Announcing #StayHomeWriMo — and more!

Your social distancing writing kit. [NaNoWriMo]( [#StayHomeWriMo banner]( Dear Writer, If you’re like us, you might be feeling fearful, distracted, isolated, stressed, and a wee bit claustrophobic. These are strange and surreal times, and the joy of creative connection and the solace of a story can be more important than ever. That’s why we’re launching [#StayHomeWriMo](—an initiative to support and encourage you to stay well and find comfort in creativity in these trying times. #StayHomeWriMo is designed to be flexible so you can adapt it to fit whatever feels most beneficial to your needs right now. We asked you last week how we could help, and in response to your feedback, NaNoWriMo’s staff has been working (from their homes, of course) to bring you a bevy of creative activities and self-care check-ins. Each weekday for the rest of March, we'll post a checklist of prompts to help your mental, physical, social, and creative well-being. You'll find the Day 1 checklist below! [Read more about #StayHomeWriMo.]( In this time, we remind ourselves that we write to find ourselves. We write to lose ourselves. We write to know the boundaries of our fears. We write to fortify our resilience. That said, as you hunker down, please know that it’s enough to do what you can with what you have, where you are. If writing would add to your burdens rather than lighten them, your story will be there waiting for you when you have space for it. We’re all in this together, so we’ll do whatever we can to provide new ways to help you connect with others, stay well, and find the stories that give you solace and hope. Be well, stay well, and, if you need us, we'll be writing with you, Grant Faulkner Executive Director Today's #StayHomeWriMo Prompts: [Day 1: Mental Well-Being: Put your phone in a drawer for half an hour and give yourself a break from the news and social media.]( [Day 1: Physical Well-Being: Take note of where the tensest points in your body are. Take three deep breaths while relaxing those muscles!]( [Day 1: Creative Well-Being: Writing Prompt: Write about a character who's stuck inside. How do they feel about it? Why are they there?]( [Day 1: Social Well-Being: Write and mail a letter to a friend or family member.]( What else can you do in the NaNo-verse? Don't forget: [Camp NaNoWriMo]( and the [Young Writers Program]( are going strong! Whether you want to join our annual Camp challenge in April, or you're looking for robust creative resources and community, we've got you covered. You can also [start a writing project on the NaNoWriMo site now]( and customize the dates to your needs. 👋 [Become part of a writing group!]( You can now join or create a 20-person writing group to post messages and chat with your fellow writers. 📸 [Follow us on Instagram]( for writing inspiration, answers to FAQs, and live videos full of prompts, camaraderie, and general silliness. 🎬 [Join our next YouTube livestream]( on Wednesday, March 25, at 1 PM PST ([Your Time Zone]() as we prepare to begin our Camp projects. 📚[How Environments Can Influence Your Writing]( — We've got tons of writing advice over on our blog, including information about how to make your writing space work for you. Kids, teens, parents, and teachers! The[Young Writers Program site]( is a great resource for staying creative and engaged from home. - [Accept the Camp NaNoWriMo challenge]( from your Dashboard to write with us during April in our youth-friendly writing space. - Create a Personal Challenge from your Dashboard. Set your own timeline and goals and write any time you want! - Teachers and parents,[create an educator account and a classroom]( to write with your young people. You can chat, track progress, read their novels, and even set Classroom Challenges just for your group. - [Access free lesson plans and age-specific workbooks](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( [Website]( National Novel Writing Month 3354 Adeline Street Berkeley, CA 94705 Update your NaNoWriMo email preferences: [Like]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Unsubscribe](