Welcome to our NaNo 2.0 Community Spotlight series!
As a way to celebrate the wider NaNoWriMo community, we’ll be highlighting some of the many amazing groups putting their own spin on this writing challenge. From Discord communities to writing groups to new full-fledged writing challenges, these programs remind us that the real NaNoWriMo is the friends we make along the way. ;)
Today we’re talking with Lucie from Rough Draft Month!
Hi Lucie. Can you introduce yourself and your group, and tell us a little about what you do?
My name is Lucie Lane! I am the co-founder and communications director for Rough Draft Month, which is a community-focused artistic challenge that takes place in both November and June.
How did you first get involved with NaNoWriMo?
I first got involved with NaNoWriMo because of the early YouTube/Nerdfighter community, watching vlogs of others participating in the challenge. I was only thirteen years old when I attempted my first NaNo. I didn’t “win,” but I wrote 35,000 words which was a huge accomplishment. Since then, I’ve participated in NaNo every year. Last year was my 14th November with the challenge, which means I have done NaNoWriMo for more Novembers in my life than not!
What inspired you to start Rough Draft Month? In 2024, the larger writing community was really affected by what was going on with the NaNoWriMo organization, but a lot of us knew that we’d undoubtedly want to devote time to writing in November. We also knew a lot of artists who weren’t interested in writing but would be inspired by a month-long push to devote time to their creative process. The ultimate goal of a Rough Draft Month is not to have everyone stick to a rigid goal or structure, but for people to have a creative community to encourage them regardless of how much time they’re able to devote to their project.
What role does the NaNoWriMo challenge play in your community or program today?
We actually have a lot of Rough Draft Month (RDMO) participants that have never heard of NaNoWriMo or have heard of the challenge but have never participated for one reason or another. There’s a pretty good mix of people who are new to writing challenges and people who are former or current NaNo participants.
We’ve worked hard to foster a community that really celebrates the process of working on a creative project and have set up a flexible goal structure to serve both of those demographics well. Our mid-tier 50,000 word goal is the same pace as NaNo, so those who wish to participate in RDMO and NaNo at the same time can easily do so.
What unique spin or tradition have you brought to the NaNoWriMo experience?
In our Discord, we have a channel where people are encouraged to check in every day with how many words they wrote or what progress they made on their projects. Sometimes, they’re posting to vent because they’re struggling with output, but people are mostly there to celebrate what they’re accomplishing. I think this tradition is really sweet, and I love checking the channel because everyone is equally excited for someone who says that they’ve written 20 words as they are for someone who’s written 5,000 words.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your group/program?
We run our challenges in June and November and I’ve come to realize that the community will start asking about the challenge in the months leading up to each one. There have been times where I’m not feeling super motivated to keep working on the project but I’ll get a message in our Discord from someone who is waiting on pins and needles to find out what our next theme will be or is anticipating the new art that will come with our announcement. It’s super rewarding for RDMO to be something that people look forward to.
What three words best describe the spirit of your group?
Encouraging, flexible, creative!
What “badge” would you invent just for your community?
I think that the NaNo Rebel badge already really encapsulates our vibe, honestly! The spirit of RDMO is that the rules and goals matter far less than the act of working on a creative project.
How old should someone be to join RDMO? How do you prioritize community safety?
Creatives of all ages can participate in the challenge, and we encourage anyone to use the resources that serve them. However, our community is primarily active on Discord, which is only accessible to those aged 13 and older. We moderate and enforce community guidelines to keep our public channels safe and appropriate for all ages in that range. Additionally, we have a few 18+ channels in our Discord, strictly for conversations about aspects of creative projects that deal with mature topics. Those channels are locked behind age verification and closely monitored.
How do you support writers outside of November?
Aside from our challenge in June, we encourage the idea that any month can be a Rough Draft Month. We’re really committed to the idea that the creative process is, in itself, important and fortifying. Just the act of setting aside that time for your work should be celebrated! In that spirit, our Discord community is active year-round as a place where people can chat about their projects and motivate each other.
What kind of writers tend to join your group/events? Where can folks find you and get involved?
Writers of all kinds join RDMO! Our official challenges have flexible word count goals (30k, 50k, and 60k) and we have an open-ended flex goal that any writer or artist can tailor to their specific project. We have members that do game development, screenwriting, poetry, textile art, comic writing, and more during RDMO. It’s a super diverse community.
What advice would you give to someone who’s looking for a writing community to join?
I like to describe the RDMO Discord as a fandom for artistic works that haven’t been created yet. The best thing that you can find in a writing community is people who are excited to read your future work. Feeling like you have a group of readers waiting can be the best motivation.
Thank you, Lucie, for sharing your story with us! You can learn more about Rough Draft Month at their website or by following them on Instagram. Know of a program or group we should feature in a future spotlight? Drop us a note in our contact form!