National Writing Movement Reaches Andover

At midnight on Nov. 1, armed only with their wits, the vague outline of a story, and a ridiculous deadline, more than 200,000 people around the world will set out to become novelists. For the month of November, will sponsor Write-ins to offer a supportive environment and surprisingly effective peer pressure, turning the usually solitary act of writing into a community experience.

Write-in Sessions at Memorial Hall Library:

Sunday, Nov. 6 from 1-5pm

Tuesday, Nov. 15 from 6-9pm

Wednesday Nov. 30 from 6-9pm

Why? Because November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, the world’s largest writing challenge and nonprofit literary crusade. Participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month, starting from scratch and reaching “The End” by Nov. 30. There are no judges, no prizes, and no one reads the drafts.

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 and Executive Director (and eleven-time NaNoWriMo winner) 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.” According to NaNoWriMo Program Director, Lindsey Grant, “Completing a draft of the  novel they’ve been  contemplating for ages gives participants a tremendous sense of accomplishment and leaves  them wondering what else they’re capable of.”

Aspiring authors are invited to join one or all of the Write-In sessions for camaraderie and a focused time to work on actually writing that book.  Participants can write books on any subject and are not limited specifically to novel writing.  Bring your laptop or pen and paper, gather your ideas, and get writing.

Although the event emphasizes creativity and adventure over creating a literary masterpiece, nearly  60  novels  begun during NaNoWriMo have since been published, including Water for Elephants, a New  York  Times #1 Bestseller by Sara Gruen.

“Writing a novel in a month inspires incredible confidence in seasoned and first-time novelists alike.”

Kick-Off NaNoWriMo at Memorial Hall Library on Tuesday, November 1 at 7pm with “Book Publishing from the Inside Out” presented by Beth Ineson, sales director for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in Boston.  Hear from a book publishing veteran about how the world of publishing really works including the most effective strategies for getting your book published by the right editor, with the right publisher, at the right time. Learn about the realities of today’s book business, the decline of brick-and-mortar retailers, the rise of e-books, and  how prospective authors can best navigate their way through this challenging environment.

NaNoWriMo events are sponsored by the Friends of Memorial Hall Library.  All programs will be held at Memorial Hall Library, 2 North Main St., Andover.  For more information, visit www.mhl.org or call 978-623-8401, x 31 or 32.