Welcome to NaNoWriMo 2016

November is NaNoWriMo; as aspiring authors know, that’s short for National Novel Writing Month.

NaNoWriMo challenges would-be novelists to write a 50,000-word book during the month of November. It bills itself as “one part writing boot camp, one part rollicking party.”

Last year, more than 430,000 writers undertook the daunting challenge. Of those who participated, more than 40,000 successfully reached their goal. While that’s around a 10% completion rate, is is 40,000 novel drafts that didn’t exist as of Halloween.

Writing a full-length novel in a month — authors must write about 1,700 words per day to cross the finish line — is, obviously, an intimidating prospect. The organizers have lined up a host of authors to give “pep talks,” via open letters, to aspiring novelists.

Those authors include fantasy novelist Daniel José Older, who wrote: “Writing begins with forgiveness. Let go of the shame about how long it’s been since you last wrote, the clenching fear that you’re not a good enough writer, the doubts over whether or not you can get it done. Sure, the nagging demons will come creeping back, but set them aside anyway, and then set them aside again when they do.”

More letters will follow during the course of the month, from authors including Jenny Han, Alexander Chee, Alaya Dawn Johnson and Maggie Stiefvater.

NaNoWriMo informally began in 1999 among a group of friends and is now a nonprofit with volunteer-organized offline events and a supportive website where writers share their hopes, questions and frustrations during the month. More than 250 novels originally drafted during NaNoWriMo have been accepted by traditional publishers, including Rainbow Rowell’s “Fangirl” and Sara Gruen’s breakout hit “Water for Elephants.”

NaNoWriMo’s “Come Write In” program coordinates bookstores, libraries and other businesses hosting events related to the monthlong challenge.

The Los Angeles Public Library is among the Southern California businesses that will be participating this year. Others include the Tea Pop cafe in North Hollywood and Geeky Teas and Games in Burbank.

The NaNoWriMo account on Twitter could barely contain its excitement Monday night as Nov. 1 approached. When it turned midnight in California, the organizers tweeted this bit of inspiration: “Pacific Time! Your moment draws near. Grab a drink, wash the candy remnants off your hands, get ready for novel time. You’ve got this.”