How to Join a Sprint
In the subject line of a new message, announce your intent to join an upcoming "official" or "mini" sprint with the word "Join" and the scheduled sprint time. All times are according to WdC Time (New York City time) Please use military/international time (24-hour clock). ▶︎
12:00 AM = 00:00 12:00 PM = 12:00
01:00 AM = 01:00 01:00 PM = 13:00
02:00 AM = 02:00 02:00 PM = 14:00
03:00 AM = 03:00 03:00 PM = 15:00
04:00 AM = 04:00 04:00 PM = 16:00
05:00 AM = 05:00 05:00 PM = 17:00
06:00 AM = 06:00 06:00 PM = 18:00
07:00 AM = 07:00 07:00 PM = 19:00
08:00 AM = 08:00 08:00 PM = 20:00
09:00 AM = 09:00 09:00 PM = 21:00
10:00 AM = 10:00 10:00 PM = 22:00
11:00 AM = 11:00 11:00 PM = 23:00
(example: "Join 10:00 Official" or "Join 14:15 Mini")
How to Sprint Set up your writing space. You may write in any application you choose. If adding to a novel or other longer work, clearly delineate the current sprint. Set a timer and make sure the volume is adequate. To use the Google timer: ▶︎
- Using a separate device or window, open Google in a browser.
- Type "Timer 30 minutes" (or "Timer 15 minutes" for a mini-sprint.)
- Press or tap Enter to start the timer.
- Launch the Clock app.
- At the bottom of the screen, select "Timer" (all the way to the right).
- Set to 00:30:00 (or 00:15:00 for a mini-sprint).
- Tap "Start" to start the timer.
Write your words. (They must be your words, so no AI!) The following methods* of composing are permitted: typing glide typing handwriting convert handwriting to text dictation When the timer alarm goes off, stop writing. Report your final word count in the forum (year-round) or the Entry Form (during the November "Fingers on Fire" competition.)
*Some of these methods are significantly faster than others, and therefore will give a competitive sprinting advantage. We recommend you learn to use the faster methods
Ask for help in the forum!
if you're in it to win it. If you just need us for the motivation, by all means, go at your own pace.
Mini-Sprints Impromptu 15-minute sprints Group members may propose in the forum at any time on the quarter-hour (:00, :15, :30, :45) During the annual, month-long "Fingers on Fire" competition, at least two Sprinters are required for Score Points to be awarded.
However, if you log words for a solo ("invalid") mini-sprint, those logged words do contribute to your November word count total.
Official Sprints (during "Fingers on Fire") Regularly scheduled 30-minute sprints Proceed regardless of participation (solo participants win the sprint by default) Scheduled daily every day in November as follows (WDC times): 02:00 (2:00 am) 06:00 (6:00 am) 10:00 (10:00 am) 14:00 (2:00 pm) 18:00 (6:00 pm) 22:00 (10:00 pm)
November "Fingers on Fire" Competition Rules Sprinting for the annual November competition starts with the 2:00am Official Sprint on Nov. 1. If your name is not on the form's "Author" list at the time of sprinting, post your word count in the forum until it can manually be added by a scorekeeper. Please be patient. Adding you to the Author list is a manual process. You must sign up to participate. Sign-ups close after Nov. 6. Signed-up authors who have not sprinted by Nov. 7 will be eliminated.
--- The tabs across the bottom offer more detailed data.
How to Accumulate Score Points
Points awarded as follows: 5 pts for participating in an Official Writing Sprint 3 add'l pts to the 1st place winner of the Official Sprint (total 8 pts) 2 add'l pts to the 2nd place winner of the Official Sprint (total 7 pts) 1 add'l pt to the 3rd place winner of the Official Sprint (total 6 pts) 2 pts for participating in a valid Mini-Sprint (min. 2 sprinters) 1 add'l pt to the first place winner of the Mini-Sprint (total 3 pts) Scorekeepers Storm Machine Brandiwyn🎶
Elimination All Sprinters start the month with a 5-day grace period. After the grace period, Sprinters must maintain a cumulative score of 4 points per day or risk competition elimination. For example: On 11/6 you must have 4 points. On 11/7 you must have 8 points. On 11/8 you must have 12 points. ...etc. Sprinters who fall below the required daily cumulative competition score are eliminated (you will be removed from the scoresheet and ineligible to compete.) Keep track of your cumulative points on the Sprint Writers Scoresheet. Note: One Official Sprint per day starting on Nov. 6 will keep you comfortably in the running, even if you don't place (5 points for participating).
Prizes
The top-scoring Sprinters at the end of November earn prizes of some kind or another. Yes, we realize that's vague. We're trying to write our novels, here, people. Shut up and sprint, already, and for goodness sake, don't get eliminated. That would be A Very Bad Thing. (The prizes have generally been portfolio "Fingers-on-Fire" Awardicons.)
Each year in November, during National Novel Writing Month, the Sprint Writers Forum hosts a month-long "Fingers on Fire" sprinting competition. Open the dropnote above for more info.
All Writing.Com images are copyrighted and may not be copied / modified in any way. All other brand names & trademarks are owned by their respective companies.
Generated in 0.22 seconds at 10:01pm on Feb 26, 2026 via server WEBX1.
All times are according to WdC Time 
(New York City time)
Set up your writing space.
typing
un: 
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Community Feed
Puzzle Hub
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
Current Active Sprinters List
