NovNov and Other November Challenges
Badge from NaNo 2,0
I joined up for a couple of the novel writing November events which have replaced the now defunct NaNoWriMo website event. BUT I won’t be fastdrafting this November.
I was disappointed when the NaNoWriMo website wound up this year. Not because of the understandable reasons, but because NaNoWriMo was one of the first large writing events I joined many years ago, and I accomplished the writing of 50,000 words on multiple years. Fastdrafting is often a good method for me.
Incidentally, there’s a NaNo 2.o now, which has just opened up and is run by the original founder, Chris Baty and a few others. It’s just getting started but has some badges going and some helpful links.
Whilst the old NaNoWriMo has gone, several other writing organisations have filled the hole this year, and in October I joined a couple. I joined with different intentions than writing out a new novel in November, however.
These new events have engineered a fine collection of preptober events including multiple free workshops and talks on various topics to get you started. And during November they will continue to run pep-talks, forums and writing sprints.
The later is not for me this year. I don’t intend fastwriting a 50K novel. My plans for November involve collecting together all the scenes I already have for my work in progress novel, and filling in some scenes still missing. I also have two large paid for workshops which run over November and will have their own objectives. But I really enjoyed the preptober events and assistance offered. And I will be writing over November, with the guarantee that it will total 50k or more in some shape or form. My next post will detail my personal goals for the next couple of months.
Here’s a list of the NaNo events this year, as far as I am aware of -
NaNo 2.0 - Chris Baty’s startup, currently providing badges, and some info for young writers. If you’re going it alone, take a look at the growing resources page where you’ll find word trackers and some simple worksheets. And under community roundup you’ll find a nice list to online communities often writing in November.
Prowriting Aid #NovNov - I don’t own the software, but if you join the community there is a free Novel November event running throughout October and November, found in the online community. October was full of some helpful talks and workshops on many topics, and those videos are still available now. They have just released an online dashboard to capture wordcount through November, and of course the free download version - Prowriting Aid Everywhere would provide the wordcount tracking for you through whatever writing apps you are using. The only issue I can see is that this free version of the software limits running the software over 500 words (at a time) but you can still get help and have the wordcount to claim badges as you go.
Autocrit Novel 90 Writing Challenge - again, I don’t own the software, but these seasonal challenges provide a community and incentives which are free on joinup. At the moment it’s halfway through the Fall Season but I see the signup page is to register for the Summer Season starting 31st December. These challenges run through a circle community, and you can choose your plotting system.
Dabble Writer 60 Day Challenge runs through October and November. The challenge is found on the Dabble University circle site for those with a subscription to the Dabble Writer app, and this challenge has provided a 60 Day Challenge template within the app which is full of stepped prepping content to get your novel planned out. If you don’t own the software, but are considering it, the challenge offers an extended trial period on a copy to use through the months.
Reedsy Studio Novel Sprint 2025 - once again, I don’t own the software. I have recently tried it out however. Should you want to do so, you can get access to 3 months of Reedsy Studio Premium features if you finish 50K words. There are other cash prizes also, if you submit. Note as I have just trialed Reedsy Studio, to do this challenge I would be using the free version of it. If you’re a new user to the software you could use the two premium packages called Craft and Outline. Note that to enter the contests, all your writing must be new within the Studio app - you can’t cut and paste or use AI. For me, not having access to the Outline features (as I decided not to pay for these premiums) is a showstopper for my November writing.
Pathfinders Writer’s Collective - thanks to the NaNo 2.0 website, I found this thriving community which operates from instagram and discord. The PWC has four different challenges over a year, including the PAWRICO challenge over November to January. But each is customisable to what you want to do. So although there are trackers supplied for wordcount each month, you can choose how to apply your own writing plans to each month and challenge you participate in.
