Often abbreviated to NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month is an annual writing challenge that began in 1999 with an overarching goal to pen 50,000 words of a novel across 30 days in November. Starting November 1, thousands of writers across the globe begin their journey in hopes of ending the month with a first draft of their novel.
In 2006, NaNoWriMo became a nonprofit organization, making it possible to incorporate community-based writing challenges and other special events throughout the year. The nonprofit has continued to expand through the years. In 2022, more than 413,000 writers participated in programs related to the National Novel Writing Month challenge.
Learn more about how to participate in 2024 at https://nanowrimo.org/
Are you preparing to write your own novel? Here are ways St. John the Baptist Parish Library can assist you during your journey.
- Take advantage of our study rooms at the LaPlace and Reserve branches when you need a quiet space to focus on your writing. Both branches have laptops available for check-out for in-house use.
- Check out an e-book on strategies to take a novel from concept to first draft in 30 days. Free with your library card, Hoopla has a variety of e-books especially for aspiring novelists. Browse titles here: https://www.hoopladigital.com/search?q=write+your+novel&scope=everything&type=direct
- Take a virtual writing course using LinkedIn Learning or Udemy, both offered for free with your St. John the Baptist Parish library card. Courses are up-to-date and led by qualified instructors. Find Linked In Learning and Udemy under “Educational Resources” at www.stjohnlib.com.
- Attend a College Essay Writing class, held weekly at 6 PM on Thursdays this month at the LaPlace Branch, located at 2920 Highway 51. Even if your goal is to write a novel and not an essay, you can benefit from learning the basics of writing, such as crafting strong intros and smooth transitions. The class places an emphasis on good use of strong nouns and verbs, and students will leave with the confidence to produce quality writing assignments.
- Aspiring writers can learn a lot from reading. Being exposed to a variety of writing styles can shed light on stylistic choices that work best for your chosen genre and audience. Check out books from any of our library branches or from our e-book collections listed in the “Online Resources” tab at www.stjohnlib.com.