Well.. that happened.
Just recently, the news hit the writing community like a thunderbolt: after 25 years of pushing writers to complete their novels in just 30 days, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) has announced it will cease operations. The beloved annual challenge that helped countless authors push through writer’s block and complete their first drafts will not return for 2025 and beyond.
For many, including the team here at AutoCrit, this announcement feels like losing a trusted writing companion – one that has provided structure, community, and accountability for a quarter century. And when you’re a writer, each of those things – the support, the motivation, the material deadlines – can be the fuel that pushes you from wanting to give up, to holding that brand new book in your hands. Losing even one is painful.
That’s why we’re here to talk a little about alternatives to NaNoWriMo in 2025 and beyond. Is there anything that can fill the gaping hole left behind?
Before we get into it, and just in case you haven’t already heard, let’s cast an eye over what NaNoWriMo was, did, and meant for so many.
NaNoWriMo: From Humble Beginnings to Global Movement
NaNoWriMo started small but mighty. Founded in 1999 by Chris Baty with just 21 participants in the San Francisco Bay Area, the challenge was simple yet striking: write 50,000 words of a novel during the 30 days of November.
What began as a quirky experiment among friends quickly captured the imagination of writers worldwide. By 2010, more than 200,000 writers were participating in NaNoWriMo, with thousands successfully hitting that coveted 50,000-word mark.
The power of this initiative wasn’t just in the word count – it was in the community. Writers who had previously toiled in isolation found themselves connected through forums, write-ins, and regional meetups. The shared struggle and triumph created a unique camaraderie that many participants treasured even more than their finished manuscripts.
Over time, NaNoWriMo expanded beyond its flagship program to include Camp NaNoWriMo in April and July, the Young Writers Program for students, and various resources to support the revision process after the drafting frenzy ended.
The impact of NaNoWriMo on the publishing industry is undeniable. Some of today’s most beloved novels began as NaNoWriMo projects, including Hugh Howey’s Wool, Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, and works by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Erin Morgenstern.
These success stories inspired thousands of aspiring authors to believe that their work, too, could find an audience – if only they could get those words on the page.
The Controversial Downfall
Despite its meaningful contributions to the industry, NaNoWriMo faced significant challenges in recent years that contributed to its eventual closure.
One of the most troubling issues involved allegations regarding content moderation, particularly in forums where young writers participated in NaNoWriMo. Claims surfaced that moderation staff had engaged in inappropriate communications with minors, creating serious safeguarding concerns. The nonprofit’s board faced criticism for what some perceived as inadequate responses to these allegations, further damaging trust within the community.
But the trouble wasn’t going to end there…
Another controversy erupted around the organization’s stance on AI in creative writing. As generative AI tools became more sophisticated, NaNoWriMo found itself at the center of heated debates about what constitutes “writing” a novel. Rather than facilitating nuanced discussion, the organization took positions that many found dismissive or divisive, with implications that concerns around AI-generated content were rooted in ableism or elitism rather than legitimate questions about creative authenticity.
And so the storm continued to brew, with a palpable unease lingering in the air.
Behind these public controversies, the organization also faced growing financial challenges. As explained by interim executive director Kilby Blades in her community update video of March 2025, despite the large number of writers who would participate in NaNoWriMo each year, converting that participation into sustainable funding proved increasingly difficult with unstable global economics and cost of living crunches looming large.
A Sad Loss for the Writing Community
Regardless of the factors that led to its closure, NaNoWriMo’s absence creates a genuine void. For many, it provided not just a deadline but a framework for transforming vague aspirations into concrete achievements. The end of NaNoWriMo means the loss of a shared experience that connected writers across geographical, cultural, and experiential divides. The collective energy of hundreds of thousands of people, all working toward the same goal every single day, created a unique momentum that many found irreplaceable.
For emerging writers especially, NaNoWriMo offered an entry point into the writing life – a structured challenge with defined parameters and a supportive community. Without this onramp, some potential authors may struggle to find their way into consistent writing practices, and never find the support they need to overcome the moments of doubt or confusion that scupper so many creative projects.
Many of us at AutoCrit have personally benefited from NaNoWriMo over the years. We’ve experienced firsthand how the challenge could transform an idea into a workable draft through its unique combination of time pressure, community support, and celebratory spirit – and we’re proud to have been a multi-year sponsor of the event itself.
What Now? Finding Your Way Forward
The good news? The writing community is resilient, creative, and determined. Already, writers and organizations are stepping up to fill the gap left by NaNoWriMo’s departure.
The genius of NaNoWriMo wasn’t just in its community; it was in providing structure. Creative work flourishes within constraints, and many writers discover that deadlines and accountability are essential tools rather than obstacles.
For most of us, writing a novel requires more than just talent and inspiration. It demands consistent effort, structured time, and external accountability… and those can all be rebuilt in new forms, as observed by journalist Tim Jonze of The Guardian:
Novel 90: A New Path Forward This Summer and Fall
In response to the NaNoWriMo closure news, we’ve accelerated the launch of our Summer 2025 Novel 90 Writing Challenge – a FREE 90-day program designed to help writers complete a novel or novella draft. Following the summer event, we’ll also be hosting the challenge again in the fall of 2025.
Novel 90 builds on what worked about NaNoWriMo while addressing some of its limitations. Instead of cramming drafting into a single month, Novel 90 provides a more sustainable 90-day timeline that accommodates different writing speeds and life commitments.
Pick Your Team and Rally Together
Novel 90 harnesses the power of friendly competition through its team structure. When you join, you’ll select one of three teams based on your writing style:
- Team Planner – For writers who thrive with detailed outlines and structural roadmaps before drafting begins.
- Team Pantser – For writers who discover their stories as they write, following inspiration rather than plans.
- Team Plantser – For those who blend planning and discovery, enjoying a mix of security and surprise in their creative process.
Each team is led by a published, bestselling author who serves as coach, mentor, and guide throughout the 90-day journey.
This approach means you’re not just writing for yourself – you’re contributing to a group effort with both personal and team accountability, making it harder to let yourself slip when the road gets rocky.
Weekly Live Streams and Check-Ins
Novel 90 isn’t just about word counts – it’s about developing craft along the way. Each week features craft sessions led by industry professionals.
Unlike online writing communities that can sometimes feel disconnected, Novel 90 includes weekly live streams featuring craft lessons, Q&A sessions, and accountability check-ins. These sessions not only bring you additional instruction, but motivation at crucial points when your enthusiasm might otherwise wane or writer’s block raises its ugly head.
You’ll see fellow writers facing the same challenges and celebrating the same victories, for that same sense of shared achievement that made NaNoWriMo so powerful.
We’re in This Together: Authors Leading Authors
Unlike some writing initiatives led primarily by corporate administrators, Novel 90 puts successful authors at the center of the experience. Our team leaders include authors whose books have hit bestseller lists – writers who understand firsthand the challenges of completing a novel, and who are actively publishing and succeeding in their respective markets.
With genuine experience behind them, they’re here not just to encourage, but to advise and support you so you’re not just producing pages, but actually growing as a writer throughout the challenge. (Feel free to thank them in the acknowledgments when your book is published, if you like!)
Why Authors Love Novel 90
In the fall of 2024, more than 15,000 writers participated in the Novel 90 challenge. Here’s just a tiny portion of what participants reported about their achievements during that single 90-day stretch:
#1 NaNoWriMo Alternative: Join Novel 90 Now For Free
While we can all mourn the loss of NaNoWriMo, the most important thing remains: your story deserves to be told. Your book won’t write itself, and the world needs the unique perspective only you can provide. Change is never easy, especially when it comes to your writing career, but the end of NaNoWriMo doesn’t mean the end of your dream.
Novel 90 offers a structured, supportive pathway to transform your idea into a completed draft, and makes for the perfect NaNoWriMo alternative for any writer who’s feeling the sting from losing such a treasured annual tradition.
Registration for the Summer 2025 Novel 90 Challenge is now open. Pre-registration for Fall 2025 is open as well. Come join thousands of writers – both brand new and former Wrimos – committed to finishing their manuscripts over 90 productive days.
We’re here to help produce the next army of bestselling authors. You should be among them.
And don’t forget to also check out AutoCrit’s upcoming selection of free writing challenges that run throughout the year – we’d love to see you.
