Friday, October 28, 2011

In just four days, the challenge begins…the challenge to start and finish a work of nonfiction in 30 days during Write Nonfiction in November (WNFIN). In its fifth year, this annual writing event offers not only a challenge but an educational experience as well.

WNFIN began as Nina Amir's response to National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a contest that has fiction writers writing 50,000 words in 30 days during November. But she didn't just ask nonfiction writers to write (and write well—something NanoWriMo doesn't focus upon), she asked them to learn how to publish and promote their work. For this she provided a 30-day blog discussing nonfiction writing, publishing and promotion.

Amir, a professional nonfiction book editor and writing, blogging, book, and author coach, stresses, "WNFIN is not a contest! No one counts your words. No one looks over your shoulder or actually knows if you started or finished your project. It's a personal challenge and functions both as an educational forum and an accountability partner of sorts providing nonfiction writers with a starting point and a deadline to help them get a project done."

Despite Amir's contention that WNFIN is not a contest, this year she is offering a contest. "No, I will not be counting participants words. Never have and never will," she said. "I will, however, be giving away a copy of Rochelle Melander's just-released book, Write-a-Thon, Write a Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It). I'll be looking at the projects described by WNFIN participants who signed in and described both their projects and their plan for completing them and who did so by Nov. 1 at noon. Then, I'll choose someone who is writing a complete book manuscript in 30 days, has a great idea and a well-thought-out plan for completing it in a month to win." The details of the contest can be found here: http://writenonfictioninnovember.com/2011/10/21/sign-in-to-write-nonfiction-in-november-and-win-a-free-book/

It's simple to participate in WNFIN. In fact, participants need do nothing at all if they like but read the blog and write on their own. However, they can "sign in" http://writenonfictioninnovember.com/wnfin-2011-participants/) and describe their WNFIN project and goals.

Participants also can report in periodically, if they like, about their progress on the status updates page http://writenonfictioninnovember.com/wnfin-2012-status-updates/). Additionally, they can comment on the various blog posts or on the WNFIN Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Write-Nonfiction-in-November/157481860957111). The latter offers a forum to converse with other WNFIN participants.

Nina Amir, Your Inspiration-to-Creation Coach, inspires writers to create the results they desire–publishable and published products and careers as writers and authors. She is a seasoned journalist, book proposal consultant, and blogger with more than 33 years of experience in the publishing field as well as the author of the forthcoming How to Blog a Book, Write, Publish and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time (Writer's Digest Books, April 2012).

Nina Amir

CopyWright Communications

Los Gatos, CA

408-353-1943