NaNoWriMo Alternatives in 2026: Where to Write This November

So, the OG NaNoWriMo is gone, and you still need a community to write with this November to fill the writing jitters. I’ve got you, you can stop searching for NaNoWriMo alternatives in 2026 deep into the night because a handful of independent challenges have stepped in to keep the tradition going, and a couple of them are really, really good.

So here’s where I’d write this November, what each challenge actually gives you, and how to run your own if you’d rather nobody watched your word count.

Getting ready for November too? My NaNoWriMo 2026 prep guide covers characters, story beats and daily word counts, and the writer hub has all the craft guides and free planning tools. Plus, check out the full guide on how to write a fantasy for everything you could need to know.

Quick answer: The best NaNoWriMo alternatives in 2026 are NaNo 2.0, a free community-led challenge involving original founder Chris Baty; ProWritingAid’s Novel November, a free event with live workshops and daily sprints; and the Heart Breathings Rough Draft Challenge, with live writing sprints hosted by author Sarra Cannon and others in the community. You can also run your own private November challenge with any word-count goal.

Jump to:

• Is there an official NaNoWriMo in 2026?
• NaNo 2.0
• Novel November
• Heart Breathings Rough Draft Challenge
• Running your own challenge
• Which one should you choose?
• Checklist before November 1

Is There an Official NaNoWriMo in 2026?

Nope. The nonprofit that ran National Novel Writing Month shut down in 2025, after…well, after the internet exploded over it. I won’t rehash the drama-lama here. I’ll just say I miss the community and the sprints, and I don’t miss the kind of people it attracted.

What’s left is a bunch of independent challenges keeping November alive, each with their own quirks. Really, all you need to do is find the place that will work for you best, even if that means heading to social media to join in the sprints and going it alone.

What Is NaNo 2.0?

NaNo 2.0 is the closest thing to the old NaNoWriMo….because it kind of is. It’s free which is good and it’s also community-led. What makes it kind of the same, is that it was started by a group of longtime NaNo volunteers, educators and the original founder himself, Chris Baty.

There’s the usual NaNo stuff like a word-count tracker, badges, and pep talks. It also supports a wider range of project goals than the classic 50,000 words, so if you’re writing a novella or finishing a half-done draft, you can still play along, which is great, because I’m pretty sure that didn’t used to be an option. There are also supposed to be prizes: “The Validator dispenses a special set of winner goodies to people who have met their NaNoWriMo writing goal. “

Best for: writers who miss the old community and want that familiar rhythm back. Registration is open on the NaNo 2.0 website.

What Is ProWritingAid’s Novel November?

ProWriting aid has decided to join in on the fun and it throws a lot of resources your way. 150+ live workshops with bestselling authors, daily writing sprints, forums, badges, and a word tracker that works with Word, Scrivener or Google Docs to make it easy to keep track. Prep started in October and December is set aside for editing and publishing resources, so it’s really more of a three-month programme. Which is good, because writing is more than…writing.

The goal is the classic 50,000 words in 30 days, which works out to about 1,667 words a day. You’ll need a free ProWritingAid account to join, but you don’t have to draft in their software.

Scrivener fans, listen up. Literature & Latte has teamed up with Novel November again, so there’s an extended free Scrivener trial running until December 7, a Novel November project template with the 50k target already set, and winners get 50% off a Scrivener licence. Everyone else gets 20% off with the code NOVEMBER26 until December 7.

Best for: writers who like structure, classes and a schedule someone else made. Sign up on ProWritingAid’s Novel November page.

What Is the Heart Breathings Rough Draft Challenge?

This is my personal favorite because there are a lot of chill sprints where you feel cozy and supported. This challenge gives the sort of vibe NaNo did and would be my top choice for any fantasy/sci-fi writers. Sarra Cannon needs to be sponsored by bigger companies, stat.

The deets: The Rough Draft Challenge is run by author Sarra Cannon through Heart Breathings and her YouTube channel…and Facebook too where the community group is found. You write your rough draft in a month, and she, alongside many others as well, hosts live writing sprints you can drop into whenever you need someone to type alongside. It’s low pressure, and the whole point is getting the draft DONE. There is also a tracker you can log into. The nice thing about this community is that it’s a lot of self-pub writers with advice, and real roots in the community, and it runs retreats several times a year.

Keep an eye on Heart Breathings and her channel for the November round, and join the Facebook group if you’re in. This is quite a hard challenge to find via Google by the way, it’s a if you know you know sort of group.

Best for: fantasy, sci-fi and romantasy writers who want company without the pressure. Also anyone who writes faster when they can see someone else typing on a livestream. (Me. I’m anyone.)

Can You Do Your Own Private NaNoWriMo Challenge?

Absolutely, and lots of writers are doing exactly this now. Want 30,000 words? Yes. Want to finish act one and call it a win? Also yes. Want to only write on weekdays because weekends are for kids’ football and crying into a hot chocolate at your daughter’s dance tournaments? You make the rules. I say yes. It’s still writing.

Here’s how I’d set one up.

1. Pick Your Number

50,000 is the classic, but 50k isn’t necessarily a finished adult fantasy or romantasy manuscript… it’s probably half. If you can swing it, 70k works out to about 2,334 words a day. If 50k already feels like a lot, 25k is still a real chunk of book.

2. Cross Off Your Busy Days

Check your calendar for the days you know you won’t write, and spread those words over the rest. My daily word-count breakdown has the maths done for you.

3. Plan Before November 1

You don’t need a forty-page outline, simply sketch your main beats in the Novel Plot and Beat Planner, grab the Fantasy Plot Generator if your idea needs more oomph, and pin down your magic/world rules in the Fantasy Worldbuilding Tool before they start breaking themselves mid-draft.

4. Find Your People (Or Don’t)

Grab a writing buddy, join someone’s livestream sprint, or keep the whole thing private. Nobody has to see your numbers, and none of this needs your manuscript uploaded anywhere. After all, it’s your book.

5. Keep a Revision Notes Doc

Keep notes as you go. Either throw them in at the end of a session, or when you’re not at your desk and have a few ideas. This will be helpful for editing later. Messy is fine, that’s next month’s you problem.

Which NaNoWriMo Alternative Should Fantasy and Romantasy Writers Choose?

Honestly? It depends on what used to get you writing in the first place.

My pick? Heart Breathings for the sprints, plus a private target I set myself. And if I want classes, I’ll poke around Novel November’s workshop schedule too, because there’s no rule saying you can only join one.

Still deciding what to write? Start with the giant guide How to Write Your First Romantasy Novel. Already know your book? The guide to starting a fantasy novel will help you nail the opening before day one.

NaNoWriMo Alternatives Checklist: Before November 1

1. Choose your challenge, or decide to go solo.
2. Sign up and set up your account before November 1.
3. Set your word-count goal and daily target.
4. Cross off the days you know you can’t write.
5. Plan your main story beats.
6. Sort out your magic system and world rules.
7. Start a separate doc for revision notes.
8. Back up your manuscript somewhere that isn’t your laptop.
9. Know the first scene you’ll write on November 1.

What Happens After November?

You’ll have a draft! A messy, chaotic, glorious draft. And then December shows up and you have to decide what to do with it.

Let it rest for a few weeks first. Then, when you’re ready for a second pair of eyes, my First Chapter Critiques look at your hook, pacing and voice, and the rest of my editing services are just below.

Frequently Asked Questions About NaNoWriMo Alternatives