That photo of the guy contemplating NaNoWriMo may be a bit melodramatic, but it’s a feeling many of us can relate to. Since 2008, NaNoWriMo has been a journey of self-discovery for me. It’s shown me the strength I possess as a writer, pushing my brain, body, and sanity to the limit. It’s proven that I can indeed finish a fifty-thousand-word rough draft in thirty days, a feat that once seemed impossible.
But something has happened.
In the last couple of years, controversies have erupted at the offices of NaNoWriMo. The latest controversy, the subject of AI technology, sent many people who participate every November into a tailspin. There is no space here to go into all the details of NaNoWriMo’s woes, but let’s just say it’s a given that the hoopla has made many wordsmiths slam their laptops shut.
The result? Many writers are not doing NaNoWriMo anymore. One of my local author friends said she canceled her NaNoWriMo account. I haven’t done it yet. It’s like taking off a wedding ring. Yes, some things about the NaNoWriMo website have bothered me over the past few years, things not related to the more recent dramas. However, these problems raise questions about a writer’s moral principles.
For anyone who will still participate in NaNoWriMo 2024, no judgement. Maybe they haven’t heard about the stuff going on. If what I’m reading about all this is true, I have to make a decision. It makes me sad, but I’m going to step back.
But it doesn’t have to be that complicated. The idea of NaNoWriMo is wonderful. Write a 50K word rough draft of a novel in a month? That’s a great accomplishment. It brought fiction writers all over the world together for thirty days to enjoy an activity mostly done alone. How can something that’s really not that complicated create such an uproar? Has NaNoWriMo gotten too big for its britches? Why can’t we all just get along?
When I say I’m stepping back, I’m not stepping back from the challenge of writing 50K words in one month. But I probably won’t use the website for at least a few years. I’ll visit every once in a while, to see what’s going on. I’ll do web searches and consult Reddit about people’s opinions on NaNoWriMo. But nothing is stopping me from writing that much in just a few weeks. NaNoWriMo taught me that.
But what can a writer do if they’re sad about NaNoWriMo? Here are some suggestions:
- Read Chris Baty’s book, No Plot? No Problem!, to recapture the original spirit of what NaNoWriMo should be.
- Write 50K in the month of your own choosing. NaNo wasn’t even originally done in November. It was first done in July.
- See it as an opportunity to discipline yourself without relying upon the website and organization. Writing 50K in four weeks without it actually being NaNoWriMo? You’d be a champ.
- Join an online (e.g., a subreddit, a discord) group of writers who want to do the challenge independently.
Preptober starts next week. Will I or won’t I prepare for November? I’m trying not to take this so seriously. For non-writers, the whole thing probably makes them roll their eyes–that is if anyone outside of the NaNoWriMo circle hears about it. But some serious unethical behaviors were displayed. The situation can’t be ignored.
So instead, do NaNoWriMo without the website. It can be a true test in discipline. If I complete the month with 50K words on my own, then I have grown as a writer.
If you’re curious, read about the controversy here.
What some YouTubers have to say about it:
- The End of an Era: NaNoWriMo’s AI mess ā¢ Meredith E. Phillips (youtube.com)
- NaNoWriMo Says You’re Classist To Criticize A.I. š¤¢ (youtube.com)
- QUITTING NANOWRIMO FOR GOOD š°ā plus halloween decor hunting & fall reads (youtube.com)
Friday’s Findings
- My First Novel Was a New York Times Bestseller. Iām Self-Publishing My Third Novel Today.
- 100+ Character Ideas (and How to Come Up With Your Own)
- Fiction University: Stepping Out: A Look at Point of View Shifts
- How to Show, Not Tell: The Complete Writing Guide
- How to write descriptively
Photo by Nathan Cowley: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-blue-and-brown-plaid-dress-shirt-touching-his-hair-897817/
Andrew M. Friday 
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