MOUNT VERNON, OHIO— Has anyone ever told you that you should write a book? Are you prone to scribbling down ideas in notebooks, on scraps of paper or tapping plot points into your smartphone? Do you finish reading a novel and think, “Gosh, I wish I could do that!”? If so, you might be an aspiring writer-- in which case, the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County has just the thing for you: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).
Every November, NaNoWriMo presents a writing challenge for authors to help people complete the first draft of a book-length project. The goal is for each writer to compose 50,000 words in thirty days. While this may sound daunting, it comes down to writing about two pages, a mere 1,667 words, each day (or 2,000 words per day if you want to take a few days off here and there). The Library invites local writers to accept the challenge by signing up at www.nanowrimo.org and attending the Library’s #KnoxWrites National Novel Writing Month events:
#KnoxWrites NaNoWriMo KICKOFF
Tuesday, November 1st from 12 noon-1pm and 5pm-7pm
Main Library Solarium, 201 N. Mulberry Street, Mount Vernon
Stop by to sign up, meet other local writers, claim your NaNoWriMo swag bag, and tell
us about your writing project.
#KnoxWrites WRITE ON! Meetup
Wednesday, November 15th from 5:00pm-6:00pm
The Annex, 12 East Gambier Street, Mount Vernon
Join us for snacks, networking, and writing tips. We’ll check in on word count, do a little
bit of writing, and discuss our writing projects. Claim your “Perseverance Prize” from
Happy Bean Coffee Shop and register to win a door prize.
#Knoxwrites FINISH LINE CELEBRATION
Thursday, November 30 from 4:30pm-5:30pm
Paragraphs Bookstore, 229 S. Main Street, Mount Vernon
Stop by Paragraphs to celebrate your hard work! Every writer who participated in
NaNoWriMo will get a Finish Line prize. We’ll talk about upcoming writing workshops
at the Library and how you can continue your writing practice beyond November.
NaNoWriMo also offers a Young Writers Program for aspiring authors under the age of 18: visit ywp.nanowrimo.org. The Young Writers Program is more flexible, and authors set their own goals for word count and project plans. Participants in the Young Writers Program can download a PDF of the completed project at month’s end, which they can print to share with others or self-publish.
As with all Library programs, NaNoWriMo events are free and open to the public. Writers of all backgrounds and ages are welcome at meetups, including participants in the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program. For more information please visit www.knox.net, email
knoxwrites1@gmail.com, or call (740) 392-BOOK ext. 259.
