“Is the Rise of AI the Final Chapter for NaNoWriMo? Discover What Really Happened!”
The iconic National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) has officially closed its doors—a significant chapter in the world of creative writing has come to an end. After 25 years of inspiring countless writers to pen their ambitious 50,000-word novels each November, NaNoWriMo’s abrupt shutdown leaves many wondering: what’s next for the writing community? For those who thrived on the camaraderie and structure that NaNoWriMo provided, the loss is palpable. So, what do we do when our favorite writing challenge fades into the sunset? Fear not, fellow scribes! A new beacon of hope has emerged: Writing Month. This fresh initiative encourages writers to set their own goals throughout the entire year, with a spirit of flexibility and creativity that celebrates the writing journey itself—rather than merely the word count. Could this be the rebirth we’ve all been waiting for? Let’s dive into the details and find out! LEARN MORE
This Just In: The writing month challenge may be dead, but there’s a new option to keep writers going.
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) shut down last week after 25 years of supporting the writing community.
The nonprofit encouraged writers to pen a 50,000-word novel each November, the equivalent of 1,667 words per day. Writers who won the challenge received everything from online praise to discounts from software providers. More importantly, the nonprofit fostered community among writers, encouraging each other to succeed (or, at the very least, to write).
Last year, however, the organization behind NaNoWriMo burned all of that goodwill to the ground by embracing AI-generated slop novels. “Writers” could submit 50,000 words they “wrote” by prompting generative AI and still “win” the challenge. It wasn’t a good November for the organization, and it’s no surprise they decided to call it quits.
Recent polling data showed that people are not too keen on AI tools and even less so on the people building them. It probably doesn’t help that the people in charge of the US government seem to think AI is the answer to everything, but that’s for a different article. NaNoWriMo whiffed heavily on AI and paid the price.
It’s a shame because the community and encouragement developed there was something that many writers craved and will miss. Writing is a solo sport, which is why connecting with others is so important. We learn and grow from our connections with others who challenge and support us.
While NaNo is dead, the spirit will live on through Writing Month.
Founded by Benjamin Hollon, Writing Month allows writers to set their own goals throughout the year (not just in November, and not limited to 50,000 words). Rules are more flexible, and the writing spirit is emphasized over simply writing 50,000 words.
I first encountered Writing Month last October when Benjamin posted about building a NaNo alternative. Writing Month launched just in time to provide an option for those looking for something new. I recently asked Benjamin what led to building Writing Month; here’s what he said:
Over the past few years, I’d been growing…
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