Hi Reader,

If you’ve been in the writing community for any amount of time, you have likely heard of an organization that comes up in November (and a couple other times per year with a “camp” version) where people around the world write 50,000 word novels between the 1st and 30th of November.

You may also have heard that said organization has been under fire since last year, and a LOT of people in the writing community are no longer supporting the organization.

I felt I needed to add my voice to the noise (I tell my beloved pittie mix, Kira, to not add her voice to the noise when she joins the twilight bark [or any other time of day bark] in our neighborhood), but this is something that, as a newly certified book coach, I cannot ignore.

For 20 years—TWENTY YEARS!—I supported that organization with monetary donations whether I participated or not. It was this challenge that broke me out of writing short stories to trying my hand at something novel-ish length. I bought the participant shirts. At one point, I was going to take all of my shirts, cut out the main shirt area, and make a quilt out of them! I even bought some horror-themed quilt fabric to make this project a reality.

But then, this happened (the link goes to a sub-Reddit about the whole thing, including stuff I wasn’t aware of until reading it. In case the link doesn't work, just search up "what happened to NaNoWriMo" you can find the info). Open at your discretion.

When I was in high school, I experienced predatory behavior and grooming from an adult and this whole thing brought up a lot for me.

Disgust. Anger. Disappointment. Disbelief. Sadness. Disgust again (this is where I’ve landed). All the stages of grief for an organization I looked so fondly upon that is now dead to me.

November was always a month I looked forward to because of all the camaraderie around writing. Even if I didn’t participate much in the forums, or some years didn't even participate officially in the program at all, just knowing gobs of people around the world were also pounding away at their keyboards, striving for crazy huge daily word count goals, always made me feel a part of something, you know?

Anyway, I just wanted to chime in and give you my thoughts about it. It makes me wonder what other “amazing” organizations out there aren’t what they seem.

It’s bred mistrust in my heart for the causes I’m passionate about. As an HSP, this kind of thing is challenging to deal with, but I’m doing what I can to get through it.

As November 1st draws near, I get a little more disheartened, even though my current WIP is chugging along at a pace I’m comfortable with. November just won’t feel the same. Or maybe it will if I let it. Who knows?

I hope you find something here that helps you feel less alone in how you may be dealing with the news. If this is new news to you, I’m sorry you had to hear it from me, but I hope sharing it will help you make your own decisions. This is all just my opinion. As I tell my coaching clients, take it or leave it.

If you have feelings you need to get off your chest about it, hit reply and tell me.

I’m here for you.

Keep writing,

Claire

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New here? Forget who I am? I'm Claire! Author Accelerator certified book coach, award-winning horror author, project manager, amazing wife and dog mom, and your future book coach! I believe there is no right or wrong way to write a book and specialize in coaching writers of most genres to make connections with their stories that translate to connections with their readers. ​Let's write your book!​