NaNoWriMo 2026: how to write 50,000 words in November
The NaNoWriMo nonprofit is gone, but the challenge is not. The organisation behind National Novel Writing Month shut down on March 31, 2025, citing money problems (Wikipedia). Writers still spend November drafting a 50,000-word novel. Here is how it works in 2026, where to join, and a day-by-day word count to keep you on track.
- Dates: Sunday, November 1 to Monday, November 30, 2026
- Goal: 50,000 words of a new draft
- Daily pace: 1,667 words a day
- Hashtags writers use: #NaNoWriMo, #Preptober in October
Where to join in 2026
- Novel November by ProWritingAid: free, same 50,000-word goal, November 1 to 30, with planning workshops through October. You need a free ProWritingAid account (ProWritingAid).
- The 60-Day Novel Challenge by Dabble: plan in October, write in November, 50,000 words by the end, according to ProWritingAid's roundup.
- Do it yourself: pick a start date, tell two friends, and log your words in a notes app or spreadsheet. The calendar below is all you need.
Word count calendar for November 2026
Where your total should be at the end of each day to finish 50,000 words on November 30.
| Date | Day | Total words |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 1 | Sun | 1,667 |
| Nov 2 | Mon | 3,333 |
| Nov 3 | Tue | 5,000 |
| Nov 4 | Wed | 6,667 |
| Nov 5 | Thu | 8,333 |
| Nov 6 | Fri | 10,000 |
| Nov 7 | Sat | 11,667 |
| Nov 8 | Sun | 13,333 |
| Nov 9 | Mon | 15,000 |
| Nov 10 | Tue | 16,667 |
| Nov 11 | Wed | 18,333 |
| Nov 12 | Thu | 20,000 |
| Nov 13 | Fri | 21,667 |
| Nov 14 | Sat | 23,333 |
| Nov 15 | Sun | 25,000 |
| Nov 16 | Mon | 26,667 |
| Nov 17 | Tue | 28,333 |
| Nov 18 | Wed | 30,000 |
| Nov 19 | Thu | 31,667 |
| Nov 20 | Fri | 33,333 |
| Nov 21 | Sat | 35,000 |
| Nov 22 | Sun | 36,667 |
| Nov 23 | Mon | 38,333 |
| Nov 24 | Tue | 40,000 |
| Nov 25 | Wed | 41,667 |
| Nov 26 | Thu | 43,333 |
| Nov 27 | Fri | 45,000 |
| Nov 28 | Sat | 46,667 |
| Nov 29 | Sun | 48,333 |
| Nov 30 | Mon | 50,000 |
November 2026 has four full weekends. Many writers write more on Saturdays and Sundays to bank words for busy weekdays.
Tips that make 50,000 words possible
- Use October to plan. Writers call it "Preptober": characters, a rough outline and a few scenes you are excited to write.
- Do not edit in November. The goal is a finished first draft. Fixing comes later.
- Write in short sprints. Fifteen minutes with the phone in another room adds up fast.
- Have a catch-up plan. Falling behind is normal; the calendar shows how far you need to go.
Sources
- Wikipedia: National Novel Writing Month
- ProWritingAid: Novel November and the best NaNoWriMo alternatives
