1,667 Words/Day

by Library Staff · October 27, 2016

By Meagan

keepcalm Hey, you there. Yeah, you! Wanna write a novel? How about writing a novel in just 30 days?

Sounds like one of those too-good-to-be-true infomercials, doesn’t it? It’s certainly a pretty lofty goal, especially if you’ve ever known the heartbreak of writer’s block.

Well, it just so happens that November is NaNoWriMo (pronounced na-noh-RY-moh), National Novel Writing Month, your chance to turn writing woes into storytelling success! Participating in this fun global event is a great way to break through any blocks that might be stopping you from writing the next best seller.

The challenge is straightforward, but far from simple: Between the dates of November 1 to November 30, write 50, 000 words (about 1,667 words each day). Anyone who achieves the 50, 000 word mark by 11:59 PM on November 30 is declared a “winner”! Although there are no official prizes, you can share your of an immense feeling of accomplishment, very large word document, and printed certificate of completion as proof of your pure authorial awesomeness.

For some writers, 50,000 words is a completed novel. For others, this just scratches the surface of a big, beautiful epic beginning to unfold! Either way, since its inception in 1999, NaNoWriMo has been encouraging creativity the world round!

To help you get into an authorial frame of mind, you can create a profile for you novel and track your progress as you type madly towards your 50, 000 word goal. Earn badges for writing and participation, or spend some time on the forums chatting with other authors from around the world! If you need a little extra push along the way, take part in one of the virtual write-in events!

For some more information on how to get started, head over to the NaNoWriMo How it Works page!

Even if life gets in the way and you don’t quite manage your 1,667 words/day, you’ll be that much closer to being the author of your very own novel, which, in all honestly, is better than any badge or printed certificate could ever be, don’t you think?

In case you were feeling skeptical, here are some popular published NaNoWriMo books:

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