November is know for various challenges to not do things. No-Shave November, no… planting trees or something. Though we have challenges to push ourselves forward, and naturally on a blog about writing I have to talk about Novel November, or National Novel Writing Month. The challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel in the span of a month.
So simple!… Right?
Naturally writing the equivalent of a two hundred page novel on top of a full time job, family commitments, prepping for the holiday season, and self care (if one has the time), is such a monumental task that no one could possible start. And for the longest time, and even now, that intimidation would be enough for me to quit before I even pick up the pen or open my laptop. But I started this blog promising myself that it was time to get out of my own way and write. As I’ve worked through my therapy sessions, one thing my therapist said that has really stuck with me is that even if it takes me ten years to write a novel, ten years is going to come and go either way. So after ten years I can either have a book or not have a book, and that writing a book in it of itself is an accomplishment.
So, do you want that book? This is where Novel comes into play.
While it’s also true for any writer that you shouldn’t wait for the “opportune time,” a “sign,” or inspiration to start writing, this challenge conveniently coincides with my sense of resolve. Now, let me clarify that the goal of Novel November isn’t to publish a book by the end of the month, even if you have a draft that’s close to publication. It’s simply to write a first draft. The purpose is to motivate you to write, without necessarily worrying about the end result. This approach helps alleviate the pressure of perfectionism and silences the inner critic, allowing you to establish a rhythm and routine for your favorite activity: writing. And that’s precisely what I need right now.
Plus, if school taught me anything I always work best with a time pressure deadline.
If the challenge itself is compelling enough to cultivate self-discipline and complete the draft, good for you! But while my resolve to begin my writing journey has a strong flame firing in all cylinders, I know myself better than to solely trust myself to get the job done. Having a way to keep yourself accountable, a framework to work in, manageable daily goals, and a goal to strive for are all great ways to keep you treading the path of your dreams. So let’s break down my plan to secure my first draft.
For a few years now I have been following an author named Jed Herne. I found his YouTube channel a while back, and it’s truly helped me refine my skills in writing fantasy. His newsletter also has immeasurably helpful tips (to the point he’s a VIP in my emails). Through him, I have discovered ProWritingAid and their Novel November challenge. Their website gives you access to not only advice of authors who’ve been there done that, but also connect with a community striving to the same goal. It’s one thing to have a coach in your corner and another to have a thousand fellow writers to cheer you on and keep you on track. You can connect directly with sponsors of the challenge, sign up for lectures and interview events, and join writing circles for you preferred genre(s). So I’m registered and raring to go!
I’ve enrolled in online classes and communities before, but I’ve always fallen off. It takes a month to build good habit and a month is all I’ve got for this challenge. So, when community isn’t enough you need a bigger carrot at the end of the stick.
My wife shared with me an article from My Anime List, who’s partnered with Honeyfeed to bring us a writing writing contest with the chance of being published by Frontier Works in Japan! I’ve always taken inspiration from Anime and Manga, in fact my first few planned works are Isekai adventures (because we can never, ever, have too much Isekai), so this platform could be perfect.
But what about not finishing a final draft in a month?! Fear not, this one has a little longer of a deadline.
For those interested, you have until January 20th 2026 to submit an entry, with the contest going through various periods of public and judge voting from there. To be honest, I am not committed to submitting an entry just yet, it depends on how the first draft goes. But a light novel is more like a chapter to chapter series than a full novel, so it’s definitely doable. For me, its the debate of traditional publishing vs self publishing, and keeping control of the stories I craft. I’ll need to deep dive into the terms and conditions of the contest, but from what I have seen it seems to be right up my alley, and a great way to expose myself to a reader base that is perfect for the stories I’m working on.
But I’m gunna add one more layer of accountability. I’ve had socials set up for my blog for a while, but I’ve only really posted links to my blog posts (which I need to be far more consistent for sure) and occasional Instagram post a fun day trip I’ve taken. But this Novel November, I plan to update my progress daily on X with a written word count, and Facebook perhaps weekly or larger updates. If you are following along with me on any of my socials please bet there to cheer me on! Or yell at me to get my ass in gear (most likely the later).
If you are interested in any of these challenges, I’ll leave links at the end of this post. This challenge gives writers a framework to get started, but it’s important to be forgiving for yourself if you don’t quite make it there. 50,000 words is still a lot, even when broken down to 1,600 words a day. If you don’t finish in a month, that isn’t a failure. Even if I only write 10,000 words, that 10,000 more than I have now.
November will pass in 30 days either way.
So why not have a draft to enjoy in December?