly James (Semiotext(e))

“The States of the Earth: An Ecological and Racial History of Secularization” by Mohamed Amer Meziane (Verso)

Pick of the week

Allison S. at Trident Booksellers & Cafe in Boston recommends “Zami: A New Spelling of My Name: A Biomythography” by Audre Lorde (Crossing): “In this biomythography (history biography myth), Lorde recalls coming of age and into her identity as a Black lesbian in Harlem in the mid-20 century. In vivid, poetic writing, Lorde ushers the reader not only into her own life, but the lives of the women around her: her mother, sisters, aunts, friends, and lovers, all of whom shape the way she sees and experiences the world. The result is stunning.”

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Why is Poetry Important? Celebrating National Poetry Month

If you think poetry isn't for you, this month might be the right time to give it a second chance.

Every April in the United States, National Poetry Month invites you to experience and celebrate an art form that can transform your understanding of yourself and your world.

She also has a Bram Stoker Award-winning poetry collection, “Brothel,” published by Raw Dog Screaming Press, along with several other poetry titles and her nonfiction craft book, “Writing Poetry in the Dark.”

According to Wytovich, you might have a negative relationship with poetry today based on how it was presented to you as a child.

“We’re introduced to it through nursery rhymes and folklore and whimsy, and then all of that is removed and looked down on when we get into middle school and high school and have to start counting syllables and memorizing Shakespeare,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong; the latter is important and holds so much value, but it’s also a bit stressful, and it’s easy to harbor resentment against it.”

National Poetry Month, she said, is a chance to form a new relationship with poetry on your own terms and develop a full appreciation of the art form. 

“Having something like National Poetry Month both allows and encourages us to find our way back to poetry without any rules or expectations,” said Wytovich.

First, What is Poetry?

Poetry is among the four major genres of literature , alongside fiction, nonfiction and drama. But it may be one of the most challenging genres to define. 

According to the Academy of American Poets, poetry is a human fundamental , just like music. “It predates literacy and precedes prose in all literatures,” the Academy states on its website. “There has probably never been a culture without it, yet no one knows precisely what it is.”

Wytovich agreed that it's difficult to define such a broad genre.

Ultimately, Britannica said poetry is a type of literature that evokes imagination and emotion through specific language chosen and presented based on sound, rhythm and meaning. However, there are also many types of poetry, each with specific rules and definitions.

Types of Poetry

Writer's Digest reports that there are at least 168 different poetic forms stemming from various cultural traditions. Some of these forms and their definitions, according to Writer’s Digest, include:

• Haiku: A haiku is a popular Japanese form adhering to specific numbers of lines and syllables.
• Free Verse: These poems allow for breaking lines at any time and are usually without rhymes.
• Ode: An ode is a poem dedicated to praising a particular subject.
• Prose: Prose poetry is often presented in paragraphs without line breaks, mirroring literary prose.
• Sonnet: William Shakespeare is famous for these structured 14-line poems.

These are just a few different types, but there are plenty of others — and National Poetry Month could be the perfect time to explore more of them.

Find Your Program

The history of national poetry month.

Inspired by the success of Black History Month and Women’s History Month, the Academy of American Poets reports that they originated National Poetry Month in 1996.

“We’d like it to be a time when a large sector of the American public will realize that we have an active, thriving literary culture in this country and that poets are an important part of that culture,” said the Academy’s executive director at the time, Bill Wadsworth, according to an essay published in Ploughshares .

Since then, poets, educators, librarians, booksellers and readers in the United States have celebrated poetry in the month of April through a variety of projects, events and initiatives — and, of course, through independently reading and writing poetry.

So, Why Does Poetry Matter?

In a Poetry Foundation piece commemorating National Poetry Month, poet Ali Leibegott discussed how individuals and communities often turn to poetry in their darkest times.

“Poetry sales rose after 9/11,” Leibegott said. “It is reassuring to know that poetry somehow answers the unanswerable.”

Sales for poetry books also increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Vanity Fair .

In addition to being a vehicle for a deeper understanding of the world around you, poetry can also offer catharsis and teach you about yourself.

In fact, Wytovich said she started writing poetry in middle school based on a recommendation from a therapist.

“I was having a hard time working through some of my trauma, and they mentioned that exploring my emotions and working out some of the images I was stuck on might be beneficial to helping me process and heal,” she said. “Once I started, I’ve never stopped. It’s been my greatest and healthiest companion through life.”

In addition to the therapeutic nature of poetry writing, Wytovich noted that reading poetry has its own emotional and intellectual benefits.

“Reading it is also a great mind workout because it’s encouraging us to constantly work out and reconfigure a puzzle that everyone is going to build and react to differently,” she said.

Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month

“If you’re a poet — write! And if you really want a challenge, try writing in a different form or style,” Wytovich said. “Don’t be afraid to experiment and stretch your wings a bit. There’s a lot of beauty in trying something new.”And if you're interested in seriously pursuing the craft, consider studying poetry. SNHU’s bachelor’s in creative writing and master’s in creative writing  both offer concentrations in poetry for those committed to developing their skills.

Whether you choose to celebrate National Poetry Month through writing or reading, you'll be engaging in more than an artistic pursuit. Embracing the power of poetry could also be a therapeutic experience that deepens your connection to your own humanity.

Discover more about SNHU's bachelor's in English and creative writing : Find out what courses you'll take, skills you'll learn and how to request information about the program.

Mars Girolimon '21 '23G is a staff writer at Southern New Hampshire University where they earned their bachelor's and master's, both in English and creative writing. In addition to their work in higher education, Girolimon's short fiction is published in the North American Review, So It Goes by The Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, X-R-A-Y and more. They're currently writing their debut novel, which was Longlisted for The First Pages Prize. Connect with them on LinkedIn .

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SNHU is a nonprofit, accredited university with a mission to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

Founded in 1932, and online since 1995, we’ve helped countless students reach their goals with flexible, career-focused programs . Our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH is home to over 3,000 students, and we serve over 135,000 students online. Visit our about SNHU  page to learn more about our mission, accreditations, leadership team, national recognitions and awards.

The Chicago Blog

Smart and timely features from our books and authors

What to Read for National Poetry Month

In honor of National Poetry Month, celebrated every April, we’re sharing a roundup of poetry collections that have been published within the last year. Featuring Chicago’s Phoenix Poets Series as well as books from our distributed client presses, these books touch on subjects like race, identity, and queerness, national borders and the limits of language, the beauty of nature, and the challenges of illness and caretaking. You’ll find moving collections from up-and-coming poets at Acre Books, Autumn House, CavanKerry Press, Omnidawn, and Seagull Books—and new to us this year, Tupelo Press.

Not sure where to get started? We’ve put together some thematic highlights in this post, showcasing books that touch on some key topics. Shop our collection of new poetry books on Bookshop , or order directly from our website using the promo code POETRYMONTH to take 40% off all month long.

Books on Nature

These evocative books explore experiences with nature, from the climate crisis to deeply personal connections and disconnections to landscapes of southern Appalachia and the American West.

The Upstate by Lindsay Turner 

In a Cabin, in the Woods by Michael Krüger

Beachlight by Cyril Wong

THINE by Kate Partridge

as mornings and mossgreen I. Step to the window by Friederike Mayrocker

Books on Queerness

Both tender and illuminating, the poems in these collections turn their gaze toward the natural world, explore complicated rural relationships to queerness, and celebrate the warmth that humanity is capable of. 

You Bury the Birds in My Pelvis by Kelly Weber

Taking to Water by Jennifer Conlon

Nest of Matches by Amie Whittemore

The Curve of Things by Kathy Kremins

Country Songs for Alice by Emma Binder

Books on Race and Identity

Highlighting collections that deal with race and identity in a variety of ways, from deep history to Black joy to an exploration of Mexican and American culture.

Negro Mountain by C. S. Giscombe

Tell it Slant by John Yau

Looking and Seeing/Seeing and Looking by Damon Potter

Seraphim by Angelique Zobitz

Bad Mexican, Bad American by Jose Hernandez Diaz

Books on Borders

Thes books investigate and challenge borders of all kinds, from linguistic and technological structures, the limits of the body, and diasporic literatures.

Mandible Wishbone Solvent by Asiya Wadud

PORTAL by Tracy Fuad

Asterism by Ae Hee Lee

The Wandering Life: Followed by “Another Era of Writing” by Yves Bonnefoy

Psyche Running by Durs Grünbein

Books on Illness and Caretaking

Rich in empathy, patience, and insight, these collections give us new ways of speaking about grief, illness, and the act of caretaking.

Survivor’s Notebook by Dan O’Brien

Limited Editions by Carol Stone

absolute animal by Rachel DeWoskin

Murmur by Cameron Barnett

Vexations by Annelyse Gelman

These titles are available now from our website or from Bookshop . Happy National Poetry Month!

Program in Creative Writing Celebrates National Poetry Month 2024

• Creative Writing

To celebrate National Poetry Month in April, the Lewis Center for the Arts invited seniors writing a poetry collection as their creative writing thesis to read one of their poems

Click the images below to listen to the poems of Juliette Carbonnier and Ananya Grover. This post will be updated soon with poetry readings from Kenza Benazzouz and Anurag Pratap. Stay tuned!

On April 30 at 4:30 p.m., these seniors and others will read from the collections of poems written as their senior theses under mentorship of professional writers on the faculty. Seniors will read from their work in fiction on May 1 at 4:30 p.m.

Learn more about the  Program in Creative Writing

Press Contact

Steve Runk Director of Communications 609-258-5262 [email protected]

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2024 Senior Readings in Poetry, Translation, Screenwriting

2024 Senior Readings in Fiction

• creative writing
• National Poetry Month

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