November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and the challenge is relatively straightforward: Starting no earlier than November 1, each would-be novelist composes an original 50,000-word novel from scratch (you can brainstorm and make notes, but picking up where you left off on a half-written novel from your teen years won't cut it). The novel must be completed, and its word count verified through the NaNoWriMo Web site, no later than the end of the day November 30. Participants are not charged any fees, but donations enable the nonprofit organization to continue the annual event.

When I first heard of National Novel Writing Month several years ago, my reaction was a combination of "cool" and "yeah right." Like it's possible for the average person to write a real novel in 30 days or less. Do you remember your elementary school gym teacher emphasizing it was "quality, not quantity" that mattered most? This was typically directed toward the children twisting into bizarre contortions they were trying to pass off as push-ups in order to garner the illustrious honor of first one done.

NaNoWriMo seems to flip the idea of "quality, not quantity" on its head. The event Web site notes that many average, every-day people think about writing novels some day. It's the "some day" that trips them up. Drafting a novel falls to the end of the to-do list when routine responsibilities take priority. By imposing a deadline, fostering the formation of on-line and in-person writing communities and encouraging people to forget about editing until after November 30, NaNoWriMo helps people let go of overthinking and self-censoring so they can write their books without being overwhelmed by attempts to perfect the finished product.

For some of us, this is easier said than done. Those who complete their NaNoWriMo novels are not awarded prizes, but a confirmed word count of 50,000 elevates writers to winner status. Of the two years I've attempted NaNoWriMo - and I use the term "attempted" loosely - I didn't get past the first page. Even now, I flash back to fifth grade, when my teacher announced that each student would be writing a novel to be completed by the end of the school year. I was shocked that this grown woman, a teacher no less, actually thought that children were capable of writing books.

But qualified or not, children in my fifth-grade class did write books. Also believers in juvenile literary potential, the NaNoWriMo founders set up a Young Writers Program for K-12 students and educators. Those 13 and older also have the option of setting up their own NaNoWriMo accounts. Information on the Young Writers Program Web site citing participant statistics indicated that in 2008, 621 classrooms and more than 22,000 students participated in the YWP. Meanwhile, information on the NaNoWriMo Web site states that last year, more than 120,000 participants signed up, and that each year, approximately 18% of them can truthfully say they've written novels. While event organizers stress fun and a finished product over quality and literary merit, more than 30 NaNoWriMo novelists have had books published, the very ones that began as 30-days-or-less drafts in November.

I recently met with fellow National Novel Writing Month enthusiasts for a "write-in" at the Putnam County Public Library. After a few introductions and the passing around of snacks, we sat in companionable silence, tapping away on our laptops until closing time. In my third year of NaNoWriMo, with the month more than half over, I'm barely up to 1,000 words but remain optimistic. Regardless of our qualifications or abilities, our common attempt to compose book-length works of fiction seems nothing short of novel.

If you're interested in learning more about National Novel Writing Month, you can find more information at http://www.nanowrimo.org/. If you'd like to read more about the Young Writers Program, you can find details at http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/. If you're a local NaNoWriMo participant and would like to join the Greencastle/DePauw group, send me an e-mail at brandykrichmond@yahoo.com.