5 Great Writing Challenge Alternatives to NaNoWriMo This November

A lot of writers are opting out of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year due to their somewhat questionable stance on AI in creative writing. If you’ve participated in the past, or planned to participate this year, you may be feeling a bit at a loss for what to do instead. Luckily, there’s a thriving writing community out there and you can find a great NaNoWriMo alternative to do instead!

Writing challenges are a great way to develop healthy writing habits and interact with the writing community. Here are 5 excellent writing challenge alternatives to NaNoWriMo that will get you excited about writing in November and beyond! 

1. TrackBear app

TrackBear is a platform where you can track your writing progress. If you’re setting a goal to write a certain amount of words in November, this might be a great alternative to NaNoWriMo’s word count tracker. 

However, because every writer is different (hence the labels plotter, pantser, or plantser!), some may find the idea of hitting a daily word count overwhelming or demotivating. Luckily, on TrackBear, you can keep tabs on a variety of writing goals—whether it’s by chapter or a daily time-based writing target. So, whether your goal for the day is to create an outline for your book, plot out a scene, or spend 20 minutes brainstorming, this app can help you track it. 

Another reason TrackBear is a good alternative to NaNoWriMo: it helps you keep track of the sort of writing habits every aspiring writer needs! It’s never easy to start writing a book and writing isn’t a one-size fits all activity. Just because someone else’s goal is to write 60k in a month (the basic premise behind the NaNoWriMo challenge), it doesn’t mean yours has to be the same. 

Having the flexibility to set your own individualised writing goals will help you to not only start your book but push through to the end and even successfully self-edit your manuscript once you’re finished! 

2. Shut Up & Write

The premise of Shut Up & Write is simple: stop talking about writing and just do it! Like NaNoWriMo, Shut Up & Write is a community-based platform—which makes it an excellent alternative. The focus is on helping you to develop relationships with other writers and to create an environment of mutual support and accountability. 

There are various free in-person and online events to join, or you can organise your own local writing get-together. And Shut UP & Write has some amazing writing challenges that cater to different schedules and types of writers. Perhaps you’d like to commit to writing an hour every week with a group of fellow writers. Or, if you want something a little more intense, sign up for a write-daily challenge. 

There’s a lot of flexibility around these challenges because the ultimate goal is to surround yourself with a strong writing community that can help you achieve both short-term and long-term writing goals. 

3. Pathfinders Writing Collective

Pathfinders is another community-centric platform that can be a great alternative to NaNoWriMo. They aim to support writers through every stage of the writing process. Whether you’re penning your first novel, trying to finish your first draft, or at the editing, querying or publishing stage, they understand that every writer’s journey is unique. 

Joining their Discord is a great way to get involved in the Pathfinders writing community. You’ll find a variety of forums where you can chat about everything from querying your book and writing a blurb to submitting your work for critique. The more personal feel definitely makes this a good NaNoWriMo alternative and, even better, Pathfinders hosts writing challenges throughout the year. This makes it easier to keep your momentum going (and meet great writing friends) long after November. 

4. myWriteClub

myWriteClub functions as a sort of social media platform for writers. The aim is to help you have accountability by sharing your goals with friends so they can track your progress! Basically, you set up your account, then create a writing goal and invite your friends to follow along. Make sure to update your progress bar and cheer your writer friends on as they hit their milestones, too! 

The nifty tracker system on myWriteClub allows you to set any number of goals to work towards. If you intend to write a novel, you can customise the tracker to suit that goal. Or perhaps you need to edit your book and want to break it up into smaller, more achievable targets. You can track these, as well! 

What makes myWriteClub particularly fun (and an excellent NaNoWriMo alternative) is that you can leave comments on other participant’s progress. It’s like having an in-built cheer section focused on keeping you motivated and writing. 

5. AutoCrit Novel 90 Writing Challenge

If you think you’ll miss the rush of trying to write an entire novel in just 30 days during NaNoWriMo, AutoCrit’s Novel 90 Writing Challenge might be the perfect alternative. The concept is pretty straightforward: write an entire book between October 1st – December 31st (it’s not too late to join now!).

Once you sign up, you can join a like-minded team and take on the challenge of writing a novel in 90 days. If you need a little extra guidance, you can also participate in weekly livestreams full of valuable tips and info to help you maintain momentum. Again, AutoCrit makes great use of the community as a means to keep writers motivated to finish their books! 

Or…start your own!

If none of these options feel right for you, why not try launching your own writing challenge as a NaNoWriMo alternative? If you’re already part of a writing group, consider pitching a November writing challenge for you all to participate in together. 

Here are a few ideas to get you started: 

• Start a solid writing habit by challenging each other to write for at least 15 minutes every day throughout November.
• Do a short story challenge. Each week, pick a creative prompt or theme and write a short story around it. At the end of the week, critique each other’s work. Because they’re limited in length, short stories can help you develop key skills for plotting, worldbuilding, and writing short, snappy dialogue. 
• Host weekly writing sprints. These are short spurts of writing time (usually 5-10 minutes) followed by breaks. They’re a really fun way to write together, but the breaks in between are also great for chatting about where you’re at with your book, what you’re reading, or the latest Netflix show you’re bingeing. The best part is that writing sprints can be done completely virtually! 
• If your time zone lines up, more or less, with your fellow writers, try hosting a virtual writers’ club (think: #7amWritersClub or #TuesdayNightNovels). Sometimes, the only motivation you need is the knowledge that people are expecting you! 

No matter what, just start writing! 

If these NaNoWriMo alternatives feel too intimidating, doing a writing challenge on your own is a perfectly valid way to approach National Novel Writing Month! However, keep in mind that outside input is an invaluable part of the process. While accepting critiques from others is never easy, it’s an essential part of writing a captivating novel. 

Being accountable to someone also means you’re more likely to achieve your writing goals. But if a group feels like too much, a more one-on-one approach might work better. Our knowledgeable author coaches can brainstorm with you to set realistic writing goals and, more importantly, keep you motivated so you can reach them. And, an author coach can provide a range of guidance on everything from writing your first draft to self-publishing. Look at it as your own custom-made writing challenge with an in-built expert guide!