View from the Hill, Troth Yeddha’ - Novel Fever Takes Fairbanks and the World by Storm

By Kathy Kitts

At 12:01 AM on November 1, armed only with their wits, a ridiculous deadline, and sometimes the vague outline of a story, more than 425,000 people around the world will set out to become novelists. Would you like to be one of them? 

November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, the world’s largest writing challenge. Participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month, starting from scratch and reaching “The End” by November 30. More than 840 regional volunteers in more than 110 countries will hold write-ins, hosting writers in coffee shops, bookstores, and libraries. 

Here at UAF there will be several write-ins and other activities at various on-campus locations during the month of November.

Write-ins will be held at the UAF Writing Center (8th Floor Gruening) every Monday and Thursday from 7 - 10 PM through the month of November (except Thanksgiving).

Write-ins offer a supportive environment and surprisingly effective peer pressure, turning the usually solitary act of writing into a community experience. New and published authors are welcome! 

There are no judges, no prizes, and no one will read these works unless the authors hand them a copy. So, what’s the point?

“The 50,000-word challenge has a wonderful way of opening up your imagination and unleashing creativity,” says NaNoWriMo founder Chris Baty. “When you write for quantity instead of quality, you end up getting both. Also, it’s a great excuse for not doing any dishes for a month.”

Although the event emphasizes creativity and adventure over creating a literary masterpiece, hundreds of NaNoWriMo novels have been traditionally published. Published titles include Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, Hugh Howey’s Wool, Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, Jason Hough’s The Darwin Elevator, and Marissa Meyer’s Cinder. 

NaNoWriMo isn’t just for new writers. Each year, seasoned authors start the challenge anew, and many even offer mentorship via pep talks published throughout the month. Past author mentors have included Gene Luen Yang, Roxane Gay, Kacen Callender, John Green, Andy Weir, N. K. Jemisin, and Veronica Roth.

“Writing a novel in a month inspires incredible confidence in seasoned and first-time novelists alike,” says NaNoWriMo Program Director, Marya Brennan, “Completing a draft of the novel they’ve been contemplating for ages gives participants a tremendous sense of accomplishment.” 

Join us and transition from a wannabe writer to an author. Or if you are already established, remember that on November 1, the Stephen Kings of the world are on the same page as the first timers. We all start with a word count of zero! 

For more information on National Novel Writing Month, visit www.nanowrimo.org. 

The UAF and Fairbanks Greater Area activities are listed here.