Impact
NaNoWriMo believes that:
Your story matters.
We are committed to a world that celebrates diverse voices, and encourages everyone to tell their stories.
In 2017, 972 volunteer Municipal Liaisons supported 468,104 participants on six continents.
We're having a blast at our #nanowrimo TGIO! pic.twitter.com/PGnfso4BVm
— NYC NoWriMo (@nycnowrimo) December 3, 2017
You are capable of even more than you think.
We are committed to building writing confidence.
In past surveys, 86% of respondents said that NaNoWriMo helped them learn what they can accomplish when determined. 89% of respondents said that NaNoWriMo made them more excited about writing.
In a past independent study, 87% of student participants in our Young Writers Program said that it made them more confident writers.
@NaNoWriMo launched our novel in grade 5 today with an author’s signing #authenticlearning #creative #grade5
Never stop writing ✍️ pic.twitter.com/StHkY00RCu— Nicole Neutzling (@n_neutzling) April 10, 2018
Download our Young Writers Program informational packet.
You can build worlds.
We are committed to creating real-life, vibrant, literate communities.
Every year, we partner hundreds of volunteers with their local libraries, bookstores, and community centers.
See more of NaNoWriMo’s numbers.
Annual Reports
- NaNoWriMo’s 2016 Annual Report: View or download on Scribd.
- NaNoWriMo’s 2015 Annual Report: View or download on Scribd.
- NaNoWriMo’s 2014 Annual Report: Download as a PDF.
- NaNoWriMo’s 2013 Annual Report: Download as a PNG.
- NaNoWriMo’s 2012 Annual Report: Download as a PDF.
In the News
“[NaNoWriMo]‘s made writing feel like something that’s achievable and, in the process, returned literature to a place of pop art possibility that it hasn’t been in for years.”
— Graeme McMillan, TIME Magazine
“Through [NaNoWriMo], which had my entire class intrigued, we learned how to develop a plot, build character descriptions and foreshadow, through writing our novels.”
— Julia Fox, The New York Times
“By having access to so many peers, thousands of people were going to emerge from [NaNoWriMo] with better stories — and better ability to navigate past writing snags — than they would have enjoyed otherwise.”
— George Anders, Forbes Magazine
- “What I Learned Doing NaNoWriMo for the First Time“, Lifehacker, December 2017
- “How NaNoWriMo Can Change Your Writing For The Better, Even If You Don’t Finish A Novel In 30 Days“, Bustle, October 2017
- “NaNoWriMo Is Big for Writers—and It Helps Publishers, Too“, Publishers Weekly, October 2017
- “National Novel Writing Month: Writing 50,000 words with 10 other writers — in a castle“, CNN, November 2016
- “What a Novel Idea: Kids Take Up Challenge to Pen 50,000 Words During Nat’l Novel Writing Month“, The 74, November 2016
- “Peer Pressure at Camp NaNoWriMo“, The Huffington Post, June 2015
- “20,000 New Yorkers Just Tried to Write a Novel In a Month“, New York Observer, December 2014
- “National Novel Writing Month Heads Into 16th Year“, Education Week, October 2014
- “Kids Get In On the Action with NaNoWriMo“, NPR, November 2014
- “7 Time Management Lessons from People Who Write a Novel In a Month“, Fast Company, November 2014
- “Rev Up for National Novel Writing Month“, School Library Journal, November 2014
- “A Novel in 30 Days: Libraries Embrace NaNoWriMo“, American Libraries, November 2014
Participant Testimonials
“I partook in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2017 and loved it because of the challenge. There were times when I just wanted to cry due to frustration because I didn’t meet my set goal for the day. There were times when I actually got inspiration at 3 AM. Gosh! My head was spinning with ideas throughout November.
All in all, NaNoWriMo 2017 was a great one and I enjoyed reading other peoples’ ideas about their works. I also got a few tips on how to improve as a reader and overcome writers block. Thanks!
— Olukoya Ayomipo, December 18, 2017
“The Young Writers Program has given [my students] the opportunity to prove that the scribbling they were doing in their notebooks wasn’t a waste of time. They wanted to show the world that the stories inside their heads had value. They proved that they don’t need to have all the answers to write a book, they just need to have the right questions, so that the rest of us, together, can find a resolution.
Aside from the writing itself, students were happy to meet peers with similar interests, and the organized structure of the event motivated them to write regularly and even exceed their goal.
— Roxo Trévol, December 18, 2017
Share Your Testimonial!
Did writing your novel get you through dark days? Did you meet your true love at a write-in? Did you just have a regular, straight-up blast writing this November?
Tell us your NaNoWriMo testimonial!
