National Novel Writing Month goes virtual

The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County will begin a virtual version of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) on Nov. 1.

Each November, NaNoWriMo facilitates a novel-length book project where participants strive to write 50,000 words. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, in-person events are being suspended in favor of online participation.

“I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo a couple of times, and even though I have never made the 50,000-word goal, it’s been well worth it,” Amanda Imhoff, one of the volunteers who founded the Library's Authors Anonymous writers group, said in a release issued by the Library. “If you can’t commit to writing an entire book and you only write 15,000 words, you still end November with 15,000 more words than you started with. I would encourage anyone who wants to write to try it!”

Writers can register for NaNoWriMo via the Library’s web page starting Nov. 1. Meetups are every Monday in November, with teens (ages 13-19) meeting at 6 p.m. and adults (ages 19+) at 7 p.m.  At meetups, participants will do a project check-in and receive writing tips, prompts and perseverance prizes. Final prizes for the month will include subscriptions to the Kenyon Review and gift certificates to Paragraphs Bookstore.