Do You NaNoWriMo?

This November, BiblioBoard is celebrating National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)! Are you undertaking the 50,000-word writing challenge? Check out resources for writers, read hand-picked self-published novels, or get inspired by vintage images of famous authors. They’ve put all of these resources and more together in a special NaNoWriMo curation.

Our library system, RAILS, hosts BiblioBoard. Through RAILS’ partnership with BiblioLabs, any Illinois resident has access to thousands of other e-resources free of charge and without needing a login or library card. Items on the BiblioBoard platform have no holds or waiting for titles and can be read by multiple users at the same time. Good luck, and happy writing!

Novel Writer Resources

November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, the world’s largest writing event.  Participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month, starting from scratch and reaching “The End” by November 30th.  So how can you participate?  Go to http://nanowrimo.org/ to register and for more information.  Peoria NaNoWriMo participants can also find local events and community members at http://nanowrimo.org/en/regions/usa-illinois-peoria.  

Thinking about participating but don’t know where to start?  There are some materials in the Lillie M. Evans Library that can help!  We have books by several famous authors that give some insights on their writing styles.  One of my favorites, Janet Evanovich, has one called How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author.  Anne Lamott has written Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life and Stephen King’s book is simply called On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.  In addition to these, we also have Writer’s Market, MLA Handbook and Modern Library’s Writer’s Workshop.   For other titles in our collection, click on the link below: Search RSAcat for authorship

Also, below are links to some helpful websites:

100 Useful Web Tools for Writers	http://www.collegedegrees.com/blog/2008/06/11/100-useful-web-tools-for-writers/
Amazon’s Self Publishing	http://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/mm-summary-page.html?ie=UTF8&ld=AZFooterSelfPublish&topic=200260520
Barnes & Noble’s Self Publishing	https://help.barnesandnoble.com/app/publisher_author/list
CrimeSpace: A place for Readers and Writers of Crime Fiction to Meet	http://crimespace.ning.com/
Grammar Girl: Quick & Dirty Tips for Better Writing	http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
Merriam-Webster Dictionary	http://www.merriam-webster.com/
National Novel Writing Month	http://www.nanowrimo.org/
Writers Write: Your One-Stop Resource for Information about Books, Writing & Publishing	http://www.writerswrite.com/
Writing.com	http://www.writing.com/

There have been hundreds of novels that began as NaNoWriMo projects and which have since been published successfully.  These include Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Water for Elephant by Sara Gruen, and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. No matter where you are in the writing process, NaNoWriMo is a great time to start that novel you've always meant to write! 

National Novel Writing Month-NaNoWriMo

November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, the world’s largest writing event.  There are no judges and no prizes but participant’s efforts turn the usually solitary act of writing into a community experience.   Participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month, starting from scratch and reaching “The End” by November 30^th.  

Although the event emphasizes creativity and perseverance over creating a literary masterpiece, more than 90 novelists who have participated in NaNoWriMo have since become published authors.  The list includes recent best selling authors Sara Gruen (Water for Elephants and Ape House), Erin Morgenstern (The Night Circus), and Marissa Meyer (Cinder).  

So how can you participate?  Go to http://nanowrimo.org/ to register and for more information.  Peoria NaNoWriMo participants can also find local events and community members at http://nanowrimo.org/en/regions/usa-illinois-peoria.  NaNoWriMo is a great time to start that novel you've always meant to write!