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Reedsy Novel Sprint 2025
Write 50,000 words in 30 days. Ready to start?
The challenge has ended.
Win the challenge — and more!
Every November, thousands of writers set out to write their books. But this year, the stakes are higher. Join the Reedsy Novel Sprint for the chance to win $5,000 in cash prizes and introductions to a literary agent.
First place
$5,000
+ Literary Agent Intro*
Second place
$2,500
+ Literary Agent Intro*
Third place
$1,000
+ Literary Agent Intro*
Join the challenge
* 30-minute meeting with a literary agent.
An important caveat: When we say “write your novel in Studio”, we mean actually write it. You can’t copy/paste from another word processor, and you can’t use AI to generate your book. Writers who do not adhere to these rules will be disqualified. Read our Terms of Use for more details.
Perks for all participants
Benefit from a range of educational resources and support throughout the challenge. Watch your inbox for updates.
Unlock Studio's premium add-ons
Hit the 50k target to access Studio's premium add-ons for 3 months
Live events
Webinars and writing sprints to help you stay on track throughout the challenge
Templates & Worksheets
Templates and worksheets to help you plan your novel
Join the challenge
LIVE Events to keep you motivated
We’ll be running multiple livestreams every week in October and November — from prep sessions on plotting and character arcs to live sprint sessions during the challenge itself. Along the way, you’ll also get resources straight to your inbox to keep you inspired and on track.
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Building a Character Arc for Yourself in a Memoir
15:00 EST, October 08, 2025
In this Reedsy Live session, experienced editor and memoir coach Tracy Gold breaks down the essential elements that fledgling memoir writers should follow and helps you craft a clear arc that captivates readers from the first page to the last.
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Planning to Write Your Book in a Month (Novel Sprint Prep)
15:00 EST, October 09, 2025
Learn how to set yourself up for success before the first page of your novel is even written. Here are some key tips for getting aligned with your natural rhythm, creating focus-friendly spaces and planning for the ideal novel-writing momentum.
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Plotting with the Three-Act Structure (Novel Sprint Prep)
15:00 EST, October 14, 2025
Learn how the Three-Act Structure can help you map out your novel.
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Plotting with the Hero’s Journey (Novel Sprint Prep)
15:00 EST, October 16, 2025
Learn how to outline your book using The Hero's Journey along with well-known examples ahead of Novel Sprint 2025
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First Line Frenzy™ #15: Submit Your Opening Line
14:00 EST, October 22, 2025
Get your story's opening sentence critiqued by Rebecca Heyman, Editorial Director of Amara at Entangled Publishing,
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Freewriting to Unlock Your Creativity (Novel Sprint Prep)
15:00 EST, October 23, 2025
Learn a few practical ways to use freewriting and loosen up your creative muscles in this session with Rebecca Van Laer.
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Find Time to Write: Planning to Succeed (Novel Sprint Prep)
15:00 EST, October 28, 2025
Find the time to write and set yourself up for success with productivity tips and Studio’s goal-tracking tools.
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Novel Sprint Kickoff: Start Writing Strong
04:30 EST, November 01, 2025
Join the live premiere of our kickoff video, chat with fellow writers, and get surprise pep talks to launch your Novel Sprint with energy.
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Type & Tip Tuesday: Summary vs. Scene
15:00 EST, November 04, 2025
Join us for timed writing sprints to boost your word count — while a guest shares quick craft tips.
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Wednesday Writer's Club: Dialogue
14:00 EST, November 05, 2025
Editor Katie Seaman will show you how to make your dialogue work harder on the page
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Friday Writing Happy Hour: Week 1
15:00 EST, November 07, 2025
Wind down your week, lift your spirits, and add to your word count.
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Type & Tip Tuesday: Flashbacks
15:00 EST, November 11, 2025
Join us for timed writing sprints to boost your word count — while a guest shares quick craft tips.
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Wednesday Writer's Club: Getting Unstuck
14:00 EST, November 12, 2025
Learn from publishing pros and take away tips you can apply to your draft the same day.
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Friday Writing Happy Hour: Week 2
13:00 EST, November 14, 2025
Wind down your week, lift your spirits, and add to your word count.
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Type & Tip Tuesday: Raising the Stakes
15:00 EST, November 18, 2025
Join fellow writers for focused sprints, and learn quick techniques for making sure your story hits harder right at its turning point.
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Wednesday Writer's Club: Group Scenes
15:00 EST, November 19, 2025
Learn from publishing pros and take away tips you can apply to your draft the same day.
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Friday Writing Happy Hour: Week 3
13:00 EST, November 21, 2025
Wind down your week, lift your spirits, and add to your word count.
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Type & Tip Tuesday: The Final Stretch
15:00 EST, November 25, 2025
Join fellow writers for focused sprints, and get writing in this final week of the Novel Sprint.
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Wednesday Writer's Club: Combining Your Story Strands
15:00 EST, November 26, 2025
Learn from publishing pros and take away tips you can apply to your draft the same day.
FAQs
What is the Reedsy Novel Sprint?
The Reedsy Novel Sprint is an annual challenge (every November) where participants aim to write 50,000 original words in our free writing app, Reedsy Studio. With events, resources, and in-app goal tracking, this challenge is designed to help writers finish their first drafts — and get excited about doing it! At the end of the month, those who have written at least 50,000 words in Studio can submit their first chapters to our Reedsy Novel Sprint Contest.
What are the prizes?
We will award $5,000 to the first-place-winner of the Reedsy Novel Sprint Contest, $2,500 to the second-place winner, and $1,000 to the third-place winner. Each of these three winners will also receive a 30-minute consultation with a literary agent from our panel. Additionally, every single writer who completes our 50,000-word challenge will receive a three-month subscription to the Craft + Outlining Reedsy Studio add-ons.
How do I join the challenge?
Click the button above to receive updates and instructions on how to join the challenge in November.
How long does the challenge last?
The official challenge period in 2025 will be from Saturday, November 1st at 00:00 AM EST to Sunday, November 30th at 11:59 PM EST.
Can I join the challenge anytime?
Yes! You can join the challenge anytime until Sunday, November 30th at 11:59 PM EST.
How do I enter the contest at the end?
At the end of November, all those who have written at least 50,000 words in Studio will receive an email about submitting their first chapter to our Novel Sprint contest!
What is Reedsy Studio?
Reedsy Studio is an app designed for authors at every stage of the writing journey. Whether you’re planning, drafting, editing, or formatting, Studio puts the right tools at your fingertips — no other software required.
Is Studio free to use?
Studio’s basic features are 100% free to use, and always will be. There are two premium add-ons: Craft (with extra tools for productivity) and Outline (with extra tools for planning and storing research). All new users are entitled to a free 30-day trial of all premium add-ons.
Can I continue working on an existing project, or do I need to start a new one for the Reedsy Novel Sprint?
To qualify for the 3 months of premium Reedsy Studio, you can continue working on an existing project. Simply import your current draft into Studio and add at least 50,000 new words by the end of November. To be eligible for the Reedsy Novel Sprint Contest, the manuscript (and the chapter you submit) must be original content written during the challenge.
Can I write a non-English manuscript using Studio? Can my submission to the Novel Sprint be in a language other than English?
For the main Novel Sprint writing challenge, you can write your 50k words on Studio in any language. For the Novel Sprint Contest, only submissions written in English will be eligible for the prizes. The Novel Sprint Contest will accept translated submissions, as long as: 1) the submission has been translated into English 2) the submission is the author’s original work.
Is there a Novel Sprint community online?
Yes! Our Reedsy Discord has 4,500+ members, and a channel dedicated to the Novel Sprint. People often share writing tips, exchange story excerpts and chat about word counts. Join the conversation here: https://discord.com/invite/m8jGhDfQ
Can anyone under the age of 18 join the Novel Sprint?
Writers under the age of 18 are welcome to join us throughout the month of November for the month-long writing challenge on Studio, but they will not be eligible to submit excerpts of their manuscripts and receive cash prizes from the Reedsy Novel Sprint Contest.
Can I continue writing in Studio after the challenge?
Yes, and we hope you will! Take advantage of another three months of free premium features to get your first draft over the finish line.
