The Basics
This section contains the most common questions about National Novel Writing Month
What do I do with my manuscript to become a NaNoWriMo winner?
From 12:00:01 am, local time, November 25 until 11:59:59 PM, local time, on November 30, all participants who have written more than 50,000 words can have their winning word counts verified by our site. Uploading your novel to the Word Count Validator makes your NaNoWriMo victory official, gets you listed on our Winners Page, and routes you to the secret spot where you can collect this year's winner's certificate. It will also turn your word count bar purple.
To become a winner, first make sure that you have written a manuscript that is 50,000 words or longer. Then sign in to the site, click on Edit Profile, then scroll down to the area labeled Word Count Validator. Copy and paste your entire novel into this box. If you would like to scramble your novel before uploading it to our site, you can find instructions for an easy way to do so here. Then hit the "Submit" button, and prepare for your accolades.
How do I delete my excerpt?
We are working on a way for users to delete their own excerpts, but in the meantime you can request that the NaNoWriMo technical staff remove your excerpt by logging in and submitting a request through our contact form.
How do I delete my profile?
In order to get your profile deleted you must submit a request through our contact form. When you do make sure you are signed in.
We can delete a user if all of the following are true:
- The user has no posts in the current NaNoWriMo site
- The user has no posts in the current Script Frenzy site
- The user requests the deletion using the contact form while logged in to one of the sites
If we cannot delete the user, we can still help by disabling all mail, notifications, regional affiliations, etc. for the user.
How often do you do this?
How often do you do this?
Every November!
Who will read my novel when I'm done?
Who will read my novel when I'm done?
Anyone you want. Last year, some people swapped novels afterwards and it was a hoot. But it's entirely up to you. No one will read your novel until you're ready for them to.
Do you edit or publish the finished products?
Do you edit or publish the finished products?
We'd love to be able to publish everyone's work, but our connections to the fiction-publishing world end at Kinkos. You are welcome, however, to put excerpts from your novel-in-progress up on our site.
Does NaNoWriMo own to the rights to novels written during November?
Does NaNoWriMo own to the rights to novels written during November?
Nope. All words are yours and yours alone. Novels emailed in at the end of the month for word count verification are deleted, unread, after being verified.
Is there a fee to participate?
Is there a fee to participate?
There's no sign-up fee, but we do ask ably-financed participants to contribute something towards hosting and administrative costs. The amount is up to you.
Do I need to have a personal website to participate?
Do I need to have a personal website to participate?
No.
When can I sign up?
When can I sign up?
Anytime! Sign ups are open year-round.
When do I start writing?
When do I start writing?
At 12:00:01 am local time on November 1.
How do you win? Are there judges? What are the prizes?
How do you win? Are there judges? What are the prizes?
The way to win NaNoWriMo is by writing 50,000 words by midnight on November 30. Every year, there are many, many winners. There are no "Best Novel" or "Quickest-Written Novel" awards given out. All winners will get an official "Winner" web icon and certificate.
Can I handwrite the novel?
Can I handwrite the novel?
Absolutely. We can't verify your word count, but verification is just icing on the NaNoWriMo cake.
What if I start and don't finish?
What if I start and don't finish?
That's ok. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?
What if I hit 50,000 words but I'm only halfway through my story?
What if I hit 50,000 words but I'm only halfway through my story?
The 50,000 word limit is a threshold, not necessarily a stopping place. Reaching 50k and realizing you still have a lot of wrapping up to do is a good thing---it gives you something to come back and work on later.
How many novels have been written through NaNoWriMo?
How many novels have been written through NaNoWriMo?
1999: 21 participants and six winners
2000: 140 participants and 29 winners
2001: 5,000 particpants and more than 700 winners
2002: 13,500 participants and around 2,100 winners
2003: 25,500 participants and about 3,500 winners
2004: 42,000 participants and just shy of 6,000 winners
2005: 59,000 participants and 9,769 winners
2006: 79,000 participants and 13,000 winners
2007: 101,510 participants and 15,333 winners
Has anyone had their novel published?
Published NaNoWriMo Authors
Jon F. Merz---NaNoWriMo novel: The Destructor (Pinnacle Books, 2003). Contact: Pinnacle Books
Lani Diane Rich---NaNoWriMo novels: Time Off for Good Behavior
Sara Gruen---NaNoWriMo novels: Flying Changes
Rebecca Agiewich---NaNoWriMo novel: BreakupBabe
Francesca Segre---NaNoWriMo novel: Daughter of the Bride
David Niall Wilson---NaNoWriMo novels: Vintage Soul (Five Star/Gale, 2007) and The Mote in Andrea's Eye
Gayle Brandeis---NaNoWriMo novel: Self Storage (Ballantine Books, 2007). Contact: www.gaylebrandeis.com
Kimberly Llewellyn---NaNoWriMo novel: Cashmere Boulevard (Berkley Books, 2007). Contact: www.KimberlyLlewellyn.com
Geonn Cannon---NaNoWriMo novel: On the Air (P.D. Publishing, 2007). Contact: P.D Publishing.
Lisa Daily---NaNoWriMo novel: The Dreamgirl Academy (Plume/Penguin Putnam, 2008). Contact: http://stopgettingdumped.com
Jacob and Diane Anderson-Minshall---NaNoWriMo novel: Blind Curves (Bold Strokes Books, 2007) Contact: www.boldstrokesbooks.com
James R. Strickland---NaNoWriMo novel: Looking Glass (Flying Pen Press, 2007) Contact: www.jamesrstrickland.com
Kathy Cano-Murillo---NaNoWriMo novel: Love Shine (Grand Central Publishing, 2007) Contact: www.CraftyChica.com
Ann Gonzalez---NaNoWriMo novel: Running for My Life (WestSide Books, 2008) Contact: www.AnnGonzalez.com
Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen---NaNoWriMo novel: The Compound (Feiwel and Friends, 2008) Contact: www.rockforadoll.com
Jessica Burkhart---NaNoWriMo novel: High Jumps at Collins Academy (Simon & Schuster, 2007).
Jenna Bayley-Burke---NaNoWriMo novel: Just One Spark
Teryl Cartwright---NaNoWriMo novel: A Sensible Match (Vintage Romance, 2007). Contact: www.terylcartwright.com
Dave Casler---NaNoWriMo novel: The Story of the Great American Flying Broomstick, Book 1: Genesis (Mt. Sneffels Press, 2007). Contact: www.americanflyingbroomstick.com
Liz Hegarty---NaNoWriMo novel: Salt River (Scholastic New Zealand, April 2009). Contact: www.scholastic.co.nz/
C.J. Lines---NaNoWriMo novel: Filth Kiss (Hadesgate Publishing , 2007). Contact: http://cjlines.com
Moondancer Drake---NaNoWriMo novel: Worlds Collide (PD Publishing). Contact: www.moondancerdrake.com.
Simon Haynes---NaNoWriMo novel: Hal Spacejock No Free Lunch (Fremantle Press, June 2008).
Why 50,000 words? Isn't that more of a novella?
Why 50,000 words? Isn't that more of a novella?
Our experiences over the past nine years show that 50,000 is a difficult but doable goal, even for people with full-time jobs and children. The length makes it a short novel. We don't use the word "novella" because it doesn't seem to impress people the way "novel" does.
Why are you doing this? What do you get out of it?
Why are you doing this? What do you get out of it?
NaNoWriMo is all about the magical power of deadlines. Give someone a goal and a goal-minded community and miracles are bound to happen. Pies will be eaten at amazing rates. Alfalfa will be harvested like never before. And novels will be written in a month.
Part of the reason we organize NaNoWriMo is just to get a book written. We love the fringe benefits accrued to novelists. For one month out of the year, we can stew and storm, and make a huge mess of our apartments and drink lots of coffee at odd hours. And we can do all of these things loudly, in front of people. As satisfying as it is to reach deep within yourself and pull out an unexpectedly passable work of art, it is equally (if not more) satisfying to be able to dramatize the process at social gatherings.
But that artsy drama window is woefully short. The other reason we do NaNoWriMo is because the glow from making big, messy art, and watching others make big, messy art, lasts for a long, long time. The act of sustained creation does bizarre, wonderful things to you. It changes the way you read. And changes, a little bit, your sense of self. We like that.
Really? How can I be sure that you aren't going to take my novel and sell it as your own, as seen in the film Morvern Callar?
You ask a good question here. And that movie was indeed oddly beautiful.
For technical reasons, your novel will be saved as a file on our server when it is submitted for Word Count. As soon as the Word Count is complete, the file will be deleted.
We promise that we will never read or copy any novels uploaded to our servers. However, we cannot guarantee that our servers will not be compromised, and there are many other ways that your novel could be viewed by interlopers when you submit it to our Word Count Validator.
If you are worried about the unlikely possibility that someone will have unauthorized access to your manuscript, please scramble your novel before submitting it to our Word Count tool.
Are you a non-profit? Is my donation tax-deductible? Do you do corporate matching gifts?
National Novel Writing Month is a project of the Office of Letters and Light, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Oakland, California. All donations made to National Novel Writing Month---in the form of cash and in-kind donations of helicopters and lavish chocolate fountains---are tax-deductible.
If you work for a sizable company, chances are good that your employer will match your donation to National Novel Writing Month. Companies that have generously matched donations to NaNoWriMo in the past include Microsoft, Adobe, Google, IBM, Wells Fargo, Washington Mutual, Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Sallie Mae, and EnCana. Ask your HR manager for more information.
Our complete information for corporate matching gifts is:
The Office of Letters and Light
2101 Telegraph Ave, Suite A
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 628-0327
Tax ID: 65-1282653
Can anyone participate in NaNoWriMo?
No. People who take their writing (and themselves) very seriously should probably go elsewhere. Everyone else, though, is warmly welcomed.
Can I change my username?
No, unfortunately you cannot change your username.
Can I change the email address associated with my account once I am logged in?
Yes, you can change your email address on the Edit Profile page.
Can I delete my old username/account?
No, however we periodically clean up the user list by removing accounts that haven't logged in for more than a year. So eventually your old account will be purged.
Can I donate by check?
Yes. We're absolutely thrilled to get donations by check! Please make your check payable to "National Novel Writing Month."
Our mailing address is:
National Novel Writing Month
2101 Telegraph Ave, Suite A
Oakland, CA 94612 USA
Things to include with your check:
- Your NaNoWriMo Username (so we can put a donor halo on your profile)
- How you'd like to be credited on our Brought To You By page (real name, pen name, organization name, anonymous, etc.)
- (For $25 and higher donations) The best mailing address for us to use when sending you your thank-you goodies.
- (For $250 and higher donations) What - if any - website you'd like to have your name on the Brought to You By page linked to.
- (For $500 and higher donations) What - if any - name we should use when heralding your generosity on our WrimoRadio broadcast.
It will likely take us approximately two weeks from the time we get your check to get your esteemed name up on our site, and get your thank-you treats in the mail to you.
Checks in foreign currencies are also welcome!
Can I donate to NaNoWriMo in a foreign currency?
Absolutely. All donations, regardless of national origin, will be loved and respected here at NaNo headquarters. Our bank charges us $5 for every foreign check deposited, though, so if you are sending a check in a foreign currency we ask that its value be over US $5.
Can I get sponsors to donate on my behalf?
Heck yes! This year, we're debuting a tie-in with Firstgiving.com, which will make it really easy to get sponsors, with all funds going to National Novel Writing Month and our Young Writers Program. Even better: We'll send you donor goodies at whatever your cumulative fundraising level is for November.
Many more details about the program and how it works on our Author Sponsorship page under Our Programs.
Can I keep writing and adding to my word count even after I've had the novel verified?
Absolutely. Verification simply confirms that you have crossed the 50,000-word mark. You can continue to add to your word count in the usual fashion until 11:59:59 pm on November 30th.
Can I participate if I'm not American?
You bet! We are very proud to be an international event, and don't consider the "National" in the title to refer to the United States. This is an event for all nations. We'd change the name to "International Novel Writing Month," but InNoWriMo doesn't roll off the tongue in quite the same way.
Can I post my whole novel as my novel excerpt?
The system should accept 50,000 words. Give it a try. You can always take it down later.
Can I share writing duties with a partner?
No. But we would like to take this opportunity to plug our Script Frenzy event. Script Frenzy participants write a 100-page stage play or screenplay in April, and for Script Frenzy you are welcome to work with a partner.
Can I use my account on the main site on the Young Writers Program site?
Unfortunately, the two sites are not connected at this time, so you'll need to register separate accounts for each. Hopefully next year you will only need to register one account for both sites.
Can I use NaNoWriMo to write a screenplay?
Screenplays are great, but outside the scope of NaNoWriMo. Which is why we've launched a screenplay-in-a-month extravaganza called Script Frenzy. Wanna write a movie or play with us? We do it every April!
Can I write in a foreign language?
Sure! Foreign-language novels are great.
Can I write one word 50,000 times?
No. Well... No.
Did you know there is a group in Vancouver that writes novels in a weekend?
Yes, and they are fools. Everyone knows that any deep and lasting work of art takes an entire month to make.
Do I have to start my novel from scratch on November 1?
Yes.
This sounds like a dumb, arbitrary rule, we know. But bringing a half-finished manuscript into NaNoWriMo all but guarantees a miserable month. You'll simply care about the characters and story too much to write with the gleeful, anything-goes approach that makes NaNoWriMo such a creative rush. Give yourself the gift of a clean slate, and you'll tap into realms of imagination and intuition that are out-of-reach when working on pre-existing manuscripts.
Do we write our novels online through your website?
You write off-line, using whatever word processor you like.
Do you read the novels that get sent in?
We do not read or store any of the manuscripts submitted.
Do you ship internationally? How much will it cost?
Yes, we ship internationally! When you place an order at our store and enter your address, you'll see international shipping options which will calculate the shipping costs for you.
Does that mean I can't use an outline or notes?
Outlines and plot notes are very much encouraged, and can be started months ahead of the actual novel-writing adventure. Previously written prose, though, is punishable by death.
How and when do I get a shiny halo next to my name on the forums?
After a minimum donation of $10, you'll get your very own halo to show off on our forums. We try to add these as soon as possible, but sometimes it takes a little while, so please be patient with us.
How can I get in touch with writers in my area?
The Regional Lounges of the NaNoWriMo forums are the place to meet up with co-sufferers in your area. Another thing you can do is check out the Municipal Liasions page of this site, starting October 1, 2008. If your area has a Municipal Liaison (a volunteer organizer who oversees local events and get-togethers), you can just send them an email and they'll tell you what's going on in your area.
How can I scramble my novel before submitting it to your untrustworthy word-counting goons?
If you are using Microsoft Word it is very easy to scramble your novel in a way that will not affect its word count.
- Open the file and make a new copy of your novel using 'Save As...'
- Open the Find and Replace dialog box (Edit -> Replace).
- Click the "More" button to expand the box.
- Check the "Use Wildcards" checkbox.
- In the "Find What" field, put this: [a-zA-Z0-9] (include the square brackets, no spaces before or after)
- In the "Replace With" field, put this: a
- Click "Replace All"
- Save the scrambled file as a text file, and upload away!
The procedure for Open Office is essentially the same, except that Open Office refers to 'Regular Expressions' instead of 'Wildcards'. (Thanks to Peter Dudley for this advice!)
You can get the same effect in a more cumbersome way by just doing a find-and-replace on every letter in the alphabet, one letter at a time. Open the find-and-replace interface on your word processing program and tell it to replace every "b" in your story with an "a," and every "c" with an "a," then every "d" with an "a." And so on.
How can I tell if I am logged in?
Note the red words across the top of your screen when you are on the NaNoWriMo site. If you are logged in, the words should read:
[Your Username] | View Profile | Edit Profile | etc...
If you are not logged in, those words will read
User Login | Lost Password? | Sign Up Now
How do I post a novel excerpt?
During November you can post an excerpt from your novel. Follow the same steps as listed above for updating the Word Count. Below the Word Count update fields, there's a Novel Excerpt update area.
Paste your excerpt into this field, and then click "Update" at the bottom of the form.
After November the excerpt field is locked.
How do I update my word count?
The word count module (and excerpt function) is in your profile page.
Go to Edit Profile (the red link in the upper right)
Click on the second tab called Author Info.
Scroll down to the novel-related fields.
How do I upload a picture?
Once you're logged in, click "Edit Profile" there at the very top of the the site. There's an option there under "Account Settings" called "Upload Photo."
Click on this link and use the form on the next page to upload your photo.
Photos must by 100x100 pixels or smaller at 72dpi, and must be under 50kb.
You can use any photo editing program (even the Paint program built into Windows) to resize your image.
How do you define "novel?" Does fan fiction count? What if I want to write interconnected short stories rather than a novel?
How do you define "novel?" Does fan fiction count? What if I want to write interconnected short stories rather than a novel? What if my story is largely autobiographical, or is based on a real person? Can I still write it in November?
We define a novel as "a lengthy work of fiction." Beyond that, we let you decide whether what you're writing falls under the heading of "novel." In short: If you believe you're writing a novel, we believe you're writing a novel too.
How do you pronounce NaNoWriMo?
NAN-no WRY-Mo.
How do you stop people from cheating, then? Couldn't participants claim whatever word count they want?
Yes, they can. But since the only real prize of NaNoWriMo is the self-satisfaction that comes with pulling off such a great, creative feat, we don't really worry too much about people cheating. Those who enter an impossibly high number or send in 50,000 words they copied from Wikipedia.org just to see their name on the Winner's page are pitiful indeed, and likely need more help than a downloadable winner's certificate can provide them.
I am getting a ton of emails in my inbox! How do I stop them?
You can shut off any and all email correspondence from NaNoWriMo. To do so, first sign in to the site.
If you are getting hundreds of automatically generated emails about threads in the forums, you likely accidentally "subscribed" to these threads. To fix this, just:
- Click Edit Profile at the top of the site
- Click the Subscription tab (it's to the right of the View and Edit tabs)
- Unsubscribe to any active thread under the "Threads" sub-tab
- Un-click any of the forums you may be subscribed to under the "Categories" sub-tab
- To keep this from happening again make sure the box that says "Autosubscribe" is not selected.
If you would like to stop receiving emails from Headquarters, such as the weekly peptalks:
- Go to Edit Profile -> Account Settings and check the "No NaNoWriMo Emails" box.
If you would like to stop receiving NaNoMail, which is the Private Message system built into the NaNoWriMo site:
- Go to Edit Profile -> Account Settings and uncheck the "Allow private messages" box
If you would like to stop receiving Regional emails from your area's Municipal Liaison:
- Either unaffiliate from your region (Edit Profile -> My Region -> Region Settings -> unsubscribe from this group). Or, under Edit Profile -> Account Settings check the box marked "Never send email notifications".
I have a lot to do in November. Can I start in October and end early?
No. One of the best things about NaNoWriMo is the way it spreads the agony of creation throughout a large community of co-sufferers. For the pain to be properly distributed (and thereby diminished), all participants must be working on the same deadline.
I have an account from last year. Do I need to re-register?
Nope! Just click "User Login" and enter your existing user name and password. That’s it!
If you try to create a new account and you get a message that says “Address and/or user name have already been taken,” it’s because you are already registered.
Returning participants should not click on the "Sign Up Now" option, as you will create a new account and that's not what you want to do!
I lost my password and/or username.
No problem! All you need to proceed is the email address that you signed up with. Go to the login page and enter your email address in the lost password form. The following will happen:
- A "New Password Request" email will automatically be sent to you within minutes.
- Open the email and click on the link.
- Another "New Password" email will be sent to you that contains both your username and your *new* password. Once you log back in with the new password, you can change your password again to whatever floats your boat.
If you are not receiving confirmation emails from our system, please check your spam folder. If you have a white-list or another way of telling your email system which addresses are not spammers, please add "noreply@nanowrimo.org" to the list.
I lost my username and/or password and I no longer have access to the email address that I signed up with.
You will need to start over with a new account.
I would like to form a strategic alliance with NaNoWriMo to promote my software/website/product. Who can I talk to about this?
Please feel free to get in touch and tell us more about what you do, and how it can benefit NaNoWriMo participants.
I'd like to write an article on NaNoWriMo. Can I interview some of the participants in my area?
I'd like to write an article on NaNoWriMo. Can I interview some of the participants in my area?
Absolutely! We've put together a Media Kit stuffed with useful information about getting in touch with participants and other journalistic FAQs. After you've read it, please get in touch and let us know what we can do to help you with your article.
If I have signed up already on the main site, do I automatically have an account on the YWP site or vice versa?
No, unfortunately you will need to sign up separately on both sites. Feel free to use the same username and password on both, though.
If I'm just writing 50,000 words of crap, why bother? Why not just write a real novel later, when I have more time?
There are three reasons.
1) If you don't do it now, you probably never will. Novel writing is mostly a "one day" event. As in "One day, I'd like to write a novel." Here's the truth: 99% of us, if left to our own devices, would never make the time to write a novel. It's just so far outside our normal lives that it constantly slips down to the bottom of our to-do lists. The structure of NaNoWriMo forces you to put away all those self-defeating worries and START. Once you have the first five chapters under your belt, the rest will come easily. Or painfully. But it will come. And you'll have friends to help you see it through to 50k.
2) Aiming low is the best way to succeed. With entry-level novel writing, shooting for the moon is the surest way to get nowhere. With high expectations, everything you write will sound cheesy and awkward. Once you start evaluating your story in terms of word count, you take that pressure off yourself. And you'll start surprising yourself with a great bit of dialogue here and a ingenious plot twist there. Characters will start doing things you never expected, taking the story places you'd never imagined. There will be much execrable prose, yes. But amidst the crap, there will be beauty. A lot of it.
3) Art for art's sake does wonderful things to you. It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. It makes you want to take naps and go places wearing funny pants. Doing something just for the hell of it is a wonderful antidote to all the chores and "must-dos" of daily life. Writing a novel in a month is both exhilarating and stupid, and we would all do well to invite a little more spontaneous stupidity into our lives.
Is it true there's an official guidebook to NaNoWriMo?
Is it true there's an official guidebook to NaNoWriMo?
There is! Director Chris Baty compiled all of his tips, tricks, and caffeine-intake strategies in a book called No Plot? No Problem! Along with Chris' long-winded ramblings, the book also contains eloquent, sage, and hilarious tips from NaNoWriMo veterans, who should probably know better by now.
Is NaNoWriMo volunteer-run? Can I help out?
While generous, dedicated volunteers do perform a number of important NaNo-duties, we rely on a part-time staff of paid employees for most of the core work of organizing and faciliating the event. Interested in working for NaNoWriMo either as a staff member or volunteer? We'll post all job openings on our Help Wanted page.
Is there a minimum age to participate?
No. All ages are very welcome. In fact, in 2005 we launched NaNoWriMo's Young Writers Program, which created a mini site and self-contained site for participants 12 and under, as well as those participating as part of a K-12 classroom group.
Municipal Liaisoning sounds pretty cool. Can I be the ML for my area?
Maybe! Some areas already have high-functioning, monstrously encouraging MLs who have spent the last three or four NaNoWriMos honing their cheerful whip-cracking skills to an Olympic level. Other areas are ML-less, and could really use someone with a little organizational moxie. Starting September 1, you can drop our ML Headmistresses an email to find out what the ML situation is in your area.
Oh. I've been saying it NAN-no WREE-Mo.
That's ok too.
Should I update my word count on both the main and YWP sites?
Feel free to update both your accounts with your current word counts. However, please only validate your 50,000-word goal on one site.
Tell me more about the "Thank God It's Over" Party.
At the end of November, all participants (regardless of final word count) get together to celebrate and show off parts of their novel and jump up and down and shake their heads at the folly of what they have just done to themselves. Visit your area's regional lounge in the NaNoWriMo forums to find the closest party to you.
This is my first year. How does the registration and log-in process work?
Welcome! The registration process works thusly:
- Jjust click on the "Sign Up Now" link at the top of the site.
- Fill out the User Registration form.
- Click on the Login link at the top of the site.
- Enter your user name and password.
- Kapow! You're good to go.
This page isn't helping me at all!
Please post your probem in the Tech Help Forum. Give as much detail as you can, and we will try to sort things out!
What do I do if I see something bad in the forums?
If you see something in any forum that you think violates the Terms & Conditions of the site in any way, please flag that post using the "Report" button and a moderator will look into it.
What else should I know about usernames?
Usernames can be up to 20 characters and can include spaces. Usernames are not case sensitive. Posts made in our forums under your username will be public, and are indexed by major search engines. So if you'd like anonymity, be sure to use a pen name for your username.
What happened to the "Authors Search" function?
During times of high site traffic, NaNo HQ will disable the "Authors Search" in order to speed up the site. Have no fear, you will be able to search for your favorite Wrimo authors shortly.
What happened to the Libraries in Southeast Asia Project?
In 2007, we made the tough decision to retire the Libraries in Southeast Asia project. As a young nonprofit, we need to focus 100% of our resources on own writing programs, especially our burgeoning Young Writers Program.
The libraries that NaNoWriMo funded with 50% of our net proceeds in 2004 (Cambodia), 2005 (Laos), and 2006 (Vietnam) are still up and running, and we're outrageously proud of them. For more information, visit our Libraries in Southeast Asia page.
What if there's a discrepancy between what my word count said and what yours comes up with?
Word counters rarely agree with each other, and there is a good chance there will be a discrepancy between our counter and the one on your word processor. Some people gain words and others lose them. We'll have the official word counter available before the end of the challenge (in Edit Profile - > Author Info) where you can copy & paste your current draft for our count.
What should I do with my cookies?
Odd problems with the site as listed above can usually be resolved by deleting browser cookies.
If you are using Internet Explorer on Windows, you can delete all your cookies by selecting 'Internet Options' from the 'Tools' menu, and then clicking the 'Delete Cookies' button.
If you just want to delete the nanowrimo.org cookie, you should be able to find it in the C:\Windows\Cookies or C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Cookies directory.
Please post in the Site Feedback Forum if you need cookie removal instructions for another browser.
What should I do with my firewall settings?
Some personal firewall products don't play nicely with the built in security features of our site. The easiest way to resolve this problem is to add www.nanowrimo.org to the list of trusted or permitted sites in your personal firewall settings.
If you are using Norton Internet Security, or Norton Personal Firewall, please follow these instructions to add nanowrimo to the permitted list:
- Open NIS/NPF
- Click on "Privacy Control", then click the yellow "Configure" button in the right-hand sidebar.
- Click "Advanced"
- Click "Add Site" and type "www.nanowrimo.org" in the dialog box that appears
- In both the Global Settings and User Settings boxes, uncheck the boxes, and change the settings to "Permit"
- Click "OK" and close NIS/NPF
(Thanks to RedBearOC for these instructions!)
If you are using Internet Explorer, you may also need to add www.nanowrimo.org to the Trusted Sites list in IE:
- Go to Tools> Internet Options> Security Tab
- Click on the green checkmark (Trusted Sites)
- Click on the Sites button to see the list of trusted sites
- Another dialogue box comes up to allow you to add www.nanowrimo.org
(Thanks to Cybele for these instructions!)
What's that "NaNoMail" link that I see at the top of the site when I'm signed in?
Everyone participating in NaNoWriMo gets a little mini-email program built into their user account. It's called "NaNoMail," and it allows you to send mail to other participants without having to know their actual email address. There are links to send NaNoMail on the Forums and Author Profile pages.
What's the deal with your laptop lending library? Do you really send free laptops to participants?
We do loan out AlphaSmart Neos to computer-less Wrimos for the month of November. They don't cost anything to check-out, but you do have to cover shipping of the units back to us. For more information, check out our AlphaSmart Loaners page.
What's with the forums? What am I supposed to do there?
The forums are a global gathering spot for writers to seek information, support, offer tips and assistance as they write their novels. When you sign up you're automatically a member of the forums, though you have no obligation to visit them or post there. You can learn more about what forums are all about in Cybele's Guide to the Forums.
When is the cut off date for novel validation?
11:59:59 pm on November 30, your time (as determined by the time zone set on your edit profile page).
Which browsers does NaNoWriMo support? What should I do if I notice a browser bug?
Broswers are too different and too numerous for us to test and support every possible browser option. We decide which browsers to support based on a couple of criteria. First, we check our site logs and make sure that we support the most popular browsers. Next, we want to make sure that we support at least one free browser on each Operating System.
We test the site on the following browsers:
-Internet Explorer 6 and 7
-Firefox 2 (Windows and Macintosh)
-Safari 2
We do not support other browsers, although things will probably work just fine on most of them.
Why do some forums have a little sun icon on them? What does All-Ages mean?
All of the forums are moderated to make sure that everyone has a safe environment free from harassment, abuse, spam and other hateful things (as you agreed to in the Terms & Conditions). Special forums have been flagged for further moderation so that they are friendly to people of all ages so obscene language and sexual content are strictly forbidden. These forums are not just for minors but an inclusive place for everyone, so be aware that posts that contain such things will either be edited, deleted or moved to a more appropriate area of the site. All regional forums (the forum for your city, town or area) are All Ages. The general forums that have been flagged for All Ages are:
- Rules, Regulations & Other Minutiae
- Site & Message Board Feedback
- Tech Help
- Young Novelists
- All Ages Coffee House
- Writing 101
Will participants meet each other?
This year's participants all over the world will get together to drink coffee, steal plots, and partake in the highly therapeutic variety of whining known only to amateur novelists. At this point, most cities and college towns in the English-speaking world boast a NaNoWriMo chapter, and there are new chapters popping up throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa as well. So odds are good there's a party or NaNo write-in near you. Check the Regional Lounge in the Forums for your area and see what's going down in your town.