Pepper N. Hinman, right, describes how she keeps track of her fictional characters at a write-in to kick off National Novel Writing Month at the Lewiston Public Library on Friday morning. Participants in the popular NaNoWriMo creative writing project attempt to write 50,000 words in a first draft of a novel during November. In an effort to overcome writers block, the aspiring novelists are urged to focus on word count alone, with editing coming later months. About half a million people begin this project, with less than 10% completing the required word count. From left are Makayla Bonney-King, Leo Stetson and Charlotte Woodson. Three additional write-ins are scheduled through the month. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal Buy this Photo