National Novel Writing Month 2026 (NaNoWriMo)

Choose a goal you can use

You could aim for a complete rough draft, a sequence of scenes or a reliable writing habit. A 50,000-word target over 30 days would average about 1,667 words a day. That is an arithmetic planning example, not a requirement or a measure of whether you are a writer.

Start with your available time. Someone with short sessions may prefer a scene list and a weekly target. Another writer may use the month to revise existing work. Write the goal down so you can decide what to count and what to leave for later.

A four-stage November plan

This is our suggested structure. Adapt it rather than treating a missed session as a reason to stop.

1. Prepare a small starting point. Describe a character, something they want and an obstacle. Make a short list of scenes or questions you want to explore. Keep research notes separate from the draft.
2. Establish a workable routine. Choose a writing slot and a place to save your work. At the end of each session, leave a brief note about what comes next.
3. Review the plan halfway through. Check whether the target fits your actual progress and responsibilities. You can reduce the target, change the project or build in a rest day.
4. Finish with a next step. Save a copy, note what the draft contains and choose when to return to it. Completing a rough draft and preparing a manuscript for publication are different stages.

Find writing support

The Open University’s free OpenLearn course, Start writing fiction, offers material on character, setting and genre. Its course page explains the available study options.

You could also ask a library or local writing group whether it is running a current session. Check its dates, costs, audience and feedback arrangements directly. An independent group is not automatically a continuation of the former nonprofit.

If you write with other people

Agree whether the group is for quiet writing, encouragement or critique. Let participants choose whether to share work and what kind of feedback they want. Ask permission before circulating someone’s draft or recording a meeting.

Keep your own saved copy of your writing and read the terms of any platform before uploading it. A group word-count board should be optional, especially in a school or youth setting.