NaNoWriMo Young Writer's Program

This November, I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month. If you don't know much about NaNoWriMo, then chances are you haven't heard of their new youth program, either.

The goal of NaNoWriMo is quantity, not quality-- and the same goes for NaNoWriMo's Young Writer's Program. Here is a quote from a teacher to help make sense out of the goal:

Students: This is a rare opportunity in school: a whole month devoted not to spelling, not to grammar, not to preparing for standardized tests or writing essays, but to unbridled creativity.

Personally, I think this is a great idea-- not only for the kids who already love to write, but for those who are reluctant to pick up their pens. Writing can be a daunting task, but when you remove the ability to edit and over-think, hopefully what you're left with is a creative outlet that doesn't beg perfection but rather expression.