National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) was a much-beloved writing challenge that operated for over 20 years until early 2025 when it shut down citing financial difficulties. NaNoWriMo challenged writers to write a novel (50,000 words) in one month every November. At its height, over 500,000 people participated. Continue reading from Pro Writing Aid
But if [NaNoWriMo] the organisation is no more, there’s no need for the idea itself to die. The internet is a very different place to what it was in 1999, and no doubt there will be people well placed to step into the gap it leaves, either by continuing the original idea (as Bluesky did with X) or reshaping it as something similar but different. Maybe even better.
So perhaps budding writers will still be cranking out 50,000 words this November after all. Continue reading from The Guardian
Novel November (Pro Writing Aid) - Write a 50,000 novel in 30 days! Most similar to the original NaNoWriMo, and sponsered by many of the same organizations.
Novel 90 (AutoCrit) - A challenge to write a novel's first draft in 90 days. Currently, this runs multiple times a year. Also see AutoCrit's other free writing challenges.
Pathfinders Writing Collective - Pathfinders is an online writing community which hosts challenges throughout the year, with the main challange taking place from November through January.
StoryADay - A challenge to write (and finish) a short story every day for a month.
Also be sure to check out upcoming writing events at the Westport Library here!
Westport Writers' Workshop - A local writers' group with both in-person and online workshops.
Shut Up & Write! - A global writing community with both in-person and online meet-ups.
Scribophile - An award-winning online critique circle.
4theWords - Writing gets gameified. This online community provides RPG-style rewards and exploration in exchange for writing progress.
Rogue Writers Network - A primarily-online writing community which began as a regional get-together for the original NaNoWriMo event.
Novlr - While Novlr itself is writing software, there is also a free-to-join online community of writers associated with it.
