It’s here. It’s time. Stretch out those typing fingers, sharpen your pencils, and hook up the caffeine IV. It’s NaNoWriMo!
NaNoWriMo, to the uninitiated, is National Novel Writing Month. Writers dedicate the month of November to starting and finishing a first draft of a novel. It doesn’t have to be amazing, it doesn’t have to be edited, it just has to be written! Sounds insane, right? Maybe so, until you check out one of these big name books that started as a NaNoWriMo project:
- Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
- Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress by Marissa Meyer
- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (now a movie!)
Fort Collins has its own thriving NaNoWriMo community, and we are lucky enough to host them at the Old Town Library for Sunday events throughout November. Come to the launch party on Sunday, November 1, and come back for write-ins every Sunday after that. These aren’t just write-ins though; each week has different challenges and inspirations to help keep you going, as well as caffeine provided by Everyday Joe’s Coffee House (trust me, you’ll need it).
Still not sure? This program is for writers of all ages, so come to our NaNoWriMo Meet and Greet on Monday, October 26 from 6-8pm at the Old Town Library to chat with other writers, meet some brave souls who have completed NaNoWriMo before, and get some great inspiration!
Once you’ve decided you’re ready to give NaNoWriMo a try, your library is here to help you get it done. Check out some of the great titles we have available on the craft of writing:
Bird by bird: Some instructions on writing and life by Anne Lamott
Fast fiction: A guide to outlining and writing a first draft novel in thirty days by Denise Jaden
No plot? No Problem! A low-stress, high-velocity guide to writing a novel in 30 days by Chris Baty
On Writing: A memoir of the craft by Stephen King
Plot versus character: a balanced approach to writing great fiction by Jeff Gerke
Story trumps structure: How to write unforgettable fiction by breaking the rules by Steven James
That’s just a small sampling of the titles the library has to help you get through NaNoWriMo. Whether you’re writing historical fiction, the next big mystery, or your own comic book, we have something for you. A few other searches to try:
Good luck! We can’t wait to see your own wildly successful NaNoWriMo book on our shelves someday!