I decided to not participate in NaNoWriMo 2023, mainly because I thought I would be at the last month of my pregnancy and I wanted to make sure I was getting enough rest.
Turns out there was something else going on.
My friend Ren shared the news with me first. I was initially shocked and dismayed. And then I started doing my own research.
Full disclosure: Many things I’m going to discuss are allegations. No names have been brought forward, and I’m not sure they ever will be.
In the beginning, I also couldn’t find a lot of information online about this alleged incident. But as the months have passed, a clearer picture has emerged. I’ve listed my resources below, including information from NaNoWriMo.
Regardless, the research that I have done has solidified one decision: I don’t want to participate with NaNoWriMo going forward. The way the NaNoWriMo staff handled this incident, whether it’s true or not, was atrocious. Good for the people who stepped up and raised red flags and reported the incident(s). NaNoWriMo’s initial response to the entire thing was, in a word, odd, and I can’t tell if that was on purpose or not. I’ve studied some public relations, and I have a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies Mass Media.
I’m honestly surprised this didn’t make the national news in November, especially because the allegations include a moderator grooming an undisclosed number of minors in the NaNoWriMo forums and Young Writer’s Program.
I fully understand that NaNoWriMo is a nonprofit, and they have a small staff. However, they are so well known among writers and get so much attention throughout the year for their Camp NaNoWriMo and NaNoWriMo sessions, so color me surprised when there wasn’t a lot of information or media coverage.
I think they tried to save face because they screwed up.
The good news, if anything, is that they did acknowledge, eventually, that there were multiple failings with this particular incident. From what I’ve read, they have already made multiple changes to the organization, including staffing. They say they are committed to further changes and are actively learning from this experience. It doesn’t excuse their initial response and handling, however.
Going forward, I won’t be supporting NaNoWriMo. I’ll track my progress on my novels independently.
In a way, this makes me sad. NaNoWriMo had been a big part of my life for the better part of 11 years. But, I’m thankful to Ren for sharing the initial information with me several months ago. It’s taken me this long to reconcile all of my thoughts and feelings about this.
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Resources
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/nanowrimo-grooming-controversy
https://christianwriters.com/threads/accusations-of-child-grooming-overshadow-nanowrimo.24933/
Hot Shot Headlines 
Oh my! That is horrible!
Agreed!
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