Join the Guided 50,000-Word Challenge!
Do you want to write over half of your novel or memoir this November?
Don't do it alone!
Get accountability, guidance from two expert book coaches, an intimate writing community,
and valuable prizes for completing your word count goals.
Six live calls and ongoing community support
Guidance and Accountability
Actionable Writing Goals and Prizes
Keep your book a priority this holiday (and election!) season.
Take on the challenge of National Novel Writing Month
with resources designed to help you make substantial progress on your book.
Professional guidance, community, accountability, live support,
and prizes that further your writing knowledge and craft!
Novels in November Offers:
Live Support - Six Zoom Calls
- October 25th: Join us for a live Kick off Webinar: Five Phases to Build a Book, followed by a cozy Q&A.
- 4 Friday check-in calls and live writing sprints.
- December 6th: Prize drawings and next steps to continue momentum on your book, or move into foundational / editing phases.
Join as many live calls as your schedule allows. Access to recordings will be available on our community board.
Structure
On Mondays, you’ll receive an email with craft exercises to inspire and advance your story (Four in total).
Community
Post your responses, questions, triumphs, and frustrations in our private community forum.
Real Incentive
Reach 50,000 words and you’ll be entered to win a drawing of the following prizes:
Word count goals are self-regulated, no judgment or critiquing involved.
- 15-page editorial consult with one of your two Book Coaching hosts.
- A second chance to win prize #1
- An hour coaching session with both Abbie and Libby. Have us speak to your writing group, reading group, or focus entirely on your story.
The community will remain small, so your odds of being picked for a bonus to strengthen your book are high!
Authors thrive in community, with accountability and measurable goals.
Imagine finishing that draft, and feeling confident about next steps!
Led by Developmental Editors and Author Accelerator Book Coaches:
Abigail Raeke is a developmental editor, MFA-graduate, and Author Accelerator book coach based in Portland, Oregon. Abbie is on a mission to help aspiring authors achieve their publishing goals. Creative writing can be taught. Her instructive style demystifies the narrative process and breaks down how to build a strong book!
Learn more at abigailraeke.com
Libby Baker is an actor, writer, developmental editor, and Author Accelerator book coach based in Los Angeles, California. Libby helps screenwriters become novelists, and novelists write their best books. Stories are powerful! Libby has devoted her 25+ year career in the arts to telling meaningful stories and guiding others to tell theirs.
Learn more at the-story-guide.com
The Details:
Abbie will present Five Phases to Build a Book, followed by a cozy Q&A with Abbie and Libby.
Replays of all sessions will be available!
Start writing!
Write an average of ~1,800 words or approximately 7 to 8 pages, 5 days a week for 6 weeks, to write a total of 50,000 words.
You can do this! Shelve your inner editor and critic and produce the material you need for your novel or memoir.
Editing comes at a later phase. We'll talk all about it on the kick-off call!
Additional Support:
Introduce yourself to our small writing group and support fellow writers on a shared community board.
Each Monday, receive an email with an optional story fundamental question designed to inspire your writing and strengthen the structure of your book.
- Defining your Plot Hook/Premise
- Defining your Character arc
- Defining your Take Away
- Your Why (and why it’s important!)
Live Zoom Calls and Sprint Writing Sessions will be held:
November 1st @ 3:00pm PT
November 8th @ 3:00pm PT
November 15th @ 3:00pm PT
November 22nd @ 3:00pm PT
No assignment or calls Thanksgiving Week. Opportunity to write.
Post final word count by Thursday, December 5th, and get entered to win prizes to reinvigorate next steps for your novel or memoir!
Friday, December 6th at 3:00pm PT we'll celebrate your accomplishments! Winners of coaching / editorial prizes will be announced.
Can I use a novel/memoir that I’ve already started writing?
Absolutely! The goal of Novels In November is to hold you accountable to your writing, motivate you to show up to the page, and support you in your current writing project!
What if I’ve never written any part of a novel/memoir before?
Welcome! This is a great way to start.
Will I be required to share my work, or will you give me feedback on my pages?
No, we believe that it’s not in a writer’s best interest to worry about feedback in the generative stage. We want you to feel free to follow your writer’s intuition and play!
But if you reach your 50,000 word goal, you have a great chance at winning a feedback evaluation from Libby or Abbie!
What if I can't make all of the live calls?
Come to as many (or as few) live calls as you wish. Calls will be recorded and available to you view until March 6, 2025.
As long as you meet your personal word count goal and post your success on the community page, you will be entered to win coaching and editing prizes!
What if I can't complete 50,000 words?
That's okay!
If you participate and end up with 20,000 or even 10,000 words written - that's a win! You'll still be an important part of the community. We'll simply encourage you to repeat your progress in December, and again in January ... we all have our own processes and timelines.
But clear goals and the power of community often push us to accomplish more than we imagine!
Who should join Novels in November?
Writers:
Prioritizing their novel or memoir in the coming months.
Willing to try something new with community and group-coaching support.
Looking to get out of their own way, and get that book written!
Books are largely edited into publication. But they have to be written, first!
Too many writers try to edit while they write, and end up feeling frustrated or stuck.
Abbie and Libby provide a supportive path through the generative phase with gentle guidance towards the essential story fundamentals phase.
How it works:
Step 1: Click one of buttons to join the community through a secure Stripe payment.
Step 2: Receive your first welcome email with Zoom link for live calls.
Psst: Begin your word-count now with an early-bird head start.
We want all members to succeed and get entered to win prizes at the end of the challenge!
Step 3: Join Abbie and Libby for the live kick-off call: Five Phases to Build a Book and stay for a live Q&A!
- Write an average of ~1,800 words, or approximately 7 to 8 pages, 5 days a week for ~ 6 weeks.
- Get inspired with weekly emails, Friday Zoom check-ins and writing sprints, and community writers' board.
- Post final word count by Thursday, December 5, and get entered to win prizes to reinvigorate next steps for your novel or memoir!
- Join our last Zoom celebration event for a live drawing of prize winners.
Refund Policy
We realize that sometimes life derails the best-laid intentions. Unfortunately, once the challenge has begun, we won’t be able to issue refunds. After administrative fees, call hosting and community platform fees, we’re providing this writing challenge at cost. You will have access to recorded calls for three months.
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We're counting down to our live kick-off event:
Five Phases to Build a Book
On October 25th at 3pm PT
Doors to Novels in November close right before kick-off,
as we prepare to celebrate our small group of committed writers.
Numbers are limited, so join now!
Start ticking up that word count, get entered to win fantastic prizes AND make progress on your current draft.
