NaNoWriMo Goes Bankrupt After Embracing AI

After twenty-five years of operation, the nonprofit responsible for organizing the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge has announced its closure due to financial difficulties. Kilby Blades, a romance author serving as interim executive director, shared the news in a video and on social media, citing the organization’s lack of funds as the reason for shutting down.

In a detailed explanation, Blades discussed the financial challenges faced by NaNoWriMo, which had previously produced bestsellers like “Water For Elephants” and transitioned into a nonprofit six years ago. Despite addressing past allegations of abuse in the organization’s forums, Blades did not mention the recent controversy surrounding the decision to allow participants to use AI generators in the writing challenge.

Criticism of NaNoWriMo’s AI policy grew after the organization defended the use of AI as a way to address classist and ableist issues, sparking backlash from writers and former board members. The decision to allow AI in the writing challenge led to public denouncements and concerns about the potential use of participants’ work to train AI programs.

While some pointed to past grooming allegations against NaNoWriMo, others lamented the organization’s shift towards AI technology and the impact it had on the creative writing community. Despite its troubled final years, NaNoWriMo was once a beloved platform for aspiring writers to showcase their talent without the need for prestigious credentials.

As NaNoWriMo closes its doors, it serves as a reminder of the changing landscape of writing and the challenges faced by traditional creative outlets in the digital age.