Scandal-hit creative writing website NaNoWriMo to close after 20 years

The US nonprofit, whose online community encouraged members to write a novel in a month, has been rocked by controversy in recent years

NaNoWriMo, the US-based nonprofit organisation that challenged people to write a novel in a month, has announced it is closing down after 20 years.

NaNoWriMo – an abbreviation of National Novel Writing Month – fostered an online community of participants aiming to write 50,000 words of fiction in November. It began informally in 1999 before becoming a nonprofit in 2006. Each year, tens of thousands signed up to the organisation’s flagship programme.

On Monday, NaNoWriMo announced its closure to community members via email. A 27-minute YouTube video posted the same day by the organisation’s interim executive director Kilby Blades explained that it had to close due to ongoing financial problems, which were compounded by reputational damage.

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