A Month for Storytellers: Celebrating November’s Literary Observances

November is what I like to call a storyteller’s month.

It’s that cozy stretch between pumpkin-spice season and holiday madness when readers curl up with good books and writers feel that irresistible tug to create.

This month doesn’t honor just one kind of wordsmith — it celebrates everyone who loves stories, whether you write them, read them, or share them aloud at bedtime.

From National Author’s Day to Picture Book Month, November is a month-long reminder that stories connect generations and spark imagination.

I’ve never actually said, “I want to be a writer.” I just always was.

Writing came as naturally as breathing — even before I knew it could become a career.

My first “book” started as a short story in high school. It grew into sixty-five chapters because my best friend refused to let me stop.

Years later, after I rededicated my life to Christ, I wondered if that early passion had been misplaced. But God reminded me that He can redeem anything — even a calling. Writing became my way of showing Him in a new light through the characters I create.

If you want to celebrate National Author’s Day, support the storytellers who move you. Buy their books, leave thoughtful reviews, or share their work with a friend.

Believe me, every purchase and every kind word matters — we notice, and we treasure it.

My family has always been a family of readers. My great-grandmother devoured everything. My mom loved Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie. My dad leaned toward science fiction. We even had a house rule: “We never throw away books.”

Those roots shaped me. Reading together wasn’t a chore; it was tradition. And now, when I hear about kids who say they “hate reading,” it breaks my heart.

Screens may have taken over family time, but parents can rekindle that spark.

Make reading playful. Hold library treasure hunts, let your kids act out scenes from their favorite books, or have a “read-it-before-you-watch-it” movie night.

It’s amazing how stories open up conversation — and connection.

Confession time: I’m not a fan of memoirs.

Maybe it’s because I’m not fascinated by celebrity culture. I’d rather spend my time inside fictional worlds than in the retelling of someone’s fame.

Still, I do believe truth has power — and every novel I write carries slivers of my life. My heroines often share my background, my opinions, or my challenges. They may be fictional, but the emotions behind them are real.

That’s what I think memoir writing — or any writing — should do: connect us through honesty, even when the story is dressed in make-believe.

Even if you never plan to write a memoir, remember that your story matters.

The lessons you’ve learned, the moments that shaped you, and even the pain you’ve endured all hold value. Whether you record them in a journal, share them in letters, or channel them into fiction, your life experiences can inspire and encourage others.

You don’t need fame or a publishing contract to be worth remembering — you only need honesty and heart.

Every November, writers around the world attempt what sounds like a marathon — fifty thousand words in thirty days.

I’ve never participated, but I admire those who do. Between my novels, children’s stories, and blog posts, I already live inside a permanent NaNoWriMo!

Still, I love the concept because it encourages writers to show up and write without perfectionism.

Even if you don’t hit the word count, you’ve still stretched your creative muscles — and that’s a victory worth celebrating.

If you’d like to celebrate NaNoWriMo, why not step into your favorite author’s shoes and try your hand at writing 50,000 words in thirty days?

If you make it — throw a party! That’s no easy feat.

If you don’t — cut yourself some slack. Even seasoned authors don’t always hit their daily word count goals.

But either way, you’ll come away with a new appreciation for the craft, the discipline, and the determination it takes to build the worlds you love to read.

When I wrote The Adventure in the Magical World, I never even thought about illustrations until a parent asked, “Who’s going to draw the pictures?”

At first, I laughed. I’d always imagined my stories visually, but on the page — not in pictures. Yet once I started working with an illustrator, I realized how powerful art can be for children who haven’t yet developed strong imaginations.

And I’ll never forget one of my kindergarten students asking, “When are you publishing Book 2?”

That little reader reminded me that pictures may draw kids in, but it’s the story that keeps them there.

November is my favorite reminder that stories come in all shapes — written, spoken, remembered, and illustrated. Whether you’re an author or a reader, a parent or a dreamer, this month is for you.

So here’s to the storytellers — every single one of us turning life into language, imagination into meaning, and words into wonder.