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24 Books that Won NaNoWriMo
With National Novel Writing Month starting on November 1, you might be feeling a combination of Rocky-esque determination and sweaty nervousness. After all, this is the month where established authors and aspiring writers alike from all over the world take the challenge to buckle down and pen a full-length novel. Whether you're a rookie or a veteran, participation is no ordinary feat. The goal is roughly 1,667 words per day, 11,669 words per week, with the grand total of 50,000 words due by November 30.
No pressure.
But before you sharpen your pencils, fire up your computer, draft up your outline, or play The Final Countdown, get inspired with these 24 books that can trace their roots back to NaNoWriMo projects. Not only did books including The Night Circus, Water for Elephants, and Fangirl reach the finish line, they reached the pinnacle—publication.
Who knows? Maybe your NaNoWriMo book could wind up on this list someday. Which ones do you recommend? Let us know in the comments!
No pressure.
But before you sharpen your pencils, fire up your computer, draft up your outline, or play The Final Countdown, get inspired with these 24 books that can trace their roots back to NaNoWriMo projects. Not only did books including The Night Circus, Water for Elephants, and Fangirl reach the finish line, they reached the pinnacle—publication.
Who knows? Maybe your NaNoWriMo book could wind up on this list someday. Which ones do you recommend? Let us know in the comments!
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Comments Showing 1-50 of 53 (53 new)
message 1:
by
leo
(new)
Oct 25, 2017 07:40AM
Another one is Anna & the French Kiss c:
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WOW! I didn't realize so many of these had beginnings in NaNo!! That's so encouraging for aspiring authors! Thanks for the list GR!
I love the whole Lunar Chronicles series! (I'm working on finishing it right now.) I had absolutely no idea those started through NaNoWriMo. That's amazing!!! :) I'm also sincerely impressed how many NaNo books have made it to publication (because I'm sure there are more).
So did Carrie Jone's Tips on Having a Gay (Ex) Boyfriend
Wow, this is really interesting and inspiring!
The Night Circus is one of my all-time favorites <3
Barbara wrote: "Don't think you should say 'Won' because they really didn't win anything it wasn't a competition it makes somebody think they really accomplished something and got a prize or their book gets publis..."It is not a competition, no, but it is a challenge, and therefore completing the challenge is referred to as winning. Even the NaNoWriMo site refers to reaching the word count goal as winning.
Words can have multiple meanings, and winning refers to more than just a competition. So, I don't think the use of winning in this case is deceitful at all.
Oh, and I am an 11 time winner of NaNoWriMo, going for my 12th win next month.
Samantha wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Don't think you should say 'Won' because they really didn't win anything it wasn't a competition it makes somebody think they really accomplished something and got a prize or their ..."I understand what you are saying. I won, but it really doesn't mean anything and with 50 books in 5 years, almost all of my books could have easily be in the contest to finish the story in 30 days. I quit joining because I really got nothing out of the whole thing.
Barbara wrote: "Don't think you should say 'Won' because they really didn't win anything it wasn't a competition it makes somebody think they really accomplished something and got a prize or their book gets publis..."It's slang. To finish a Nanowrimo novel within a month is called "winning;" that's established Nano-slang. It's not deceitful any more than saying "my outfit is totally sick today!" even though my outfit suffers from no illness.
Barbara wrote: "Don't think you should say 'Won' because they really didn't win anything it wasn't a competition it makes somebody think they really accomplished something and got a prize or their book gets publis..."Barbara, take part in NaNoWriMo.
Once you reach the word goal in your novel, only then will you understand why writers beam with pride and say, "I won NaNoWriMo."
You may not realise but there are prizes and exclusive deals for NaNoWriMo winners. Last time I participated, I remember one of the prizes was to receive a free paperback copy of your NaNo novel.
So the Youtuber you were following didn't lie to you - they completed a challenge and received prizes for it. They won NaNoWriMo.
Seriously. 50,000 words in 30 days is not a challenge for the faint-hearted. You manage to meet that goal, darn skippy you're going to tell people you won.
My book, unvamped, won 2012 and 2013 (I wrote half one year and half the next) and Netherfield Prep won CampNaNo 2016.The term 'winning' might sound like more than it is to many people when they find out how you win, but it is a challenge you pass or don't and you get prizes/rewards for completing it. People compete against each other and the clock - plenty of sports like that where people win. Not to mention the fact you've written 50,000 words in 30 days! Some of us find that easy, some of us find that hard. The purpose of the blog post - I believe - is to remind emerging and aspiring writers that they can make it if they try and that Nano is a great motivator and starting point.
Some of these books looks interesting.
So happy and proud to see Darynda's First Grave on the Right <3
Great job to all the nanoers that published. Good for you! :)
Inspiring to read, thanks! Am a part of a group that will indeed be utilising next month to get on top of some writing projects for 2018 release!
Amanda wrote: "I love the whole Lunar Chronicles series! (I'm working on finishing it right now.) I had absolutely no idea those started through NaNoWriMo. That's amazing!!! :) I'm also sincerely impressed how ..."
IT'S THE BEEEEEST!! I'm so excited for Renegades! O:
Amanda wrote: "I love the whole Lunar Chronicles series! (I'm working on finishing it right now.) I had absolutely no idea those started through NaNoWriMo. That's amazing!!! :) I'm also sincerely impressed how ..."
Not only was TLC's first 3 books written for NaNo, but the series began as Sailor Moon fanfiction. :) Marissa's a huge fan.
I didn't know The Night Circus was a Nano book! It's so detailed -- really impressive that Morgenstern wrote it in a month.
It's encouraging to know that books written during that time go on to be so well loved! Is anyone else participating this year? We should be writing buddies!
Samantha wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Don't think you should say 'Won' because they really didn't win anything it wasn't a competition it makes somebody think they really accomplished something and got a prize or their ..."Oh God be quiet.
Katherine wrote: "It's encouraging to know that books written during that time go on to be so well loved! Is anyone else participating this year? We should be writing buddies!"I want to, but I am totally stumped this year. :/
Barbara wrote: "Don't think you should say 'Won' because they really didn't win anything it wasn't a competition it makes somebody think they really accomplished something and got a prize or their book gets publis..."I think you're being pretty judgmental in calling them deceitful. They are not lying just because you didn't personally understand how NaNoWriMo works.
Kylie wrote: "Katherine wrote: "It's encouraging to know that books written during that time go on to be so well loved! Is anyone else participating this year? We should be writing buddies!"I want to, but I am..."
I know the feeling. It might be fun to do something stream of consciousness and just see how it evolves? Or find a folk tale/myth and make an adaptation?
Carly wrote: "I didn't know The Night Circus was a Nano book! It's so detailed -- really impressive that Morgenstern wrote it in a month."I think it was the first draft, and not the final text, that was written during NanoWriMo.
Katherine wrote: "Kylie wrote: "Katherine wrote: "It's encouraging to know that books written during that time go on to be so well loved! Is anyone else participating this year? We should be writing buddies!"I wan..."
Yeah I was thinking of just writing and seeing what comes out first. I have along weekend so its on the to do list! :P also I messaged you lol.
Coupon Crazy: The Science, the Savings, and the Stories Behind America's Extreme Obsession I've worked on three books during NaNoWriMo that have been traditionally published, and doing so again this year.
I love seeing this. I hope that many more are added for 2017 :) I know there will be so many cool novels coming out of this November! You can read about my process for prepping here: https://medium.com/@hollywalrath/how-...
So did Learnt To Be Cautious: The Story of Kitty Bennet - there are so many great books that got their start some November or other!
Two of mine started out as NaNovels, which I am super proud of because I'm also my region's Municipal Liaison (Australia::Melbourne). The Triad Trial (Less Than Three Press) was my 2011 novel, and The Fear Collectors (self-published for my MComm) was my 2007 novel. Both of them underwent extensive editing; NaNo lets me bash out a first draft, but it's always easier to fix the words once they're on the page rather than still in my head!Ida by Alison Evans is another novel that came out of our region. Matthew Lang, Cecil Wilde, I want to say Amie Kaufman is or was one of ours, um... I know there's more but I actually just got home from hosting our Kick-Off Picnic and I'm so tired, but other Melbourne Wrimos might know!
Barbara wrote: "Don't think you should say 'Won' because they really didn't win anything it wasn't a competition it makes somebody think they really accomplished something and got a prize or their book gets publis..."People start and finish. That is winning. It's awesome. Naysayers need to understand this is and epic personal struggle for many. We live in a society where people routinely suppress personal dreams because some other somebody wants to piddle all over whether or not they deserve to use the word "won". If I go ahead and write 50,000 words this November IN SPITE OF some person who has already decided my effort is probably worthless because the joy of the experience has no value if its not published, I HAVE WON!!! Nobody likes a spoil sport. It doesn't make you superior to walk up to the laughing kid in the swing and knock them down into the sawdust because you have decided that people can't fly so they shouldn't enjoy swingsets. Boo! Hiss!
Megharin wrote: "All the Harry Potter books"I don't get it. Are you saying that they were written as Nanowrimo projects?
Kylie wrote: "I want to, but I am totally stumped this year. :/"I have been a little stumped lately, too. I'm hoping NaNoWriMo will get me going.
Good luck!
I don't think I'll join it but maybe I can take the challenge as an inspiration and come up with a few short stories and one shots!
Carly wrote: "I didn't know The Night Circus was a Nano book! It's so detailed -- really impressive that Morgenstern wrote it in a month."If you really think she wrote the whole thing in a month, you have no understanding of what goes into writing a book.
Megharin wrote: "All the Harry Potter books"So incorrect it's not even funny.
Lupe wrote: "WOW! I didn't realize so many of these had beginnings in NaNo!! That's so encouraging for aspiring authors! Thanks for the list GR!"SAME!!
Barbara wrote: "Don't think you should say 'Won' because they really didn't win anything it wasn't a competition it makes somebody think they really accomplished something and got a prize or their book gets publis..."Firmly disagree here. You're widely considered to have "won" NaNoWriMo by hitting your 50,000 word target. On the site itself, you're called a winner, giving you a Year X Winner badge, for any years you finish. Yes, it's an honour based system, but that doesn't make it any less real, or indeed the use of the word deceitful.
If anyone writes 50,000 words in 30 days, that equals approx 1666 words per day. Just doing that much writing per day is equivalent to "winning". People who poke their head out of the woodwork just to tell any writer "that's not really winning, cuz there isn't any prize" ought to stick their head back up their butt & mind their own business. I'm "winning" every day I'm alive & breathing, whether anyone hands me a "prize" or not. Writing 1666+ words per day, takes a lot of self-discipline. That alone makes a winner.
Love this list! I really liked Water for Elephants and didn't even know it started in NaNo. Both enlightening + encouraging :-)
Jean wrote: "Seriously. 50,000 words in 30 days is not a challenge for the faint-hearted. You manage to meet that goal, darn skippy you're going to tell people you won."Hahaha - agreed :P
