The official NaNoWriMo site, which we featured in the 11-07-2014 Scout Report, is an indispensable resource for both new and experienced writers. Since then, they have added a Young Writers Program, which budding novelists under 18 and educators should be sure to check out. Freelance writer Chris Baty declared November as National Novel Writing Month in the fall of 2000. Since then, the number of participants in NaNoWriMo, as it's called, has grown from 21 aspiring authors hacking away at manuscripts to over 700,000. The project's "No Plot? No problem" slogan tells it all. No perfectionistic haute culture here. Participants are simply encouraged to put at least 50,000 words on paper between 12:00 am on November 1 and 11:59:59 on November 30. Readers encountering this project for the first time should visit the What is NaNoWriMo? page for an overview, and for those intimidated by the idea, there are helpful NaNo Prep resources and Pep Talks linked at the bottom. Signing up to participate in the challenge is easy and free, and the website will help track your progress, link you to support in your geographical area, and provide platforms to meet fellow writers in person and online. NaNoWriMo is a great resource for encouraging novice and veteran writers alike to work through their writer's block and delve into their creativity.