NaNoWriMo: A Global Creative Writing Marathon
Do you like to write? If so, do you sometimes have trouble finding the motivation and inspiration necessary to get those words down on paper (or into your computer)? If so, you’re in luck; November is National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWritMo for the attention-challenged or social media conscious).
Humble Beginnings to Viral Sensation
Credit: McGraw-Hill Education
In 1999, at the height of the dot-com boom, a San Francisco-based writer named Chris Baty worked as an editor for a Web site for business travelers. Wanting to devote more time to his creative writing, he organized a group of 21 participants who challenged themselves to write a novel (or 50,000 words of a novel-in-progress) in thirty days. The next year, Baty created a Web site and 140 people signed up. The following year, there were 5,000 people registered (largely due to the viral word-of-mouth and then media coverage). Last year more than 400,000 people from over 50 countries took part, generating an estimated 2.8 billion words.
How it Works
While the popularity of NaNoWriMo has grown, the basic principles have remained the same–start from scratch on a new novel (character sketches and outlines are allowed, but cannot be included in the final word count), participate in support communities, either online or in person, depending upon where you live. Then have your novel “validated.” Everyone who meets the 50,000 word requirement “wins.”
Baty has said that he believes NaNoWriMo works because the sheer volume of words needed to complete the challenge silences a lot of the self-criticism that can slow people down and prevent them from completing creative projects. The aim is to finish, not to achieve perfection. The 50,000 word count was chosen because it is the lowest number you can have and still be considered a novel. (A novella is generally 40,000 words.)
Young Writers
The organizers of NaNoWriMo decided to expand their reach in 2005 by creating the Young Writers Program (YWP). This program is different from the adult challenge because the kids determine their own word count. (30,000 words seems to be the most common average count.) Last year nearly 90,000 young people participated in YWP. There are workbooks available for elementary, middle and high school students designed to help create plots and characters and keep you motivated throughout the month.
Once the November challenge is met, the Young Writers Program Web site offers advise for what to do with all the words that have been written. This includes resources on taking the raw material and going back through to make revisions. The site also provides potential outlets for getting your work published.
Benefits of Writing
Beyond the feeling of supreme accomplishment, participating in something like NaNoWriMo, there many benefits of a regular writing habit. Lowered stress, improved happiness, and better general health are just a few research-proven advantages of those who write often. Putting your fears and concerns on paper, as well as your dreams and goals, are a good way to sort out and make sense of both. And, of course, regular writing improves critical thinking, vocabulary, and overall communication skills–all of which are helpful in school performance. The structure of a writing challenge helps kids better understand and practice time management.