Do you think you have what it takes to write an entire novel in a month?
If so, November is the month to do it, as Nelson is once again taking part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The free kickoff event takes place on Tuesday, October 28 at 7 p.m. at the Nelson Public Library.
“NaNoWriMo challenges writers to do the impossible,” said Deb O’Keeffe, one of the municipal liaisons for the event. “It’s a literary adventure of epic proportions: 30 days, 50,000 words and one original novel.”
There are no entry fees, no judges and no prizes. But last year 63 Kootenay novelists joined 400,000 people worldwide in tackling the month-long task.
Ultimately, after furiously typing in coffee shops and libraries, those 63 writers produced a collective total of 1,524,426 words.
The kickoff event will be an opportunity for participants to meet other participants and to hear from those who’ve successfully crossed the 50,000-word finish line. There will be food and prizes.
The library will also be hosting write-ins on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5 p.m to 8 p.m.
“Write-ins are amazing,” said Karina Kram, another municipal liaison for NaNoWriMo. “They help turn the solitary act of writing into much more of a community experience.”
O’Keeffe agreed.
“There’s nothing like a fellow NaNo writer to help you through those panicked times when your main character suddenly goes rogue,” she said.
More than 250 projects created during NaNoWriMo have gone on to become published works, including the bestsellers Water for Elephants by Sara Guren and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
To learn more, visit nanowrimo.org.
