The Lakeshore Branch Library, 1000 West Esplanade, Metairie, hosts NaNoWriMo on four different evenings during the month of November.

NaNoWriMo occurs at the following times and dates:
• 5 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 1
• 5 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 8
• 5 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 15
• 5 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 29

This event is free of charge and is open to the public.

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, a quirky event that encourages writers to work towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 30.

During the event, writers may visit the Lakeshore Library to sit in the Commons Area and put their novels onto paper, either by entering words into laptops or by penning works the old fashioned way. They can talk with other writers who have been through the process, as well as learn tips about the writing process, and in general, commiserate about the writing process. There is no charge for these sessions.

Shannon Kitchens, a JPL staff person and the municipal liaison for New Orleans, will be present to explain how the NaNoWriMo process works. She can explain how participants can update their word count on the NaNoWriMo website if they choose to register, how to add a writing buddy, the concept of a “word sprint,” and how to be a NaNoWriMo winner. There is no fee to participate in this program.

NaNoWriMo's main goal is to encourage creativity. The project started in July 1999 with 21 participants, but by the 2010 event, more than 200,000 people took part and wrote a total of more than 2.8 billion words. Since 2006, roughly 100 NaNoWriMo novels have been published via traditional publishing houses. Many more have been published by smaller presses or self-published.

For more information, contact Shannon Kitchens at skitchens@jplibrary.net.

For more information regarding this presentation, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.