NaNoWriMo shut down after AI, content moderation scandals - TechCrunch

Haven't done it for a while. It wasn't fun anymore.

Panzer was shaken from his kitty nap by loud noises coming from the Catosphere. Hopping into the Panzermobile, our brave kitty boy followed all the hoopla to the TechCrunch site. There he discovered a post that explained all the angst.

 

According to a post by Amanda Silberling, NaNoWriMo has announced it is shutting down. The post includes a link to a video about the closure.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty quit doing it a few years ago."

 

Note: This is a short-medium length post. A cup of tea will be enough to snack on. If you want to watch the video, bring a muffin too.

 

To read the post tootle over to NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month defended the use of AI. Now authors are stepping down from its board - CBC

Something smells bad here.

When Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere, he stopped in at the CBC (Canadian) news blog site. There our traveling kitty found a post about the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) organization. Panzer posted a few days ago about the issue covered in the CBC's post.

 

According to Kevin Maimann.s post on the CBC's site, authors on NaNoWriMo's boards who disagree with the organization's stand on AI and the language used to illuminate that stand are leaving the board of directors. One sponsor organization has also withdrawn it's support.

 

Panzer says, "NaNoWriMo sure stepped into a big pile of you know what with that post."

 

Note: This is a very long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on while you read.

 

To read the post tootle over to NaNoWriMo AI Controversy

To read Panzer's previous post tootle over to NaNoWriMo and AI

NaNoWriMo and AI - Various

There's a lot of people unhappy right now.

Today everywhere Panzer went he found posts about the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) organization and it's recently published stand on AI. Part of the problem NaNoWriMo caused was by the words and phrases used and part of it was accepting as a sponsor a company that uses a chatbot. There's more to the problems, so you'll need to read the posts below to get the information. (Sorry about the bad wordspro in some of the posts, but people are angry.)

 

 Panzer says, "Be sure to read the Comments sections for the posts that have them.."

Note:Here are some of the posts about the NaNoWriMo dust up. You'll need to decide about your own snacks.

 

To read a post tootle over to Pivot to AI

To read another post tootle over to Terribleminds 

To read another post tootle over to  Kevin's Corner

To read another post tootle over to Jacey Bedford

National Novel Writing Month

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) started November 1. While we're really late letting you know about it, Mom's excuse is she's been working on a new book and forgot to tell you.

 

Even though it's late in the month, you can still register for NaNoWriMo. Although it's billed as National Novel Writing Month, it's really (Inter)National Novel Writing Month because anyone can join the craziness.

Mom is crazy.

Your NaNoWriMo assignment is to write a 50,000 word first draft of your novel and finish on November 30. You can upload your work and get the number of words verified.

Panzer says, "It doesn't have to be perfect."

Note: A 50,000 word novel in thirty days. That's 1.613 words per day.

To signup tootle over to National Novel Writing Month

Amazon Literary Partnership Announces More than $1M in 2019 Grants - Publishering Perspectives

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when his sensitive kitty ears were assailed by clapping and cheering. Following all the hullabaloo took our kitty boy to the Publishing Perspectives site. With no digging at all he found a post about the Amazon Literary Partnership.

According to the post by Publishing Perspectives editor Porter Anderson, the Amazon Literary Partnership has awarded $1M in grant funding to the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), the Port Townsend Writers Conference (Centrum), Clarion West and 63 other literary nonprofit organizations. The Amazon Literary Partnership is ten years old and gives the grants annually. A complete list of all the nonprofit recipients is included in the post. Also included are links to other posts with information about the grants.

After all this work I deserve a nap too.

Panzer says, "MeWoW! NaNoWriMo!"

Note: This is a h-u-g-e post. Bring a gallon of tea and a dozen muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the included links, bring another gallon of tea, another dozen muffins and a sleeping bag for a cat nap in the middle.

To read the post tootle over to Amazon Literary Partnership

Simon & Schuster's Vanity Press Launches NaNoWriMo Writing Contest to Exploit More Writers - The Digital Reader

Because Panzer is helping with the baking for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, he made a very short trip into the Catosphere today. Our flour covered kitty made a quick stop at The Digital Reader site. With hardly any digging at all he found a post about Simon and Schuster and National Novel Writing Month.

Listen. This is bad, bad, bad.

According to the post by The Digital Reader site owner Nate Hoffelder, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) participants (like Panzer and me) need to be particularly careful about a contest run by publisher Simon and Schuster. Archway Publishing (Simon and Schuster's vanity publishing subsidiary) is running a contest called Hot Books, Cold Nights Romance Novel Writing Contest for NaNoWriMo Winners. (You're a Winner if you write 50,000 words during the month.) According to The Digital Reader post, if you've never heard of Archway Publishing, they're an expensive high pressure sales pitch publishing company. This post should be required reading for every writer, not just NaNoWriMo participants.

Panzer says, "Why is NaNoWriMo having anything to do with this company?"

Note: This is a medium post. Bring a cup of hot cocoa and a chocolate chip cookie (biscuit) for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Simon and Schuster

NaNoWriMo Is Big for Writers - and It Helps Publishers, Too - Publishers Weekly (PW)

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere enjoying his Halloween travels when he heard strange noises. Following them took our little kitty boy to the Publishers Weekly site. With no digging at all he found a post about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).

NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow.

According to the post by Jason Boog, November's National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is set to be the largest ever. It's projected 350,000 writers will participate in this year's NaNoWriMo. By the end of November participants must write a 50,000 word novel (or first draft). Those who finish their novels will receive a badge for their website or blog. The post includes interviews with previous NaNoWriMo finishers who've had their novels published. Also included are agents whose clients participate as a starter for their novels.

Panzer says, "I'm all ready. Are you?"

Note: This is a long post. Bring a thermos of tea and a dozen muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to National Novel Writing Month

2016 National Novel Writing Month Winner

Panzer and Mom took part in the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) that ends today. As of today we have completed 50,243 words of the required 50,000.

And ...

We survived!

Yay!

188 Novels Generated by Computers in NaNoGenMo Contest - GalleyCat

Panzer made a quick trip in the Panzermobile today. As soon as our big brave kitty got into the Catosphere he heard all kinds of laughing and hooting. Following the noise took him to the GalleyCAT site.

Panzer found a post by Dianna Dilworth about the silliest ccontest our kitty pilot has ever read about.  While the contest called NaNoGenMo (National Novel Generation Month) runs at the same time (November) as NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), it has absolutely nothing to do with NaNoWriMo. Even though contestants in NaNoGenMo have to write a 50,000 word novel, the novel generated by the computer can be 50,000 words of gibberish that make no sense.

Meow?  Meow? They stole my words.

Panzer says, "A 50,000 word novel by a computer? Patoohee. I've got better things to read ... Like Mom's grocery list."

Note: A cup of cocoa is all you need for today's reading.

To read the post, tootle over to novels by computers

NaNoWriMo Winner!

Happy Cat Dance! We finished 50,200 words today!

Past NaNoWriMo Participants Give Tips

I'll never catch up on my naps.

Panzer has been busy working on this year's NaNoWriMo novel. My bad boy thought you all might be interested in reading Daniel Leffert's Publishers' Weekly post. Mr. Leffert has interviews with Jason M. Hough, Hugh Howey, Marissa Meyer, Karen Harrington, and Gennifer Albin. All are former NaNoWriMo participants who went on to publish novels.

Panzer says, "34,000 words done. Only 16,000 words left before November 30. Me-OW-OW-OW!"

To read the full post, tootle over to NaNoWriMo

It's NaNoWriMo Time!

NaNoWriMo started yesterday. This is the time of year when writers hunker over their computers, drink gallons of coffee, go without food or sleep to emerge on November 30 with a 50,000 word novel.

If you want to join the craziness, tootle over to NaNoWriMo

Before Revising Your NaNoWriMo Novel

As Panzer and I told you a few days ago, we took part in this year's National Novel Writing Month.

We're still recuperating, so we haven't started the rewriting and editing on our novel yet. We're glad we haven't because Panzer found a post by Angela Ackerman at the Writers Helping Writers blog. Angela discusses the things to do before you start your rewrite and edit of your NaNoWriMo novel.

The first thing is to let the novel rest. Set it aside and don't read it. While it's resting you need to think about your character development and plot development. Were there some things that didn't seem to work while you were writing? These steps will get you ready to start the rewriting and editing.

Panzer says, "These should be what you do with everything you write."

If you want to know how to go about rewriting and editing your work, tootle over to Your Nanowrimo Novel

National Novel Writing Month

Panzer's claws are down to little bloody nubs, but we are winners in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

Happy Cat Dance!

We wrote a 50,000 word novel in November! That's 50,000 words in one month!

Now starts the hard part. The rewrite/revision. Grrr!

NaNoWriMo Prizes, Motivation, and Fun

50,000 words? No, Mom, No!

Yet another chance at prizes if you're participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) which Panzer and I are!

Fantasy author Lindsay Buroker (whose also taking part in NaNoWriMo) is sponsoring contests for participants.

If you're interested, tootle over to NaNoWriMo Prizes, Motivation, and Fun -- Enter Here!

Win with Wattpad

$2,000? Mine!

Panzer and I were tootling around in the Catosphere today and stopped in at Lynn Viehl's Paperback Writer blog.

It seems like everybody (Panzer and me included!) has been talking about NaNoWriMo this year. Turns out Lynn is no different. She found out Wattpad will be holding a contest for NaNoWriMo participants. The winner will get $2,000.00!

So now we have free ebook covers and $2,000 in prize money. You can write 50,000 words in a month, right? Well, then you better hurry over and sign up for NaNoWriMo!

If you want to learn more about the Wattpad prize money, tootle over to Win with Wattpad

Nominate Your NaNoWriMo Novel for a Free Book Cover - GalleyCat

It's FREE!

Panzer found some news about this year's NaNoWriMo.

My bad boy says, if you're planning on taking part in NaNoWriMo, you'll want to read the announcement he found over at GalleyCAT.

You could win a FREE cover for your writing project! That's FREE! You will need to put together a synopsis for your project and then submit it for consideration. Then each day in November during NaNoWriMo one project will be chosen.

If you're interested, tootle over to Nominate Your NaNoWriMo Novel for a Free Book Cover - GalleyCat

How a NaNoWriMo Writer Landed a Book Deal - GalleyCat

50,000 words in a month?

Panzer stopped in at GalleyCAT today and found another interesting post. You really need to bookmark this site!

Panzer says, "Another reason to join NaNoWriMo this year. That's National Novel Writing Month for the uninitiated."

You see, he's thinking about joining this year's madness and this post shows how the craziness can work to his advantage.

Can you write a 50,000 word novel in a month? If you think you might, join the Camp now to get a headstart on your novel.

My bad boy says, to find out about how to use NaNoWriMo as a jumping off point in your career, tootle on over to How a NaNoWriMo Writer Landed a Book Deal - GalleyCat