If you’ve been a writer for at least a year, you’ve probably heard of NaNoWriMo. On the other hand, if you’re new, welcome! And don’t worry; you’ll soon be spouting off these crazy words like the rest of us. 

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. In the month of November, writers from all around the world pledge to write 50,000 words in 30 days (and if you’re math-challenged like me, that’s 1,667 words per day). NaNo started out as simply a fun way for writers to challenge themselves, but it gained quite a bit of popularity as novels like Cinder, Water for Elephants, and many others were born out of it. 

But have you noticed this trend nowadays where things that people once praised highly are being dumped on all over the place? NaNo is no exception. Out of all the posts I’ve read on NaNo so far this year, I’d estimate at least 80% of them have been negative, saying not to do it for one reason or another. The unfortunate trend behind our culture’s negativity is best saved for another post, but suffice to say that it can be a bit confusing. Is NaNo good or bad? Should you do it or shouldn’t you? Who’s best suited to do NaNoWriMo? What’s really the point of it, anyway? 

If you have any of these or other questions about NaNoWriMo, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive right in!

Is NaNoWriMo Good or Bad?

You’ve probably already guessed what I’m going to say. Like many things in writing, whether it be grammar checkers, paying for writing conferences, or writing products, it all comes down to you. The question isn’t whether NaNo is good or bad; the question is whether NaNo is right for you. 

NaNo can produce fantastic results; I’ve written several novels because of it! But if you’re not ready for it, it just won’t work with your current schedule, or your writing process doesn’t quite fit with the way NaNo works, the 30-day challenge can do more harm than good. Stick around, and we’ll look at some signs that may indicate whether or not NaNo is for you this year. 

Yes, this year. NaNoWriMo happens every year! Even if you’re not up for it this time, there’s always next year.

Who Is NaNoWriMo For?

Writers of all kinds! The name suggests it’s only for novelists, but you can really write anything. The emphasis is still on novel writing, but anything goes. Want to write a 50,000-word memoir? Epic poem? Go right ahead!

But, as I said before, not every writer will benefit from NaNoWriMo every year. It all depends on where you are personally. Here are some signs that you might be ready to take on NaNo this year:

• You’ve planned out a story and are ready to start writing
• You enjoy writing under pressure
• Target word counts motivate you
• You’re in a pretty stable period of life
• You have a writing buddy to encourage you and keep you accountable

Do you need all of these things? Are they requirements? No! This is just a general self-assessment so you can start to think about whether or not you’re in the right place to do NaNo this year. 

If you’re not sure, it’s always okay to wait a year (or even less—stay tuned to find out about more writing challenges!). It might be more beneficial for you to practise at your own pace right now, and that’s okay! 

What’s the Point of NaNoWriMo? 

It’s actually not to win. The point of NaNo is to challenge yourself to write something new. Even if you get down 20k words instead of 50k, that’s still a whole lot more than zero! 

This is why NaNo is usually safe to try even if you want to write but aren’t sure you can reach the goal. Still, only make sure to dive in when you’re ready. For some, not being able to reach the goal is quite discouraging. Another problem might be that you do reach the goal, but end up with 50k words that you rushed through so much that you can’t use them and have to rewrite the whole thing anyway. 

What Do I Do if I’m Not Ready?

Don’t worry! This challenge happens every year. The first time I did NaNo was in 2011, and since then, I’ve only participated a handful of times, about every other year. It all depends on what you feel is right at the time. 

But if NaNo just isn’t right for you this November, there are plenty of other writing challenges available to you throughout 2024! The NaNoWriMo crew also hosts Camp NaNoWriMo in April and July, which is like NaNo but more laid back. You also can look into something like The Writer’s Games, which is coming back next year after a hiatus. Globe Soup is a site that frequently hosts smaller writing challenges.

Yes, everyone talks about NaNo, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it works best for you. Pick a type of challenge that best works for where you are in your life right now. 

Should You Go for NaNo?

It’s up to you! Look through the factors in this post and think about it. Consider what works best for your writing goals right now and go for it—even if it’s not NaNoWriMo!

Have more questions about NaNo? Want to share your experience? I’d love to hear it in the comments, and it might just help someone who’s on the fence. And if you need more help figuring out your story idea before NaNo, let’s work on it together!

Happy writing!
—E.J.

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Photo by Thomas Franke on Unsplash