National Novel Writing Month

The Office of Letters and Light's November writing program NaNoWriMo gave me the motivation to write a story beyond my usual five-ten pages and encouraged me to go out of my comfort zone in order to write a full size novel. Without NaNoWriMo, I most likely would have given up on my idea before even the climax had first made its entrance on the computer screen.
I have very few negative comments about NaNoWriMo. Its server did go down on the first day, but since the website currently undergoing changes to avoid that next year. Also, I think Nanowrimo should work towards achieving greater publicity in order to encourage more people to write.
Thank you, The Office of Letters and Light :)

Thanks to the OLL, specifically NaNoWriMo, I have been able to produce two reasonable length novels in a very short period, one of which is of publishable quality (I think).

The thing is, without this experience, I wouldn't have the confidence to write at high speed, and would dither, tinkering with text, etc. Thus I've learned a useful discipline in being able to produce text very fast. And this has had a great impact on my 'normal' writing outside of NaNoWriMo, indeed, even in non-fiction.

So I owe them an awful lot, and I cannot recommend this experience enough to any writer, whether technical or fiction.

A very good friend at the time told me about NaNoWriMo, and since we have drifted apart, but every November we get back in touch and update each other and talk about this year's novels.
Way back in 2002 I discovered NaNoWriMo just two days before the first of November when the massive event gets started. I participated then and every year since I have returned and done it all over again. It has given me not only an insight into the efforts that lies behind writing a good novel, but also a confidence that if needed be I can write far more than I previously thought possible. It has developed my English (I am not a native speaker) and kept it active, as well as encouraged my creativity.

A friend convinced me to do NaNo in November of last year (2010), and I couldn’t be more grateful. It was a liberating experience to just cut loose and write from the heart, leaving my internal editor behind for a time. By posting my daily words, I was able to chart my progress, see and cheer on my friends’ progress, and watch the world write. In the end, yes, I received a wonderful certificate, but I also had a new 50,000 word novel, which was done in one month. It doesn’t get much better than that for a writer (except getting published, of course). I hope word gets out and others take the opportunity to try this excellent program!

Before participating in NaNoWriMo I had a big problem. I never finished anything I started writing. I would lose inspiration and get discouraged. But because of NaNoWriMo I did it. I finally finished something, and after writing my NaNo story I continued on to finish another one. So I appreciate it so much and I look forward to doing it this year.

This was my first time with NaNoWriMo. I was awfully happy when I had finished it as it helped me acheive what neither I not my friends thought was possible. It was hardwork getting through the month and writing the 50,000 word novel but it was a month worth it in teh end. It was a whole new experience and I loved every moment of it, even the difficult ones where I had writer's block. I would advise anyone adn everyone to have a go because even if you can not finish it is is something that will help inspire you to do more as one of my friends tried it and although she didn't mange to finish she is now currently doing a lot of writing and is aiming high thanks to the confidence she got during the competition.

I did the NaMoWriMo contest for the first time last year and I was amazed that I could handle it with a full-time job and a lot of other commitments. It helped that I was in a NAMO group at the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, MA, and that we discussed all the latest posts once a week, as well as wrote together for three hours. Now I'm in a followp-up group at the museum where we are taking the 50,000 pages we wrote last year and actually doing something good with them. I managed to produce all those words because of deadline pressure and support from the website, as well as my group, and I'm really grateful. I'm hoping to support a class of my own next fall with young writers at the private school where I teach. I believe they will be as inspired as I was.

NanoWriMo is a great motivator. Chris Baty and the volunteers in the southwestern Illinois region make creating a novel a do-able deal. So far, under the November 50K words in 30 Days program, I've written four readable novels with commercial potential. The first attempt was more an exercise in endurance and the discovery of what not to do. Any writer who's interested in testing her capability would benefit from Baty's brainchild, the competition, the encouragement. It's a program for, by and of writers, and if this 75-year-old grandma can write a spy thriller or two and a historic novel based on a real murder, so can you.

Nanowrimo has made a HUGE difference to my life. I retired in Nov 2009 because I had to have 4 surgeries. Because of the recovery time I could not get a part time job, so I decided to take on the Nanowrimo contest. I had wanted to write a book about my beloved dog Jack, who died in 2009 for a long time, but could never focus enough to do it. With Nanowrimo leading the way and providing great advice and support, I completed a 51,000 word manuscript in 20 days! Since then I have developed it into a compellling 62,000 word manuscript which I intend to self publish or sell to an agent, once the editing process is complete. I have a team of friends who are helping me edit the book as my "pre-readers" so I feel like I have a circle of support from them as well. I continue to go back to the Nanowrimo website for information on agents, scams to avoid, how to write a good pitch, etc. Having Nanowrimo and this novel in my life has made me feel fulfilled, keeps me busy between surgeries, provides something fun for me to talk about, emotionally was very therapeutic to work out my grief about my dog, in short, the impact this organization made in my life has been nothing short of monumental. Way to go Nanowrimo!

Being a chronic procrastinator, NaNoWriMo helped me to find the focus to keep going every day to complete the first draft of my book. Even the nagging reminders really helped. When I logged on to check email each morning, instead of my usual "trapline" of the internet, I immediately went to my word processor and forced myself to stay there until I had the day's allotment of words written. It felt good to have a working draft in such a short time.

I participated in The Office of Letters and Light's NaNoWriMo program in 2009 and 2010. I wrote two full-length manuscripts, which I may not have done without the program's help! My appreciation for writing, literature, and the arts in general grew. I met like-minded people in my own community and the online community. It was a wonderful experience, and I plan to participate again in 2011!

As a former teacher, I greatly admire The Office of Letters and Light's Young Writer's Program. Getting students to be creative and write is no easy feat, but OLL takes it on with excitement, entusiasm, and success!

NaNoWriMo inspires, ignites, supports and encourages people like me to fulfill their heart's desire. It's not a platform, it's a heartbeat. It made me a believer in myself and my abilities. And it provided good natured coaching, support, and examples along the way. NaNoWriMo spurs creativity in artistic souls and makes dreams tangible accomplishments. I am forever grateful for this organization.

The Office of Letters and Light, part of the National Novel Writing Month challenge, changed the way I see myself for the better. For years, I've dreamed about writing a novel, but life interferred: kids, job, laundry...doing anything for me, not just writing, but anything that seemed like I was being "selfish" with my time, didn't happen.

Then I committed to NaNoWriMo. I'd tried before, then...life. But this past year, I told my family I needed to do this, needed to see if I could garner the self-discipline to work through the scariness of finding out if I could write a major piece. A friend joined me in the challenge as well, and our families got behind us, encouraging us and rearranging their time to allow us to do what we needed.

I won. So did my friend. I'm noticing changes in both of us; we're redefining what we are capable of accomplishing, and reassessing how flexible our lives can be to allow us to do things we need.

The Office of Letters and Light may seem frivolous, but the support and encouragement they offer is life-changing.

NaNoWriMo 2010 was my first time doing it. I knew about it for a few years, but I never had the courage to actually take part, mainly because I always thought that I am the type of person who's more afraid of losing than just not taking part and regretting it later.
But this year is my last year of university and I always wanted to do MA in Creative Writing. The confusing part was, I never even new if I even had the talent or determination to do it.
Trying NaNoWriMo was exactly the thing I needed - in this one month I learned more about writing than I did in my whole life (I'm nearly 22 and I've been writing short stories for as long as I ca remember). I understood that i was right the whole time, I should try and get MA in Creative Writing. My friends are proud of me, my mum is proud of me, and, most importantly, I am so proud of myself for finally doing it.
I'm not sure I could have done it without the organzation that NaNoWriMo provided. The website, the pep-talks and the feeling that I'm not alone in this literary struggle was the best kick anyone can get.
NaNoWriMo isn't only inspiring for people who want to write, it's inspiring for everyone wo wants to get things done, accomplishing and getting to the end of the challenge.
I am going to keep doing NaNoWriMo for as long as I can move my fingers around the keyboard. It's therapeutic and it's what a lot of people need.

I have participated in nanowrimo for five years now. It what has allowed me to climb the hump in my own writing and helped to complete my first few drafts. It also allows me to connect with my friends who are participating and get inspiragional comments in my inbox from some of my favourite writers. I donate to it every year in recognition for the great service they provide. They provide a great service by getting popular writers to connect with struggling writers. They provide the a space where everyone can be a writer!

This was my first year taking part in NaNoWriMo, though it has been on my To Do List for a number of years previous to this.

It's a great initiative that encourages anyone who wants to to commit to writing a 50,000 word novel in November. It provides peer support for participants around the world which is an invaluable resource during that month. I know people who have made lasting friendships after taking part in the month of writing.

The sense of achievement I felt at completing my novel was pretty immense! In addition, as a high school English teacher, I've taken the concept into my classroom and encouraged them to write harder than they ever have before... The teaching resources provided on the website have been incredible in this regard, and more than that - they're free and available to anyone.

I feel so proud of myself and of my students as a result of NaNoWriMo and the Office of Letters and Light. I'd like to extend a gigantic thank you to them!

I have had story starts in boxes and computer files going back nearly twenty years. Never finished a single one. One year of Nano, and I had a WIP that became my first published work two years later. For me, Nano made the difference. I quit editing, [and editing and editing] as I went and just went. Thanks Nano!

NaNoWriMo is a wonderful program. 2010 was my first year participating and I gained so much from being a part of it. They support and encourage participants along the way. After participating I can see what I'm able to accomplish and I think that my writing ability improved.

Through NaNoWriMo they helped provide me with the challenge I needed to buckle down and tackle a writing project, and the network I needed to connect to other local, likeminded writers to keep me motivated. It was a wonderful experience, one that has caused me to help form a local writers group. We hope to have more participation for NaNo this year. The event and resources they provided meant so much to me I was happy to donate what I could to the cause. They are awesome!

What motivation! What encouragement! What fun! After 10 years of 'wanting' to write a novel, I finally found what a I needed - a bunch of silly, over-the-top encouraging people, coupled with a nifty ever-growing line chart to show my writing progress in one month, and a gaggle of others in the same boat to connect with on the forums. What had seemed like a hugely daunting task (writing a novel) became fun. And easy! So now my ego is huge, thanks to my success with NaNoWriMo (OLL), and I'm banking on their editing month contest (NaNoEdMo) to get me over the hump of editing my novel. And after my writing month experience with them...I have no doubts that I'll be an editing fool!

NaNoWriMo is just excellent. Before I struggled to get past the beginning of my works, now I am well into the middle of my current one. It encouraged me to go a bit crazy and not care about how good it was (it can always be edited later) but just finishing it. The great thing about NaNoWriMo is the community spirit, seen in the forums, where everyone is enthusiastic and encouraging and the frequent pep talks.

Never thought that I'd write a rough draft of a novel last November through NaNoWriMo. What a gift to the world to enable anybody in the public to take on this endeavor. The challenge, the way the website is set up, the writing meets, the online forums, all encourage creativity to flower. I've been revising my novel after taking a break in December and it's continues to be a new adventure every time I get to the page. NaNoWriMo is a noble contribution in the arts to people around the world. Thank you so much for being there, NaNoWriMo and Office of Light and Letters. Last year was my first year and I plan to participate in the future, and of course, for the upcoming Script Frenzy in April!!!

I participated 2007, 2009 and 2010. It was always a big challenge but I won every year. That made me very proud. 2007 I knew what I wanted to write about but in 2009 I had no idea. I started a story but I didn't like it. My first thought was to give up but I wanted to win again and wanted to prove myself that I can take the challenge. So I thought about another story and with 10 days of delay I started to write again. It was a real challenge because I had to write much more than the recommended 1,790 words each day. I was very busy at work and had a lot of arguements with my boss so I often haven't been in the mood to write my story when I came home.
But I wanted to finish the story so bad. So I relaxed for an hour when I came home, ate dinner and then I started to write. I wrote for hours and hours and often enough forgot about the time so I slept only a few hours. On November 15 I got sick and had to stay at home. Of course I'm never happy when I'm sick but this time I thought: Awesome! I wrote the story by hand when I laid in bed and typed it in the evening. I had the feeling I wrote day and night, I was obsessed to finish the story. I finished it on November 29 and I was really proud.
In 2010 I had an idea for the story but not a lot of time to write - I moved to a new house. So it was a challenge again. I think I only wrote on 15 days or so but I could manage to reach my goal. But I could not manage to finish the story so I'll write a sequel in 2011.
I'm already looking forward to NaNoWriMo 2011 because after three years of writing I need this challenge at the end of the year.

Please excuse my bad English, I'm not a native English speaker.

NaNoWriMo, one of the projects from OLL, has been one of the biggest factors on my way to becomoing a semi-decent writer. The novel-writing challenge is always the highlight of my year, and last year it even helped me make new friends. I couldn't imagine life without OLL.

I have participated in NaNoWriMo for three years now and am eagerly looking forward to my fourth this year. I have always enjoyed writing and toyed for many years with the idea of becoming a novelist, but never believed in myself. I discovered NaNo during a very low point in my life. I had stopped writing much out of depression and lethargy and was mostly spinning my wheels. I decided to give NaNo a go for something to do and it was the best choice I ever made. I felt revived, there's no other word for it. I re-discovered my love of writing, had a ton of fun and walked away with a rough draft that I'm currently re-writing today with plans to market it. Because of NaNo I have more confidence in other parts of my life. I'm learning new things (such as costuming) and have enough confidence to be more outgoing. And most of all I see now that writing can be both fun for me, as well as a future. It doesn't have to stay a dream; I'll work hard and make it real.

I donate every year to The Office of Letters and Light because of how much NaNo did for me, both for my writing and for myself. The organization also works with schools, encouraging literacy and the love of writing. Finding a creative, healthy way of self-expression is tough for kids these days. NaNoWriMo offers kids that opportunity. If it can help and encourage even a few other people the way it did for me, that's priceless.

This site has organized a "contest" where every single participant can "win." I was a "winner" of Nanowrimo and the organization and its mission inspires me. Please give this organization the recognition it deserves.

NaNoWriMo helped me out a great deal with becoming more creative with my stories and to actually create characters of my own instead of just writing fanfiction :)
In the time during November I found that if you just took an hour of each day then writing a novel was a piece of cake, but being who I am, I wrote about a third of the 50,000 words in three days just before the end of November. By doing this I've found that not only am I capable of writing super fast but that I got great satisfaction of seeing a novel I wrote complete, not prefect but at least finished and ready enough to force my friends into reading it :)
NoNoWriMo is helping many upcoming writes to push their limits and do their best and I've found that after taking part in it I've become a better writer myself (even IF I need to work on grammar and spelling X)

Wonderful motivators; the right level of contact without over or under doing the necessary information flow. Their help helped me reach my target, my novel. I look forward to working with them many time more.

I am a writer with a nonfiction book in the pipelines with a trade press. But MAN did NaNoWriMo teach me a lot about writing! First of all, it was a blast to write dialogue and just make up whatever my story needed. Second, and more importantly, the exercise of writing 1667 words each day completely reorganized my relationship to the work of writing. The words that I hurriedly threw down onto the page in order to reach my word count were no worse--and often a lot better--than ones I labored hours over. The key to writing is to DO IT, and this organization has created a perfect structure in which doing it suddenly becomes excitingly possible. I will definitely NaNoWriMo again. In fact, November can't come soon enough.

I remember seeing NaNoWriMo in a bunch of twitter posts a couple years ago and was curious what it stood for. The madness of the "write a novel in a month" really appealed to me. I'd dabbled in short stories (unpublished) for a couple years and this seemed like a great excuse to commit to something...well, more.

I have since completed 2 novels for NaNoWriMo and will absolutely be here next November ready to eat, sleep, and breathe writing for a month.

One of my favorite parts is the community that this site offers. If you have a problem with your story, or just want to bounce ideas off someone, you can do that here. It also brings people in your community together at the regional and state discussion boards where many arrange writing groups so you can personally get to know one another.

I am an amateur writer who unfortunately, due to time contraints, does not get to actually write much and even then it is mostly short stories. NaNoWriMo has helped me knuckle down and churn out a substantial novel, something which was previously impossible for me, in just one month. For the past three years doing so, I have written three manuscripts and each one came with its own lessons on character creation, setting, description and many more. My writing has improved greatly thanks to the magical Novembers I spent writing my novel and had given me hope that I could publish one of my works one day. Without the Office if Letters and Light to provide this service, I would have stayed at a much lower level than I am now and never thought myself capable of writing a novel. Thank you.

OLL and their three creative-writing programs are one of the best ideas of the decade. Participants have an opportunity to explore their love of writing in a challenging, stimulating and encouraging environment with people from all over the world. Participants make large investments of time to take part in the writing programs and they appreciate the OLL's investments in the website and operating costs that allows participants to experience the program no matter how little they can afford to donate.

How many people say .. Oh, I have the perfect story to tell!? A lot. How many people actually write more than 5, 10 pages? VERY few. Thanks to NaNoWriMo, I've written 3 novels in the past 3 yrs. But, beyond that, I've made wonderful friends, improved my writing skills and gained a greater understanding of myself, explored through my stories. Everyone has a story to tell ... NaNoWriMo gives people the skills and the encouragement to tell it.

I did NaNoWriMo the first year I could, aka when I was 13, and I've done it every year since. When I was 13, NaNo basically saved my life. I had just moved, and I was pretty depressed about it and hated the whole thing. NaNo gave me something to focus on and accomplish. That november was a sort of turning point for me. The fact that I've won all four of my NaNo's doesn't really matter. The wonderful part is just writing it, and knowing that thousands of people on the forums are ready to support you, because they're writing too.

In November of 2010 I, along with a few of my friends in school, joined NaNoWriMo at the urging of our AP English Teacher. Over the next month, we would come in every day and compare the blisters on our fingers (I kid) and our semi-impressive word counts... all but one of us were dreadfully behind till the last two days. If it weren't for NaNo I probably never would have even thought of writing fifty thousand words about one thing... ever! But I did it, and I did it with the help of the NaNo staff, NaNo forums, and the NaNo emails I got so often, always telling me to buck up and write.
NaNoWriMo is a great website for writers and as such I think its momma non-profit deserves to win this website's contest.

It has been a continued source of joy for me. It helped expose me to creative writing. I have written a book every november since and have declared my major as creative writing this year. The message board on the site is very useful for a writer, and I met my girlfriend through it.

Office of Letters and Light is the parent nonprofit to a wonderful organization called Nanowrimo, a group that encourages people of all ages and diverse writing abilities to finally put some time aside to actually write that book that has been nagging at them in the back of their minds. I love the program because it is friendly and safe environment in which writers, both beginners and proffessionals, can interact freely and give each other tips. Without Nanowrimo, I never would have completed my first novel. I never would have set the crazy goal of writing over 50 000 words in a month. But, thanks to the lovely people who volunteer their time to organize Nanowrimo, I DID write a novel, something I've been dreaming of doing since my childhood. I am and will always be grateful to Nanowrimo and I hope that many others will follow in my footsteps and achieve their noveling dreams.

I first won Nanowrimo in 2007. Winning: great. Writing 1777 words a day for a month: terrible. My plot sucked. My words were horrible. I hid my nano novel in the deepest darkest depths of my computer. I swore never to do it again. But I did.

The novel called to me and I went back. Plenty of words were beyond repair but some of it was good, really good.

Nanowrimo is now a family affair. All of my kids and my wife participate. I write all year but November is special. My gloomy falls always look better for the shared misery.

So if you happen across this review, go to the office of letters and light and donate a dollar. Then next November, join us. Write a few terrible words. You will be glad you did.

Almost all readers harbor the desire (secret of otherwise) to become authors themselves, yet the task of actually sitting down to write a novel is so daunting as to be seemingly impossible; who has the time, who has the energy, who has the stamina to sit down and crank out hundreds of pages for years? Through its programs such as National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), The Office of Letters and Light makes this task, while still formidable, eminently possible. By breaking the process down in thirty days of manageable goals, by offering encouragement and community, The Office of Letters and Light helps transform thousands of would-be authors to become thousands of novelists each year.

The Office of Letters and Light--and its associated acts such as National Novel Writing Month--truly changed my life. I was brought into the NaNo WriMo contest by my dad and ended up surpassing him in word count in less time. He caught up, but it was fun for about a week.

Anyway, OLL was very helpful with their seamless email connections from my ML to my beleagured fingers and overworked brain. My novel was not a sparkling word document of literary brilliance, but it now exists in raw form other than my thoughts. Thanks OLL!

Over the last two years I've tried using NaNoWriMo and, in 2010, I succeeded. A lot of people have asked me, too, why I don't go ahead and do that in any month with thirty days and the answer is, simple, NaNoWriMo. This years I happened to attend one or two physical meetings, which brought a sense of reality to it - organised by the Office itself, of course. The main help was the forum. It's a fantastically organised place to go and get genuine help on research that would be extremely difficult to do. The whole project encourages a feeling of solidarity that requires nothing of you but that you try and likewise participate, and the feeling of accomplishment really changes you, even if you don't finish the novel (50 K, no end), or get it published. The fact that you can do it, spurred on by the feeling that thousands of others are doing, is just unbeatable, really. For people passionate about writing to the extent it governs their life, NaNoWriMo just changes you for the better, in subtle but appreciable ways.

I started participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in 2009. I have found it a fun and exciting program to be a part of on an annual basis. I am grateful to NaNoWriMo for bringing creative writing back into my life.

I had signed up for NanoWrimo in the past but work (and laziness?) kept me from participating. This past November (2010) I kept at it and ended up with over 60,000 written words (some even usable!).

Seriously, I kept at it and am proud of my accomplishment. I would never had done it without NanoWrimo and the regular emails and website communications encouraging me to march on.

Keep up the excellent work!

regards,
stephen hudak
www.stephenhudak.org

I had always wanted to write a book but had never given myself time or permission. After four years I have written four. I am reworking on the first one for publication. The Office of Letters and Light through their work for Nanowrimo has allowed me to reach a goal I have had for years and I have had a ball doing it. But they are so much more! There children's program is phenomenal and my nephew will be participating next year. Now we will have a common bond. I have made new friends and been prompted, given feedback, reviews, and opinions from sources all over the world that never would have been open to me before. The website is great because if it has to do with writing, you can find a forum, a link to a sister website, an article by a professional, and plenty of encouragement. Its success is evident by its growth over the years and there could be no better person than Chris Baty at the helm. He is sincere, warm, and so cleverly funny as to keep my writing pursuit an ongoing active part of my life. The benefit to the community (read the world) is evident.

This was the first year I participated in NaNoWriMo and I was an extremely rewarding experience. Writing is and always will be a huge part of my life, however as we all know life can sometimes get in the way of our writing. With the support and encouragement from everyone at NaNoWriMo, I achieved what I thought was going to be impossible. I will forever be grateful to them for their unwavering dedication to all it's members. I would encourage anyone to become part of the NaNoWriMo family.

I won NaNo for the second time in 2010, and it is a wonderful motivator. The challenge to get around 1700 words written every day is not as daunting as it might seem and quite achievable. I am not the most organised and disciplined of people, and NanNoWriMo helps me get my draft finished and although there may be a lot which needs to be discarded I have something viable to work on and hopefully have another story fit for submitting to a publisher.

NaNoWriMo 2010 got me off my duff and got me writing about for years. I wouldn't have done it otherwise. Thank you, NaNoWriMo and Oll.

Nano piques the creative juices the way a big piece of chicken makes a labrador giddy, bouncy and slobbery. It makes the impossible and idiotic fun, all while knowing there's an element that helps literacy and encourages our youth to express themselves. Every year, the Nanowrimo teaches me something about myself and the creative process

I have a six year plan to become a professional writer. I've written many published nonfiction pieces, but I'm trying to learn to write fiction. My short stories are doing alright, but my husband suggested I try writing a novel. When the 2010 NaNoWriMo came around I thought, why not?
The support was fantastic and the posts were funny. I found having to write every day to a specific word count not only helped develop good writing habits, it broke through my tendancy to stop too soon when I'm developing a story. I would never have been able to write a novel without this program. Of course, the rewiting is ongoing, but I truly believe I have an excellent novel in process and it would never have happened without this program and all the support it provided. I was happy to make a donation to keep it going. I'll also be starting a new novel this year when NaNoWriMo comes back around. After all, the best writers always have a sequel on tap.

I've participated in NaNoWriMo since I was in 9th grade, so four years. Each year it's an amazing trip for me and the people who work with NaNoWriMo are amazing, whether it's writing letters of encouragement or keeping the site running smoothly for everyone. Even though I don't use the forms it's so nice to know there are so many people working on the same thing I am. Even though it's a cold month I always find myself looking forward to November each year!

I'm an unpublished novelist. I can say that (the novelist part) because OLL inspired me to commit to writing a novel in one month. That first novel completed was in 2004 and most years, OLL brings me back to the writing cave to once again do what I hope to do all year round.
They provide an atmosphere and camaraderie that makes the process fun and invigorating.
Alan Kehr

A fellow writer told me about November Novel Writing Month. At the time, I was having some difficulty with my writing momentum, so I decided to participate. I had also been encouraging my sister, who lives in another city, to write, but she had not begun. We did NaNoWriMo together. It was an amazing experience.
The organization was more supportive than one could ever expect. The website was excellent. The e-mails well-timed.
Both my sister and I 'won' and we are both editing our novels at this moment. We are in our sixties and we plan to participate again next year.
NoNoWriMo ROCKS!

I just came to say thanks for the most awesome November of my life. It not only wrote me my very first novel, I also got to know myself better and hopefully improved as a writer. All thanks to OLL this became a thoroughly amazing experience.

I am a working mother with a million distractions that prevent me from following my dream of writing. Nanonwrimo's focus and support made my goals seem within reach for the first time in my life. Thanks to them, I churned out 50,000 words in 30 days--an achievement that would not have been possible without all the wise and humorous advice that appeared daily on their website. My kids got behind the project and encouraged me too--asking what my "word count" was and cheering when i reached the end. This program not only helped me, it was a great model of goal management to model for my kids. They are so proud of me and I am so grateful to this program! Carry on! I can't wait to do it again next year!

I have taken part in NaNoWriMo from 2007-2010. Each and every time was a great experience where i dedicated a month of my time and stretched my creative muse and simply wrote. It was especially useful as i made use of it as an opportunity to practice my writing - something i could not really do much throughout my busy year. Accomplishing the 50 000 words each time has also rewarded me with a sense of accomplishment and encouragement that i can write a novel if i try. It is really innovative and great that the Office of Letters and Light came up with such an inspiring challenge.

NaNoWriMo 2010 was my first experience, and just what I needed to kick start my writing, and perhaps my life. I knew the authors who were sending out inspirational emails throughout the month, and that gave the whole program a tremendous credibility. My friends and family rallied around my daily word count goals, even though they didn't truly understand why I was participating in something without a tangible prize. My boyfriend supported me fully and rewarded my win with a big gift for our new house, and to top it off we are now engaged! I got out of my rut, got a new job, have a new novel, and am planning a wedding. Maybe I can't say this was all directly due to NaNo, but much of it is, and hey, it makes a good story, doesn't it?... Thanks, NaNo People!!

When I first learned about Nanowrimo, I didn't think it was for me. I could never give myself enough encouragement and patience to sit down and write a 50,000 word novel over the course of a month. But after receiving a particularly encouraging pep-talk, I decided to, as Nike says, "just do it". It was hard of course, with life consistently getting in the way, but with all of the encouragement and support given to us writers, I knew I couldn't stop.
Nanowrimo IS for everyone, and anyone can succeed. I want everyone to experience the same amazing feeling I had when I crossed that 50K word line. Maybe even get a chance to become published.
So thank you to this special and unique organization, for their never ending encouragement and always positive attitude!

I've donated the last 2 years because these folks help support literacy in the schools. My daughter is a High School teacher, and education has always been important in our family.

I was able to send a packet to her, and, although the school didn't "officially" support the program (we're hoping for next year), she was able to take the materials and bring the joy of writing to a bunch of hyper, uber excited, hormone raging teens. We don't know where this will lead, do we? But could a young Tim Burton or Stephen King have been born this year?

As a writer, I consider any kind of creative writing endeavour useful and exciting, but what the Office of Letters and Light has achieved, especially through NaNoWriMo, is exceptional!!! Taking part in NaNo was the best thing I could have done for my writing and I want to continue supporting their different initiatives!

Last year, I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time. It is a contest that really inspires over a 100,000 people worldwide to write, share creativity, but also to read more books and develop our general skills in writing. It is a great online community where you can find tons of resources. It makes it easier to get connected to other writers and to create a network. It also encourages children to read and write; which I think is fantastic.

I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time this year and I can say it was the most awesome november I ever experienced.
Many people would like to write a novel, but they don't know how to start, others stopp after a few chapters, loosing their courage because of their inner editor.
In my opinion, NaNo is helping lots of people to realize what they are able to do and that they CAN achieve their goals. People who have already written long novels can win a lot out of it, too.
I'm going to participate again next year and I already look forward to it.

I have participated in NANOWRIMO for the past 5 years. My second NANO novel was published in 2009. I always said I was going to write a novel but I never managed to get around to it until I heard of NANO and now Ive written 12 novels! NANO was the kick in the ass that I needed and for that I will always be grateful.

In October 2010 a friend of mine and I were pondering how exactly we could utilise our shared passion for literature to go towards a school scheme we were participating in. My friend already had the answer, however. NaNoWriMo.

A month of writing, a monumental challenge, an impossible goal. I achieved it. So did my friend.

What makes the OLL special is they are not content to just rest on their laurels. NaNoWriMo is a wonderful idea that helps you beat the bug of procrastination and start doing something you'll hopefully love. It helps you take that first step then pushes, forces you to take more. Yet the OLL didn't just leave us to participate, they constantly email you tips, help from famous writers and inspiring talks. They filled their website with many useful features and allowed us to enjoy not a month of solo writing; but a month of community writing. Hundreds of thousands of people, writing together. If that isn't community spirit...

And their still expanding, further further. Bringing it to young people, script writing enthusiasts, poets, people who wish to continue beyond a month!

The OLL is not just encouraging writers... it's creating them.

Having participated in NaNoWriMo three times now, I can't but say I love everything about it. The website is an amazing support, which provides lots of help, both from other users and the staff, and on top of that it's refreshingly user friendly. They do a brilliant job and spend so much time on it, and the result is fantastic. Last year, for the first time, I won, I reached the 50k mark and the feeling that gave me was so great, it was more than worth all the time I spent on it.

Everyone always tells me that I'm a great writer. Sometimes, it seems like everyone believes it, but myself. I always have a ton of what ifs on my mind, and underneath their weight, it's easy to give up. I'm still the same person, with the same perspective and the same abilities in November, but NaNoWriMo gives me permission to thumb my nose at perfection, and when I reach fifty thousand words, even I have to admit that all of them aren't bad.

Nanowrimo and the attendant pep talks through the month of November have been a tremendous help to me both as a writer and as a person. The act of writing 50 thousand words in a month helped me with discipline and goal-setting, as well as making me a better writer through the simple act of writing my first thoughts and banishing my internal editor. We all have that editor in us, advising us in all areas of our lives, and banishing it for that month has helped me keep so many things in perspective throughout the rest of the year. The pep talks are sane, positive missives designed to uplift and encourage us in our journey, and I find myself returning to them again and again. I am grateful and proud to have been a part of it these last two years and look forward to many more in the future!

I took part in and completed the NaNoWriMo challenge to write a novel in one month last November, and it far exceeded my expectations as an experience. They provide you with tons of brilliant help to get through the task, setting you up with local people all over the world (I'm in deepest rural Devon, UK, but there were still people doing it here), providing lots of advice and camaraderie on the message boards, sending out regular pep talks from established writers, and best of all providing in-depth stats on your progress which helped a lot with motivation. And although I did it because I've always wanted to write a novel, now I think it's something I would recommend to people as a sort of life-enhancing exercise. I don't want to sound too pseudy, but I think I found out a lot about myself through doing it, I exercised my creativity and honed my mental stamina, and I feel like the whole thing served more use than just to produce the 72-thousand words I wrote. I'll definitely do it again next year.

Until I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2010 I was sure I would never be capable of writing a novel. The NaNo experience taught me that I could. In 30 days I wrote the draft of my first novel, it was the first time I had completed anything. I was reassured in my abilities as a writer and I felt happier generally because of my achievement. My skills improved and so did my mood.

Because millions of other writers were also taking part, there was a sort of bond in the community, we were all striving toward the same goal. The forums were a big help for me personally, as was the messaging system. Generally communicating with the other participants kept me on track without making it feel like I was forcing myself to do something I didn't want to. It was also a great way to meet new people in the business.

I will definitely be returning to NaNoWriMo every year from now, hoping to write another 50,000+ word novel each time. I know I will get better each time as well, and I am certain that with the help and experience that this challenge gives me, I will reach my dream of publishing a novel.

I actually write as a hobby all year round, I wrote one book before I even heard of NaNoWriMo and I've never finished the one I began that month, I dropped it once I'd reached 50,000. But it was a huge self esteem booster. It also showed me how much I was capable of writing per day, which is helpful for a chronic procrastinator.

I'm not going to say it changed my life (it didn't) but it pulled me through a writing rut. I suppose that for people who don't usually write it must have been an even bigger moral booster, and it probably promotes literacy.

All in all, it was fun. Hardly a great, wonderful cause in the grand scheme of things though. There are better ways to promote literacy (encouraging people to READ a certain amount in a month would be far better in my humble opinion) and it only appeals to a certain type of person, being far more likely to attract those who already read a lot from what I can see. The work they do in schools however is far more admirable, although once again, there are better ways to go about it.

I have participated in Nanowrimo for 7 years now, and I have won every year. This has given me invaluable confidence as a writer to continue to make writing a large part of my life. Through the years I have completed a giant binder's worth of material that anytime I doubt my own perseverance I can look at it with pride and remember my accomplishments.

November is writing month. Everyone in my circle of loves ones knows this. It is the one month where I am allowed to put writing before all the other hundreds of commitments that seem to distract my attention elsewhere every other month of the year.

Thanks Nano!

The benefits I achieved had little to do with literary excellence, and everything to do with challenging my own limits , appreciating what I was capable of, an imeasurable improvement in self esteem. Thank you

I was persuaded to participate in NaNoWriMo 2010 by a friend, and had just about the most fun I've ever had. The whole system is seamless, and there's nothing about it I disliked.

I have used one of the Office of Letters and Light's programs, the Young Writers Program, as part of my teaching practice over the last 5 years. I was originally introduced to the program through the Nanowrimo website. I have been writing my own novels with the Nanowrimo program since 2004 and have greatly enjoyed the added burst of creativity in my life every November. I have been overwhelmed by the great response from my students when I introduced the Young Writers Program to my students (in Taiwan and then in Turkey, middle school and high school). I have found that the Young Writers Program is the perfect way to build fluency and writing confidence in ESL students. By focusing on the process and the enjoyment of writing, students are pushed beyond what they thought possible and end up with a finished product, a published novel, that they can be proud of.
The Office of Letters and Light has a broad array of program that are well-developed, creatively run, and highly adaptive to teachers and students needs. Nanowrimo is a highlight of my year and the Young Writer's program makes Nanowrimo a highlight of the school year for my students.

I participated in NaNoWriMo in 2010, after seeing some results of the 2009 event, and have never once regretted it. It was an amazing experience, and the pride I felt after still hasn't worn off- with their help, I finally managed to right a full, albeit rushed, novel. The other participants were all friendly, helpful and more than willing to help, the website was easy to used and didn't bog you down, and the Pep-Talk emails were a stroke of genius, helping push me forwards throughout the month.

The fact that the OLL also help young writers and promote reading, writing and general literacy is inspiring, as I feel that reading/writing/literacy isn't focused on enough nowadays- when I was at school, we always had a reading book, which we had to finish before starting enough. Although at times this was tiresome, I now appreciate the scheme greatly and know it has helped with me with futher education and CV's.

All in all, the OLL should be proud of everything they have done, and I hope they continue to aim for the stars in the future

NaNoWriMo has helped me to discover my taste for noveling and incited me to actually see something through to the end. I'm certain that if I hadn't participated, I wouldn't have been able to fight off writer's block -- or even bothered to try to write a novel to begin with.

It wasn't just the challenge itself, what conducts people to writing a novel in NaNoWrimo is the community -- it allows people to come together and seek support with each other, spurring them on.

This is the third year I've participated in this challenge. I've managed, with the help of The Office of Letters and Light, to write three 50000+-word novels in those three years. The feeling of accomplishment, encouragement, and boost to self-confidence have spilled over into other areas of my life. Not only have I sent off a story to a publisher, but also I have tried different things - from swimming, sewing, and learning Latin. Meeting different people with different backgrounds and experiences have been another spin-off of the work that The Office of Letters and Light do.

A wonderful organization that supports grass roots literacy through writing. Not only does the group in CA support writing through the website and local events but they encourage small start up groups nation wide to go out into their own communities and support writers. A truly uplifting group providing a brilliant experience.

I participated in the 2010 NaNoWriMo and it was a spectacular experience! This nonprofit was incredibly supportive in structuring and nurturing the experience of writing a 50,000 word rough draft of a novel. I felt like I was part of a worldwide movement of people all doing the same thing, which was inspiring. The web site gave feedback on my own progress as well as those participating locally, nationally and globally.

I loved that the organizers recruited famous writers to pen words of encouragement for us and that there were so many useful links and incentives not only to finish meeting the challenge but also to carry on the work and finish the novel. Through NaNoWriMo links, for instance, I found my way to Lani Diane Rich's StoryWonk site and signed up for a critically important Revision Workshop.

The fact that NaNoWriMo supports creative writing for youths put me over the top in deciding to donate as well, though certainly the rest of what they did was plenty enough motivation.

All of the above, and more, make this such a deserving organization!

I took part in NaNoWriMo in 2010 for the first time. Until then, I hadn't known I was able to write a full-bloodied narrative. The experience was rewarding - I not only produced a rather enjoyable novel, but I also learned a lot in the process. I plan to participate in the event again this year and already have plans for my next novel.
I highly appreciate what the team of OLL is doing - their mission and the entire platform. I hope they will be there for authors like me long years to come and thriving!

This year was my 9th novel written during National Novel Writing Month. Ever since I heard about it and joined in, I can honestly say I've never had a better time In November. What a wonderful organization!

I have always loved writing creatively, and toyed with the idea of attempting a novel for years, not really getting very far, until I discovered National Novel Writing Month (which is run by its parent nonprofit, the Office of Letters and Light). Since signing up on the NaNoWriMo website, I have successfully completed the first drafts of two 50k word novels and a 100 page script for a stage musical. The Office of Letters and Light has provided me- along with many others- with the opportunity and framework to achieve a major creative project (or three!), which I know I certainly couldn't have managed alone. Nonprofit organisations such as this are vastly important for young people of today, promoting literacy and creative expression, and for the less-young people of today, helping them to achieve something which many people want to try- writing a novel- and which they may have given up on completely.

The Office of Letters and Light is an organization that promotes literacy. It also promotes community among writers. How do I know? It affected me.

Since college I wanted to write a novel. I would start writing and then the novel would fail at about chapter one when I would go back and edit it. When I kept trying to edit the novel, it would never get finished. However, the Office of Letters and Light has an event called NaNoWriMo. In that event, writers from around the world try to write the rough draft to a 50,000 word novel in only thirty days. There is no time for editing; there is no time for starting over. The only thing that matters is getting words on a page. I have been doing this for the past four years and I have finished every time. I still have to edit the novel, but I have something I can work with.

The greatest thing about the NaNoWriMo event is it is free. But the Office of Letters and Light is more than a free website for writers to communicate once a year. They also have the Young Writer's program. This program encourages school children to write during the month of November. In these times where reading and writing are overshadowed by Nintendo and Xbox, the Young Writer's Program works in a needed area.

This organization encourages world-wide literacy and should be encouraged. The Office of Letters and Light deserves your support.

I joined NaNoWriMo in 2009, and have competed and won ever since. NaNoWriMo is a great community with lots of welcome advice and lots of friendly people and it makes November a much better experience and helps me reach goals and learn a lot about writing and about others who are also competing allowing me to encourage them, as they encourage me.

I took part at NaNoWriMo 2009, 2010 (and in future) and I'm Professional as texter in Germany. This contest is great and the volunteer work of the team too - not even in the States. The Work of the Office of Letters and Light has a effect till Europe and all over the world! Great and my personell winner of Nonprofit-Organisations!!!!

It's said that the only thing you can't edit is a blank page...it's also the thing that keeps so many folks from trying to write a book. That fear of not being good enough is crippling sometimes. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the great folks at the Office of Letters and Light make November a fun and social way to get a first draft on paper. It's free, there is a huge online community for fun and support as well. Any genre is welcome. The staff is amazing, very hands-on and even travels to many of the 'write-ins' where we all go to enjoy our frenzied month of writing challenges and too much coffee!
Even kids are encouraged to put their talents to work! It's amazing how many folks under the age of 18 are doing this incredibly creative task. If you ever wanted to try your hand at writing, this is probably the most supportive group you'll ever find.

I've been a participant of NaNoWriMo for four years now and plan on writing my fifth novel next year. I'm already writing outlines. NaNoWriMo has for a fact changed my creative life. As someone who has struggled getting ideas down on paper after thinking them up, NaNoWriMo is a Godsend. Besides the idea of writing a 50,000 word novel in one month, NaNo has it all, from a huge forum with sub-forums catering to every sort of novelist out there, an amazing, supportive community, the always fun and energetic Chris Baty and more. I love the charity work that the OLL has performed over the years and the Young Writer's program is brilliant, inspiring children all over the world to express themselves and write. The OLL store has a great variety of items for novelists and participants alike, selling notebooks and pens as well as posters and quite frankly, the greatest mug I have ever purchased. NaNoWriMo is the best, enough said.

I've taken part in the last three Nanowrimos (and managed to reach my wordcount, amazingly) and I think it may well be impossible to describe here exactly how much of a positve impact Nanowrimo has had on my life.

Without it I wouldn't have written three of my five novels, I'd never have figured out my own writing schedule, would never have developed the discipline to stick to it, and would never have met a whole bunch of interesting and dedicated people. Nanowrimo and the Office of Letters and Light work incredibly hard to give us potential writers the encouragement and support needed to achieve amazing things.

I've participated in NaNoWriMo now for two year, and of course, plan on continuing to participate in it. It really does become the highlight of the year. Even though it's mostly coordinated through the internet there is still that special atmosphere that you feel throughout November, and you know that it's NaNoWriMo time.

I really can't praise the charity enough. They go above and beyond for all us writers out there. They don't charge us to participate, they organize ML's to make meet-ups during and outwith NaNoWriMo, they set up pep talks, they provide supportive emails and blog posts and they have forums up throughout the year.

I think what makes the OLL so great is two things; they recognize that hidden talent that society is increasingly deeming as 'worthless' and they've set up the Young Writers Program giving young people the chance to see what's so great about writing, and getting them involved and motivated into writing.

And on one final note, I really don't have strong enough words that could praise them or let them see how much NaNoWriMo means to me, and coming from a writer, that's something.

I signed up for NaNoWriMo last November, and the OLL gave me a lot of help getting through the month, especially with their Municipial Liasons and Forums.
It helped me realise that I could do anything if I tried, and that others should get the oppurtunity to be helped in the same way I was.

I loved NaNoWriMo - 2010 was my first year of entering and I will definitely enter again this year. For years I have started novels and never got to the end as have been waylaid by editing. NaNo allowed me to free my brain from editing and to concentrate on the story - I found the process incredibly freeing. I am now editing my novel with the intention of sending it to an agent/publisher within the next six months. Thank you NaNo!

Having stumbled upon NaNoWriMo and the Office of Letters and Light four years ago, I have been inspired to write 200,000 words consisting of four novels. This was the first time I had attempted fictional writing to such lengths, and without NaNoWriMo's ongoing encouragement, it never would have happened.

Somehow having just such an artificial deadline set for me is just the impetus needed, and I hope they can continue their cheerleading format for the rest of my life.

Ginger Healey

I have to say that this program was so highly successful as a volunteer program in our 4th grade classroom that next year it will be part of our curriculum. The kids set a goal of 100 words a day and 20 out of 24 kids signed up (including a child with cognitive delays). Of the 20, 16 reached their goal by the end of November, including our cognitively delayed student, and the last 4 finished within the next week.

Moreover, the parents were highly impressed with their children's drive and ability to set a goal and achieve. This was fun and exciting for all.

I've always wanted to write a book, but it was a 'someday' plan. Nanowrimo changed that, and made me realize what I can do if I set my mind to it, which is write a lot of words. Sure, it's not the best novel ever written, but it's a start, and that's the hardest part of anything. The free book-copy doesn't hurt either.

While everyone has dreams, not everyone actually has the opportunities to make them come true. The Office of Letters and Lights helps people all over the world come together, work together, and encourage each other to achieve their personal goals.

I'm a hobby writer. Basically, I always have some story or another to tell and to write down, not necessarily for others to read, but I don't care much. So if I write anyway, why participate in the OLL programs, especially NaNoWriMo? Because this is not just about writing a novel in one month, a daring task in itself. It is about sharing, interaction, encouragement, and education. While most sign up to meet a personal goal, it doesn't take long until they experience the mutual support, shared experiences, or expert help in the respective discussion boards. However, the online experience is only one part of the events. OLL also provides structures and instructions for real-life interaction between participants, and it has been incredibly interesting to meet up with people from my home region that I'd never have known if it weren't for this shared dream of writing a novel or screenplay in one month, and for the great background work of OLL.

Without the Office of Letters and Light, these amazing events that take each participant a step closer to fulfilling their personal dreams would not be possible. I've donated every year because I believe in the small things that make our lives worth living, and the folks at OLL do an outstanding job in providing opportunities for people all over the world.

I live in a rural area of Qld, Australia. It is the one of the lowest socio-economic sections of the state. Literary encouragement, clubs, groups, well ANY type of fuel to the written word fire is more than limited.

Nanowrimo is a structured, clever, well managed, ingenious project that allowed me to pen out the novel I have ALWAYS felt I 'might' be able to write.

I am now finishing the novel (writing the last 30K words) - including a road trip out to the area in far western QLD to 'ground truth' my book.

After others heard of this project (local media LOVED what I did) they all enquired and want to do the Nano write next year. This includes small rural schools with our future leaders in them, including Indigenous children.

What more to say than THANK GOODNESS FOR NANOWRIMO !!!

I had a story to tell, but I needed to feel "safe" telling it. The entire NaNoMonth team made so much effort to help that I always felt that I was "writing with 200,000 of my closest friends." I think that the rest of my life November will be the time I think of being Thankful for NaNoMonth vastly more often than of overeating with friends. The NaNoMonth team are doing a GREAT job!

These past two Novembers I have participated in and WON (ahem) NaNoWriMo. It is honestly the highlight of my year, especially winning, and it's allowed me to meet other writers in my area, including fellow writers at my school. This was a really great thing, having started a new school in September and basically not knowing anyone. I now know more people in my year and in other years, which has been extremely valuable. NaNoWriMo has helped strengthen existing friendships as well. While screaming at my best friend over the internet to WRITE, WRITE, WRITE, we have become much closer, and winning was a great thing to be able to share with her. I am also starting to think about university applications, and achieving NaNoWriMo is definitely going on my personal statement! It is fantastic to have a recognised competition out there for people who are not into sport or music or drama, as they all seem to be now.

This competition is such an amazing opportunity for people of all ages in every aspect of their lives, and certainly one of the most worthwhile things out there on the internet.

I took part in NaNoWriMo as I was inspired by some friends who were doing it. I hadn't written fiction for about 10 years and needed a kick to get back into it. I had no idea how things would go. I felt a bit nervous and didn't hold out much hope of completing the month but saw any writing productivity as an achievement.

Wow! I loved the whole month. The excitement of hitting the word count each day, the support on the forums which encouraged me to keep typing and the ideas that came from fellow members about how to keep a plot flowing. At some points, I was so enthused about my writing that I found it hard to sleep and the hours each day disappeared in a flash as I typed away at my novel.

NaNoWriMo is a brilliant concept, connecting writers of all levels from all over the world. I learnt a lot about writing and gained confidence in my fiction writing abilities. The experiment in writing has grown into bigger things and the pocket novel I wrote for NaNo is now going to be published by a national magazine. All that has come from taking part in NaNo. I am indebted to it and the people that put all the hard work into organising it and their brilliant website.

I just wish I could use the word count tool/chart all year round. It was very motivational.

This organisation's Nanowrimo-contest helped me get through a lot of writer's blocks and helped me to finally write a 50.000-word-couting novel. Yes, I made it.

Thank you!

I can't rate NaNoWriMo highly enough. It's spurred me to get first drafts of novels down on paper every year for the last seven, one of which has been published by Lyrical Press and another has been picked up by eternal press. I wouldn't have got a good portion of these novels down nearly so fast without being spurred by NaNoWriMo

I took part in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2010, unsure as to whether I'd get anywhere but knowing it was the ideal opportunity for me to develop an idea I'd had for a couple of years into a full-blown novel. I ended up writing 82,000 words in 28 days, something I'd never imagined I could do, and I had a great time doing it. It's given me confidence in my writing, inspiration, a full novel, and the push I needed to get going and to take it further - I'm now looking for agents and publishers and hoping that a career in writing might actually be in reach for me after all. I'd never have done this if it weren't for NaNoWriMo - it reaches so many people.

Everyone wants to have written and earned the right to a byline. But the very act of writing is so demanding, that few people actually meet their dream. NaNoWriMo really forces a writer to put pen to hand and write. That's what makes it so special. Writing under the pressure of a deadline with hundreds of others got me to my goal. It wasn't easy, but with reminders from the grand poobahs of the contest and weekly face-to-face meetings helped tremendously. Writing is such a solitary act that it's easy to become lost in the words. But this month-long torture test is one that breaks through the loneliness of the long-distance writer and surrounds her with others seeking the same finish line.

This is a great idea. This is a great group.

I think NaNoWriMo is absolutely fantastic. I have tried numerous times to write a novel on my own and failed every time. However by having an easy goal for each day, and an overall goal to look forward to I have made some excellent progress and won both years that I've participated!

The community at the NaNoWriMo website is not only full of information and people who will cheer you on and give you advice, but is also a fun place to develop your ideas (or just do some procrastinating, which is always fun too). For my last story, as I don't plan on publishing, I decided to adopt a poor, cold, lonely abandoned character whom I absolutely adore. He is amazing and has really moved my plot along.

I found that the pep-talk emails that I receieved were incredibly useful. Not only were they filled with great ideas but they made me smile, and laugh and giggle and made me want to open that word document and write another 1,000 words then and there.

NaNoWriMo is fantastic as it gives people the confidence to have a go and just have fun, whether they finish their novel at 100,000 words, scrape in with style at 50,000 words or not quite get there but will definitley try again next year.

I love NaNoWriMo; it is something to look forward to through my exams, something to get me really excited and impatient during the summer holidays, and something to fill me with denial just before my January exams.

I have always dreamed of writing a novel, but never had the (choose one): courage, dedication, discipline to write one. I had plenty of ideas, but more excuses to NOT begin writing. Then a friend introduced me to National Novel Writing Month and the game changed. I loved the concept and the "built in" discipline. I loved the encouragement of published authors who were called in to "guest post" about the terror of writing. And so I wrote like I've never written before. I got to 50,000 words on the next to the last day of November. However, I wasn't finished with the book, so kept on writing until I completed a draft of 85,000 words on December 31st. I haven't done anything with the draft. I'm hoping that there is a "National Edit Your Awful First Draft" month sometime soon. I love the concept and the organization behind it.

I did the NaNowrimo novel writing month in 2010 for the first time and found it an immensley rewarding and exhilerating experience. The support recieved from the organisation and from other participants was incredibly helpful and I felt thoroughly bereft when the whole thing was over. It's a wonderful opportunity for both new and experienced writers to be able to experience an intense period of creativity in a way that they wold otherwise find almost impossible.

NaNoWriMo? Wow what can I say? They're great!

I've run a freelance writing resource site since 1999. We have 10,000 free writing resources at www.fwointl.com and when NaNoWriMo came across my radar the first thing I said to myself was, "Why didn't I think of that?" Then I joined them.

Four times now under two pseudonyms I have used their system. Twice I cranked out manuscripts. This site should be part of school board curriculum as far as I'm concerned.

Their assistance in motivating and supporting writers is unparalleled in the writing industry. Take a look at any other writers' site and you will never find a system that is more user friendly and encouraging to all levels of writers beginners to experienced.

Directly because of NaNoWriMo volunteer efforts and exemplery co-ordination in motivational meetings in the most unique writing places I now have books written and out in an audiences' hands. If there is any web site deserving immense compliments and support - NaNoWriMo qualifies as THE writing contest.

I have spent many years writing for my own enjoyment and to entertain my friends, but never succeeded in finishing any long work, only short stories. I joined the 2010 NaNoWriMo, run by the Office of Letters and Light, at a friend's instigation and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The smooth, efficient and professional system run by the OLL made it straightforward for me to keep track of my own progress and that of my friends who were also participating, and the sense of grass-roots community and encouragement that the OLL's website provides kept me motivated throughout the project. As a means of encouraging creativity and self-expression and giving participants the confidence to accept and rise to a challenge, NaNoWriMo fills a unique and valuable role in our society; and it does so thanks to the hard work and dedication of the volunteers who run the Office of Letters and Light.

I can't really fault this organisation. It's such a simple concept but the way they've put it together is fantastic. The regular pep talks and emails are fantastic, as are the forums, but I think the probably deceptively complicated measurements make it, I think. Rather than seeming daunting, which would surely kill most people's efforts, they make it all seem so achievable and inspiring. The thought of writing a novel in a month seemed impossible but thanks to NaNoWriMo I did achieve this and I couldn't have felt more proud of myself. That's the beauty of the competition, I think, it's that they help their users to bring something unexpected out of themselves. I can't recommend it highly enough.

People think Nano is just about adult participants writing. I support it generously because they buy materials for classrooms that encourage children to write.

I live in Denmark now, and heard about Nano from a fellow Creative Writing major and college friend.

I was really upset when I realized I could not participate in 2010 due to other commitments, but I did write 50,000 words in November in 08 and 09. It is the sense of community and OLL support that makes/made this possible for me.

I have since passsed on the Nanowrimo bug, because I wanted others to feel the awesome sense of accomplishment. I want to try to write in Danish one of these years.

-Heather R. Nielsen

I took part of NaNoWriMo for the first time in my life just last year. I didn´t know pretty much anything about NaNo before taking part so I didn´t have much expectations. Still, I was suprised in a very, very good way. I was able to write 50k novel in one month and I absolutely not could have done it without the whole thing and spirit of NaNoWriMo. I was able to meet new people from everywhere in the world via the discussion board and I spent many, many hours when reading about other participant´s experiences, worries and moments of success. I was really, really happy when receiving e-mails from novelist, OLL staff, etc. that encouraged me to continue through the month. And I did it! Despite the fact that English is not my first language (and still I wrote in English) I was able to do it! This year I am planning to do it again - at least I´ll try! (But this time, I will write in my first language :D)

I discovered Nanowrimo by accident, when I picked up a copy of Chris Baty's book - No Plot? No Problem! That was in 2009, and now I have gone from being a wannabe writer who couldnt commit enough words to the page, to having four novels in various stages of progress, one of which I am currently editing ready for self publication on July 1st. The second novel was written during Nanowrimo 2009, but I failed to get to 50,000 words, only completing it much later, and the fourth novel was written during Nano 2010, which I did win. I can honestly say that without Nanowrimo, Chris Baty and the Office of Letters and Light, I would never have achieved my dream of becoming an author. My donation so far has been small, but when I publish my books, I will contribute more to what I think is a very worthy cause.

I have taken part in National Novel Writing Month, run by The Office of Letters and Light, for the past three years and it has enabled me to be come the novelist I wanted to be. I don't think I would have ever have written one novel, let alone three, without this program. The support of the team in the office and the community they have created has helped so many people fulfil their dream of writing a novel. Even those that don't reach their 50,000 word target are supported and congratulated on their achievement. I would recommend all of The Office of Letters and Light's programmes to anyone. I feel the young writers program is very important for the next generation, be they budding novelists or not. Writing, communication, time management and perseverance are invaluable skills which we should all nurture within ourselves and within others.

I first did NaNoWriMo in 2009; I only wrote about 11,000 words but loved it, so did it again in 2010. This time, I wrote over 60,000 words and loved it even more. My novel's still not finished, but I'm carrying on and hope to write a sequel this year. The forum's are brilliant for allowing you to chat with other novellists and to meet up with others in your area. Regional meet ups are brilliant and a great way to boost your wordcount! The pep talks from the staff and authors are fantastic, and I loved reading all of them.
In short, NaNo pushed me do something I'd always wanted to do and made me enjoy it even more than I thought I would.

I got to NaNoWriMo only a few days before it started last year. At first I wasn't so sure, if I would take the chance, but I never regretted signing up. There were moments in that months, when i didn't think I would win that thing, but in the end my novel was there, right in front of me.
The community on the forums is wonderful. The project and the people help you to write without thinking too much about the developing of the characters or the plot and such. I experienced that those things come completely on their own, if you stop to get completely crazy over them.
May NaNo-project has actually been the first novel I ever finished. The editing process still isn't at an end, but when it is I may send the book to some publishers and who knows what may come of it?
But even if it won't ever be published, NaNoWriMo has shown me, that I actually have the perseverance to write a novel. So I now wait impatiently for April, when Script Frenzy starts, so I can see, whether I also have it in myself to write a script.

The NaNoWriMo project is brilliant. Very encouraging, but not bullying - participants can get involved as much or as little as they like.

The idea is just to get writers writing. This is important - people need to communicate.

I participated in NaNoWriMo in November 2010. It was a huge challenge, but I finished in time, and I felt like I'd won something great for myself - something personal that one can't grasp physically. I felt I'd achieved something that I couldn't achieve any other place, and that's all NaNoWriMo is about; winning for yourself, winning a personal victory. I wrote 50.000 words, and I was so proud. The homepage for NaNoWriMo is easy to figure out, there's lots of things to do when you're not writing, e.g. watching videos and reading articles and speeches from famous authors.
They also have a program for children and teenagers in school which I find extremely good, taken that a lot of children these days aren't very much into books; it might help the new generations finding the joy in reading something on printed paper.

I've taken part in Nano for 5 years now. I have won for the last 4 years. The support from the OOL has made it possible for some-one who usually struggles writing anything to a deadline to met that target. It has also helped me to meet some brilliant people safe in the knowledge they were doing the same challange and therefore wouldn't think me crazy. I hope Nano continues years to come.

A few years ago, I was completely stuck. I loved to write, but the novel I was working on dragged on and on. After two years of hard work, I still didn't feel anywhere near the end, and I didn't feel able to move on until I had finished.

Then one of my friends told me about NaNoWriMo. With something real to aim for, I found that finishing my novel suddenly felt easy, and began planning a new one. In my first year,

I breezed through November with 70,000 words, a completed novel, and the realisation that the idea hadn't turned out that well. In the future, I might return to it, but for now - at least I only wasted a month!

My second NaNoWriMo last November was a close call, but I scraped a victory - and produced a novel I can really work with in future. This January, I began my first non-NaNo project since discovering the site - with my own goal of 25k by June. I hope that it will be finished by November, ready for another crazy month of writing.

NaNoWriMo has helped me write in a whole new way - a way which feels fun, rather than being a burden. It's a brilliant idea, and one which every writer should try.

Nanowrimo has been one of the best writing experiences I've ever had. I look forward to November every year because of it. It's amazing what a community like that has done to help people have fun with writing and achieve their goals.

Last November, I wrote a novel. It's something I've always wanted to do, but never had the right push. I joined NaNoWriMo on a whim, but the clever framework and the endless encouragement from the OLL team helped me make it happen. I wrote a novel and learned so much beyond the fact that I now know I can do it again. Very few things have ever made me feel so empowered.

I have done NaNoWriMo twice now, and both times I have found it extremely challenging, and while doing it I wonder why the hell I did do it, but afterwards I get this great feeling of achievement. I think that it's a great thing to do because it gives you a chance to meet new people who like to challenge themselves as much as you do, it makes you feel like you've accomplished something and as much as it might stress you out, it's so much fun, and sometimes you actually get something half decent from it!
I'm definitely planning to do it again this November and have already recommended it to three of my friends, and would recommend it to everyone.

I participate in two of the OLL's three major programs, Script Frenzy and National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWrMo in particular gave new life to my hobby of writing, which led to one of the most exciting jobs I've ever had, not to mention a finished novel to share with my friends (and a second if I can finish editing it). Script Frenzy inspired me to learn the craft of graphic novel writing, which I hope to soon turn into a part-time career, distributing my work online. In short, both programs have made my life much more exciting and full, and I'm grateful to the staff of the OLL for their time and efforts, and most of all their unique vision.

The only method that finally got me to overcome my most difficult challenge of applying the seat of my pants to the seat of my chair. Life-changing. Thank you. A million stars.

More than 5 stars. NaNoWriMo has helped rewire my brain, and has done so with positive encouragement, while I sit in my own solo space in the woods. My longer review is in the "I've personally experienced" box, and my thanks are forever.

Between my work and my children, I had never before written more than 10,000 words on my novels in one month. Though I knew the challenge of juggling this activity along with all the other things in my life would be hard, I decided to take part last year.
With daily encouragement from the OLL, I've actually meet to finish the 50,000 words target. Never mind that it forms only a quarter of the book in my case, I managed to write 5 times as much with their help and encouragement as I usually do by myself.
I would recommend the programme to anyone who is thinking about writing professionally, but can't write enough at a time. This will give you the tools you need. I know my non-Nano output has now jumped from 10,000 to 30,000 words a month, because I've learn to keep motivated, as well as plan my working hours better. I haven't broken the habit of editing as I work but I'm working on that!

When I first heard about NaNoWriMo in late October 2009 I immediately felt challenged. I didn't have a plot idea but I singed up anyway and spend the last tdays of October thinking of a storyline.
With thanks to all the encouraging pep talk emails and my ever growing wordcount on the site I actually managed to my big surprise to succeed. And then in 2011 I spend most of my spare moments thinking of a good storyline, wishing it was November while it was still May.
Overal I say that NaNoWriMo challenges us to demand more of our imagination and creativity to succeed in something as seemingly impossible as writing a story of 50.000 words within a month.

What started as a chance chat with a friend over coffee has turned into an annual, international adventure that brings me closer to friends I din't know I had. AND I get to write an awesome (or sometimes lame) book, and seriously, how often does that happen? Now I AM a novelist! It's soemthing that I've done and can do again if I wanted to.

Nanowrimo have so exceeded my expectations of what a non-profit can do with a simple good idea that I honestly can't think of anything to add to this.

Thanks to OLL I've been inspired and supported to achieve something I never thought possible. I have nothing but praise for this organisation.

Last year was my first year of NaNoWriMo and I honestly started it as a bit of a joke. Little did I know how fantastic the NaNo team are, both at the Office of Letters and Light and the people worldwide who support, encourage and go through the same experiences as all of us writers. I've never been a particularly good writer and my spelling and grammar sometimes leave a lot to be desired, but with NaNo I felt like I was part of something and no matter how rubbish my 50,000 words turned out to be that I was fantastic just for giving it a go. I had the best fun, met and heard from a bunch of amazing people and came out the other side with a piece of work I am actually very proud of. I definitely plan on taking part again next year.

I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time in November 2010, and it was a powerful experience. Being given the opportunity and support to reach such an amazing goal as writing a book in a month has made a huge different to my confidence, creativity and general outlook on life.

I would never have been able to do this amazing thing without the support and encouragement of the team at NaNoWriMo, and throughout it all, the idea of contributing to their writing community and helping to encourage others, especially young people, to write was part of what kept me going!

The work of the Office of Letters and Light is invaluable to communities all of the world.

I didn't even know about NaNoWriMo until the 31st of October, and a sense of dread at what I had signed up for kept me awake that night. I also considered quitting and just leaving my characters and my story hanging, but the Office of Letters and Light had loads of inspirational stuff that convinced me. So I perservered, and now I have a (still unfinished, sadly) 50,000 word novel saved on my desktop, and a huge sense of having done something worthwhile for a month. I would've given up immediately if it wasn't for the Office of Letters and Light, and now I'm so glad that I didn't.

I started my NaNoWriMo experience in 2007, and I've never looked back. Writing a novel is something I've always wanted to do - my problem was that if you gave me a wad of paper and left me to my own devices, I'd have a flying start, yes, but my progress would always taper off. When I did NaNoWriMo, however, I managed to make a good start and keep that progress up for thirty days.
What I find special about the Office of Letters and Light is the fact that they not only give people an incentive to be creative, they encourage people to write beyond the limits of their imagination. No tale is too crazy for NaNoWriMo or Script Frenzy. They offer motivation in weekly pep talks from well-known authors, in helping participants keep track of their progress over the month, and in providing a brilliant website and form where you can find thousands of other people who are in the same boat as you! Their events create a community in writing, which is normally a solitary pastime.
They have a fun, educational version of NaNoWriMo for children, as well - The Young Writers' Program. It's hosted on a separate site specifically tailored for younger audiences, and encourages the kids to set themselves a manageable goal - where us adults are bound to 50,000 words, a kid could write 25,000 if they so wished.
If I can be honest, I couldn't imagine life now without NaNoWriMo. There's something magical about that build-up to November - on every October 31 I've stayed up, waiting for midnight to roll round so I can start. Hundreds of thousands of others across the world do the same, and it would be awesome if The Office of Letters and Light's events could continue to grow to reach even wider audiences. You can't fault such a party of mass creativity!

This year was the first time I participated in the National Novel Writing Month, and I found it to be a very beneficial experience. Not only did it teach me a lesson in time management, it allowed me to do something which, earlier on, I would not have been able to accomplish.

Also, through the write-ins, I was allowed to meet people who shared my passion for writing. I was glad to do so, and I'm looking forward to participating in the next event.

The writing community that The Office of Letters and Light rallys every year is truly amazing to see. I can't express how many years I spent writing alone, until this past year, when I signed up for NaNoWriMo and discovered there were twenty other people meeting for a write-in down the road! I'm also impressed more and more every year with the Young Writers Program that tailors NaNoWriMo for K-12 classrooms.

On a personal level being part of National Writing Month was a life changing experience. But more importantly I think art, along with generosity, is the most redeeming of human endeavors. Being creative helps people through loss, addiction, despair. The Office of Letters and Light supports people without reference to class or color. I love it.

When I first heard about NaNoWriMo on October 28. in 2009, my first comment was: "Wow, people must be absolutely insane to do that! Where can I sign up?"
I participated in 2009 with only two characters and a rough setting in my head and without any plot to speak of. In the end, I had written 50.266 words and I felt like I was flying. This was the very first time I ever finished a long story - and it was not a fanfiction!
I had tons of fun in the forum, made new friends and spent an amazing month writing like a maniac while all my friends were looking at me saying "Wow, now you`ve completely lost it!" And I loved it. Every single second of NaNoWriMo2009 was amazing.
So by the end of it, I was already penning out several ideas for NaNo2010. By April, I had a clear picture in mind and started plotting and counting the days until November.
NaNo2010 for me started like this: Several fellow Wrimos and I met in an internet chatroom shortly before midnight and then started writing the first second of November 1. Every hour, we met up at the chatroom again to share our wordcounts and cheer each other on. I wrote till 6:30 in the morning and by the time I went to bed I had already written 10.000 words.
I finished NaNoWriMo2010 with over 75.000 words and the book is far from completed.
Thanks to NaNoWriMo and its amazing hosts I managed to write two books, got my muse back and am now happily planning a fantasy trilogy and a whole series of crime novels. My word output has increased by a 100 percent and I am much more relaxed when it comes to writing.
It`s February now and I`m already waiting for November. NaNoWriMo is waiting! Go and give it a try, you`ll be amazed at what you can achieve when someone like the great NaNo community is kicking your butt and cheering you on.

The hardest thing to say about the OLL is what role I, the humble wordsmith play in their goal.

Am I a volunteer? I certainly volunteer to participate and I churn out my words and add them to the heap in November for five years now (non consecutive).

Am I a client served? It's an odd service but any author will tell you that finding an almost surefire method of getting through 50,000 words in a month while holding down a regular day job is worth... well, there's a thing.

Some years I'm flush and some years I'm not and they don't mind if you can't donate. I still have all my winner's certificates. They just like it if you take part.

So that means that sometimes I'm a donor of cash (ad worth every penny) and sometimes it is just the sweat of my brow that goes into my participation.

The OLL is many things to many people but I think it's definitely inspirational and creative fun for everyone who comes into contact with it.

NaNoWriMo was a great experience. Despite being very, very stressful and, at times, incredibly difficult, it was probably the best thing I've done with my writing for a long time. It proved to myself that I could indeed write.

I took part in Nanowrimo this year. I have been too ill to have a proper job for years now and have really lost a lot of faith in myself.

But I did it. I wrote over 50,000 words in November. It's not going to win any prizes or get published but it gave me some faith back in my own abilities. I would never have been able to do it alone.

Thank you Nano!

I took part for the first time in NaNoWriMo last year and it was a great release. I had already written a first novel and was in that horrible 'stuck' phase, totally unable to get going on a second book because I knew all the pitfalls and the long long path ahead of me. NaNoWriMo changed that because it offered a supportive framework in which to just get something done. And it's only a month lost if it all goes wrong. Many of my writing friends took part too, so we all felt united in a common cause, which was motivational. And perhaps best of all, when family and friends were trying to distract me from my goal I told them, sorry, it's national novel writing month and I'm busy. And they accepted that and left me alone to get on with it. Invaluable.

As a immigrant housewife in a country where I need to learn a new language to get along in day-to-day activities, sometimes the situation gets me a little down. A friend encouraged (or rather, dared) me to try the NaNoWriMo experience. I certainly had the time, but did I have the ability?

In the end, I gained more than a NaNoWriMo win. I also gained a new group of friends, a cheerier outlook on life, and the surprising knowledge that I just might be an ok writer after all!

(My challenge one of these years will be to NaNoWriMo in German, and I know that my new friend base will be cheering for me all the way. How is that not a good thing?)

I took part in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2010, and was amazed by how obsessive I became about my Stats page... What a great tool! Every paragraph or so I found myself compulsively updating my wordcount as I neared the increasingly possible goal of 50,000 words. Without the presence of the online community and the pep talks in my inbox, I would never have completed the task. I still can't understand how I DID, as I had a two month old baby to look after as well! I LOVED it, and am secretly considering doing it again this year. Is it possible with a toddler?

I have nothing but good things to say about NaNoWriMo. First of all, they're free! Which doesn't sound so amazing in this world of buy-one-get-one-free and just-give-us-your-email-so-we-can-spam-you-and-it's-free services. But if you consider all the services they provide, along with the moral support, it's worth it's weight in gold—and yet it's free! Amazing.

NaNo is great because they encourage you to be the best you one could possibly be. Stop criticizing yourself. Stop doubting yourself. Tricks to get your dreams accomplished (that long talked about but never written novel). Pep talks to encourage you along the way.

They also provide free public forums so that members can feel camaraderie with each other. They encourage locals to get together and bond over writing together, which can form long-lasting friendships, writing partners, or just plain fun with a bunch of strangers.

Best of all, with lots of effort from them and yet no benefit to them, they help you write your book. You become a novelist. All thanks to them... because otherwise you'd still be thinking about it and have never done it.

Do I recommend this service to other creative types who like to write? YES. I am so please to be a part of such a great group of people.

I always wanted to take part in NaNoWrimo, and finally last year I did. All these years (and two writing degrees) that I was trying to write a novel, and I never did -- all it took was the support from NaNoWrimo to get me up and running and succeeding. I plan on doing it again this year! Being able to do NaNoWrimo was a bright spot on an otherwise horrible year for me.

The Office of Letters and Light is a massively supportive organisation whose purpose is to encourage creative writing. Through its challenges (among others, to write a novel in November, or to write a script in April) it harnesses the enthusiasm of individuals, writing groups, schools and colleges, and gives this motley group of writers the tools, the encouragement and the forum to reach their goal. By being a part of one of the challenges, you are, in effect, giving yourself permission to indulge your creativity for a month and ignore the demands of housework, television, social pressures. Without the support of OLL, how many of us would still be saying, 'I could write a novel' without ever being sure that it was possilble? The work they do to nurture and support creativity is priceless: long may it continue!

I participated in NaNoWriMo this year, and it far exceeded my expectations. The online social space provided support, encouragement and motivation, and I was truly amazed by the offline, community-generated activities around the event. London is a big, isolating city, but NaNoWriMo allowed people to break through social barriers and connect with new people - strangers - in a way that is rarely seen outside camping music festivals!

In my view, The Office of Letters and Light is doing a Very Good Thing, and deserves the financial support to keep delivering its services, expanding its reach, and making a positive impact on both adults and children across the globe.

I had been writing for a few years when I heard about NaNoWriMo and I thought I would see what it was about. Everyone who had ever been involved with it seemed to love the challenge, the community, and the experience. Though I wasn't convinced I'd be able to write 50,000 words in a month I thought I would try.
What makes the Office of Letters and Light different from other writing and literacy programmes is its flexibility and energy. They're so passionate about what they do! I support them each time I take part in one of their programmes because I have gained so much from them, and I want them to be able to let others take part too. The work they do is fantastic.

I took part in NaNoWriMo for the first time last year and it was a brilliant experience. It really gave me new inspiration for writing by forcing me to churn out such a lot in a short space of time. I had expected not even hit 50k but I crossed the finish like with 135k words, thanks to encouragement from other NaNoers and the staff at OLL. The structure of the websites is really well laid out and everyone is so friendly. Regular emails from OLL help you along too. I think it's great how they also make the effort to get involved in communities with their idea of municipal liasons, and encouraging libraries to display stickers to advertise that NaNoers can write there. They're really helping encourage people to get in touch with their creative potential.

I had always wanted to write a novel but never seemed to find the time or the right motivation. Then two years ago I came across National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo as it became known. This provided exactly the right type of motivation and made it fun. The lovely people at The office of letters and light provided pep talks, fun activities and great forums all to enhance the experience and they were always on hand with support when needed. Since then I have won NaNoWriMo twice and am finding that even when it isn't November I've learned how to structure my time and write whenever I can. I am hoping that some day I'll be able to write professionally. I owe my developing skills and new found motivation to the fantastic Office of Letters and Light.

I guess I'm both a client served and a donor, because I've participated in the National Novelist Writing Month Challenge and also donated to help keep up OLL's wonderful events. OLL has not only helped me with my personal goals as a writer with NaNoWriMo, but is also inspiring many young authors with their Young Writer's Program. I donated this last November because I can definitely see the impact that NaNoWriMo has had on me for the last 6 years, and it's so wonderful to see writers in my community get together to have book drives, writing parties, and gain lasting friendships. OLL is full of funny, supportive people who understand the strain of the challenge they're putting out there for everyone.

My daughter and I both participated in the NaNoWriMo event this past Fall and it was a wonderful experience.
There was no shortage of support and ideas and new ways to relax and ditch some of the dreaded writer's block.
I applaud them for their dedication to keeping people interested in creative writing in such a positive way.

I came upon National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) by accident just after it wrapped up in 2009 and thenforgot all about it until I saw it again in late October of 2010. I had spent most of the year with severe migraine headaches and had been unable to do much reading or writing all year. I was just beginning to recover in October, and the idea of participating in a novel writing program really inspired me. I started out with one idea that fell apart after only a few hundred words, and then started over and took off. I completed 53,000+ words during November!
The forums were wonderful and the generosity of the published writers' pep talks were extrememly helpful.
Not only was I able to complete a dream of novel writing, but the feeling of sharing the experience with thousands of people all around the world was invigorating.
The Office of Letters and Light provides a unique opportunity to people of all ages, world wide, to participate in a collective creative endeavor. I applaud them for their work and can't wait till next November!

Last year was my third year with NaNoWriMo. I made the 50,000 words and am currently editing my work. I love NaNoWriMo because it helps me to focus my work and get a good draft done.

I took part in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2010. It was a fantastic experience. I finished writing a story something I hadn't been able to accomplish alone for a long time. I made new friends and became involved in a writing group after the competition ended. I think it's a marvelous vehicle for encouraging creativity and literacy. I look forward to the 2011 event.

I first discovered NanoWriMo through the book Chris Baty wrote 'No Plot No Problem'. Could 50,000 words really be written in one month? There was only one way to find out. So in 2009 I attempted my first 'Nano'.

Not only was I swept away with the friendliness of the whole site but also the support given by our region's MLP. Everyone on Nano were in the same boat and we all stuck together. With their support I reached the goal of 50,000 words and felt incredibly proud.

Another huge advantage of joining in the madness that is NaNoWriMo is that I have made some very good friends. This I wasn't expecting but am very grateful nonetheless.

Sitting down with determination to reach your goal is a good lesson for anyone wishing to venture into novel-land. It offers you a sneak peak of what a published writer goes through when developing a novel and it also lets you know how hard writers have to work to 'get it right'.

Thank you NaNoWriMo for many things but thank you, most of all, for proving time and time again that there is good in the world and we should never give up hope.

I completed NaNoWriMo in 2010 for the first time, after falling short of the mark in 2009. It was a brilliant experience. I appreciated help from the volunteer moderators, as well as the pep talks. Without the peptalks from NaNoWriMo, I don't think I would have finished.

Writing the first draft of a novel - 50,000 words on a single story, was a big milestone in my desire to be a professional writer. Thank you to NaNoWriMo for helping me with this.

I had never heard of NaNoWriMo until last year, and when I found out what it is I was immediately intrigued. I've always liked to write and finding a community that encourages writing for fun and sets a concievable challenge was something I really needed. I don't intend to publish, but I liked the idea of using this community to see if I could stick to a deadline and push myself to finish something creative. I was tentative at first, but the online community support was staggeringly good, sending out videos of support and hosting pages where people could talk to others in their position about how they write, where they write, or even just friendly messages of support. I am so glad I participated in NaNoWriMo - I even use it as proof I can work under deadlines in my CV! - and I am definately going to be coming back this coming Novemeber. It helped me prove to myself that I am capable of doing things if I set my mind to them, and I for one, am glad that NaNoWriMo is in the world.

I was introduced to the Office of Letters and Light, along with its National Novel Writing Month, by a friend almost five or six years ago. I've been taking part in it every year since, even through three years of double-majoring in college and holding down a full-time job. NaNoWriMo makes November worth having on a calendar.

From a practical standpoint, it's an epic form of practice for writing academically; I've advanced to the point that I can literally write A-grade papers in my sleep thanks to the effort required of NaNo. From a personal standpoint, it's an outlet for creative expression second to none. The fact that this all takes place because of a longshot charity just makes it all the better, and I look forward to every donation I can give. Promoting literacy and creativity -- which are, in themselves, ways of promoting information comprehension and applied critical thinking -- is one of the finest and most realistically attainable goals around.

Put bluntly: I cannot praise them enough, and they are more than deserving of this award.

I took part in NaNoWriMo last year for the first time and it was a brilliant experience! The lovely OLL posted daily messages of support, sent encouraging emails, prompted me to get in touch with other writers, and generally held my hand through the scary process of writing 50,000 words in a month. I felt a sense of real achievement by the end, and I certainly would have given up the fight if it had not been for the OLL. Long may they continue!

I've pondered about giving Letters and Light and Nanowrimo a lower rating... it has crossed my mind- But in the end I gave them five stars anyways because I realized I wanted to do the former merely because of the writing agony I had put MYself into last November. Nanowrimo is genius. I've penned 2 novels in my life and both were during this event. I've made friends through Nano, I've been introduced to wonderful writing communities and networks, and have learnt so so much about my writing and myself as a person. It's in fact the learning that was painful. Discomfort is the path to knowledge... sometimes. I think Nanowrimo should keep going strong!

I stumbled across the NaNoWriMo competition quite by accident. When I read what the competition was all about I was excited though nervous about participating.

The efforts of OL&L though are too powerful to ignore so I grabbed my courage and dove in. I have participated twice now and each event has been an amazing experience.

The sheer act of writing 50,000 words + in a month seems daunting but once you've started doing it, its a lot like exercise, i.e., addictive and very rewarding.

I heartily recommend everyone get involved with both the NaNoWriMo competition as well as OL&L.

I love nanowrimo, it gives me something to do in November, and stops me from feeling stressed. I enjoy planning it, and as I was heading off to university, it helped give me some structure. It is interesting to write and I enjoyed it.

The Office of Letters and Light has an annual writting program every November called NaNoWriMo. It is a 30 challenge to write a 50,000 word novel. This has been a wonderful motivational program for me, and has been instrumental in encouraging me to write my first 2 novels, first in 2009, and again in 2010. I could not have done it alone. This program was passed on to me by word of mouth from a friend who is a professional writer. I look forward to November 2011, and another winner certificate to hang on my wall.

When I first heard about NaNoWriMo it seemed like madness. Surely one could not write 50,000words in a month and get anything even remotely worthwhile out of it? i was wrong. I was so very wrong. Participating in NaNoWriMo is one of the most fun things I did last year. I finally started writing on that novel I'd had running in my head for so long. Now, don't get me wrong, I am by no means under the impression that my hurried words are the stuff of literary legend, but it moved my project forward. Gave me a goal and a deadline. When I felt down and certain I could not do this, there was no way I could possibly finish on time - then there it was, a timely letter from The Office of Letters and Light telling me YES I COULD, and should, at that. I didn't finish my novel, but I did pass the golden mark of 50,000 words. And once NaNoWriMo was over for this year, I actually did something I never thought I would, I kept writing. My novel is now finally finished. It's nothing that future generations are going to revel in. Nothing they'll be reading in schools to show examples of excellent writing and an almost godly way with words. Not at all. But to me it's incredibly important. I, personally, am immensely proud. And, after all, if I can write a novel in almost a month, then what can't I do?

I came upon NaNoWriMo by chance and can honestly say that the month I spent writing daily was transformational. I had wanted to write creatively for years and had found many ways to stop myself. Through NaNoWriMo I discovered an international writing community, as well as a local group of writers in similar situations to myself i.e. busy in all sorts of ways, not always confident about their writing skills. I was touched by the alacrity with which participants responded to queries and provided information freely and I enjoyed the constant encouragement. I have enthused to many people about NaNoWriMo, encouraging them to participate this year and I will be beack again also.

It was my first time taking part in NaNoWriMo, I heard about it from a friend and I'm so glad I did!! I have some experience in writing, but the thing I always wondered is if I could make a deadline and thanks to NaNoWriMo I realised I can :) It helped me so much with my self confidence. Plus it helped me finish a novel for a writing competition.

November 2010 is etched in my memory forever as one of the most fantastic experiences in my life. I wrote a novel...Each night I would take myself off to my room, open the notebook and handwrite my novel in pencil. At first I planned to write it using my laptop, but I was so concious of correcting spelling mistakes and the art of typing, that I found it interfered with my thoughts. So handwriting in pencil seemed to maintain the perfect speed for collecting my thoughts on paper. Entering my quota on the internet each night, was what worked for me. Seeing the quota meter extend closer to the goal, and viewing the graph format, plus the encouraging words from the web site, was so encouraging. I doubt I would have continued if not for the quota guage and support.

Nanowrimo helped me to make writing a robust part of my life. Even if I won't write for all the other months, at least I know I what I will be doing for the whole of each november. It's not only great for my productivity; I've learned that inspiration is not something you have to endlessly wait for, but rather something you can stimulate. The website and the forums make me feel a part of a large movement, this "we're all doing this together"-feeling that is pretty awesome.

I've always wanted to write a book, but I never found the motivation or the courage to do it. Then I stumbled across NanoWrimo. It reached deep within my creativity and within a month my novel saw the light!

I took part in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2010. What a wonderful experience - and a much needed learning curve. More initiatives like this would be so good to promote the art and craft of writing

Several days into the month of November, 2010, a friend told me of a site he'd found where people were encouraged to be creative, to reach into the depths of their minds and souls, in short: to write a novel. He said he'd signed up, that he was going to write 50,000 words in a month. I thought that was sheer madness and yet, I admit, I was also a little curious. When I arrived home that evening, I searched this so called "nanowrimo" with nothing more than a vague inclination to see what had so inspired him. Two hours later I was 1000 words into my own novel.

National Novel Writing Month is a brilliant initiative, both in theory and in practice. It gets people to think outside the box of their everyday lives, to examine themselves in a new light by encouraging them to express themselves creatively in the beautiful medium of writing. It was a pleasure to take part, and I shall do so every year.

I finished my 50,000 words and it was marvelous. My novel may never be read by another soul, but the joy, for me, was in the writing.

I took part in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2010 and it made November by far the best month of the year. I had not expected to have so much fun with it and it has really gotten my creative juices flowing, especially with the mental support provided by the NaNoWriMo staff during the month. Being part of this project has given me a lot of inspiration and new found joy in writing and other creative outlets.

NaNoWriMo is something I had always wanted to do for myself. After years of waffling, I finally took the plunge this past November. Thanks to the encouraging motivation letters, reminder emails, and well-designed website, I managed to finish my 50,000 words and win! I write almost every day, now, and have so much more confidence in my abilities as a writer. The people at the Office of Letters and Light are fun, approachable, transparent, and so so passionate about what they do. They have reached thousands of people and made a real, positive impact on their lives.

Writing is by its nature a lonely activity. Writers are usually loners with an active imagination and the wish to share it with others. But it's never easy. Many great novels will never be written because the author gives up halfway through.
NaNoWriMo makes it less lonely. For one month, you become part of a community entirely of (real and wannabe) authors. It's a competition in which everyone can win, and the prize is the novel you've always wanted to write but never had the will power to. Just knowing that at the same time people are going through the same struggle as you, that's a powerful feeling. If they can do it, so can you.
The first two years I participated in NaNoWriMo I failed. But I learned from my failure. In the third year I reached the 50k words and every year after it became easier. The results aren't novels. The odds of writing a bestseller in 30 crazy days are low. But after NaNoWriMo you do have a rough draft that one day can become a bestseller. And thanks to NaNoWriMo you know you can do it. Writing is easy - the ideas are already there, in your head. You only need to force yourself to make time and push those ideas out on the paper. Creating weird plots because you're stuck in a chapter and you don't know what to write. Or spending a page just writing about the breakfast of the protagonist. It doesn't matter because NaNoWriMo is about reaching a goal of 50 000 words, and those words and plots don't have to be perfect. You're not judged on the quality. Once you have quantity, the quality can be distilled from it. If you still love your novel you'll rewrite it and who knows, one day it might be in the bookstore around the corner.
50 000 words. It seemed such an impossible goal. Then NaNoWriMo came.

I took part in NaNoWriMo during 2009 and 2010, and it's one of the best things I've ever done.

It's helped me have more confidence in my writing and practice new techniques which I have then put into action in my job. Moreover, having a real creative outlet even just once a year has made me happy and proud - and I see this effect on all the people I meet who have taken part.

This year I'll be getting more people involved - anyone who needs a boost of confidence or could do with a challenge that won't be assessed and reviewed by anyone else.

The OLL team seem to put a huge amount of effort in to something which after five years must seem like a chore. Their pep-talks, creative input and community moderation turn it from an individual effort to a genuinely global phenomenon to which I fell I belong. They could easily have taken the route to run it as a for-profit, with entrance fees, etc, and I appreciate their dedication to keeping the project open and accessible for all.

When I first started writing NaNoWriMo, I didn't think I could do it. But this wonderful project has proven me wrong three times, and I fully intend to participate next year as well. Now November is my very favourite month of the year, and as soon as December starts, I start longing for November again.

I have attempted NaNoWriMo twice and both times I've wom, but only because of all the hard work The Office of Letters and Light put into the project. I recieved encouraging emails, had an easy to use counter on the website and well organised forums to help me. I feel that The Office are offering a huge service by running the program and are truly encouraging people from all walks of life to write.

Until October 2010 I had never heard of the Office of Letters and LIght, let alone NaNoWriMo. Then a few friends said that in November I WOULD be writing a novel..we all would and it would be helped along by this organisation.

Now I knew it would be a challenge, but I'd had a story in my head for a while (a SHORT story!) so thought why not. We did it...we all managed out novel in a month but boy was it tough at times. Now Im editing my novel with a view to letting people actually read it.

This has been the most inspiring thing I have done in years. The OLL are a great support network, they have a network of volunteers who help you along while building a worldwide community and they facilitate dreams. Yes...DREAMS.

If it wasnt for NaNoWriMo that story would still be in my head.

Yes it's tough and self-imposed writing madness..sometimes it's mentally painful as you push yourself towards your daily word count. But you know that you are working towards a goal along with thousands of other writers.

The Office of Letters and Light...I salute you. You made me a writer :)

Before taking the NaNoWriMo challenge I really believed it was impossible to write 50,000 in 30 days, let alone 50,000 that actually strung together and told a story. It was a fantastic chance to take up a personal challenge with the support of the Office and Letters and Light. They seem to be able to reach out to all those thousands of people all over the world and still make it feel as though they are right there with you cheering you all the way. Fantastic! They are changing people's lives in vital ways with fun! Brilliant.

I took part in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2010, and through the tips and encouragement of the organisation, I completed my 50,000 words in time. This has been so important to me, I am incredibly grateful. The particularly great bit was the author's page, where I could load in my running total and see a graph and statistics to show me how I was doing. I recommended it and two friends have signed up for Scriptfrenzy in April, as they saw how much it did for me! Thanks very much, see you in November :)

When a friend first told me about NaNo, I was dubious. I figured that it could never be done, and that writing under such pressure would be horrible and ultimately unrewarding. I told myself that, sure, I would go along with it, without even signing up to save myself the humiliation when I fell flat on my face.

I was wrong. Within minutes of being shown the website I was registering - the whole community has a warm and friendly feel with a 'we can do it!' attitude and the most emphasis on trying and doing your best rather than actually writing 50k words in a month. Because, whether or not you make it, whatever your score is still stands as something you wouldn't have written otherwise. With this in mind, and encouraged by my fellow WriMos, I worked hard and I crossed the finish line on time. And it felt amazing.

NaNo is so important to me - not only because I look forward to it now and am already planning this year's attempt, but because it changed the way I think about writing. I procrastinate and my ideas are all over the place, yes, but for one month I'm a writing MACHINE and I too can feel like an actual novelist. The OLL gives this chance to people, at zero cost, and lets us unlock our creativity. This, I think, is especially important for young people, and their Young Writers Program is a good example of how the OLL are helping to encourage creativity in children and teenagers. Who knows - the WriMos and YWPers of today could go on to become the novelists of tomorrow!

I've always wanted to write a novel so last November I joined NaNoWriMo and gave it a go. It was tough going but I got daily emails of encouragement from other writers, which really spurred me on. I even thought about giving up once and wrote nothing for a whole day, but the next morning there was an email from someone telling me how great they felt when they'd achieved the 50,000 words. And off I went again!

Entering my wordcount every evening onto the website showed me how I was doing and made me work harder the next day if I was falling behind. Seeinghow others were doing and reading their stories showed me I wasn't alone in finding it hard going at times.

I felt so proud of myself, of my achievement, when I finally submitted my novel. This was really helped by the great video from the Office of Letters and Light team clapping and cheering - it made me grin like a maniac! That was a really nice touch.

I don't think my novel was particularly good, and it won't ever see the light of day. But it was a coherent story which made sense, had a start, a middle and an ending, everything a novel should have. Practice makes perfect, they say, and this experience has shown I can do it, so I can do it again. Maybe after a few runs I'll even end up with something I feel someone else may want to read. The point is I now have the confidence to try.

Overall, I loved my experience of NaNoWriMo 2010. I'll definitely be back this November.

I've been doing NaNoWriMo for two years now, and I'm completely hooked. I love how it pushes you to finish that story, no matter what.
Despite some minor glitches on the site (we NaNoWriMo's tend to get fanatic), I really feel encouraged and supported while trying to get the plot bunnies to back off.

Last year, I didn't make it and felt really, really guilty about it. Which was the perfect motivation for making it this year!

Chris Baty, I owe you one!

last year (2010) was the first year I took part in the national novel writing month and it brough me so much happiness!
I'd just moved to a new city and didn't really know anyone and the way they set up means that you all get grouped together by regions, this meant i got to meet lots of people who live near my new place who share my strange love of writing and reading!
It also provided me with incentive to finish a book in a month, it was hard but I really felt rewarded at the endwhen I got my nice free certificate, and really think that the office of letters and light do a great job and provide a wonderful service.

I think (no, I'm positive) that Nanowrimo is definitely one of the best things I've done. Not merely because of the challenge, but also because of the brilliant and comfortable environment of the project overall. I was very, very impressed with Nanowrimo!!

This was the second time I participated and I saw how the site has been developed, new features added but still the good things like pep talks and forums work well. I feel I can participate in my own way and still be part of the big NaNoWriMo community. Our local, self organized writers' group gathers for a few evenings during November to write together and every ear some new novels appear. We contribute to each other's creative projects by discussing themes and topics but mostly just being the support group every writer needs. This weekend I'll be reading one fellow Wrimo's book from last November, his fourth successive novel!

I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time last year. I had just finished university, hadn't picked up a pen for fun in over three years and fell into a pretty bleak hole.
And then NaNo came along. First I felt pretty insecure about keeping up with the daily word goal, but through the community and the pep talk emails it really turned into a fun adventure. I finished my novel 5 days early (yay, winner) and kept writing all through December until I completed the story.
NaNo helped me win back my confidence and enthusiasm. The experience was amazing and I can't wait for next year!

I've always been one of those people who wanted to "write a novel sometime". Now I have! Okay, so it's a draft. Okay, so it needs a lot more work. But it's a novel. And it's mine!
Along the way, the peptalks I received in my e-mail made me inspired, made me laugh, and made me go on. When November was over, not only was I happy that I'd written an entire 50,000 word novel, I was also really sad that it was over.
I can't wait till next year, when I get to do it all over again!

Last year, I tried NaNoWriteMo and did not get far, but I did get somewhere. So I made a personal commitment to myself I would hit the goal this year and indeed I did. I cannot explain the feeling of accomplishment. I am now working with a small group of Young Adult novel writers. We all met through the board during November and have decided to create our own critique group to keep working on our novels we started during NaNo! It's been great to continue the contact. I would not have met my group except for the experience of NaNo. Not all of us got to 50,000 words -- but all of us are still working on our writing.

I had been planning to write with NaNoWriMo for several years and kept putting it off. Finally in 2010 I organised myself enough to participate. It was brilliant. Not only did I achieve the goal of writing 50,000 words in November, I went on to write a further 50,000 in December. I am finally a writer and am now frantically editing all those words to turn them into a publishable book. I wouldn;t have done it without NaNoWriMo. The site set up by Office of LIght is so well geared to supporting us through te experience, keeping us focussed and on task. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Last year was my third year taking part and, being alone for the first time in a strange city, I realised the true value. Yes, being creative is important. Yes, it's great to have a resource for story-writing. Yes, it helps improve literacy. But the real value of Nano for me was the comradery and the feeling of accomplishment that came with completing the challenge. I managed to accomplish something, when the rest of the world seemed strange and scary and it seemed like I had no control over my life. Nano showed me that I can do anything I set my mind to. I met great, supportive people online and in real life that helped me get through the end of last year and helped me increase my confidence in my dreams and in myself.

Nanowrimo is life-changing. For me it has made possible, what I believed was impossible. To have the perseverance and the imagination to make up a story of 50.000 words in one month. I've always dreamed of being a writer, but always lacked the motivation to really go for it, until I heard about nanowrimo. Their site is so much fun, as well as their cheers, it made me feel good to take part in their challenge, knowing also that all over the world other participants were experiencing the same kinds of challenges, doubts about themselves, but also amazement about their own creativity. This all helps you to overcome your writer's block. Well, actually there was no writer's block at all: When you have to produce 50.000 words in one month, you can't afford the luxury to have a writer's block! There was also lots of play involved: e.g. word wars, and "out of the box" suggestions for adding ideas (i.e. words!) to my story.
Please excuse my not-so-good english, I'm from Holland

Each year, for 5 year already, NaNoWriMo is for me the event of the year. It encourages me to do what I can't seem to do during the rest of the year: write and finish a story, let my creative mind flow for 30 days in a row. Without this great event, I would've stopped doing what I love to do a long time ago. Now, I even feel encouraged to write and finish stories outside of November.

A couple of years ago I put 'joining NaNoWriMo at least for once in my life' on my BucketList. Since I had plenty of time in 2010 I decided that this would be my year. I was writing and writing and writing, started to hate it for a while, pushed through and I made it. And I was so proud of myself for doing it. Along the way I met some awesome people who were going through the same thing. We laughed, shared and raced against each other, helping each other make it, and we all reached 50,000 words! I have gained a lot of experience on how to write novel, but it was even more valuable to me that I remember that you can achieve anything if you just really want to, and that I found my inner story teller back. So for me NaNo stands for a month of personal growth, I definitely got in touch with myself again by writing down my stories. I haven't been writing a lot since November but my mind makes up little stories and i try to save them somewhere. Because I definitely want to join the project again in 2011. i'm so hooked!

3 years ago I saw a text about one initiative of OLL. Sacrifice november free time to writing a novell. Many years ago I had a notebook with some stories I wrote on a balkony, and I always regreted I've lost it. So I thought that I must participate and I must create a novel in the name of that notebook. My first try was awfull -- I can't make myself read it now. Second try was better -- some of my friends even read half of it. The last novel I wrote was the first with logical storyline and a final battle. I even plan to make it published. And I'm sure that my next novell will be even better -- because I practise and I learn on my own mistakes and each time I do better. Spend 30 evenings writing a book instead of going out with friends is hard and almost impossible, and it is very hard not to stop writing in the middle. But what really helps me with it, what keeps me strong -- is the OLL team. With their help, their support, letters that they send to me every week -- writing becomes possible. And letters from well-known authors give me clues and tips on the proccess itself. Some of those authors aren't famous in Belarus -- so I go search the Internet, the bookstores. And after a while new books appear on by shelves and new name is open to me. For ALL this -- I thank OLL.

To all and sundry,
I'd like to take a moment to express my gratitude and praise for the Office of Letters and Light. I've been an aspiring writer for some time now. It has always been my intention to write a novel length piece, but I'd never found a way to do it until last November. That was the first time I took part in National Novel Writing Month. For the first time I managed to produce a piece of writing of substantial length, and I don't know if I could have done it without the help of all the authors who took part in NaNoWriMo. My experience with the Office has been deeply revelatory and rewarding. I hope to continue taking part in the contests they sponser, and I hope they keep sponsering them.

I first found out about NaNoWriMo about two years ago; somebody mentioned it on a writing forum. I've participated ever since, won ever since and had fun each time. I don't think I would have written those two novels without the help of this organization.
Taking part in NaNoWriMo is definitely going to spark your creativity and the weekly pep talks are going to give you enough willpower to finish writing the novel you always wanted to write.
My goal has always been, and still remains, to be a published author and I feel NaNoWriMo helped me take huge steps in that direction.

Even so I am in mz last year of study I have once again sat down on the 1st of Novemeber and wrote.
This sounds easy enough but to do this 30 days running, while preparing for teh final year of study, trying to find a job and wash my self from time to time, is not.
But this is the only way I ever write and therefore
Thank you Nano, you huys are the greatest and please dont stop or I will never get to the end with my book :)

For a whole month I've been writing every single day. Participating in NaNoWriMo was absolutely wonderful and I learned many things about what is involved in writing a novel. It made me better understand the process and has made me respect the true writers, who write books for a living, a lot more.
They also built a great community. There are pep talks going out and the forums have a large amount of nice people, all trying to motivate and help others if needed and cheer along when we finally reach that 50.000 word goal. There are also meetings organized by people all over the world allowing the community to become more than just text on a website.

NanoWrimo is not just about writing, it's about being creative, about pushing yourself to the limits, it' about finding people who are just as crazy and passionate about writing as you are. And that's why I look forward to November every year. And the best thing is, that's it's
free. No entry fees, nothing, which is why young kids are able to participate as well. Basically, it's the best thing on the internet out there, for me anway.

I never thought i could actually write a 50'000-word story on my own. The experience was amazing and i loved the help NaNoWrimo provided (especially the pep talks, full of good hints) !
Long life to NaNoWrimo !

In November 2010 I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time. My aim was to write a 50,000 word novel, and I achieved this aim with the help of the NaNoWriMo project. Every day I uploaded my daily word count to the site, compared my achievement with my target, and drew encouragement from knowing that others around the world were doing the same. Writing can be a lonely occupation, and having a community to share the experience with can be helpful.

I heard about OLL and their National Novel Writing Month in October 2008 through local media here in Dublin, Ireland. The idea sounded wacky but doable, so I gave it a try in 2008 and 2010. I cannot fully express how satisfying it was to have written a first draft of a novel in just 30 days. It was only made possible through the innovation, support and camaraderie of the Office of Letters and Light.

The best organisations are those with the best people, and I can safely say that the OLL is staffed with some very special individuals. Not only have they devised a fun punchy month-long challenge for creative people like me, they offer all the tools necessary to help us achieve our goals. Firstly, the NaNoWriMo website. Containing forums, chat facilities, and the all-important word-count graphic with your statistics (as well as your recommended statistics!), it is indispensable, well-organised, and accessible.

Of course a website can only do so much. Where the OLL have gone further is by setting up regional groups all over the world. As a member of NaNo, I was able to join and physically meet up with a number of other Dublin-based writers who themselves were undertaking this writing challenge. That gave Nano a human face for me.

Also, I hit some problems with my own writing, and had to contact a member of staff in California. Not only was their correspondence back to me swift, it was friendly and focused on my problem, which together we managed to rectify. I am eternally grateful to that member of staff for her understanding, camaraderie, and practical help in solving my problem.

The OLL is a very worthwhile non-profit organisation, and I as one individual will be doing my best over the coming years to ensure its continuation and progression.
Thank you,
Nicola McKenna.

NaNoWriMo was an amazing experience for me. I participated for the first time in 2010 and I found the site inspirational. It really kept my motivation going and I appreciated meeting other interesting writers on line and at writeins.

I learned about Nanowrimo two years ago and participated in the Young Writer's Program. It was amazingly fun, and I loved how it awoke a creative side of me.
In the most recent Nanowrimo, last year's, I became ambitious to write that golden 50 thousand words.

I wrote my first novel this year, its one of those things everyone says "I could do that", but never does. I've been saying that for a long long time but without the support of Nano, its structure and support I would never have actually done it.

Everyone should have the chance to express themselves, we all have stories to tell, the work that OLL does in helping people to tell theirs is invaluable.

NaNoWriMo is a fantastic program which is inspirational, enjoyable and brings people together. Their main activity during the month of November challenges anyone to join in and write 50,000 words between the 1st and 30th of that month. Along the way there are pep talks from famous authors, forums to discuss every aspect or be set challenges and local group get-togethers. From a personal experience, every year it has improved my writing immensely, been really enjoyable and reminded me why I write and spurred me on to keep looking for an agent. The other activities which it runs such as ScriptFrenzy in April are also very popular and benefit everyone who takes part. In addition to all this, and possibly the most worthy element of their work is the Young Writers Program - encouraging young people around the world to write, use words and be creative is tremendously important and a wonderful way to enhance their education and allow them to experience the magic of creating their own stories. NaNoWriMo has genuinely become an important part of my life and I'm sure has had a similar effect on many, many others all around the world.

Participation in NaNoWriMo, one of OLL's events, quite simply changed my life. I now realize just how important creative expression is to me. Prior to my involvement I had dabbled with writing, but had never actually completed anything. Participation in NaNoWriMo gave me the opportunity to do just that, and so much more. I now understand that only with this kind of creative expression will I find balance in my life, and I am forever grateful.

The support and motivational 'pep talks' echo past the time line of any particular event and carry over into all aspects of my life. Because of this I believe that this is an organization that contributes to making the world a better place.

NaNoWriMo is a great way for people to explore their creative side in a fun and encouraging environment. The challenge is to write 50,000 words, about the minimum length manuscript a publisher would accept, in the month of November. This challenge really helps the unproductive writers out there (like me) actually get a full manuscript written, and it motivates new writers to put their internal critic aside for a moment and write.

NaNoWriMo allows you to chart your novel's progress with a bar graph of the word count each day. it also provides you with a target of where you should be at in order to reach the 50,000 by the end of the month. It also lets you put in information about yourself and your book so that you can connect with friends and get a little friendly competition going. NaNoWriMo regional organisations host parties and write-ins.

The prizes are really worthwhile as well. If you make it to 50,000 words, not only do you get a certificate - you also get a free Createspace Proof from Amazon.com.

NANOWRIMO is an amazing experience which changed my life - well, my attitude to writing anyway.
In slightly less than one month I wrote a 50 000 word novel. It might not be perfect but it is certainly a framework to use as a serious piece of writing.
Before I would never have thought it was possible.
And I could not have done it without OLL. They gave me the idea, the tools, the support and most importantly - the belief I could do it.

And I did.

Thank you OLL, you are my heroes...

I took part in NaNoWriMo for the first time last November, and found the sense of discipline it gave my writing made me far more productive than I had been to date. Without NaNoWriMo, I probably would have procrastinated starting my novel for who knows how long. I am glad I took part, and glad it exists to encourage all those people who "might write some day" to write NOW.

I have participated in Nanowrimo 3 times and have enjoyed it every time. Not only have I written 3 novels (2 of them pretty decent) but I have made friends and learnt a lot about myself and my writing style.

I also participated in Nanowrimo with a group of 23 twelve year olds. We met up once a week at their school and we used the Nanowrimo forums to keep in contact. The resources provided were excellent and really helped encourage the young people to continue with their projects. All of them wrote stories of over 5000 words and one girl managed to write 30 000 words. Their teachers were amazed by how dedicated the young people were about writing. When we held Word Wars (speed writing) contests during our lunch time sessions the teachers couldn't believe how quiet everyone was for the ten minutes we were writing. (It was during this year that my novel wasn't pretty decent but that's because we had a whole bunch of dares to write into the novel and by the time I'd done all of them I'd lost track of the story!)

I found out about NaNoWriMo from my mother who is also a teacher. I jumped in with both feet and had my entire class participate for the past two years. The project was very motivating and thrilling to my students. Some of my most successful students were my lowest and to see them accomplish their goals was exciting. The accomplishment of meeting their writing goals carried over throughout the year. Many of my students told me "I didn't know I was a writer! I think I want to be an author when I grow up."
I'm now participating in their new screenplay program with my students who are interested. This time it was voluntary and nearly every student signed up!
To see sixth grade students get excited about writing to the point of begging to be allowed to write is such an amazing turn of events. I love NaNoWriMo!

I've been participating in NaNoWriMo for five years now, and every fall, I find myself looking forward to November with a gleeful anticipating. Every novel I write with NaNo, I learn something new about myself and my limits. NaNo not only taught me that I COULD write, it taught me HOW to write. By writing a novel every year, I am able to see concrete evidence of just how far I've improved. NaNo taught me discipline and the value of doing things "gung-ho". I became an English major largely because of NaNoWriMo, and it's honestly become one of the defining activities in my life.

I was inspired byNaNoWriMo to write my first novel of 50,000words - I am aged 56 and will retire inthe next few years so need something new todo. The novel has just got thruogh the first round of theAmazon Breakthrough Novel Award1 Nothing like that has ever happened to me before!

OLL NaNoWriMo is just amazing. It has allowed me one month where I can be ME. I can do what I want to do -write and be part of one of the most supportive, funny, understanding writers communities that I have ever found.
The emails to help keep you on the straight and narrow are insightful, are funny, are so helpful and also allow you to realise that yes "proper" writers who do what I would love to do and write for a living get stumbling blocks, decide that they hate their main character etc the same as I do. They give hope.
The website full of forums, help, the messaging service which allows you to get in contact with other people too is just brilliant.
In short I love OLL. I think that what they do is amazing. Yes NaNo is now a well cemented part of my life and one I hope I continue to do each year, but more than that.
My son has wanted to do NaNo, so he took part in the Young Writers and it was amazing. This is a now 10 year old who was so bored with what dull topics he was being asked to write at school and needed somewhere to let out some of his creativity. The YWP gave him this. It was just so wonderful to actually see him WANT to write.
OLL are just fabulous, bringing the joy of writing, the absolute pleasure of books - writing them and reading them to the wider community and spreading the writing bug world wide.

Long may OLL continue getting bigger and better with each task they carry out.

I have been participating in nanowrimo every year since the year 2004. They have inspired me in a ways that no-one else could. I have not been able to write for many years and this has affected the quality of my life. So in that sense nanowrimo has made wonders for my mental health. I wait for November every year and every year I love to get to write, thanks to them. They are fantastic.

OLL's NaNoWriMo program was brought to my attention just in time for the 2009 event - and as a high school senior taking full time college classes, I wasn't getting a lot of creative writing done. But I decided to try and participate anyway, and with the help of the OLL staff and their pep talks, I managed to be one of the few who won on their first attempt. I also participated in ScriptFrenzy, and had a blast writing my first movie. Thanks to OLL's programs, I've done things I wasn't sure I would ever do - actually write an entire book and a movie. Any aspiring writer should definitely try these programs.

All that is needed is for you to produce 50,000 words in a row, during the month of November! No small undertaking, but a terrific motivator and personal challenge. Once an Individual sees the work in actual printed form, it is easy (easier!) to imagine finishing that novel that 85% of us have stashed away in our closets, our computers and our imaginations.
NaNoWriMo is a wonderful way to engage oneself and flex the literary muscles.

I have participated in NaNoWriMo (one of the programs put together by OLL) for three years in a row, and each time has been a wonderful experience. OLL also has a Young Writer's Program, which encourages youth to write creatively where they otherwise would not have a chance. This nonprofit organization helps countless individuals reach their goals and expand their ideas of what is possible.

I heard about NaNoWriMo couple of years ago from a dear friend of mine. I was interested in writing and really enjoyed it and the idea of writing a 50,000 words long piece in one month felt amazing. I would never have written anything so long without NaNoWriMo. The site has given me new friends and corrage I would never have gathered without it.

Thank you, NaNoWriMo and your staff, for being there for us keen on writing!