If you’ve been putting off writing that novel, November is the time to hunker down and get started. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) takes place during the whole month of November. The organization began in 1999 and has grown to have over 400,000 participants. The challenge is self-directed but if you’re interested in winning any of the prizes, you’ll have to follow the rules:
- 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.
- 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. (source: https://kindlepreneur.com/nanowrimo/)
Whether you’re ready for the challenge or just want to use NaNoWriMo as the perfect time to put pen to paper, check out these books for inspiration:
No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-stress, High-velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty
Letters to a Writer of Color by Deepa Anappara
Bushwhacking: How to Get Lost in the Woods and Write Your Way Out by Jennifer McGaha
Consider This: Moments in My Writing Life after which Everything was Different by Chuck Palahniuk
Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
-Linnea
Read it or Weep 