TOC: NaNoWriMo

81% of people feel they have book in them. Jeff thanked God that all of the stories didn't get out. This is the story of when that happens.

National Novel Writing Month NaNoWriMo challenges anyone to use their website and write 50,000 words from scratch in November. Encouraging emails are sent out and people can post manuscripts to get and give advice. If you get to 50,000 words you upload your manuscript to the website, it is counted by a script, and the book gets deleted. If you win you get your name on the website and get a PDF that you can download, print, and write your own name on it.

This started in the Bay Area in '99 and if you know that era it was an era of incredibly bad ideas. The original group didn't know what they were doing so they used unorthodox techniques, like no one gets to go to the bathroom until you write 1000 words. Around week three of the first exercise these works which had been unencumbered by anything like plots or character development were suddenly developing and the writers were freaked out of their minds. They were not great books, they were bad books, but that month taught that novelists are not written by novelists, but by everyday people who give themselves permission to write novels. This was a life changing event.

The event now is web based, but is still completely on the honor system. The advent of blogs brought 5,000 participants. Last year 150,000 writers won the contest. There is an education packet now that is sent out. Couples that have met at NaNoWriMo and even had children ... and it's caused divorce. Around 29 manuscripts from this contest have been sold to publishers including Water For Elephants (NYT best seller).

Spending 30 days running amuck in your imagination is one of the best things you can do.

Lesson one is that online communities grow from shared experiences. Give people something big, fun, and absolutely terrifying to do together. [fear binds people together]

You do not need to offer a publishing contract as a prize and in fact it's probably best if you do not.

A rule is that whatever you ask your audience to do, you must do together. It creates a truly shared experience.

Lesson two is that in the end books win. Every year people talk about books dyeing, but every year NaNoWriMo servers are groaning from all the work.

Many of the participants have no interest in publishing these manuscripts. They just want to explore their imagination for awhile. Helps you connect with equally crazy people in your area. It helps you connect with authors you read in a much deeper level.

People do congregate though they don't have to. There are kick off parties and thank god it's over parties. Writing in a group is a little like going to the gym where you help inspire each other not to be lazy.

People also meet online in the forums and are unusually supportive of each other.

The complete mediocrity of the price discourages cheating.

The enthusiasm for the book is incredible and undimmed. Books, writing, and reading will change lives and transform communities all around the world. This is big and its only going to get bigger from here.