The Wilson Library celebrated National Novel Writing Month with a kick-off party Monday.
National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, is an annual event in which participants try to write the draft of a novel, with a target of 50,000 words, in 30 days.
Participants can create works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry or dramatic literature.
Research and Instruction Librarian Liberty McCoy and Circulation Supervisor Sabrina Mora coordinated the NaNoWriMo kickoff at La Verne.
“We wanted to have a space for students to come and write,” Mora said.
Even students with a completely different major can enjoy creative writing, she said.
Creative Writing Professor Sean Bernard spoke at the kick-off about how to write a novel.
“First thing to do, imagine an interesting person,” Bernard said. “That’s a good place to start.”
He added that writers also should create a problem in the story. And they should know what kind of story they want to write before starting.
“How do you want the reader to feel at the end of it? Frustrated, challenged, liberated?” Bernard said.
“It’s much happier if somebody overcomes an adversity, if you want to write a sad novel, then you want write happy things before that,” he said.
During the informal part of the event, students talked about their connections and experiences with creative writing.
Christopher Ortiz, senior English major, said he first started studying computer science.
With English he said he felt that there was not a right or wrong way to write, which he appreciated. He said he enjoyed the NaNoWriMo event because it gave him a chance to focus on his creative goals.
The Wilson Library will have drop-in writing sessions for students interested in creative writing throughout November, in the Hogan Room 160.
– Vanessa Martinez
Vanessa Martinez
