NaNoWriMo Lets the Words Flow During Month-Long Novel Project

Writing a whole book in one month might sound like a crazy idea to most people, but for many writers it's an idea that's so crazy it just might work.

All over the world, including here on the Eastside, writers will soon be hunkering down at their computers and participating in National Novel Writing Month, known popularly as NaNoWriMo. They aim to pound out 50,000 words of prose before Nov. 30.

Some regular participants religiously outline and work on character sketches before the month begins, while others just write blind from Nov. 1.

No matter how they get there, writers who register at NaNoWriMo.org and who manage to keep a pace of 1,700 or more words a day earn the distinction of being NaNoWriMo winners, as verified by a word counter. 

“The 50,000-word challenge has a wonderful way of opening up your imagination and unleashing creativity,” NaNoWriMo Founder and Executive Director (and 12-time NaNoWriMo winner) Chris Baty said in a news release from The Office of Letters and Light, the a California-based international non-profit organization that runs the month-long prose fest. “When you write for quantity instead of quality, you end up getting both. Also, it’s a great excuse for not doing any dishes for a month."

Though the event officially begins Tuesday, there's a kickoff party for Eastside writers at in Redmond tonight, Oct. 27, 17262 Redmond Way, from 6 to 9 p.m. There are weekly write-ins planned in Redmond throughout November, both at Panera and at the Tully's in Bella Bottega. It's a chance to meet other writers and talk about methods of writing madness. 

On Halloween, Monday, Oct. 31, there's another kickoff party, "HalloNaNoWeen," planned by a group in Bellevue at the at 2233 148th Ave. NE, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

A group in Renton will hold its official kickoff on Tuesday, Nov. 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Benson Center at 17901 108th Ave. SE and will meet weekly on Tuesdays to help writers connect.

In Issaquah, the Writer's Cottage at Gilman Village, operated by the Pacific Northwest Writer's Association, will hold extended hours for its members, from noon to 8 p.m. during the week, to support those taking up the challenge.

The moral support of fellow writers can be important for many participants, because writing 50,000 words in a month is no easy feat, especially when the big turkey day preparations arrive in week four.

The popularity of NaNoWriMo has grown to epic proportions since it was launched 11 years ago by freelance writer Chris Baty. According to organizers, there were 21 participants in 1999. Last year, more than 200,000 registered and more than 37,000 "won," completing 50,000 words or more during the month. Participants run the gamut from people who write only during November to those who write all year.

At times, the website is so filled with would-be novelists that it becomes a trick to navigate, requiring constant effort by the organizers to keep it moving.

Participants can find ample advice, online and at in-person writing groups to encourage them, along with plenty of ways to procrastinate. Participants create personal pages to upload snippets of text from their novel in progress and their current word count.

At the official website, people can sign up and choose a region, such as the Seattle region, and join local groups that get together weekly for write-ins and support.

Bookstores and libraries host write-ins, also. NaNoWriMo accepts donations and sells merchandise to help pay for the costs of running the event, and partners with literacy groups such as Room to Read to get students involved.

NaNoWriMo events for Eastsiders can be found at http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/regions/usa-washington-seattle.

Editor's note: For more on NaNoWriMo, check out from Redmond author Louise Marley.