Why I’m NOT Doing NaNoWriMo This Year — But Will Be Writing

I’ve been a long time participant of NaNoWriMo — National Novel Writing Month — a challenge for writers to write 50,000 words in the month of November. Winning is self-reported, comes with bragging rights, a website badge, and discounts to various sponsors. That’s it. While I’ll still intend to write in November, my entire geographic region has stepped away from the official program.

Why?

Back in November of 2023, there was an issue with the forums and under-age participants allegedly being groomed by volunteer staffers. They eventually shut down the forums, but a year later, still have not vetted most of the municipal liaison volunteers. Then, as of last month, they’ve declared use of generative AI to complete the challenge completely allowed, and any resistance to this concept to be “ableist and classist” — after getting sponsors who have generative AI products.

*record screech*

I’m not alone in having MASSIVE issues with this.

What’s this whole ‘Generative AI’ thing?

AI, otherwise known as ‘Artificial Intelligence’ is a term used for learning programs that analyze data and update the program’s behavior based on that input.

Sidenote: I grump a lot because I’d like the term to be used for self-aware machines — a true intelligence, not just the mimicry of one. Then again, there’s an argument to be made that humans are a collection of biological responses and learned algorithms…

We use AI tools everywhere. They’re part of grammar checks and writing analysis tools (think Grammarly, HemingwayApp, and the aforementioned ProWritingAid, not to mention built in to Google Docs/Email/etc and Microsoft Word/Office/etc).

There are tools to help people brainstorm and outline. There are tools for character creation and book recommendations.

Most people are on board with these tools, to various degrees.

It’s the Generative AI — where it generates actual manuscript words — where the push back is. Generative AI, where you feed prompts and it outputs a lot more than you put in, is rampant in art circles, and now it’s getting into the writing space. But, it can’t create, it can only be derivative.

Sure, most writers and artists are, at some level, derivative. We’re inspired by the novels and art we absorb. There are tropes and voices and styles that we’re drawn to, and play with, until we grow enough to make it our own.

Generative AI can’t do that.

What’re the problem with Generative AI?

Generative AI, whether it’s for art or words, uses massive computing power — and high energy bills. Generative AI, for the most part, has been trained on art and novels, and a large percentage of that material is NOT in public domain. AI that’s been trained on the internet is a wild, wild west of near-coherency. As in the days of yore, when looking at AI created art, one is reminded to count the fingers and toes, to look for the discrepancies that declare it fairy, not human.

And of course, we can’t ignore the fact that most of Generative AI has been trained on items that are still under copywrite without the creator’s consent.

What does this all mean for NaNoWriMo and me?

While the NaNoWriMo organization tried to nominally step back a few times, their actions and continued sponsorships prove that to be lip service. But, hey, if you’re still interested in participating, most regions have previously affiliated groups hosting events, write-ins, and discords. That’s what I plan to do.