If you couldn't attend the kickoff events for National Novel Writing Month, download these handouts to help you get started with your 50,000 words in 30 days novel writing experience.

What is Nanowrimo and how does it work?

Virtual Kick off for Nanowrimo

This article summarizes most of the advice from former participants that is typically shared at a kickoff event. If you can’t attend a kickoff event, this is worth a quick read (about 5 pages long).

 Flyer for Topeka Nanowrimo 2009 events (1 page pdf) Topeka Nanowrimo events schedule 2009

Paper-based Nanowrimo tracking device (1 page pdf) Print your own word count tracking system with charts and graphs

The Two Magna Cartas of Novel Writing (1 page pdf) aka The most important advice from Chris Baty, founder of National Novel Writing Month

Interactive Word Count Spreadsheet created by Dragle (xls) Excel document to add your word count each day, with charts and graphs!

Support Nanowrimo

If you love Nanowrimo, or even enjoy it a little bit, and especially if you are participating this year, please make an effort to donate to help support their noveling goodness. See Donating when Broke and also donate and shop at the store. Nanowrimo provides information on where your donations go, including their budget.

Downloadable and Online Writing resources galore

Not sure where your story is going or how to use scenes to build suspense? Check out this “Outline for 50000 word novel of 20 chapters - 2500 words each” This is a seven page document, but the first three pages are the most relevant to outlining.

Need plot or character ideas? Check out these downloads from another Nanowrimo group – use the links under “Plotting and World Building”

The Seventh Sanctum is an automated generator service. You click a button and it randomly spits out every possible character, setting, plot, weapon, etc, you could ever imagine.

Explore the Dare Thread in the forums. Because NaNoWriMo without the Dare Thread just would not be NaNoWriMo at all.

Online motivation for virtual write ins or encouragement

Post in the Topeka forums to organize a virtual write in with other people in our region.

If you are on your own and need a 10 or 15 minutes challenge, check out Write or Die, a site that uses scare and pressure tactics to get you to write.

Do you have another favorite NaNoWriMo resources to share? Tell us about it in the comments!