Menu
Reedsy Novel Sprint 2026
Novel Sprint gives you a month of structure, momentum, and community to help you make serious progress on your book. Join thousands of writers for live workshops, writing sprints, and a shared goal: 50,000 words in November.
--
Days
--
Hours
--
Mins
--
Secs
Starting on November 01, 2026
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*
* 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
Community of writers
Weekly check-ins and celebrating wins to stay motivated
LIVE Events to keep you motivated
Novel Sprint is about more than hitting 50,000 words. Throughout the challenge, you’ll join live workshops and writing sprints designed to support every stage of the journey — from outlining your story and building your world to pushing through the messy middle, finishing your draft, and figuring out what comes next.
Come for the practical advice, stay for the momentum, and write alongside a community of authors working toward the same goal.
No events to display.
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 and additional prizes from our sponsors. 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.
Is there a Novel Sprint community online?
Yes! Everyone who enrolls in Novel Sprint will get access to a dedicated online community for the duration of the challenge. It’s where you can share your progress, take part in weekly check-ins, celebrate wins, connect with other writers, and stay motivated throughout the month. Whether you’re flying through your draft or working through a difficult chapter, you’ll have fellow Novel Sprinters writing alongside you.
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 2026 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 50,000 words in Studio will receive an email about submitting their first chapter via our Reedsy Prompts interface. Please note that the top three winners will have their submissions published on the Reedsy site; all other submissions will remain unpublished.
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). During the Reedsy Novel Writing Sprint, participants who complete 50,000 words will receive full access to all premium add-ons for 3 months.
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.
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.
