Author: Alison Price   –   Updated: October 2026

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo is a writing challenge which occurs every November. It is a time to give your writing projects a kick in the pants and create your unique body of work.

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo

November

NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month. 

As the NaNoWriMo movement has become a global effort, in my mind it could be called IntNoWriMo or International Novel Writing Month, but that probably won’t easily catch on.

NaNoWriMo happens every November.

Goal

The goal is to write 50,000 words in the 30 days of the eleventh month.

NaNoWriMo closely follows Inktober which is an art challenge every October which I love as well.

How NaNoWriMo Works

50000 Words

Say you were planning a novel, or any other type of non-fiction book or writing project, to have 50,000 words is a vast number of words completed.

If we take 50,000 words and divide them by 30 days, for November, it returns 1667 words per day, every day for the month of November.

Stephen King

Wordcount

In his fabulous book, “On Writing” Stephen King says he writes 2000 words every day of the year, including Christmas Day, and on his birthday. 

When I first read this fact it seemed an awful lot of words, but then I thought to myself, well perhaps I can do 1000 words a day and this has been my goal since then.

1667 Words a Day

For NaNoWriMo you can write 1667 word a day and just push yourself a little further. 

When I started writing articles for may many blogs, I was writing about 150 to 200 words and then putting the printed copy in a drawer and coming back three days later as I thought this is how real writer’s work. 

I’d read that proper writers write a bit of work, then they let it percolate and they eventually come back to it, but that really didn’t work for myself and my blogs.

1000 Words a Day

After discovering the word count which Stephen King aimed for each day, I decided that I will write 1000 words a day. 

Suddenly one thousand words became the perfect length for a blog post for me.

Most serious websites are at least 1000 words, and some can be around 2000 words because this is a good amount which can be read in under five minutes.

I have since reassessed this and now I push for 2500 words for each artiucle I write.

What to do With What You Write

Plan Ahead

What you write for NaNoWriMo will be different for everyone. 

Here are some of my ideas on what to do with what you write.

Book Outline

It can be the basis for your book.

Blog Articles

You could have 1000 words per week for your blog for a whole year and then you would get fifty blog posts of 1000 words each.

Course Outline

Your writing could become the basis for a course outline that you want to teach which may be a specialty topic close to your heart which you inside out.

Content Creation

It could be content creation for any creative project.

For example, if you are writing for other people, or ghostwriting, you can get your ideas down in 50,000 words.

I was a resident horoscope ghostwriter on Upwork for three years before AI came along.

YouTube Scripts

You could have fifty 1000-word (or thirty 1667-word) scripts for YouTube videos if you are a YouTuber or planning to be one soon.

Short Stories

You might write fifty 1000-word (or thirty 1667-word) short stories or short story outlines.

If you are artistic you may wish to go on and illustrate these as well.

Why Do NaNoWriMo

Build the Habit

Habits are a theme for the Moon and conveniently the Moon’s cycle is 29/30 days as well.

• Creating a 30-Day Habit with the Moon

When you consistently write every day, and you push yourself to 1667 words, it builds the habit of writing. 

This ritual will benefit you for the rest of your life because once you see what you can achieve during November you realize you have so much more inside you.

By the way, daily rituals are a process of the 6th House.

S-t-r-e-t-ch Yourself

These revelations come to yourself as you see what you can achieve. 

You can write 1667 words today and you can put 50,000 words down in November which could be a turning point for you and your creative journey.

My Experience with NaNoWriMo

Three Attempts

I have tried NaNoWriMo three times in the past.

First Attempt

The first time was years ago when I thought I was going to write a novel. I quickly discovered that a novel isn’t my thing.

They say everyone has a Great Novel in them, well, I don’t think I do because writing a novel just didn’t keep my interest whatsoever.

Second Attempt

The second time I attempted NaNoWriMo I was writing an astrology book

Although I got off to a good start, after about seven days, I just couldn’t keep up with the word count and I let it go. 

In the time after my abortive NaNoWriMo attempt I did complete that book, but it took an awful long time (years) to get the words wrangled onto the page. 

I often think that if I’d stuck to NaNoWriMo back then I would have forced myself to have all the basics which I needed for the structure of the book.

Third Attempt

The third time I attempted NaNoWriMo I was all caught up in all the social media aspect of it. 

I saw that people were posting and saying, “I did 1500 words” or “I did 1200 words today” or “I’m on track for NaNoWriMo” and bragging,  “…by day five you should have XYZ number of words and I’m there!” 

Many people were making the wordcount, but I found I still couldn’t keep it up every single day. 

I slowly slipped behind on the wordcount and I sadly let it go. 

But this year I’m getting organized to write NaNoWriMo.

Planning NaNoWriMo for This Year

October

I’m writing this in October because I’m already thinking about what I’d like to achieve during NaNoWriMo in November which is still a month away. 

I know that being prepared properly is what’s probably going to get me through. 

There are several steps I’m planning out and I’m going to list them now.

What I’m Writing: 30 Articles

November

I shall write thirty blog posts of 1667 words each, so that would be one blog post per day in November.

My decision is to write thirty blog posts of 1667 words each for next year. 

I’m going to do thirty separate articles which will certainly set me up for what I need and it will provide me with lots of content going into 2027.

December

After NaNoWriMo, and during this December, I can polish the posts.

Here I’ll create the artworks and images for the articles.

Moreover, I’ll find references and supporting information to enhance each piece.

January

My first completed fresh post will be published in the first week of January.

Word Documents

Setup

I will set up the thirty Word documents on my computer beforehand and have them ready to go. 

Each Word document will include the date in November when I’ll write it and the title ready for me to start typing immediately on November the 1st.

This will avoid faffing about on the first day and not getting the writing done.

NaNoWriMo Journal

New

I also have a new journal, I love journals, which I’m dedicating to NaNoWriMo this year. 

In my NaNoWriMo journal I will make notes about the content.

Topics

If I do thirty individual topics, I need thirty titles for each of the blog posts. 

Then I will know each morning when I wake up what my daily title is and what I’m supposed to be writing about that day.

I don’t want to be sitting at my keyboard thinking, “Gosh what shall I write about? I know, let me make some coffee and do the laundry” and not getting the words on the page. 

Although I’m not writing any words before November, I am planning what I’m going to be writing about ahead of time.

Artwork for Each Article

Because I am a creative and not just an astrologer or writer, I do like to do art which is what my Create project is all about.

For my NaNoWriMo journal I require a book with at least thirty full double-page spreads one spread for each day of November on which I can do an art piece related to the blog post.

This means the book must have at least 60 pages if not more.

Daily Reflection

I’m also planning to have a daily review at the end of each day. 

I envisage my daily review as a place where I can write one or two sentences about how the writing went. 

Because I do believe that some days, I won’t be able to do any writing at all and that being the case, I would either have to catch up over the next few days or get ahead beforehand, so that I can afford to take a day off if I have to. 

I don’t want to limit myself to 1667 words per day and, certainly, if I can get ahead in the beginning that will help because I do tend to flag around mid-month. 

I feel that having a reflection in the evening in my journal jotting down a few sentences will help me realize what I’m trying to do and why I’m trying to win at NaNoWriMo.

My NaNoWriMo Page Template

Diagram

This diagram shows the layout of my new journal pages for my NaNoWriMo writing this year. 

I always start on a double spread page.

Left-hand Page

On the left-hand page, I will draw the artwork that goes with the post.

This doodle or sketch will be a pencil sketch and then It will be redrawn digitally by me in Procreate for the actual published piece.

Right-hand Page

The first right-hand page will be divided in a particular way.

Top

At the top is the working title, subtitle and then the paragraphs below.

Sidebar

On the right-hand sidebar is an area where I can make notes about items which I need to mention such as:

• People’s names.
• Specific concepts I want to make sure that I’m stating.
• The highlights about the actual blog post.
• Links to websites or to an artist where I reference their work.

Accreditation

I may need to make sure that everything is tabulated, and accreditation goes to those who I’m talking about.

For instance, if I reference a Picasso painting, I will put a link to Picasso on his Wikipedia page or something like that.

Or if I reference neurographic art I may put a link to some of my YouTube videos about this topic.

Tags, links and hashtags will all go in the right-hand sidebar on the first page, so I know immediately what the post is about.

Main Body

The body of the writing will be on the right-hand page in the wide left column.

I will set out my journal ahead of time because I do enjoy handwriting although I may ultimately put it all into Word.

I will write in Word to get the correct word count, and this might sound like double duty, but I do believe that being properly prepared will help me.

Footer

The bottom footer area is for reflection and evening review about how I felt the day went.

I want to reflect on this writing journey.

Notes

If I don’t manage to finish in November, I will still have all my notes in my journal about what I was getting into.

I can continue into December, if necessary, but I hope that it won’t come to that.

What to Write

Ideas 

I want to share my plans for NaNoWriMo with you so that you might give some consideration to getting started with some writing project of your own this year. 

Memoir

You may want to do a memoir for your family.

A family record is something I’ve been toying with as my daughters are saying, “Hey tell us about the old days, were you in the war?”

I mean how old are they think I am?

Recipe Book

Perhaps you want to do a recipe book or perhaps you want to talk about gardening these are topics that interest me.

I may or may not want to at one point write about those things this year.

My focus is writing about developing creativity specifically in women in the third age which is after your second Saturn Return.

I am just sharing this with you.

Penwomanship

If you feel that keyboard typing is not your thing or you don’t even know how to use Word, then pick up a pen.

You can still get yourself a journal and start writing and planning out what it is you want to share and what you really want to leave behind.

Legacy

Your Story

This might be the year when you write your life story for your future generations which can be shared with your children, grandchildren and the rest who come behind you. 

You have a lot to offer.

We are moving in a digital world and many of the young folk don’t know anything about it.

You might want to share that.

I’ll talk more about documenting your legacy another time.

Resources

More for You

• NaNoWriMo (Wikipedia)
• The Journal I Use

Overview

My Best Effort

I’m not going to beat myself up if I don’t manage to write 50,000 words in November. 

I would love to complete this and I’m getting as prepared as I can to do NaNoWriMo and I plan to do it, but I will not mentally harangue myself if I do not finalize the challenge.

Additionally, I will not consider myself a failure if I don’t make it.

However, I will certainly consider myself a success if I do win at NaNoWriMo.

Alison Price: Creator and Astrologer

Alison Price brings astrology down to earth and gives it room to play. Her approach combines solid astrological knowledge with curiosity, creativity and a healthy dose of humour. Through Create, Alison brings astrology to life with journal pages, drawing, colour and creative projects. Through Explore, she connects astrology with travel, places and the experiences that make life interesting. Alison offers Astrological Consultations and Coaching for Aspiring Astrologers.

Reach Alison at starzology@gmail.com.

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If you enjoyed this post, I urge you to explore some more creative, astrological articles from Starzology. – Alison ⭐