Let’s Write a Novel in November
Dear NaNoWriMo writers, past, present, and future,
Leo, a middle-school student in the NaNoWriMo Young Writer’s Program once said to me, “I can’t write a novel every month, so November is my month to write a novel.”
When October wanes, Leo’s sage words tickle my imagination. I can’t write a novel first draft every month, but I have written one every November since 2012. When I met Rachael Herron at the Night of Writing Dangerously in 2018, I learned Rachael calls this process fast drafting and she doesn’t limit the practice to November.
Why write a novel now?
There’s so much going on in the world and the United States. The global pandemic touches everyone, there’s a monumental election in the US next week, and I’m present to Black racial injustice across the country I call home. Throughout the past seven months, what’s kept me sane are daily walks with my dog, rewriting my 2013 NaNoWriMo novel, and reading fiction.
National Novel Writing Month is when new fiction is born
Since you’re following the NaNoWriMo publication on Medium, I sense you already know what the flagship event is — a community event where 300K adults and 100K students around the globe commit to the challenge of writing 50,000 words of a novel during the 30 days of November.
National Novel Writing Month is also a 501(c)3 nonprofit with an office in Berkeley, California. NaNo has a small staff of 10 who keeps the website running, galvanizes community, produces common core approved educational curriculum, creates annual stickers, t-shirts, and much more. NaNo also has a 12-person Board of Directors and a Writers Board.
This month in the Friends of National Novel Writing Month Publication, you’ll hear from Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of the nonprofit, Board Members, from NaNo participants — and you.
Stephanie Block, Board Member of NaNoWriMo and I want you to submit your posts about NaNoWriMo this month. We want to hear your thoughts on what you think is great about NaNo, share your journey during the month, or anything you want to write about National Novel Writing Month.
We want you to submit your posts about NaNoWriMo this month!
This weekend is the nonprofit’s big fundraising drive — Double Up Donation Weekend — and I invite you to join me in donating to the nonprofit that brings this event to life.
Today, sign up on nanowrimo.org, declare your novels, and donate to support this phenomenal organization.
Tomorrow let’s start the November journey and craft our novel first drafts.
Stephanie and I will be cheering you on and in our homes typing with you. Like you, we’ll be listening for the whispers of our characters and their tales. Our drafts will be perfectly imperfect first drafts, and all the words will count towards 50K.
️ ️✍️ Let’s do this! ✍️
Julie Russell
NaNoWriMo Board Member since 2015 & Participant since 2012
&
Stephanie Block
NaNoWriMo Board Member since 2019 & Participant since 2011
