National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with a first draft. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists.
And now, you’re going to be one of them!
But first:
- “Do I need something special to write a novel?”
Nope! Not even an idea (though that can help). You just need something to write with, some time set aside, and the ability to power through moments of writerly despair in order to reach new creative heights. - “What if it’s not any good?”
Then you’ll be in illustrious company! Most first drafts aren’t very good. They have moments of greatness, but also moments of, well, not-so-greatness. Think of the first draft as making the clay that you’ll use later to sculpt the story of your dreams. (Also, who gets to decide what “good” means? You do, that’s who!) - “Do I have to publish it?”
If you want to! Some NaNoWriMo writers go on to traditionally publish their novels (including Marissa Meyer, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Emily X. R. Pan). Others self-publish, or share their novels with their friends or family. For many other writers, the act of creating is enough. We call anyone who reaches the 50,000 word-count goal a “winner,” but we believe that anyone who writes with us gets something out of it, no matter how many words they produce. - “I’m not sure where to start!”
Well then, Writer, grab your fuzziest slippers and most literary beverage, because you are in the right place…
Set a Goal
Historically, all NaNoWriMo writers started a brand new novel draft in November. Now, there are two options for setting a goal: set a goal for a brand new novel, or set a goal for a novel you’ve already started. Whatever inspires you to write!
The National Novel Writing Month challenge invitation banner will appear on your Dashboard the first week of September. You can begin tracking your writing on November 1 and have until 11:59 PM on November 30 to reach your word-count goal.
Can I set a goal for something other than 50,000 words?
Yes! But it will an independent goal, rather than an official NaNoWriMo goal.
Instead of accepting the official challenge from the NaNoWriMo banner, just set an independent goal using the dragon box on your Dashboard. You can choose whatever word-count goal and timeline will work for you and write alongside the rest of the NaNoWriMo community at your own pace. (This is a secret, but several NaNo HQ staff members participate like this each November!)
Note: you won’t get access to the winner page with the official certificate, flair, and winner offers if you participate like this.
NaNo Prep 101 Workshop
There’s no one right way to write a novel – what works for one author (or story) might not work for another! To help get you started on your journey, though, we’ve collected some of our favorite tips and resources into our NaNo Prep 101 Workshop. You can follow our six-week suggested structure or jump around to whatever activity sparks your creativity. (Who knows, pantsers, even you might find something useful in there!)
Connect with the NaNoWriMo Community
- Join your region to meet other local writers and attend in-person or virtual events.
- Visit the forums, our longstanding online writers community.
- Attend an NaNo HQ virtual event (we’ll be so excited to see you!).
- Explore the NaNoWriMo community writing spaces in your area.
- Start or join a writing group! You can create a group of 3 – 20 writers to share progress, encouragement, and resources as you write. Start a writing group of your own, or find a writing group to join in the forums. (You can join as many groups as you’d like!)
2023 Pep Talkers, NaNo Coaches, and YouTube Guides
Every year, we get a fantastic team of authors and writers to act as your guides, cheerleaders, and mentors during NaNoWriMo. Published Pep Talkers write inspirational letters just for you, shared in NaNo Messages and on our site. NaNo Coaches share advice on our blog and during live Q&A events during their takeover weeks. YouTube Guides create fun video tips and lead Virtual Write-Ins on our YouTube channel!
Need more motivation? Check out previous pep talks in our Pep Talk Archive, explore NaNo Coach advice in our blog, or watch our YouTube Guides playlist.
