NaNoWriMo has begun!
In 1999, Chris Baty started a creative writing project in which participants attempted to write a novel of 50,000 from the 1st to the 30th of November. The project has grown from its humble beginnings of 21 participants in San Francisco to over 200,000 people worldwide.
Not everyone makes it to the grand total, which requires averaging 1667 words a day, but at least get a lot of writing practice in the attempt! Over the years the site has become ever better equipped to support those taking part with forums, pep talks, writing buddies and a word count scoreboard to add a competitive edge. The event is non-profit, relying entirely on donations. It encourages people who have always thought they would write a novel someday to make a real start which has meant a number of past members actually getting their novels published.
It is a positive example of how the internet has helped global creative communities form. It’s also not too late to join in this year!
Anna Keville