NaNoWriMo has inspired many timed challenges within and outside of writing. Except as noted, all challenges are unofficial and not sanctioned by National Novel Writing Month.

Active challenges

Year-round

These challenges happen throughout the year and are not a year in length.

Year-long

These challenges start at various times throughout the year and last for a full year.

WriYe: Write several novels in a year, often involving setting your own goals.

6 Months, 6 Novels: Write a novel every other month, starting in January.

The 365 Project: Take a photo every day for a year.

January

February

March

National Novel Editing Month (NaNoEdMo): Edit for at least fifty hours in March.

March Novel Writing Month (MarNoWriMo) : Set your own goal to write or rewrite in March. Challenge has moved to Steve The WriMo Forum, but old data is still accessible at MarchNoWriMo.

March of Robots : Create one robot drawing/illustration every day in March.

April

May

June

NaNoMangO: Participants draw thirty pages of sequential art. The June challenge is for those who want the extra challenge or can't participate in November.

Solo Photo Book Month (SoFoBoMo): Take at least 35 photos and create a photo book in a "fuzzy month". SoFoBoMo 2010 goes into July, depending on when you begin.

JuNoWriMo: Write a novel of at least 50,000 words in June.

Kaijune: Create one drawing/illustration of a monster every day in June. (Kaijū 怪獣)

July

Camp NaNoWriMo: Write a 50,000-word (or other goal) project in a month. Run by National Novel Writing Month.

LoCoWriMo: Write a sizable piece of original fiction in a conlang. LoCoWriMo started in October 2009, with the second and third LoCoWriMos taking place in July.

July Novel Writing Month (JulNoWriMo): Write a novel of at least 50,000 words in July.

The 50/90 Challenge: Write fifty songs in 90 days, usually between 4 July and 1 October.

Art Fight: A month-long event in which you earn points for your team by drawing other peoples' characters.

August

September

24 Hour Writing Contest: Compose a short story associated with the given prompt and within the word count. $5 entry, token cash prizes available and publication on the site. Saturday, September 27th, noon, CST.

Three-Day Novel Contest: Write a novel in three days. Conducted on Labor Day weekend. There is an fee to enter officially and have a chance for publication because of the contest.

September Novel Writing Month (SeptNoWriMo): An offshoot of the original SeptNoWriMo. Participants set their own planning, writing or editing goals for September. Challenge has moved to Steve The WriMo Forum, but old data is still accessible at September Novel Writing Month.

NaNoPlanMo [1] : Plan your NaNo Novel for 25 hours. September 1-October 20.

Sketchtember : Create one digital or traditional sketch every day in September.

Shiptember: A recent challenge that started in 2016, it encourages participants to draw a ship per day through the whole month of September. Prompts were just included in 2018.

October

Spectober!: A mixed bag writing and NaNo prep challenge . SpecNoWriMo - Write any type of speculative fiction during October. Any goal. NaNoPrepMo - A whole bunch of fun activities and challenges to help you prepare for NaNoWriMo during October! Spectober 2014 is now up!

- Write any type of speculative fiction during October. Any goal. - A whole bunch of fun activities and challenges to help you prepare for NaNoWriMo during October! Spectober 2014 is now up! 24 Hour Comics Day: Create 24 consecutive comic book pages in 24 hours. 24 Hour Comics Day will take place on October 5, 2013.

Gothic Novel Writing Month (GothNoWriMo): Write a novel of the gothic literature genre in October. Participants set their own word count goal.

October Poetry Writing Month (OctPoWriMo): Write 31 poems in October.

Inktober: Create one ink drawing every day in October.

Drawtober: Create one digital or traditional drawing every day in October.

Drawlloween: Create one digital or traditional Halloween drawing every day in October.

Goretober: Create one digital or traditional gore themed drawing every day in October.

November

December