The official goal of NaNo is to write 50,000 words from November 1 to November 30. That is considered “winning” NaNo, although you can also create your own goals (more on that later). The idea is that a solid deadline and daily word count goals will kick your writing into high gear and also encourage the good habit of sitting down to write each day.

On the NaNo website, you’ll track your daily progress toward your goal throughout the month, connect with writers just like you, and earn fun badges along the way to keep you motivated. At the end of the month, you will hopefully have met your goal. But, even if you don’t, just participating is a huge step and shows you’re dedicated to working toward your goals.

Determine your writing project. Many of you are most likely already have a writing project you’re working on. Perhaps it’s a first draft that you’re trying to finish, or you have a goal to write a certain number of short stories. Or maybe, as was the case for me last year, you’re revising a novel. I recommend picking the project you have the most enthusiasm for, because that will help motivate you on those days when you don’t want to write a single word.

Create your account. To officially participate in NaNo, you’ll need to go to the website and create your profile. NaNo isn’t just a productivity tool; it’s also a community of writers and a great way to meet new writing friends. Tell the world a little about yourself, what you like to write, and what you’re looking to achieve. You will also select your location, so you’ll get news from the volunteer local liaison, who organizes in-person write-ins and the online forum for your region. NaNo is a great place to build local connections if you’ve just started writing and haven’t found your community yet.

Declare your project. Once you’ve got your profile set up, it’s time to announce your project. You at least need a title and a genre, but NaNo also gives you space to fill in a short synopsis and a cover photo, for others interested in checking out what you’re writing. No pressure, though, if you just want to fill in the name and genre. Then, create a goal tracker. While the standard NaNo goal is 50,000 new words, many people tailor this to their project. For instance, last year, I had just finished a first draft a few months prior and wanted to focus on revising, rather than writing new words. I made the goal for “50 hours” of revising time for the month and tracked against that instead of word count. Title your goal, set your dates for November, and you’re ready to go!

Find your friends. One of the great benefits of NaNo is that it brings together so many energized writers all working toward the same goal in mind. If you’re like me, accountability really helps meet your word count goal when that silly thing called “life” starts getting in the way. It can be easy to lose motivation on your own, which is why NaNo is full of ways to support you. If you already have friends participating, you can become friends on NaNo and check in on each other’s goals. If you’d like to meet new friends, check out your local region. The volunteer liaisons often create social media groups for writers in the area to connect and encourage each other throughout the month. Sometimes, all it takes is a funny writing meme and a thumbs up to keep you going when you’re midway through and behind on your word count!

Attend local events. Many regional groups host events prior to and through NaNo. These events are a great way to meet your fellow writers and commiserate about your chapter that’s just not coming together or celebrate another 10K words in the books. Take a look at their social pages and sign up for the local kick-off event to get fired up and the write-ins to dedicate time to crushing your goal.

Earn your badges. NaNo uses digital badges to keep you motivated throughout the month. You can award yourself personal achievement badges before you start: declaring yourself a pantser or a plotter, attending a prep event, and encouraging other writers. During the event, you’ll also get participation and writing badges. To earn participation badges, add a buddy or join a region. The writing badges require a little more legwork: hitting 5,000 words, updating your word count 5 days in a row, etc. If you’re a competitive person like me, badges are a great way to keep that fire lit when you’re midway through the month.

Write! Of course, this is the biggest one. The community building and events are a fantastic part of NaNo, but the true goal is to get your words on the page. You’ll use the daily word count tracker to track your progress against your goal. Even if you only write 50 words one day, track it! It all adds up by the end of November.

Beyond motivating you to write during November, NaNo is a great year-round tool. They have wonderful resources for every stage of writing, including pep talks from published authors and revision and publishing industry advice. The forums are open throughout the year (though they certainly get quieter), so you always have a community to reach out to. You can also create goal trackers outside of November, either to keep your momentum going after NaNo or for a new project you’ve started working on.

Not ready for NaNo this year, but don’t want to wait a whole 12 months to get motivated? NaNo also runs Camp NaNoWriMo in both April and July. The camps are “virtual writers’ retreats,” in which you’re assigned a cabin of fellow writers to cheer you on and work toward your goals together.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that NaNoWriMo is also an amazing non-profit that raises money for the writers’ community. You’re not required to donate to participate, but you can (you often get some free swag!) and the money from any purchases you make on their store also goes to helping their cause. Here’s just a snapshot of some of the amazing work they’re doing.

So, what are you waiting for? Create your account and your project, and get started preparing for the most wonderful time in the year for writers! I’ll be participating this year, with a goal of 50,000 words in my new sci-fi novel. Find me and let’s be NaNo buddies together! I’ve got a nice stash of inspiration memes just waiting to be shared. Happy writing!