As the weather cools and the last months of the year queue up, I usually look forward to NaNoWriMo, the annual 30-day writing challenge. The goal is to write 50,000 words in November, averaging 1,667 words a day to write a first draft of a book. It is an honor system process with rewards for “winning” which include digital badges, virtual pats on the back, and discounts from many paid industry sponsors. In the end, you have a rough draft manuscript in hand ready for revision, editing, and possibly publishing.

Last week, as I was gearing up for the annual contest and preparing to log in and update my author profile, I unfortunately stumbled upon yet another controversial event plaguing the organization. This one convinced me to delete my account and history.

The latest drama involves NaNoWriMo’s stance on AI, calling it classist and ableist to condemn the technology. Their new leader posted a Zendesk page on September 1 titled “What is NaNoWriMo’s position on Artificial Intelligence (AI),” which has since been edited. Despite their neutral stance on AI in writing, they made some questionable statements:

“We want to be clear in our belief that the categorical condemnation of artificial intelligence has classist and ableist undertones, and that questions around the use of AI tie to questions around privilege.

“Classism: Not all writers have the financial ability to hire humans to help at certain phases of their writing. For some writers, the decision to use AI is a practical, not an ideological, one. The financial ability to engage a human for feedback and review assumes a level of privilege that not all community members possess.

“Ableism: Not all brains have the same abilities and not all writers function at the same level of education or proficiency in the language in which they are writing … The notion that all writers ‘should’ be able to perform certain functions independently is a position that we disagree with wholeheartedly. There is a wealth of reasons why individuals can’t ‘see’ the issues in their writing without help.”

NaNoWriMo mentioned “general access issues” with AI, noting that underrepresented minorities often lack access to resources, like traditional publishing contracts. Basically saying poor and uneducated people can’t write well on their own. This stance is seen as classist and ableist, implying AI is needed to make the works of lower classes acceptable to the elite.

This statement was later updated with an additional paragraph in which the organization acknowledged “there are bad actors in the AI space” causing harm to writers and “acting unethically”, yet firmly refused to categorically condemn AI.

In quick response, four members of NaNoWriMo’s writer’s board, including Daniel José Older and Cass Morris, have publicly stepped down. Additionally, Ellipsus, a sponsor opposed to generative AI, has withdrawn its support.

This is just the latest controversy for NaNoWriMo in the past year. Previously, the organization faced criticism for a lack of transparency following allegations of child endangerment and grooming during last November’s contest. Two major complaints were brought to the Board in November 2023: one about the slow removal of a moderator accused of inappropriate behavior outside NaNoWriMo.org, and another about a pattern of problematic moderation on NaNoWriMo forums and other spaces.

I won’t be participating in the contest anymore, at least officially. I am writing a new book so I will use the guidelines to write each day to keep momentum. Maybe not in November since that is usually a busy month with holidays and lots of events to compete with.

What will you do instead of NaNoWriMo for ongoing writing support and motivation?

I keep searching far and wide and find that many communities and sites are elementary in their format and presentation, are niche for a certain type of writer or genre, or have simply ceased to exist in the past few years.

The top best-known writing community resources I use are:

1. Reedsy – a full spectrum community site that supports self-publishing authors throughout the book creation process.
2. Wattpad – an online social storytelling platform where users can read, write, share original stories, and connect with other writers and readers.
3. Insecure Writers Support Group –  a home for writers in all stages, from unpublished to bestsellers with a goal of assistance and guidance.
4. The Next Big Writer – feedback, motivation, community, and more for writers with an international audience.
5. Reddit – this online forum has several communities and subreddits dedicated to writing, where writers of all levels can share tips, seek advice, and discuss various aspects of the craft.
6. Scribophile – one of the largest and award-winning online writing groups designed to help writers improve their craft through peer beta critiques and feedback.
7. SheWrites – for women writers of all ages and backgrounds to develop their skills and build a network of intelligent and intentional women with similar goals.
8. Writers Helping Writers – one-of-a-kind tools and resources that offer help and support for writers everywhere.
9. Author Nation – pay service that offers a road map for nonfiction authors from idea to published book.
10. Social media – There are Facebook writing groups, Twitter X hashtags #writingcommunity and #NeverWriteAlone, TwitterX writing communities, and LinkedIn Groups where you can ask questions and receive varied feedback.

The best up-and-coming writing communities I have found recently include:

1. Critique Circle: provides manuscript and writing feedback in exchange for critiquing others’ work.
2. Critters Workshop: a long-standing community for sharing and receiving feedback on works-in-progress for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.
3. Fictionaut: a platform for uploading short stories and poetry, fostering connections between writers and readers.
4. Internet Writing Workshop: offers email-hosted critique groups for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and scriptwriting.
5. StoryADay: encourages writers to write a story every day for a month, providing prompts and community support.

Whatever you decide to follow or participate in, keep at it. There are now several hundred thousand NaNoWriMo writers facing the fact that they might want to find a new support system. I hope they all keep at it and find what they need through other writing sites and in writing communities like Writers’ Connection.