We're looking for talented young people to write participant pep talks for publication on the Young Writers Program website and NaNoWriMo blog this November. This is your chance to be inspiring (or hilarious), give advice, and motivate other writers to reach their creative dreams—and their word-count goals. 

Fill out this form by Sunday, October 10 to submit a pep talk.

Check out last year's participant pep talks in Breaking News (they're all called "Participant Pep Talk from [Name]") to get a sense of what we're looking for, and be ready to give us a taste of the pep talk you would write in the last box on the form. Remember, it's easy to encourage someone to "just keep writing!" We're looking for specific advice, fresh perspectives, or compelling personal stories. 

If you have questions, ask them in this forum thread (or if you're under 13, you can ask Marya Brennan in Message a Moderator on your Dashboard). Good luck!

(Unfortunately, we won’t be able to publish a pep talk by everyone who volunteers. If you don't get selected but still want to write one, we'll make space in the forums for everyone to share. You can never have too much inspiration in November...)

What's up, YWP?

• It's time to announce your novel! Click "Yes" on your Dashboard to accept the official NaNoWriMo 2021 Challenge invite!

• NaNoWriMo is just a month away! Have you started planning your novel yet? Check out our NaNo Prep page for resources around setting a word-count goal, scheduling your time, building a world, creating characters, outlining your plot, and more!

• Check out the NaNoWriMo calendar for upcoming events. 

To see what time an event starts in your time zone, click into the event, then click "copy to my calendar".