{"id":14758,"date":"2019-11-18T15:38:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-18T15:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/infowp.cartridgepeople.com\/?p=14758"},"modified":"2026-02-09T14:30:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T14:30:59","slug":"nanowrimo-statistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cartridgepeople.com\/info\/blog\/nanowrimo-statistics","title":{"rendered":"NaNoWriMo Statistics: Ultimate Guide to National Novel Writing Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In November, thousands will attempt to complete a challenge that has been started over 4,000,000 times but less than 20% have ever finished. National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo as it’s become known), takes place in November each year with writers all over the world looking to hit the 50,000 word limit over the course of the month to write a full novel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 1999, NaNoWriMo has grown from 21 participants in its first year to over half a million people now attempting the 30-day challenge. Here, we’ve taken a comprehensive look at the growth of NaNoWriMo, the numbers behind the figures and just what it takes to be a “winner” and reach December having authored a novel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is NaNoWriMo?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Having started in 1999 as a daunting challenge of having to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November, NaNoWriMo is now a non-profit organisation that believes your story matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In addition to providing a platform for the challenge itself, NaNoWriMo acts as a social network for writers and boasts over 900 volunteers across the world who coordinate communal writing sessions. There are Camp NaNoWriMo projects that take place each year alongside a Young Writers Programme. According to the NaNoWriMo website, they have over 798,000 active novelists and nearly 370,000 novels have been ‘completed’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"NaNoWriMo<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

How Many Take Part In NaNoWriMo?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The growth in participants for NaNoWriMo has been extraordinary with a huge number of people now taking part. Here’s a breakdown of those who started and finished National Novel Writing Month over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Year<\/strong><\/th>Participants<\/strong><\/th>Winners<\/strong><\/th>% who finished<\/strong><\/th>Total Word Counts<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1999<\/td>21<\/td>6<\/td>22%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
2000<\/td>140<\/td>29<\/td>17%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
2001<\/td>5,000<\/td>700<\/td>12%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
2002<\/td>13,500<\/td>2,100<\/td>13%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
2003<\/td>25,500<\/td>3,500<\/td>12%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
2004<\/td>42,000<\/td>6,000<\/td>13%<\/td>428,164,975<\/td><\/tr>
2005<\/td>59,000<\/td>9,769<\/td>14%<\/td>714,227,354<\/td><\/tr>
2006<\/td>79,813<\/td>12,948<\/td>2%<\/td>982,564,701<\/td><\/tr>
2007<\/td>101,510<\/td>15,333<\/td>13%<\/td>1,187,937,929<\/td><\/tr>
2008<\/td>119,301<\/td>21,683<\/td>15%<\/td>1,643,343,993<\/td><\/tr>
2009<\/td>167,150<\/td>32,178<\/td>16%<\/td>2,427,190,537<\/td><\/tr>
2010<\/td>200,500<\/td>37,500<\/td>16%<\/td>3,074,068,446<\/td><\/tr>
2011<\/td>256,618<\/td>36,843<\/td>13%<\/td>3,288,976,325<\/td><\/tr>
2012<\/td>341,375<\/td>38,438<\/td>10%<\/td>3,520,123,164<\/td><\/tr>
2013<\/td>310,095<\/td>42,221<\/td>12%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
2014<\/td>325,142<\/td>58,917<\/td>15%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
2015<\/td>351,489<\/td>40,423<\/td>10%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
2016<\/td>384,126<\/td>34,000<\/td>8%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
2017<\/td>402,142<\/td>48,257<\/td>11%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
2018*<\/td>450,000*<\/td>53,000*<\/td>11%<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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NaNoWriMo in Print<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"NaNoWriMo<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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