Inside the Heated Controversy That’s Tearing a Writing Community Apart

Photo illustration by Slate. Photos by Nigel Stripe/Getty Images Plus and Kody King/Getty Images Plus. It was an emotionally dark and stormy night in 2020 when I had the urge to write a novel. I’d been having panic attacks. To work through it, I decided to write a novel about an isolated mom and a monster in the woods, along with therapy. So that November, I participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), which is also a nonprofit organization that encourages creative writing through a variety of events, including its most famous and titular program where participants attempt to write a complete novel (or 50,000 words) in the month of November. I loved the “flow state” of writing that came about as a result of participating. I hyperfixated on my project, typing late into the night, no longer feeling isolated by the pandemic, but connected to something outside my old little world. At the end of the month, I’d finished the first draft. It was my first experience with NaNoWriMo, but it wasn’t my last. I’m also a teacher, and have frequently recommended the flagship program to my students. Despite all of this, after everything I’ve learned over the past week, I will no longer be using or recommending NaNoWriMo. NaNoWriMo has had a slew of criticisms thrown its way due to its statement on the use of generative A.I. in writing that was released last week; it initially stated that A.I. can be a useful tool for those who are disabled or from marginalized communities who would otherwise not have access to the inner circle of the publishing industry. After the backlash, though, the organization amended the statement several times to try to clarify their position, saying there are “bad actors in the AI space,” but that they find “the categorical condemnation for AI to be problematic.” At the time of reporting, the page has been updated a third time, removing the initial verbiage, keeping the text of the first edit, and linking to a letter to “speak to those mistakes.” Writers were not impressed. Several authors, such […]

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