Aristos Education Services November 2023 Newsletter

National Novel Writing Month

Taking a look at NaNoWriMo, where it came from, how you can get involved, and why it’s great!

Dear Aristos Community,

November is here, and with it comes the thrilling challenge of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)! It's the perfect time for all aspiring authors, educators, and students to embark on a creative journey and let their imaginations run wild. In this month's newsletter, we're diving into the world of NaNoWriMo and how you can make the most of this inspiring event this month and all year long. 

What is National Novel Writing Month?

NaNoWriMo, short for National Novel Writing Month, is an annual event that takes place every November. The goal is simple yet challenging: write a 50,000-word novel in just 30 days. It's a global endeavor that encourages writers of all levels to kickstart their creativity, overcome writer's block, and accomplish their writing dreams. NaNoWriMo is a product of the internet, invented in 1999, that spread organically among writers and educators. In 2006, they became a non-profit and launched official programs including NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo that takes place in April and July and allows you to select your own word count. They also started their “Now What?” months, taking place in January and February, that provide resources and tools to help continue your writing journey throughout the year. 

Fostering Creativity

At Aristos, we believe in nurturing creativity and providing the tools and support necessary to help individuals explore their creative potential. Whether you're an educator guiding students or a student with a passion for writing, NaNoWriMo is a fantastic opportunity to encourage self-expression and storytelling.Creativity is a skill, one that can be unfortunately neglected, but it is easily practiced alone using tools and events like NaNoWriMo! All you need to gain creativity is to create, and the community of creating together with other educators and students worldwide is powerful. Additionally, constraint breeds creativity, and the gamification of writing in NaNoWriMo can be an invaluable inspiration to create. Author Marissa Meyer wrote 3 New York Bestselling novels during November one year, inspired by a Star Trek NaNoWriMo contest.

The NaNoWriMo exercise has resulted in a number of famous novels like Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen, and Wool by Hugh Howey, which was revisited during a NaNoWriMo exercise, resurrecting his novel from the book graveyard.  

Fueling Your Imagination - Resources

To help you make the most of NaNoWriMo, we've put together a selection of resources and tips:

1. Writing Prompts: Stuck on where to begin? We've compiled a few engaging writing prompts to inspire your novel's plot, characters, and themes. For more writing prompts, check out Reedsy

   1. Set your story before dawn. Your character has woken up early for a particular reason.

   2. Start your story with a student discovering a hidden room in a university library.

   3. Write a story from a ghost’s point of view.

   4. Write a story about a warrior who doesn’t want to kill the dragon.

2. Writing Prep and Organization: NaNoWriMo has an official Prep Course for November, but it contains very valuable planning resources for writing any time of year, like more prompt generators, advice on creating and nurturing an idea, and blog posts written by professional and experienced writers. Follow along with the course, and celebrate at the end with a fun certificate! Below, we’ve included links to the prep course as well as other NaNoWriMo writing resources like their blog and recorded pep talks. 

   1. Prep course: https://nanowrimo.org/nano-prep-101#howtonanoprep

   2. Youtube playlist for prep: https://www.youtube.com/@Nanowrimo/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=3

   3. Pep talks: https://nanowrimo.org/pep-talks

   4. NaNoWriMo blog: https://blog.nanowrimo.org/

3. Programs and Groups: NaNoWriMo has a number of official programs to make use of or join in November and year round. We’ve included some links to their programs with brief descriptions and also ways to get involved locally. 

   1. Young Writers Program - Signing up for the YWP allows you to draft and store your novel directly on the NaNoWriMo website, leads you through the prepcourse, tracks progress, and allows you to gain feedback from novelists and other participants in NaNoWriMo. https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/

   2. Camp NaNoWriMo - Camp is a less challenging version of the writing event, taking place over two months, and allowing you to choose the type of work you create as well as its word length. Signing up for Camp puts you in the NaNoWriMo community, allows you to draft and store your work directly on the NaNoWriMo website, tracks progress, and gives access to camp-related resources for your writing. https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-camp-nanowrimo

   3. Now What? - Now What? Is a program by NaNoWriMo designed to encourage continued progress in your creative journey outside designated event months. Signing up allows you to draft and store any written works on the NaNoWriMo site, gets you access to the Big, Fun, Scary Adventures forum to discuss non-NaNoWriMo related creative plans, and allows you to track and set goals related to your creations. https://nanowrimo.org/now-what

   4. Local Writing Resources - The Hamilton Public Library system has a number of different regular writing programs across its branches. These include, a monthly zine club, Tween Writing Circles, and Literacy Labs for a variety of different ages. The events for all Hamilton Public Libraries related to writing can be found here: https://www.hpl.ca/events/literary/writing

A Moment for Remembrance

This November, let us take a moment to honor and reflect upon the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who served and continue to serve our nation. This solemn month provides an opportunity for us to express our gratitude to those who have dedicated their lives to preserving our freedom and ensuring the peace we enjoy today. At Aristos, we recognize the importance of remembering and understanding the sacrifices made by our veterans. Let us come together as a community to pay our respects, educate future generations about the significance of November 11th and this month, and cultivate a deep appreciation for the values of courage, service, and sacrifice that define our nation. Lest we forget.

We hope this November and beyond, you let your creative spirit soar as you embark on the exhilarating adventure of National Novel Writing Month. Whether you're an experienced or  novice writer, NaNoWriMo and its resources are an opportunity to make your writing dreams a reality. 

Thank you for entrusting Aristos with your educational goals. We are here to support you every step of the way. Should you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Happy learning!

Warm regards,

Aristos Administration

info@aristoseducation.ca (365) 889-3756 Admin: contact@aristoseducation.ca (289) 858-6065