NaNoWriMo: One Mess After Another
NaNoWriMo is one of the most recognized names in writing communities. The acronym stands for National Novel Writing Month. Founded in 1999 by Chris Baty, it began as a project between friends to write a fifty thousand word novel in thirty days. In 2006, NaNoWriMo was officially organized into a non-profit that sought to bring literacy and creative writing to underprivileged areas across the globe. Since then, the organization has managed to raise over $6 million dollars towards that goal.
Hundreds of thousands across the globe sign up on the website in order to participate in November to write 1,667 words a day to the end of November, where it is hoped that the draft of a novel will be hammered out. Across the world, organizers create events that gather people in their area to write together. From virtual write-ins that started heavily during the pandemic, to in-person gatherings, these events bring people together from all kinds of backgrounds united under a single umbrella: A passion for the written word.
No matter how good an organization strives to be, there will always be hidden skeletons lurking in their closets. NaNoWriMo is no different. In June 2020, accusations surfaced regarding how the organization handled reports of inappropriate contact between an adult and a minor in its forums. The allegations created a crack in the community. Many decried the…
