National Novel Writing Month is a (501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Berkeley, California. We believe that stories matter. Our Young Writers Program (YWP) is designed to help young people:
- find value in their stories
- become confident and proficient storytellers
- realize their creative potential, on and off the page
The program empowers K-12 students to write a novel in 30 days. Each year, more than 65,000 students and educators from over 5,000 classrooms around the world participate. The Young Writers Program has been reported-on by outlets including The New York Times, NPR, Edutopia, Education Week, and School Library Journal. The work of our students and educators is also often featured in local newspapers.
What Others Are Saying:
"A thoughtful adaptation of the famous and fun grown-up novel writing contest, NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program is brimming with advice and encouragement as well as classroom support."
Five-Star Review of the Young Writers Program website
Common Sense Education, May 2017
"What I learned from NaNoWriMo is that lots of people can write, whether you like to or not. Especially when people get to create their own stories, with NaNoWriMo I felt that I could write my feelings down on a piece of paper and not be ashamed for what I am feeling, or if I want to write a book like a mirror towards me I wouldn’t be ashamed for what is happening. Or if I just want to write it down to get it out of my system I can. All in all, I felt that NaNoWriMo really taught me that I could be myself and write what I want to without having to be told what to do."
"Making Time for NaNoWriMo"
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE): Voices from the Middle, May 2020
"To the students who participate, it is life changing... Two of our authors have gone on to self-publish their novels, and we have added their titles to our collection."
"Rev up for National Novel Writing Month"
School Library Journal, October 2014
"It made me think that a lot of things could be possible in the world. I mean I am thirteen years old and I just wrote my own dang novel! How cool is that?"
"The NaNoWriMo Project: The Birth of Student Novelists"
Edutopia, October 2014
NaNoWriMo and YWP In the News:
More than 50 Jenks students become novelists as part of writing initiative
Fox 23 News, March 2023
NaNoWriMo morphs from Bay Area tradition to mainstream challenge
The San Francisco Chronicle, October 2022
Students explore different worlds and self-reflect during National Novel Writing Month
The Record-Eagle, November 2022
National Novel Writing Month: Turning Students into Excited Writers in 2020
Shaped: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Blog, November 2020
Making Time for NaNoWriMo
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE): Voices from the Middle, May 2020
Jenks students write novels available for checkout at library
FOX23 News, January 2020
How I Learned to Like Creative Writing
Pasatiempo, December 2019
Write Now
TIME for Kids, October 2019
NaNoWriMo Empowers Young Writers
Publishers Weekly, July 2019
The Land Above the Clouds: Port Williams Teen Participates in Novel-Writing Challenge
Valley Journal Advertiser, December 2018
Elementary Novelists Meet Their Columbia Mentors
April 2018
4 Tools to Inspire Perseverance in Student Writers
KQED, September 2017
Meet the Fairfield 18-Year-Old Who Just Published Her First Book
Fairfield Daily Voice, June 2017
NaNoWriMo Challenge Helps Students Write and Publish in the Digital Age
KQED, June 2017
Students Write Novels in 30 Days
San Angelo Independent School District, May 2017
Signal Mountain Teen Becomes Published Author
News Channel 9, May 2017
NaNoWriMo Makes Novel Writing Fun
EducationHQ Australia, May 2017
How Writing Novels Expands Students' Expectations of Themselves
KQED, October 2016
A Novel In a Month? NaNoWriMo Challenges Kids to Write, Write, Write
ParentMap, November 2015
Encourage Authentic Writing with #WhatIWrite and #NaNoWriMo
The New York Times Learning Network, October 2012
Students Take a Novel Approach
The Mercury News, November 2011
Are you developing a story about us or our Young Writers Program?
- If you're a member of the press who would like to speak to an official representative of NaNoWriMo, you can reach us at info@nanowrimo.org.
- Our 2019 YWP Program Brochure gives a strong general program overview. However, some of the numbers are dated. Please reach out directly for fresher information if a story you're developing requires it.
- If you wish to use NaNoWriMo or Young Writers Program logos, please reach out directly for official logo files and to obtain explicit written consent.
