National Novel Writing Month
National Novel Writing Month or "NaNoWriMo" is an extended writing challenge that takes place every November.
How do I sign up?
Set a timer for ten minutes and start writing your story. At the end of ten minutes, count how many words you managed to write. This will be used to calculate your target for whole project. Once you have told Ms Lovell how many words you can write in ten minutes, you will be entered for the challenge.
Where should I write?
The library will be open at breaktimes throughout November for pupils who would like to work on their stories. For the best chance of success, you should write at home as well. You will need to write for at least ten minutes every day to beat your target wordcount.
What should my story be about?
Your story can be about anything you like! A murder-mystery, a romance, a ghost story, a fantasy adventure or an intergalactic epic! In previous years, a lot of pupils have found that writing historical stories, set during a time period they are studying in school has helped give them lots to write about.
Can I copy somebody else's story?
No, copying is against the rules. You can write your own story set in a magical boarding school, but you can't copy The Worst Witch or Harry Potter.
Are there points for spelling and handwriting?
No. The aim of NaNoWriMo is to write a rough draft of a really long story. You will have time in the spring term to edit it and fix mistakes.
What are the prizes?
All the pupils who submit a NaNoWriMo story at the end of November will be invited to a special party in December to celebrate their hard work. The number of words everybody has written will be counted and the winners will be announced on World Book Day in the spring term. There is a £20 voucher for the pupil who writes the longest story and a £30 voucher for the pupil who beats their target by the highest amount.