NaNoMail

NaNoMail is the NaNoWriMo website's term for private messages. Wrimos have the option of contacting each other via NaNoMail in much the same way that one would use an email program, although users will not receive an email notification of a private message, instead seeing a notification of new messages on the NaNoWriMo website.

In 2011 pep talks from NaNo HQ and regional messages began to arrive via NaNoMail, a feature of the move to Ruby on Rails. Notifications when someone added you to their writing buddies were also introduced that year.

NaNoMail saw another update in 2015, with the ability to separate Pep talks, regional messages, NaNoWriMo HQ messages, and messages from other participants. Messages that a Wrimo has sent appear in a separate area, with bold messages indicating messages that the recipient has not yet opened.

Occasionally NaNoMail has been wiped along with the rest of the site during site relaunch; however, since 2008 NaNoMail wipes have happened only with the major site redesigns of 2011 and 2019. Wrimos are still encouraged to save messages that are important to them, in the event that this happens again.

The NaNoWriMo site redesign in 2019 saw the introduction of two separate messaging systems. The main NaNoWriMo website allows messaging with Wrimos you are buddies with. Messages from NaNoWriMo HQ and regional messages are separated from your buddies' messages. The NaNoWriMo forums use Discourse's separate messaging platform, and you can message anyone who has not blocked you.

Uses

NaNoMail has many uses. Common ones include:

• adoptables
• commenting on/complimenting another writer's synopsis or excerpt
• coordinating word wars
• sharing helpful websites
• sharing writing for critique/feedback purposes
• commiserating
• offering support/encouragement
• coordinating NaNo Swaps
• general, writing-related conversation
• general, non-writing related conversation

Other NaNo Sites

In Script Frenzy the private message system was called FrenzyMail. It shared all of the same features of NaNoMail at the time except the name.

Camp NaNoWriMo retained the NaNoMail name. The NaNoMail system worked similarly to NaNoMail on the NaNoWriMo website.