Write a 50,000 word novel during NaNoWriMo

If you've always wanted to write a novel, but the thought of a blank page terrifies you, then NaNoWriMo is for you. Don‘t let the empty page paralyze you! National Novel Writing Month, which happens every November, is a chance to set your fear to the side and just write. Does just starting seem overwhelming to you? Let the library help.

The Library: Your NaNoWriMo partner

To help you get started with NaNoWriMo, we're hosting a kick off party on Tuesday, October 29th. You can learn more about NaNoWriMo, get signed up, and meet past participants. In November, we'll have weekly “write-ins” every Tuesday starting at 6 p.m. The write-ins are a great way to crank out a few thousand words, win silly prizes, and meet other NaNoWriMo participants.

Why should you come to the write-ins? Since you have to write 50,000 words by the end of month, the write-ins are crucial to your survival. This chart show my daily word counts for the last two years. See those spikes in activity? Those are write-ins that I attended. Each time, my productivity does way up.

If you need more write-ins and more NaNo support, Oakton Community College also can help. They‘re hosting write-ins at the Des Plaines campus, have a few special events, and great resources to help you survive NaNo. Visit their NaNoWriMo resource guide to learn more.

Social writing is fun writing

Frankly, I think “write-ins” are the best part of NaNoWriMo. You‘re sharing in a fun and stressful event with other people, and get to talk about writing and books with like-minded people. It‘s worth mentioning that last year‘s participants went on to start our writing group.

Interested in this DIY writing extravaganza? Come to our kickoff party on October 29th and visit our NaNoWriMo page to learn more.

The Month Ahead: November 2012

Here's a quick look at the month ahead at the Des Plaines Public Library:

Are you writing a novel for National Novel Writing Month? If so, come to the library every Tuesday evening in November. We're hosting write-ins to help you write 50,000 words by the end of the month.

We're also celebrating books with Family Reading Night. Pick up a Reading Night bag from the 2nd floor and read as a family on November 15th.

The holiday season is coming and the Frugal Friends are here to help. Join them on November 11th for "Frugal Gift Giving" ideas. You can also follow our Frugal Friends Pinterest board for more money saving tips.

Speaking of stress, in November, we're featuring resources to help reduce homework stress. We have great free resources like HelpNow that offers live, online tutoring.

At the end of the month, teens can get into new books at our BookBlitz program on November 27th. The theme for this month is "Fall into Fantasy."

Finally, we need your help to improve the website. Take our online survey so we can make the website better.

For more information about the month ahead, checkout our website at:
http://dppl.org.

Music: Metrotechno, "stereotype" http://archive.org/details/txtn024

Write with us during National Novel Writing Month

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drewcoffman/4815205632/

Did you know that November is National Novel Writing Month? NaNoWriMo as it's usually called (that's "nan-o-ry-mo") encourages writers and aspiring writers to draft a 50,000 word novel in one month. Over 200,000 people participated in NaNoWriMo last year and we want you to be one of them!

That's why we are hosting four "write-ins" during November. Every Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m. you can come to the library with your computer (or preferred writing device) and the urge to write. Together as a group we'll try to crank out as many words as possible by competing in writing sprints and encouraging one another. We'll have coffee and snacks. There will be little prizes for the person who writes the most words that night.

You "win" at NaNoWriMo if you write those 50,000 words by November 30th. If you do the math, that breaks down to over 1600 pages a day. How feasible is this? Well, speaking as someone who participated last year, it's pretty crazy. You really have to push yourself to write. 

But that's what makes NaNoWriMo so wonderful. The event encourages you to set aside your inner critic and write like a Olympic sprinter rushing for the finish line. It's also a great way to meet other writers celebrate literary (and not so literary) craft.

Most of what you produce will be garbage, but by the end you have 50,000 more words of...writing than you did before. Sometimes, though, a diamond emerges from the rough. There are a number of former "NaNo" participants who have published their creations (and we even have their books).

If you're interested, check out the getting started page for NaNoWriMo and sign up. You can also checkout our NaNoWriMo page where we'll be logging how many words people write at the write-ins. If you do sign up, be sure to stop by the library every Tuesday night in November from 6 to 9 p.m.. We'll keep the door open and the coffee warm for you!