All over the world, as Halloween night drew to a close, writers sat drumming their fingers against their desks and waiting for the clock to strike midnight and November to arrive.

Why? National Novel Writing Month, of course, otherwise known as NaNoWriMo. It is both universally dreaded and celebrated as people try to succeed in the conquest of writing 50,000 words over the course of thirty days.

It isn’t an easy task, but NaNoWriMo has a resume consisting of eight best-selling books, proof that this is a formula that people can work under the pressure of 50,000 words.

Examples of this include: Erin Morgerstern’s “The Night Circus,” “Fangirl” by Rainbow Rowell and “The Lunar Chronicles” by Marissa Meyer all came from NaNoWriMo (in Morgestern’s case, two NaNoWriMos).

Weekly, there is a “pep talk” from a published writer. Last year’s long list included Sandy Hall, contemporary writer, Stephanie Perkins, “Outlander” screenwriter Diana Gabladon and more.

Last year, 431,626 writers participated in the Young Writers Program, according to the NaNoWriMo website. The Young Writers Program (also referred to as YWP) encompasses K-12 educators and their students in a program that allows them to tailor the rigor of NaNoWriMo to their taste.

NaNoWriMo is evidence that writing is not a solitary profession. Writers do not have to have to be in their pajamas at two in the afternoon with a laptop situated on their knees all alone. They can participate in “write-ins,” communicate with other authors, and be a part of something larger than themselves.

It may be impossible to actually claim a seat in the hard-to-attain “winners circle.” But even if a participant tries and doesn’t get in, it is still worth it. NaNoWriMo represents the best of the writer’s community.

They can all agree on one thing: it doesn’t get better than November.