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NaNoWriMo
1) Read the information in this packet.
2) Show page 3 to a parent or guardian so that they can learn about
NaNoWriMo.
3) Use page 7 to pick a goal.
4) Fill out page 8 and CAREFULLY tear it out. Return that page to Mrs.
Baker in the library by or before Wednesday, October 29.
BTW—it’s
pronounced
“Nah No RY
Mo”, not
“REE Mo”.
Hello, Novelist!
Here it is, almost November, and you've decided to join over 100,000 people around the world next month who are brave and crazy enough to write a novel in 30 days.
We know what you're thinking. You're thinking: Writing a novel sounds pretty cool. After all, when I'm done I can spend the rest of my life bragging about how I wrote a novel in a month. But still, isn't novel writing for, well, novelists?
The answer, our friends, is no! Anyone can write a novel. You don't even have to know how to write a novel to write a novel. You just have to have a few ideas, some paper, and a pen. It's as easy as that.
If you don’t have any ideas about what to write next month, don’t worry. We've put together an awesome workbook to spark your imagination before NaNoWriMo (you'll receive it by the end of the week if you turn in this packet on time -- you don't HAVE to do it, but it can be very helpful!). We'll walk you through creating awesome characters and settings. We'll show you how to create conflict, outline your plot, and write dialogue that will strike the deepest envy in writers the world over. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, we will be right by your side throughout NaNoWriMo with dares that will help you boost your word count, create plot twists, and get to know your characters better than you might want to.
Before you embark on your noveling adventure, we want you to know that whatever your word count at the end of November, you are extraordinary just for giving this a shot.
Good luck, from all of us here at NaNoWriMo. May your words be many, your imagination be awakened, and your adventure be out of this world!
Dear Parents and Family Members,
This November, your child will be taking part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). He or she will
be joining over 300,000 writers all around the world! This is a fun, innovative creative writing event where
the challenge is the complete the first draft of an entire novel in just 30 days. I've often said that it's like a
sports season or a marathon — even recess — for writers!
The noveling season begins November 1 and ends by midnight, November 30.
Adult participants in this program write 50,000 words during the event, but children under the age of 17
choose their own age-appropriate goal and are supported through some motivational activities at school.
We'll have a progress chart (complete with stickers!), "NaNoWriMo Mail," goodies, and an end-of-event
celebration/awards ceremony (you’re invited!).
There is an online component to this program available at http://ywp.nanowrimo.org — it can be very
helpful, and is a fun community of young writers, but it is not a required component of our program at LSMS.
There are no mandatory meetings or fees, but there will be several opportunities for participants to
collaborate and share.
I have participated in NaNoWriMo, as a writer and as a facilitator, for about a decade and am a big believer
in its benefits for young writers. It helps them build valuable skills in project planning and time management
as well as willpower and, of course, composition.
I'm very proud and excited to welcome your child as a participant in the 2014 LSMS NaNoWriMo Young
Writers Program! If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with me at
baker.kate@westada.org.
Enthusiastically,
Kate Baker
LSMS NaNoWriMo Facilitator
P.S. Have YOU always said “one day maybe I’ll write a novel”? This might be that day! NaNoWriMo is challenging with all of
the demands of an adult life, but definitely doable and SO rewarding. And nothing motivates a writer (like your child) like
a Writing Buddy and maybe a little friendly competition with a family member! I strongly recommend that adult
participants get a free account at www.nanowrimo.org and take advantage of the progress-tracking features there. If you
attach your profile to the Boise/Treasure Valley municipal area, you will be invited to some terrific community events like
Write-Ins with friendly area writers (and your child can go with you and see what real writers in the community do). It’s
immensely powerful and a great way to meet interesting, awesome people and have some support in writing your story.
NaNoWriMo Quick Facts Started by a group of friends in 1999.
Grew from 21 participants in 1999 to almost half a million participants in 2013.
The Young Writers’ Program started in 2005 to allow younger writers a chance to participate.
Adults have to write 50,000 (or more) words. Children under the age of 17 can pick a goal based
on their grade level (grade level x 1,000 words) and their abilities/amount of spare time.
There is an online community where you can create an account and interact with other student
writers. This is completely optional and should only be done with your parents’ permission.
NaNoWriMo has produced MANY published books! You can see a complete list online at
http://nanowrimo.org/published-wrimos but some of the NaNoWriMo books/authors you may
have heard of include Cinder (Marissa Meyer), The Compound (S. A. Bodeen), Water for
Elephants (Sara Gruen), The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern), The Forest of Hands and Teeth
(Carrie Ryan), Fangirl (Rainbow Rowell), Anna and the French Kiss (Stephanie Perkins), Being
Henry David (Cal Armistead), Spookygirl: Paranormal Investigator (Jill Baguchinsky) and Sure
Signs of Crazy (Karen Harrington). Yep — the first draft of each of these books was written in
thirty days during National Novel Writing Month!
National Novel Writing Month is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Berkeley, California. Its mission statement:
“National Novel Writing Month organizes events where children and adults find the inspiration, encouragement, and structure they
need to achieve their creative potential. Our programs are web-enabled challenges with vibrant real-world components, designed
to foster self-expression while building community on local and global levels.”
Frequently Asked Questions Q: What is the point?
A: Lots of people say that “one day” they’ll write a novel, but days turn into months that turn into years, and next thing you know you are old and never wrote your story! NaNoWriMo gives you a forced deadline, breaks it into easy-to-do chunks, and adds the element of prizes and competition to make it fun. It’s a great way to motivate yourself into writing down a first draft of a novel.
Q: How do I win?
A: NaNoWriMo is like a marathon — where everyone who finishes wins — not a race where only the fastest runner wins. To win, you just need to meet your goal. That is, you need to write at least as many words as you challenged yourself to write, within 30 days.
Q: How does Mrs. Baker know if I’ve won or passed a milestone?
A: There will be a “mailbox” system in the library and you’ll need to check your mail and turn in Writing Updates. They only take a minute to fill out, and you should do one every 1-3 days so that Mrs. Baker knows how you are doing and whether you’ve earned any goodies!
Q: What do I win?
A: There will be little goodies for different milestones (for example, passing your halfway point). At the end, we’ll have a party and awards ceremony to recognize the writers. If you meet your goal you’ll have the opportunity to have your novel printed up and shared in the library.
Q: Who will read my novel?
A: Anyone you want to read your work can! But you are not required to turn it in to anyone.
Q: Can I write with a partner?
A: Not really. Each person needs to have his or her own goal and his or her own novel. But you can definitely have a Writing Buddy who writes alongside you and keeps you on track!
Q: Do I have to type my novel?
A: No. BUT there are benefits to typing it. The first one is that your computer will count your words for you! Otherwise you will have to count your words by hand. The second one is that if you meet your goal and want your story to be printed up, you’ll have to type up your novel first.
Q: Can I start early?
A: No! That would be cheating. :)
Q: Can I have extra time?
A: Nope… once it is December, NaNoWriMo is over and you can’t count any more words. BUT you can definitely keep writing if you haven’t reached “THE END” yet!
Pep Talks from Real Authors Every year, famous authors support NaNoWriMo participants by writing and sharing great
pep talks to motivate you as you write! The 2014 lineup of Pep Talk authors includes:
TAMORA PIERCE VERONICA ROTH BRANDON SANDERSON
Author of TONS of books
including the Song of the
Lioness series, The
Immortals series, the
Protector of the Small
series, and MANY more!
Author of the
Divergent series!
Author of Mistborn,
Steelheart, The
Rithmatist, the Alcatraz
series, and many other
series and novels!
JIM BUTCHER KAMI GARCIA CHUCK WENDIG
Author of Mrs. Baker’s
favorite series, The
Dresden Files, and The
Codex Alera series!
Co-author of the
Beautiful Creatures series;
author of Unbreakable
and Unmarked!
Author of Blackbirds,
Double Dead, and
Dinocalypse Now.
These pep talks, along with other goodies, will be distributed
to your NaNoWriMo Mailbox throughout the month!
Choosing Your Goal The first major decision you have to make is how big you want your goal to be.
Although you CAN change your goal, it is better NOT to. So choose carefully!
Look at the charts below to help you pick a goal. These are just suggestions — you can have any goal you want, as long as it meets your minimum requirements for your grade.
(I STRONGLY recommend that you do not choose a goal higher than 50,000 words, though!)
6th Grade Goal Suggestions
7th Grade Goal Suggestions
8th Grade Goal Suggestions
Very Busy Sorta Busy Too Much Spare Time!
Slow Writer
6,000 words
about 22 doublespaced pages
or ¾ of a page per day
8,000 words
about 28 doublespaced pages
or almost 1 page per day
10,000 words
about 35 doublespaced pages
or just over 1 page per day
Average Writer
8,000 words
about 28 doublespaced pages
or almost 1 page per day
11,000 words
about 39 doublespaced pages
or 1⅓ pages per day
14,000 words
about 49 doublespaced pages
or 1⅔ pages per day
Fast Writer
10,000 words
about 35 doublespaced pages
or just over 1 page per day
14,000 words
about 49 doublespaced pages
or 1⅔ pages per day
18,000 words
about 63 doublespaced pages
or just over 2 pages per day
Very Busy Sorta Busy Too Much Spare Time!
Slow Writer
7,000 words
about 25 doublespaced pages
or ⅘ of a page per day
9,000 words
about 32 doublespaced pages
or just over 1 page per day
11,000 words
about 39 doublespaced pages
or 1⅓ pages per day
Average Writer
9,000 words
about 32 doublespaced pages
or just over 1 page per day
12,000 words
about 42 doublespaced pages
or about 1½ pages per day
16,000 words
about 56 doublespaced pages
or almost 2 pages per day
Fast Writer
11,000 words
about 39 doublespaced pages
or 1⅓ pages per day
16,000 words
about 56 doublespaced pages
or almost 2 pages per day
21,000 words
about 74 doublespaced pages
or about 2½ pages per day
Very Busy Sorta Busy Too Much Spare Time!
Slow Writer
8,000 words
about 28 doublespaced pages
or almost 1 page per day
10,000 words
about 35 doublespaced pages
or just over 1 page per day
12,000 words
about 42 doublespaced pages
or about 1½ pages per day
Average Writer
10,000 words
about 35 doublespaced pages
or just over 1 page per day
14,000 words
about 49 doublespaced pages
or 1⅔ pages per day
18,000 words
about 63 doublespaced pages
or just over 2 pages per day
Fast Writer
12,000 words
about 42 doublespaced pages
or about 1½ pages per day
18,000 words
about 63 doublespaced pages
or just over 2 pages per day
24,000 words
about 84 doublespaced pages
or 2⅘ pages per day
Please write neatly so we don’t misspell your name when we copy it down!
Name Grade
English/Language Arts Teacher
Advisory Teacher
Email (if you have one)
Look at page 7 of this packet and use it to
help you pick a goal. Please do not pick a
goal higher than 50,000 words.
Need help? Talk to Mrs. Baker (librarian).
The table to the right shows the minimum
goal you are allowed to pick; you can choose
a higher goal if you are a fast writer!
Remember, you have only 30 days to meet your goal — and Thanksgiving is this month.
Set a goal you can achieve without sacrificing sleep, schoolwork, & family/friend time.
My goal is to write words in 30 days.
Lowell Scott Advisor: Mrs. Baker (librarian)
baker.kate@westada.org
National Website: http://ywp.nanowrimo.org
RETURN THIS FORM BY WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29 AT 4 PM
WHAT
GRADE ARE
YOU IN?
MINIMUM
GOAL
TOTAL PAGE
EQUIVALENT
(size 12, double
spaced)
WORDS
PER DAY
(FOR 30 DAYS)
6 6,000 words About 20 200
7 7,000 words About 24 233
8 8,000 words About 27 267
Recom-
mended 20,000 words 667 About 70
Adults 50,000 words About 160 1,667
Tear our this page and give it to Mrs. Baker in the
library by Wednesday, October 29 , no later than 4 PM.
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