November is more than half way over, and the writers of National Novel Writing Month are edging closer and closer to their 50,000-word, 30-day deadline.
NaNoWriMo is a month-long movement meant to support discouraged writers by offering participants 30 days to write a novel of at least 50,000 words. It was started in 1999 in the San Francisco Bay Area by Chris Baty and 20 of his closest friends. Since then, NaNoWriMo has evolved, closing in on 400,000 writers in last year’s contest.
The East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s main branch, which is undergoing renovations for the first time in decades, has used the contest for the first time this year as a way for the library’s patrons to immerse themselves in the new facility.
“NaNoWriMo has been around for a while. With this great new space, we decided to host write-ins here so that people could see the new library and we could help support them,” said Louise Hilton, co-coordinating librarian of NaNoWriMo at EBRPL.
Baton Rouge residents, old and young, seasoned and green, have come together to make the EBRPL’s first attempt at an officially organized series of write-ins for the event successful.
Courtney Britton, municipal liaison for the area chosen by the national event’s organizers, is still going strong after her eighth year participating in the contest.
“We used to have write-ins at various coffee shops, we’ve even had some at the LSU Bookstore,” Britton said.
She is well-versed on the importance of NaNoWriMo in kickstarting a novel, as she has gone on to complete several of the novels she started during the contest.
“It’s a great opportunity to just get all the stuff in your head out. Even if you hate it, at least there’s something to work with,” Britton said.
She also mentioned the friendships she’s made and maintained throughout the years as the best part about NaNoWriMo.
“We usually have a kickoff party in October, and then sometime in early December we have a ‘Thank Goodness It’s Over’ party,” she said jokingly. “There’s usually alcohol at that one.”
In addition to the myriad of veterans participating, Hilton said, EBRPL’s write-ins are attracting inexperienced writers and first-time participants since they began earlier this month.
Jason Crochet, participating for the first time this year, made waves within the local NaNoWriMo community when he hit his 50,000 word minimum on Nov. 13.
“It’s a crime mystery story about a woman who wakes up with amnesia and gets framed for murder. I’m just editing right now, and actually starting another one,” Crochet said, though he acknowledged two novels in a month seemed a little ambitious.
Crochet also said the presence of other amateur writers in the room is a motivating factor for his writing.
Whomever the participant, the EBRPL’s new emphasis on community involvement has its NaNoWriMo participants excited for years to come. Still under the finishing touches of its renovation, the library’s new facility, complete with a cafe and reflection pond, will be unveiled Nov. 22.