NaNoWriMo

Writing
Written By Manisha Snoyer (co-founder of Modulo)

NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, was founded in 1999 by Chris Baty and a group of friends in the San Francisco Bay Area. Motivated by a combination of ambition and a bit of whimsy, Baty aimed to address the common writer's desire to write a novel by providing a structured, deadline-driven environment. This was spurred by his own challenges with staying motivated in creative endeavors. From a modest beginning with 21 participants, NaNoWriMo has grown into a global phenomenon, engaging hundreds of thousands of writers each November​ (NaNoWriMo)​​ (Small Print Magazine)​​ (Wikipedia)​.

Grades NaNoWriMo is best suited for students in middle school and above, up to 12th grade.

Cost Participation in NaNoWriMo is free, making it accessible for all homeschooling budgets.

Differentiation: What Makes NaNoWriMo Special NaNoWriMo is unique due to its foundation in community and support, coupled with a rigorous yet exhilarating challenge to write 50,000 words in a month. Unlike other writing programs that focus on the polish and precision of the writing process, NaNoWriMo emphasizes output and completion, fostering a "quantity over quality" approach that prioritizes the act of finishing a draft over perfecting it​ (Good Story Company)​.

How to Get Started To participate in NaNoWriMo, homeschoolers simply need to register on the NaNoWriMo website, where they can track their progress, connect with other participants, and access a wealth of writing resources. Registration is free, and the event officially starts on November 1st each year.

How It Works NaNoWriMo is ideally suited for homeschooling as it offers flexibility in how it's implemented. Participants are encouraged to write roughly 1,667 words per day, aligning with their personal schedules. While it's largely self-directed, many homeschoolers might find integrating group write-ins or virtual check-ins helpful. It's an independent activity but benefits greatly from parental encouragement and oversight in setting routines and goals​ (Wikipedia)​.

What Educational Concepts It Teaches

  • Creative writing and storytelling

  • Project management and self-discipline

  • Research and development of ideas

  • Editing and revising drafts

  • Peer feedback and community involvement

What’s Good About It Participants love the liberating challenge of NaNoWriMo, which pushes writers of all ages to finally put their novel ideas into words. The community aspect is frequently highlighted as a significant benefit, providing both motivation and support. Many also appreciate the program's flexibility and the personal satisfaction that comes from achieving such a daunting goal​ (Good Story Company)​.

What Could Be Improved Despite its many benefits, NaNoWriMo can be overwhelming due to its fast pace and high word count goal. Some participants find the quality of writing can suffer in the rush to meet word counts. Additionally, the lack of structured feedback on the writing can be a limitation for those seeking to improve their craft through the program​ (Good Story Company)​.

Advice from Parents Parents recommend setting up a dedicated writing schedule and workspace to help young writers stay focused. Involvement in local or online NaNoWriMo communities can also provide extra motivation and support. Encouraging regular breaks and balancing writing with other educational activities can prevent burnout​ (Good Story Company)​.

Who It’s an Ideal Fit For NaNoWriMo is perfect for homeschooled students who are self-motivated, enjoy writing, and are looking for a challenging but rewarding project. It suits those who thrive under deadlines and are excited by the prospect of a large, month-long commitment to a creative goal​ (Good Story Company)​.

Who It’s Probably Not a Fit For It may not be suitable for younger students or those who get easily overwhelmed by large projects or strict timelines. Students who struggle with writing or who prefer more structured, guided learning experiences might find NaNoWriMo particularly challenging​ (Good Story Company)​.

Ways to Get It Everything needed to participate can be accessed through the NaNoWriMo website, where students and parents can register and join the writing community each November.

Explore more Writing Programs

Featured
Brave Writer
Brave Writer

Explore the innovative Brave Writer program, which blends creativity with writing education to enhance homeschooling. Our expert review covers all you need to know to decide if it's right for your family.

NaNoWriMo
NaNoWriMo

Discover how NaNoWriMo can transform your homeschooling experience with creativity and discipline. This in-depth review by Manisha Snoyer explores the benefits and challenges of engaging young writers in a month-long novel-writing challenge.

Evan Moor Writing
Evan Moor Writing

Discover the comprehensive and engaging Evan-Moor Writing curriculum tailored for homeschoolers. This review explores its structured approach, which emphasizes daily practice and creative exercises to enhance students' writing skills across various genres. Ideal for grades K-8, learn how this curriculum can transform your child’s writing abilities.

Night Zookeeper
Night Zookeeper

Discover how Night Zookeeper transforms homeschooling with a creative writing program that excites and educates. This in-depth review by Manisha Snoyer covers everything from getting started to program benefits and practical tips for parents.

Winning With Writing
Winning With Writing

Dive into our comprehensive review of Winning With Writing, a curriculum designed to bolster writing skills efficiently and economically. Ideal for grades 1-8, this program offers structured workbooks that guide young writers through creative, narrative, and persuasive writing practices

The Writing Revolution
The Writing Revolution

Discover how The Writing Revolution transforms homeschooling with structured writing strategies, boosting students’ analytical skills and comprehension.

Evan Moor Review
Evan Moor Review

Dive into our detailed review of Evan-Moor's homeschool curriculum, tailored for those seeking a thorough educational approach covering a wide range of subjects, ideal for structured learning enthusiasts.

Night Zookeeper: an exciting writing program to encourage even the most reluctant youngwriter
Night Zookeeper: an exciting writing program to encourage even the most reluctant youngwriter

Is Night Zookeeper a good choice to teach your child to write? Read this detailed review of The Night Zookeeper, written by a highly experienced writer, educator, and expert in educational technology. Discover the features, benefits, age suitability, alternatives, and more about this popular online learning program.

Manisha Snoyer (co-founder of Modulo)

For the last 20 years, I’ve taught over 2000 children in 3 countries (of all socio-economic backgrounds). I pioneered an English language program in a conflict region in the Middle East. I’ve worked as a bilingual public school teacher at some of the highest and lowest performing public schools and in all five boroughs of NYC. I’ve tutored 18 subjects in three languages to some of the wealthiest families in NYC, San Francisco and Paris to make up for shortcomings in private schools they were paying up to $60,000 a year to attend.

Since 2015, I’ve helped hundreds of parents start microschools (way before this was a household buzzword). I founded CottageClass, the first marketplace for microschools and learning pods that was part of the Techstars 2018 class. In 2019, I created a virtual learning program to help families through the pandemic, a free online math tutoring program (masteryhour.org), and schoolclosures.org, a hotline developed in collaboration with Twilio and 80 other partners including Khan Academy, Revolution Foods and the Crisis Text Line, that served 100,000 families impacted by school closures.

I’ve climbed trees with children in forest schools in San Francisco, and tested new digital apps with kids in seven countries.

I’ve also coached dozens of families at different stages in their homeschooling journey. Most recently, I founded Modulo with homeschooling dad, best-selling author and tech entrepreneur Eric Ries, to help families curate their children’s education, social and childcare experiences drawing from a diverse array of in-person and online resources.


During the last three years, I’ve devoted much of my time to reviewing and testing secular homeschooling curriculum and other resource. I’ve spent the last three years talking to thousands of secular homeschooling families, and poring over tens of thousands of secular curriculum reviews and testing physical curriculum and digital apps for with hundreds of students to find the highest quality, most engaging, personalized learning materials for every type of learner.

I’ve spoken about homeschooling and modular learning at multiple venues including SXSW EDU, NY Tech Meetup, and on the LiberatedEd podcast.

In 2022, Modulo was one of 8 organizations who were awarded the Bridge Grant from the Vela Education Fund to expand access to homeschooling and modular learning to under-resourced communities.

My experience in education and homeschooling has led me to believe that there is no perfect education for every child, but families have an extraordinary amount of wisdom they can apply to building the perfect education for their individual child.

My goal with Modulo is to make it possible for any family to easily build a customized education that their child will love, and that will empower the whole family to thrive, taking into account, social, emotional and academic needs.

I love to answer questions from parents and receive feedback on how we can improve Modulo, so feel free to reach out anytime! I personally answer all the questions and comments readers leave on my blogs.

In my free time, I like hiking, traveling the world, tasting ceremonial grade matcha, enjoying dark chocolate.

I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brandeis University with highest honors, with a double degree in French Literature and American Studies and minors in Environmental Studies and Peace & Conflict Studies.

And I love to learn!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/manisha-snoyer-5042298/
Previous

Brave Writer
Next

Evan Moor Writing