Someone asked me what the rules are behind the NaNoWriMo. Do contestants have to write everything in that one month? What if you do any brainstorming before hand? How do you verify? Who oversees and audits the entries and approves them?
All good questions. Before I attempt to answer, let me state that the governing and creating body of the event is located in San Francisco and is called "The Office of Light and Letters". With a name like that, based out of city like SF, you have to know that the answers are going to be pretty weak, and extrememly pliable.
Yep, everything has to be written in one month. What do you win? Nothing. You get a little "winner" button on your NaNo webpage. Brainstorming before hand? Acceptable. Writing before hand? Outlining is fine, but no actual writing. No one oversees or audits.
Yes, it's a goofy event and it's shouldn't really be called a contest. But, it does work. Each year I do more writing during November than any other month. Even the novels which I think are junk, I usually go back and find something redeeming. So, is it worthwhile? Yep. Is it serious? Not really.
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