Ever thumb through a bestselling novel and think, "I could have written that!"? Well, now's your chance. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for short) and with the help of the NaNoWriMo web site, the encouragement of thousands of other participants and a few good reference books, you could be on your way to writing that next great American novel. Or maybe a good first draft, anyway.

The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write a 175-page (50,000 words) novel by midnight, Nov. 30. Obviously, the objective is quantity not quality. But as the NaNoWriMo sponsors point out, "The kamikaze approach forces you to lower expectations, take risks…forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create." In other words, quit procrastinating and start writing! To participate, visit the NaNoWriMo web site at www.nanowrimo.org.

If during the month you need to take a break from your novel writing, here are some titles to encourage and motivate you. No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty is the official "textbook" for NaNoWriMo. Full of helpful advice, rousing pep talks and inspirational success stories, the book is useful even if you're not participating in the event.

Every wannabe writer knows Anne Lamott's classic book, Bird by Bird, but it's worth another mention. The book's title comes from the advice given to her 10-year-old brother when he got stuck while writing a school report about birds - "Just take it bird by bird." Along with large doses of her characteristic self-deprecating humor, Lamott offers sage advice to writers of all types.

Sol Stein is a novelist, poet, screenwriter, writing instructor and editor who's helped many bestselling writers perfect their prose. His book, Stein on Writing, is chock full of great ideas for fiction and nonfiction writers alike.

Often simply referred to as "Strunk and White," The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White is a must-have for any novelist's bookshelf. If nothing else, read it for White's laudatory introduction (originally published as an essay in The New Yorker) and his concluding chapter, "An Approach to Style." Both are excellent examples of the clear, concise writing the authors sought to convey.

Finally, for those of you who want to read great fiction instead of writing it (although, they say the best way to learn to write good fiction is to read it), check out The Best American Novels of the Twentieth Century Still Readable Today by Eleanor Gehres. Gehres, the former manager of Denver Public Library's Western History Department, put together an interesting list of titles, many of which are not included on other "best" lists.

You can check out these books and more at any Jefferson County Public Library location. Talk to your librarian for more recommendations.