The November writing challenge50,000 words in November. Write them together.
Free, with no account: pick a pen name and write. Type in your words each day, or let Falcontext count them as you write. Start a group with your writing friends, or take on everyone on the public boards.
The boards
Updated as writers write. Days follow each writer’s own clock.
How the November challenge works
Write 50,000 words between 1 and 30 November. That’s 1,667 words a day, or a short novel by the end of the month. Join with a pen name, and your words add up on the boards as the month goes on.
Looking for NaNoWriMo?
National Novel Writing Month, the nonprofit behind NaNoWriMo, closed in 2025. If November was your month for a first draft, it still can be: same goal, 50,000 words in 30 days, with other writers on the boards and your friends in a group.
This challenge isn’t NaNoWriMo and has nothing to do with the old organization. It’s free, it needs no account, and it’s run by Falcontext, a word count and writing tool made by a writer.
Two public boards
The open board is for everyone. Type in how many words you wrote each day, in any app, on paper, anywhere. It works on trust.
The board counted by Falcontext shows only the words Falcontext saw you type, in the documents you chose to count. Pasted text doesn’t count, and a day over 20,000 words is left off. Falcontext counts on your own device, so it isn’t proof, but it keeps the board honest.
Writing with Falcontext? You’re on both boards: your words count on the open board too.
Let Falcontext count your words
In Falcontext’s menu (☰), choose November Challenge, then Count my words. It opens this page and links the two. Then pick the documents or manuscripts that count, and write: there’s nothing to log.
Falcontext works in Google Docs, Atticus, Ellipsus and WordPress in your browser, in Word, Scrivener and LibreOffice (and Pages on the Mac) with the desktop app, and on any device with Perch, the web app.
Groups for writing friends
Start a group, share its link, and see how everyone’s doing. A group counts like the open board, unless its starter switches on “typed words only”. Groups are private: only their members see them.
Your privacy
Only your pen name and how many words you write each day go to falcontext.com. Your writing is never sent anywhere. Leave any time and your numbers are deleted, and everything from a November is deleted on 1 February. The details are in the privacy policy.
Questions about the challenge.
Is the November challenge free?
Yes. There’s no account and no email address: a pen name is all it asks for.
Do I need Falcontext to take part?
No. Type in your words each day and you’re on the open board. With Falcontext, your words are counted as you write, and you’re on the board counted by Falcontext too.
Is this NaNoWriMo?
No. NaNoWriMo’s nonprofit closed in 2025. This is a free challenge with the same goal, 50,000 words in November, run by Falcontext.
When does it start and end?
On 1 November, and it ends on 30 November. Days follow your own clock and time zone.
Can I keep my name off the public boards?
Yes. Untick “Show me on the public boards” and only the members of your groups see you.
How do I see my numbers on another device?
Copy your challenge link (in Your settings, on this page) and open it there. Keep it to yourself: anyone with it can change your numbers.
Your 50,000 words start on 1 November.
Join with a pen name now, and start a group so it’s ready on the day.
Join the challengeWant your words counted as you write? Get Falcontext for your browser, the desktop app or Perch, the web app.