NaNoWriMo HOW TO JOIN · National Novel Writing Month is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based...

NaNoWriMo

HOW TO JOIN 1) Read the information in this packet.

2) Show page 3 to a parent or guardian so that they can learn about NaNoWriMo. This is important because NaNoWriMo will take a lot of your time and attention in November — your family needs to know what you’re doing and be on board with your awesome efforts!

3) Use page 7 to pick a goal.

4) Follow the instructions on page 8 (optional, but VERY recommended!)

5) Fill out page 9 and CAREFULLY tear it out. Return ONLY page 9 to Mrs. Baker in the library by or before Friday, October 30. If you forget to turn it on Friday, turn it in ASAP.

BTW—it’s

pronounced

“Nah No RY

Mo”, not

“REE Mo”.

Hello, Novelist!

Here it is, almost November, and you've decided to join over 100,000 people around the world next month who are brave and crazy enough to write a novel in 30 days.

We know what you're thinking. You're thinking: Writing a novel sounds pretty cool. After all, when I'm done I can spend the rest of my life bragging about how I wrote a novel in a month. But still, isn't novel writing for, well, novelists?

The answer, our friends, is no! Anyone can write a novel. You don't even have to know how to write a novel to write a novel. You just have to have a few ideas, some paper, and a pen. It's as easy as that.

If you don’t have any ideas about what to write next month, don’t worry. We've put together an awesome workbook to spark your imagination before NaNoWriMo (you'll receive it by the end of the week if you turn in this packet on time -- you don't HAVE to do it, but it can be very helpful!). We'll walk you through creating awesome characters and settings. We'll show you how to create conflict, outline your plot, and write dialogue that will strike the deepest envy in writers the world over. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, we will be right by your side throughout NaNoWriMo with dares that will help you boost your word count, create plot twists, and get to know your characters better than you might want to.

Before you embark on your noveling adventure, we want you to know that whatever your word count at the end of November, you are extraordinary just for giving this a shot.

Good luck, from all of us here at NaNoWriMo. May your words be many, your imagination be awakened, and your adventure be out of this world!

Dear Parents and Family Members,

This November, your child will be taking part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). He or she will be joining over 300,000 writers all around the world! This is a fun, innovative creative writing event where the challenge is the complete the first draft of an entire novel in just 30 days. I've often said that it's like a sports season or a marathon — even recess — for writers!

The noveling season begins November 1 and ends by midnight, November 30.

Adult participants in this program write 50,000 words during the event, but children under the age of 17 choose their own age-appropriate goal and are supported through some motivational activities at school. We'll have a progress chart (complete with stickers for that grade school flashback!), "NaNoWriMo Mail," goodies, and an end-of-event celebration/awards ceremony (you’re invited!).

There is an online component to this program available at http://ywp.nanowrimo.org. This year I am encouraging students to sign up online as well. They will need a valid email address — their own, or yours — to set up the account. On the YWP website they will interact with other student participants of the program, never adults (except myself). There are many benefits to using this website, including an improved ability for me to keep in touch with participants with suggestions, reminders, and encouragement.

I am also providing students with a calendar of local NaNoWriMo events, none of which are associated with the school. If you and your child are interested in meeting Boise/Meridian writers who are pursuing their goal of writing a novel in 30 days, I encourage you to attend one or more events — these are great people, and it can be so helpful for students to see adults doing the same things they love. If you go, please attend these events with your child as they are public and will not be supervised by any school staff members.

I have participated in NaNoWriMo, as a writer and as a facilitator, for about a decade and am a big believer in its benefits for young writers. It helps them build valuable skills in project planning and time management as well as willpower and, of course, composition.

I'm very proud and excited to welcome your child as a participant in the 2015 LSMS NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program! If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with me at [email protected].

Enthusiastically,

Kate Baker

LSMS NaNoWriMo Facilitator

P.S. Have YOU always said “one day maybe I’ll write a novel”? This might be that day! NaNoWriMo is challenging with all of

the demands of an adult life, but definitely doable and SO rewarding. And nothing motivates a writer (like your child) like

a Writing Buddy and maybe a little friendly competition with a family member! I strongly recommend that adult

participants get a free account at www.nanowrimo.org and take advantage of the progress-tracking features there. If you

attach your profile to the Boise/Treasure Valley municipal area, you will be invited to some terrific community events like

Write-Ins with friendly area writers (and your child can go with you and see what real writers in the community do). It’s

immensely powerful and a great way to meet interesting, awesome people and have some support in writing your story.

NaNoWriMo Quick Facts Started by a group of friends in 1999.

Grew from 21 participants in 1999 to almost half a million participants in 2013.

The Young Writers’ Program started in 2005 to allow younger writers a chance to participate. In 2014,

81,311 students did NaNoWriMo via the website, and many more participated offline.

Adults have to write 50,000 (or more) words. Children under the age of 17 can pick a goal based on their

grade level (grade level x 1,000 words) and their abilities/amount of spare time.

There is an online community where you can create an account and interact with other student writers.

This is optional (but strongly recommended) and should be done with your parents’ permission.

NaNoWriMo has produced MANY published books! You can see a complete list online at

http://nanowrimo.org/published-wrimos but some of the NaNoWriMo books/authors you may have

heard of include Cinder (Marissa Meyer), The Compound (S. A. Bodeen), Water for Elephants (Sara

Gruen), The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern), The Forest of Hands and Teeth (Carrie Ryan), Fangirl

(Rainbow Rowell), Anna and the French Kiss (Stephanie Perkins), Being Henry David (Cal Armistead),

Spookygirl: Paranormal Investigator (Jill Baguchinsky) and Sure Signs of Crazy (Karen Harrington). Yep —

the first draft of each of these books was written in thirty days during National Novel Writing Month!

National Novel Writing Month is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Berkeley, California. Its mission statement:

“National Novel Writing Month organizes events where children and adults find the inspiration, encouragement, and structure they

need to achieve their creative potential. Our programs are web-enabled challenges with vibrant real-world components, designed

to foster self-expression while building community on local and global levels.”

Frequently Asked Questions Q: What is the point?

A: Lots of people say that “one day” they’ll write a novel, but days turn into months that turn into years, and next thing you know you are old and never wrote your story! NaNoWriMo gives you a forced deadline, breaks it into easy-to-do chunks, and adds the element of prizes and competition to make it fun. It’s a great way to motivate yourself into writing down a first draft of a novel.

Q: How do I win?

A: NaNoWriMo is like a marathon — where everyone who finishes wins — not a race where only the fastest runner wins. To win, you just need to meet your goal. That is, you need to write at least as many words as you challenged yourself to write, within 30 days.

Q: What can I write?

A: Almost anything! You can write any genre (fantasy, adventure, science fiction, realistic, etc.) and on any subject. Fan fiction (writing a new story using characters from a TV show, movie, or book) is fine too. You can also develop an idea you had earlier into a novel — but you can only count words you write in November.

Q: How does Mrs. Baker know if I’ve won or passed a milestone?

A: There will be a “mailbox” system in the library and you’ll need to check your mail and turn in Writing Updates. They only take a minute to fill out, and you should do one every 1-3 days so that Mrs. Baker knows how you are doing and whether you’ve earned any goodies! Also make sure to update your online profile if you use the YWP website — there are nice digital trackers on there, and you can compete with friends!

Q: What do I win?

A: There will be little goodies for different milestones (for example, passing your halfway point). At the end, we’ll have a party and awards ceremony to recognize the writers. The “top writers” will get special prizes. If you meet your goal you may have the opportunity to have your novel printed up and shared in the library.

Q: Who will read my novel?

A: Anyone you want to read your work can! But you are not required to turn it in to anyone.

Q: Can I write with a partner?

A: Not really. Each person needs to have his or her own goal and his or her own novel. But you can definitely have a Writing Buddy who writes alongside you and keeps you on track!

Q: Do I have to type my novel?

A: No. BUT there are benefits to typing it. The first one is that your computer will count your words for you! Otherwise you will have to count your words by hand. The second one is that if you meet your goal and want your story to be printed up, you’ll have to type up your novel first.

Q: Can I start early?

A: No! That would be cheating. :) Wait until Sunday, November 1 to begin writing.

Q: Can I have extra time?

A: Nope… once it is December, NaNoWriMo is over and you can’t count any more words. BUT you can definitely keep writing if you haven’t reached “THE END” yet! They just don’t count for NaNoWriMo’s total.

Pep Talks from Real Authors Every year, famous authors support NaNoWriMo participants by writing and sharing great

pep talks to motivate you as you write! The 2015 lineup of Pep Talk authors includes:

STEPHANIE PERKINS KATE SCHATZ GENE LUEN

The author of Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door, and

Isla and the Happily Ever After, all of which began as NaNoWriMo drafts!

The author of Rad American Women A-Z,

and educator at Oakland School for the Arts, where she has taught the Young

Writers Program.

Author and artist whose graphic novels include

American Born Chinese, Boxers & Saints, and The

Shadow Hero.

These pep talks, along with other goodies, will be distributed

to your NaNoWriMo Mailbox throughout the month!

Boise/Meridian NaNoWriMo Events These optional events are PUBLIC and not sponsored by the school. They are a great way to meet people in the area

who are also writing novels this month! A “Write In” is an event where people come and work on their novels together,

so bring your laptop/notebook. Please ONLY attend with a parent or trusted adult. Teachers will not be present.

11/1 6-8 PM: Kick Off Event @ Black Bear Diner (1731 S. Entertainment Ave. 83709)

11/3 6:30-8:30 PM: Write In @ Barnes and Noble (1315 N. Milwaukee St. 83704)

11/4 6-8 PM: Write In @ Meridian Public Library (Cherry Lane)


11/7 2:30-4:30 PM: Write In @ Library! at Ustick and Cole (7557 W. Ustick Rd., 83704)

11/9 6-7 PM: Write In & Author Visit with Sylissa Franklin @ Meridian Public Library (Cherry Lane)



11/14 2:30-4:30 PM: Write In @ Library! at Ustick and Cole (7557 W. Ustick Rd., 83704)





11/25 2-4 PM: Write In @ Village Coffee/Street Tacos/Asian Fusion (The Village at Meridian)


11/27 5:30-8 AM: Write In @ Sharis (8521 Franklin Rd., 83709)


Choosing Your Goal The first major decision you have to make is how big you want your goal to be.

Although you CAN change your goal, it is better NOT to. So choose carefully!

Look at the charts below to help you pick a goal. These are just suggestions — you can have any goal you want, as long as it meets your minimum requirements for your grade.

(I STRONGLY recommend that you do not choose a goal higher than 50,000 words, though!)

6th Grade Goal Suggestions



Very Busy Sorta Busy Too Much Spare Time!

Slow Writer

6,000 words

about 22 doublespaced pages

or ¾ of a page per day

8,000 words


or almost 1 page per day

10,000 words


or just over 1 page per day

Average Writer

8,000 words



11,000 words


or 1⅓ pages per day

14,000 words


or 1⅔ pages per day

Fast Writer

10,000 words



14,000 words


18,000 words


or just over 2 pages per day


Slow Writer

7,000 words


or ⅘ of a page per day

9,000 words



11,000 words


Average Writer

9,000 words



12,000 words


or about 1½ pages per day

16,000 words


or almost 2 pages per day

Fast Writer 11,000 words


16,000 words


or almost 2 pages per day

21,000 words




Slow Writer

8,000 words



10,000 words



12,000 words



Average Writer

10,000 words



14,000 words


18,000 words



Fast Writer

12,000 words



18,000 words



24,000 words


or 2⅘ pages per day

1. Go to http://ywp.nanowrimo.org (Young Writers Program website).

2. In the top right corner, choose Sign Up and come up with a username. You will need an

email address; you can use parents’ email if it is okay with them!

3. Answer the rest of the questions, choosing Middle School and Young Writer. Make sure to

accept the terms and conditions, and do the simple math problem at the end before click-

ing Create New Account.

4. When your account is all set up, log in and look in the blue menu bar to the left of the

page. Click on “Edit Novel Info” and select your Word Count Goal. Use the charts on page 7

to help you choose your goal.

5. If you want, add in the rest of your novel information (tentative title, etc.).

6. Go to http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/classroom/join and search for the classroom named

LSMS NaNoWriMo! Join this classroom. If this page won’t open or you can’t join the class-

room, see Mrs. Baker to sign up on paper.

7. Once you are a member of the LSMS NaNoWriMo! classroom, go to the classroom forum

at http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/node/2028597/classroom/forum (make sure it is just the

one for LSMS) and find the discussion page for your grade level. Take a look and reply!

Join the Virtual Classroom! It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you join the virtual classroom. (Not

required, but it will help!) It will allow me to send you digital notes for re-

minders/tips/encouragement. It will also allow you to talk to one anoth-

er to help each other with your novels. Finally, it will allow you to track

your novel-writing progress as you go! Follow these simple steps.

Please write neatly so we don’t misspell your name when we copy it down!

Name Grade

English/Language Arts Teacher

YWP Website Username (if you have one)

Email Address (if you have one)

Look at page 7 of this packet and use it to

help you pick a goal. Please do not pick a

goal higher than 50,000 words.

Need help? Talk to Mrs. Baker (librarian).

The table to the right shows the minimum

goal you are allowed to pick; you can choose

a higher goal if you are a fast writer!

Remember, you have only 30 days to meet your goal — and Thanksgiving is this month.

Set a goal you can achieve without sacrificing sleep, schoolwork, & family/friend time.

My goal is to write words in 30 days.

Lowell Scott Advisor: Mrs. Baker (librarian)

[email protected]

National Website: http://ywp.nanowrimo.org

RETURN THIS FORM BY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 AT 3:30 PM

WHAT

GRADE ARE

YOU IN?

MINIMUM

GOAL

TOTAL PAGE

EQUIVALENT

(size 12, double

spaced)

WORDS

PER DAY

(FOR 30 DAYS)

6 6,000 words About 20 200

7 7,000 words About 24 233

8 8,000 words About 27 267

Recom-

mended 20,000 words 667 About 70

Adults 50,000 words About 160 1,667

Tear out this page and give it to Mrs. Baker in

the library by FRIday, October 30 , BY 3:30 PM.

NaNoWriMo HOW TO JOIN · National Novel Writing Month is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based...

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