Submitted by Kate Emmett Sweetser

National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, began fifteen years ago as a nation-wide movement to encourage would-be novelists to complete a novel by writing daily during the month of November, with the goal of writing 50,000 words by the end of the month.

Fort Scott’s Common Ground Coffee Co. is holding a NaNoWriMo “Write-In” each Monday evening in November from 5 to 7 p.m., providing a venue for participants to write as well as find prompts printed on origami or paper airplanes. For the third year in a row, the write-ins are being organized by Abigail Anderson.

New to this year’s NaNoWriMo in Fort Scott is a book sale and signing to be held on Friday, November 13, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Nate’s Place Restaurant & Lounge at the Lyons Twin Mansions. The event is not limited to novelists; any author of a published book is welcome to attend, and there is no fee. Interested authors may contact Pat Lyons at [email protected].

Also at Nate’s Place during November, bartender Bree Krebs will be pouring cocktails inspired by literary figures such as Hemingway’s mojito.

Both Common Ground and Nate’s Place offer free wifi and welcome writers anytime during business hours.

More information about NaNoWriMo activities in Fort Scott can be found by visiting the Fort Na No Wri Mo Facebook page.