As we probably don’t have to remind this readership, November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), during which thousands upon thousands of writers attempt to write 50,000 words in thirty days. NaNoWriMo, a nonprofit organization, hosts forums for participants to communicate with each other; the forums are a major hub of activity, especially during November, and they’re moderated by volunteers.
Controversy broke out last week when reports emerged that young writers in particular were unhappy with forum moderation. (Some created a site to report what they experienced.) Additional, very serious, allegations are also being investigated. The NaNoWriMo board of directors has now made the forums read-only to conduct a thorough investigation; read their statement.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
