Writing a novel is easier said than done for every writer, regardless of proficiency. There may be elements beyond our control keeping us from writing to our heart’s content: school, jobs, life’s hecticness, procrastination, and simply not knowing how or where to start. 

If any of those apply to you, National Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is the answer to your problems. It is “a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes in the transformational power of creativity. [They] provide the structure, community, and encouragement to help people find their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds—on and off the page.” (https://nanowrimo.org/about-nano) 

They annually host thousands of “Wrimos” (participants) striving to hit the 50,000-word goal by the end of November. That’s almost 1,666 words per day! Some “Wrimos” have even published their NaNoWriMo projects. You may be familiar with these bestselling books: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern; Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress by Marissa Meyer; Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell; Wool by Hugh Howey; Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy; Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen.

But don’t feel discouraged. Even if you don’t meet the goal, you’ll have more words typed at the end than you did at the beginning. The whole point of the challenge is to encourage aspiring novelists to sit down, challenge themselves, set goals, and write!

Make sure to join in on the fun and create an account at: https://nanowrimo.org/.