Easy to Read Info & Rules List for NaNoWriMo: Part One

The Basics
How often do you do this?
Every November!

Who will read my novel when I'm done?
Anyone you want. Last year, some people swapped novels afterwards and it was a hoot. But it's entirely up to you. No one will read your novel until you're ready for them to.

Do you edit or publish the finished products?
We'd love to be able to publish everyone's work, but our connections to the fiction-publishing world end at Kinkos. You are welcome, however, to put excerpts from your novel-in-progress up on our site.

Does NaNoWriMo own to the rights to novels written during November?
Nope. All words are yours and yours alone. Novels emailed in at the end of the month for word count verification are deleted, unread, after being verified.

Is there a fee to participate?
There's no sign-up fee, but we do ask ably-financed participants to contribute something towards hosting and administrative costs. The amount is up to you.

Do I need to have a personal website to participate?
No.

When can I sign up?
October 1, 2007

When is the cut-off date for sign-ups?
11:59:59 pm GMT, November 30, 2007 (hope springs eternal).

When do I start writing?
At 12:00:01 am local time on November 1.

How do you win? Are there judges? What are the prizes?
The way to win NaNoWriMo is by writing 50,000 words by midnight on November 30. Every year, there are many, many winners. There are no "Best Novel" or "Quickest-Written Novel" awards given out. All winners will get an official "Winner" web icon and certificate.

Can I handwrite the novel?
Absolutely. We can't verify your word count, but verification is just icing on the NaNoWriMo cake.

What if I start and don't finish?
That's ok. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

What if I hit 50,000 words but I'm only halfway through my story?
The 50,000 word limit is a threshold, not necessarily a stopping place. Reaching 50k and realizing you still have a lot of wrapping up to do is a good thing---it gives you something to come back and work on later.

How many novels have been written through NaNoWriMo?
1999: 21 participants and six winners
2000: 140 participants and 29 winners
2001: 5,000 particpants and more than 700 winners
2002: 13,500 participants and around 2,100 winners
2003: 25,500 participants and about 3,500 winners
2004: 42,000 participants and just shy of 6,000 winners
2005: 59,000 participants and 9,769 winners
2006: 79,000 participants and 13,000 winners

Has anyone had their novel published?
Published NaNoWriMo Authors

Jon F. Merz---NaNoWriMo novel: The Destructor (Pinnacle Books, 2003). Contact: Pinnacle Books
Lani Diane Rich---NaNoWriMo novels: Time Off for Good Behavior (Warner Books, 2004) and Maybe Baby (Warner Books, 2005). Contact: www.lanidianerich.com
Sara Gruen---NaNoWriMo novel: Flying Changes (HarperCollins, 2005) and Water for Elephants (Algonquin, 2007). Contact: www.saragruen.com
Rebecca Agiewich---NaNoWriMo novel: BreakupBabe (Ballantine Books, 2006). Contact: http://rebecca.agiewich.net
Francesca Segre---NaNoWriMo novel: Daughter of the Bride (Berkeley Books, 2006). Contact: www.FrancescaSegre.com.
David Niall Wilson---NaNoWriMo novel: Vintage Soul (Five Star/Gale, 2007) and The Mote in Andrea's Eye (Five Star/Gale, 2006). Contact: Five Star/Gale
Gayle Brandeis---NaNoWriMo novel: Self Storage (Ballantine Books, 2007). Contact: www.gaylebrandeis.com
Kimberly Llewellyn---NaNoWriMo novel: Cashmere Boulevard (Berkley Books, 2007). Contact: www.KimberlyLlewellyn.com
Geonn Cannon---NaNoWriMo novel: On the Air (P.D. Publishing, 2007). Contact: P.D Publishing.
Lisa Daily---NaNoWriMo novel: The Dreamgirl Academy (Plume/Penguin Putnam, 2008). Contact: http://stopgettingdumped.com
Jacob and Diane Anderson-Minshall---NaNoWriMo novel: Blind Curves (Bold Strokes Books, 2007) Contact: www.boldstrokesbooks.com
James R. Strickland---NaNoWriMo novel: Looking Glass (Flying Pen Press, 2007) Contact: www.jamesrstrickland.com
Kathy Cano-Murillo---NaNoWriMo novel: Love Shine (Grand Central Publishing, 2007) Contact: www.CraftyChica.com
Ann Gonzalez---NaNoWriMo novel: Running for My Life (WestSide Books, 2008) Contact: www.AnnGonzalez.com
Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen---NaNoWriMo novel: The Compound (Feiwel and Friends, 2008) Contact: www.rockforadoll.com
Jessica Burkhart---NaNoWriMo novel: High Jumps at Collins Academy (Simon & Schuster, 2007).
Jenna Bayley-Burke---NaNoWriMo novel: Just One Spark (Mills & Boon, 2006). Contact: www.jennabayleyburke.com

Why 50,000 words? Isn't that more of a novella?
Our experiences over the past nine years show that 50,000 is a difficult but doable goal, even for people with full-time jobs and children. The length makes it a short novel. We don't use the word "novella" because it doesn't seem to impress people the way "novel" does.

Why are you doing this? What do you get out of it?
NaNoWriMo is all about the magical power of deadlines. Give someone a goal and a goal-minded community and miracles are bound to happen. Pies will be eaten at amazing rates. Alfalfa will be harvested like never before. And novels will be written in a month.

Part of the reason we organize NaNoWriMo is just to get a book written. We love the fringe benefits accrued to novelists. For one month out of the year, we can stew and storm, and make a huge mess of our apartments and drink lots of coffee at odd hours. And we can do all of these things loudly, in front of people. As satisfying as it is to reach deep within yourself and pull out an unexpectedly passable work of art, it is equally (if not more) satisfying to be able to dramatize the process at social gatherings.

But that artsy drama window is woefully short. The other reason we do NaNoWriMo is because the glow from making big, messy art, and watching others make big, messy art, lasts for a long, long time. The act of sustained creation does bizarre, wonderful things to you. It changes the way you read. And changes, a little bit, your sense of self. We like that.

How do you define "novel?" Does fan fiction count? What if I want to write interconnected short stories rather than a novel? What if my story is largely autobiographical, or is based on a real person? Can I still write it in November?
We define a novel as "a lengthy work of fiction." Beyond that, we let you decide whether what you're writing falls under the heading of "novel." In short: If you believe you're writing a novel, we believe you're writing a novel too.

I'd like to write an article on NaNoWriMo. Can I interview some of the participants in my area?
Absolutely! We've put together a Media Kit stuffed with useful information about getting in touch with participants and other journalistic FAQs. After you've read it, please get in touch and let us know what we can do to help you with your article.

Is it true there's an official guidebook to NaNoWriMo?
There is! Director Chris Baty compiled all of his tips, tricks, and caffeine-intake strategies in a book called No Plot? No Problem! Along with Chris' long-winded ramblings, the book also contains eloquent, sage, and hilarious tips from NaNoWriMo veterans, who should probably know better by now.