Wisconsin Novel Writing Month is scheduled for January 2026. We’re asking participants to sign up early. Headcount will help us determine how best to organize the month-long event.
Beginning 12/29/2025, you’ll start receiving weekly emails with event details and an encouraging message to push you toward your goal. On 1/31/2026, you’ll receive an email asking you to self-report your goal progress. We’re working on the honor system here!
If you accomplish your goal, you’ll receive a congratulations email and bragging rights. And if you’re able to attend our closing event on February 1st, you’ll be able to pick up commemorative stickers and/or pins.
What exactly are you signing up for?
We’re offering you two different options for this challenge:
The WiNo Challenge: This is the traditional NaNoWriMo challenge of writing 50,000 words in one month toward one project. 50,000 words is a novel, so if you complete this challenge you get to say you wrote a novel in a month!
The BIG Writing Challenge: This challenge is ideal for writers who know that WiNo challenge isn’t ideal for their writing process. With the BIG Writing Challenge, writers are able to choose their own writing goal to work toward during this month. We encourage you to make it a stretch goal because you’ll have other writers cheering you own throughout the month.
Sign Ups for 2026 are currently closed. Check back next year!