National Novel Writing Month, a nonprofit organization, recently released a statement on AI use that said they neither support nor condemn any approach to writing, including the use of tools that leverage AI. However, in stunningly tone-deaf move by the organization, the original statement went beyond that to say, “We believe that to categorically condemn AI would be to ignore classist and ableist issues surrounding the use of the technology, and that questions around the use of AI tie to questions around privilege”—then included an explanation of those classist and ableist issues. Ultimately, the statement spent far more time addressing anti-AI sentiment in the writing community, rather than expressing neutrality.
If you’ve spent even two minutes discussing AI with a group of writers, you probably recognize that such a statement—on perhaps the most controversial issue of our time—is tantamount to pouring gasoline over yourself and lighting a match. After pushback, NaNoWriMo immediately issued a note to the community and revised their statement, but the damage was done. Board members resigned and major media (Wired, 404 Media, and The Verge) covered the firestorm.
Grammar Girl and now former NaNoWriMo board member Mignon Fogarty commented on the situation, “I found nothing wrong with their general stance on AI, which is that writers can do whatever they want. I am, obviously, not categorically opposed to AI, but I also believe people have legitimate reasons for being opposed that have nothing to do with being classist or ableist.”
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.
