Special Sub-Topic: NaNoWriMo Novel Writing Event Click Here To Play: NaNoWriMo Novel Writing Event

Which month is the NaNoWriMo month each year?

November. Authors have exactly one month, or thirty days, to write their novel!

What is the minimum word count of the novel written during NaNoWriMo?

50,000. 50,000 words in 30 days makes about 1,667 words a day, but not all authors write the same amount of words each day. Some choose to write 6,000 words each day of the weekend, and nothing during the weeks.

What is a word-war?

Authors challenge each other to write as many words they can over, for example, fifteen minutes or half an hour. Word wars can last for as long as the participants want, and it can be done anywhere: Over the NaNo-forums, MSN, IRC etc. The reason why word-wars are so popular is that it's easier to concentrate when you know you're in a competition, and authors tend to be able to write loads more than they do otherwise.

When does the sign-up open?

October 1. The sign-up closes November 30, at 11:59:59pm!

What colour is the background of the official NaNoWriMo Participant Icons of 2007?

Yellow. The 2007 Participant Icons have a picture of an old-fashioned typewriter in black, and the text is red.

Which year was the first year ever anyone did NaNoWriMo?

1999. Only 21 people participated in 1999, all of them from the San Francisco area. It wasn't until the year after that a web-site was created.

The web-site has been translated into several languages. How many (besides English)?

4. It has been translated into Spanish, French, Dutch and German. Novels can be written in whichever language you choose, and so everyone doesn't have to be able to write English to participate.

What is the name of the first NaNoWriMo Program Director?

Chris Baty. Zach Mercer is the Store and Donation Station Captain, Drew Patty the NaNoWriMo Email Ambassador and Tanya Sirking an intern. Chris Baty was one of the 21 who created the whole thing back in 1999.

What is the minimum age to participate?

Everyone can join!. Everyone can join, and in 2005 came NaNoWriMo's Young Writers Program, created for young writers under 12.

About how many have won NaNoWriMo since it started in 1999 until 2006?

35,000. The number of winners increased each year, from 6 in 1999 to 13,000 in 2006. The number of participants over the same years was 224,000, which means that the percentage of winners was about 15.5%!