The National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) organization recently faced backlash after releasing a statement that appeared to endorse the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in creative writing. The statement suggested that AI could be a useful tool for disabled individuals or those from marginalized communities who might not have access to the publishing industry. Many writers, including bestselling authors, publicly denounced the nonprofit’s stance.
Daniel José Older, author and story architect of the “Star Wars: The High Republic” series, found the exploitation of “the language of social justice” to defend NaNoWriMo’s position particularly offensive. He discovered his works had been used to train AI without his consent. Authors in the disabled community also took issue with the statement, feeling that AI companies have exploited their work to train algorithms.
NaNoWriMo’s AI controversy deepens
Sarah Salcedo highlighted that while disabled writers may use accommodating tools, it does not equate to technology that steals others’ work and harms the environment. Despite NaNoWriMo’s claims, many writers feel generative AI poses significant threats to creativity, jobs, and the environment.
Maureen Johnson, one of the four board members who resigned in protest, argued that AI undermines the essence of NaNoWriMo by replacing the human endeavor of writing with something “weird and terrible.”
The backlash has led many writers to seek new communities. NaNoWriMo once encouraged people to “set aside time for daily writing practice, push through barriers, and write fearlessly,” but now, promoting AI feels like a betrayal to its core values. Generative AI, though it offers some benefits, seems to be another bubble about to pop, similar to NFTs.
Writers remain confident in their traditional method of storytelling—one human-written word at a time. Daniel José Older summarized the sentiment of many: “A.I. is another clown-shaped bubble that is about to pop, and go the way of NFTs.” The writing community can only hope it happens soon.
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