NaNoWriMo is coming up, and for those who don’t know, it stands for National Novel Writing Month. During the month of November, writers pledge to write at least 50,000 words. I’ve done it in the past, and it feels great to finish!
This year, Grammarly is participating in NaNoWriMo, but with a twist. They’re launching project #GrammoWriMo, which aims to “publish a book that boasts the largest number of authors of any novel ever written.”
Currently, the record for largest number of authors to collaborate on a short story is around 1500, according to Allie VanNest, director of communications at Grammarly. Grammarly is in talks with the Guinness Book of World Records to make a case for #GrammoWriMo.
Basically, anyone can sign up until Oct. 25 (Friday). Writers will then be notified when it is their turn to write. The goal is to reach at least 50,000 words so that it is a NaNoWriMo winner, but participating authors can write anywhere from just one sentence to 800 words (a chapter).
Writers will be given notes so they know what has already happened in the novel.
“We’re still working out the details, but we plan to assign writers access to one chapter of the novel with a predetermined beginning and end,” Allie said. “All writers assigned to this chapter will have 24-hour access at a preassigned time to add one sentence to 800 words. They can view the chapter as it is being written, and comment or suggest edits when it is not their turn to write. Simultaneously, we’ll provide an entire book summary to writers on an ongoing basis.”
In preparation for NaNoWriMo, Grammarly is “running in-depth plot surveys so that our writers can help determine the plot of the novel in advance of writing,” Allie said.
Additionally, Grammarly is working with author Gayle Brandeis. Gayle wrote her novel, Self Storage, during NaNoWriMo 2003, and she will be writing the first and last lines of GrammoWriMo.
“She’s a great writer and an even better role model for this project,” Allie said.
At the end of NaNoWriMo, Grammarly intends to publish the book as an e-book. Grammarly will make all final edits, and proceeds of any sales will be donated to a writing-related charity, Allie said.
Read more details of GrammoWriMo on Grammarly’s blog here, and sign up to be part of the project here. You have until Oct. 25!
[…] with digital, having widespread collaboration becomes easier. One great example of this is GrammoWriMo, which will aim to have the largest group of authors to ever collaborate on a […]