The National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) Challenge: Worth a Try this November

Are you dreaming of finally finishing that novel you have had in the back of your head for months, or even years? Even just beginning to write a novel is a struggle, let alone seeing it through until the very last word. That’s why there are various challenges pushing people to keep on typing, with one of the most famous being National Novel Writing Month, which takes place in November every year.

What is National Novel Writing Month?

National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, as most people refer to it, is a yearly month-long challenge each November in which writers from all across the globe commit to the challenge of writing 50,000 words in just thirty days. The project was launched all the way back in 1999, when a man called Chris Baty launched a writing challenge for 21 writers in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2006, the challenge became a non-profit, but that ended in 2025.

Despite no longer being a non-profit organisation, writers are still excited to embrace the productivity-boosting tradition that has brought people from all walks of life together, and this year, it’s likely to have as many challengers as ever.

In terms of what you write during NaNoWriMo, that’s completely up to you. Some people write terrifying horror novels, some work on insightful non-fiction pieces, and others simply spew whatever’s in their brain onto the page, with no worrying about quality. That’s the thing about NaNoWriMo: it’s about quantity over quality. After all, you can always edit later.

Is NaNoWriMo Worth it?

It depends on your personal writing style and overall goals. For many, NaNoWriMo is more than worth it, not necessarily because it leads to a perfect piece of storytelling, but because it gets them writing, which, in the end, is what all writers must do! If you love the idea of having 50,000 words (or thereabouts) written in just a month, and you handle challenges well, then it’s certainly a good idea to take it on.

How to Get Started and Make it Through to the End

NaNoWriMo doesn’t really have any rules. To get started, all you need to do is write, beginning on the 1st November and finishing on the 30th November. However, there are some things you can do to make the month go more smoothly.

Make a Plan

You might like the idea of going into NaNoWriMo blind, but it’s probably better to make a plan. This doesn’t have to be about what you write, but rather when you will write. A strict but realistic writing schedule works well here – for example, you could aim to sit down every evening from 6 pm-8 pm to write with zero distractions.

You should also set achievable writing goals each day and week. You only have thirty days, so you’ll be writing quite a lot in a short period of time! If you want it to work like a marathon – slow and steady – then you might aim to write 1,600-1,700 words a day, or about 11,600 words a week. This will keep you on the right track.

Join a Community

Many people see a writer’s job as inherently lonely. Sometimes, it is, but you don’t have to act like Jack Torrance in an isolated hotel all month. In fact, it’s far better to embrace community! It’s what keeps you engaged and excited, and you’ll be able to talk to other like-minded writers who are taking on the challenge themselves. There are plenty of places to find NaNoWriMo communities online, including Discord, Facebook, and Reddit, so start there.

Write Now, Edit Later

Let’s be honest, the 50,000 words you write during NaNoWriMo probably won’t be publishable (not everyone is Kerouac!). That’s okay. You don’t need it to be perfect, as the aim of the challenge is to simply get the words out of your brain. Some sentences may make no sense, some characters may make decisions that, in retrospect, make absolutely no sense, and some entire paragraphs may need to be eliminated once you reread the work later down the line. Don’t worry about any of that during the month of November, as the editing stage is a job for another day.

Join the OpenLeaf Community

At OpenLeaf, we are a team of writers and readers who are building an exciting, creative community, including individuals who write in all sorts of genres. If you are eager to find a group of people that will help you stay motivated this November, feel free to join us! You can discuss what you’re reading, what your writing plans are, and keep everyone updated on your progress. Plus, if you feel ready to publish the work you produced during NaNoWriMo, there is no better place than right here on OpenLeaf – a place where communities are built. We look forward to hearing about (and, hopefully, reading) your work!