Every April, poets around the world take on a challenge: write one poem every day for 30 days. It’s called NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month), and Stanza is the perfect companion for the journey.
Why NaPoWriMo Matters
The challenge isn’t about writing 30 perfect poems. It’s about building a daily practice. Some days the poem flows like water. Other days it’s like pulling teeth. Both are valuable. The discipline of showing up every day is what transforms a hobbyist into a poet.
You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page. — Jodi Picoult
How to Use Stanza for NaPoWriMo
Create a Dedicated Circle
Start an Inner Circle for your NaPoWriMo group. Set it to Approval mode so serious participants can find and join it. Use the Circle’s feed to share daily prompts, cheer each other on, and build momentum together.
The private feed means your rough drafts are safe. No judgment, just practice.
Use Drafts Liberally
Some days you’ll publish immediately. Other days you’ll want to save a half-finished piece and come back to it. The Save as Draft button is your best friend during NaPoWriMo. Your Drafts page keeps everything organized.
Tag Your Work
Tag every NaPoWriMo poem with napowrimo and napowrimo2026. This lets others participating in the challenge find your work through search, and creates a discoverable collection of the month’s output.
Experiment with Forms
30 days is the perfect opportunity to try forms you’ve never written in:
- Week 1 — Free verse warmups. Get into the daily rhythm.
- Week 2 — Structured forms. Try a sonnet, villanelle, or ghazal.
- Week 3 — Spoken word. Record audio performances.
- Week 4 — Experimental. Concrete poetry, blackout poetry, collaborative pieces.
Give Feedback, Get Feedback
NaPoWriMo is a community event. Read other poets’ daily output. Cheer generously. Leave thoughtful comments. If you have a strong reaction to someone’s work, write a Structured Critique — it’s the most valuable gift you can give a fellow poet.
Use Your Encores Wisely
You get 5 Encores for all of April. That means choosing the 5 best poems out of potentially hundreds of NaPoWriMo submissions. This constraint forces you to really think about what moved you most. Share your choices — it means everything to the recipient.
Track Your Progress
Your profile’s Submissions tab shows all your published work. Watch the collection grow day by day — 1, 5, 15, 30 poems. At the end of the month, create a Reading List called "NaPoWriMo 2026" and add your favorites from the entire challenge.
Tips for Sticking With It
- Same time, same place — Write at the same time each day to build a habit
- Lower the bar — A bad poem counts. Publish it. Move on.
- Read first — Start each session by reading 2–3 poems on the Stage for inspiration
- Find accountability — Join a NaPoWriMo Circle and commit publicly
- Celebrate milestones — Day 10, Day 20, Day 30. You earned it.
See you on the Stage this April.
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