University students plan to write their own 50,000-word novels in a month-long contest. Each student signs up for National Novel Writing Month on the NaNoWriMo Web site.

There are no prizes and no one at NaNoWriMo reads the entries, so all participants win by submitting their work online by Nov. 30, according to the site.

“We [participants] are all ‘some day’ novelists,” said Phillip Brettschneider, a sophomore from Marietta, who has written two novels.

“We say, ‘Some day we’re going to write a novel,’ but we never get to it. NaNoWriMo gives you a deadline, so you have a specific goal. It’s definitely possible. If you’re into any artistic endeavor you must work on it every day.”

During the month, about 174 local writers attend write-ins, in which they meet to work on stories.

“It’s both a social thing and a writing thing,” said Ashley Gravlin, a freshman from Louisville, Ky. “College students have had the love of writing pounded out of us by always writing essays for class, but NaNoWriMo rekindles the love of writing.”

NaNoWriMo also has months designated for finishing and editing novels and screenwriting. The program helps students focus and improve writing skills, Gravlin said.

“NaNoWriMo keeps you in the habit of writing and getting your work out there,” she said. “Everyone is excited to have something they can pour energy into besides work and school. It takes a lot of time but it’s your own creation, and you’ll be proud in the end.”

Gravlin, who has written three novels, suggests having a vague idea of what you want to write before starting.

“You don’t need an outline but you do need lots of coffee,” Gravlin said. “Don’t be afraid because you can break your novel into parts, and tell everyone, ‘I’m going to write the best novel ever.’ This will force you to get it done.”