Every year in November, writers of all backgrounds, levels of experience, and genres come together across the world to tackle National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). With a goal of writing 50,000 words in 30 days, the event challenges both aspiring and experienced novelists to prioritize putting pen to page to see what they can accomplish.

Anyone aged 13 and up can participate, and you have the option of registering on the NaNoWriMo official website so you can track your progress, earn badges, and interact with the community around the world. You can also find your local community and see what events they have planned – and Ottawa has a thriving, active community.

Local meetings are run by volunteers called Municipal Liaisons (MLs) who receive support from the organization so they can in turn support participants through the process. This year, the Ottawa Public Library is partnering with our local Municipal Liaisons (MLs) to offer participants a place to come write in together. Branches of the Ottawa Public Library will be hosting multiple official events, such as write-ins (group sessions focused on writing), planning and information sessions, as well as a get-together celebrating each author’s achievement in writing throughout the month. Make sure to check out the full list of OPL official NaNoWriMo events to see what is happening near you!

You don’t have to wait for an event to take place, though; your local OPL branch is a great place to go to get some writing done. You can stay as long as you want during business hours, and we have great lighting, desks, tables, and free Wi-Fi. You can bring your own device or borrow a Chromebook or use one of our public computers. You also have access to our reference section and on-site collections where you will find style guides, dictionaries, and encyclopedias, as well as have full access to all of our vast and varied online databases for research on a broad array of subjects, not to mention our librarians and reference specialists who can assist you in finding the information you need.

For more information about the specifics of NaNoWriMo (such as what you can write, how to win, etc.) and the Ottawa region in particular, you can watch this informative presentation from the Ottawa Municipal Liaisons. Make sure to also take a look at some of our NaNoWriMo-related titles!