December 20, 2001

9:18 AM

An in-depth journalistic look at what happened at the home base during NaNoWriMo. Once mention of NaNoWriMo hit MetaFilter.com, an online clearinghouse for issues being discussed by "bloggers" ... it spread like a literary Ebola.
posted by fotzepolitic (17 comments total)

Literary ebola? I guess that makes Vis10n and rcade a couple of Typhoid Marys and Patient Zeros for mentioning NaNoWriMo in the first place.
posted by mathowie at 9:42 AM on December 20, 2001

i was going to say something about that, matt. literary ebola doesn't sound like a very flattering description of nanowrimo -- what were the editors thinking?
posted by moz at 9:46 AM on December 20, 2001

Yeah- comparing the spread to the ebola virus is wrong. Everybody knows the hot disease to be associated with is anthrax!
posted by dogwelder at 9:49 AM on December 20, 2001

My friend Dave Cassel (largely known for his AOL Watch watchdog site, but also an accomplished accomplished journalist and chronicler of net.fads) wrote his 50,000 word novel in the five days before the deadline.
posted by waxpancake at 9:52 AM on December 20, 2001

Actually moz, I love that quote, it's MetaFilter tagline material: MetaFilter - it spreads like literary Ebola
posted by mathowie at 10:01 AM on December 20, 2001

The writer of that article must have been gunning for 50,000 words herself.
posted by davidfg at 10:02 AM on December 20, 2001

I want to be typhoid Mary... rcade can be patient zero.
posted by silusGROK at 10:29 AM on December 20, 2001

I got to page 5 and November 24 and suddenly the article started over again. Anyone else notice this?
posted by witchstone at 10:31 AM on December 20, 2001

Antrhax doesn't spread. It isn't contagious. Ebola is just scary. I'd compare it to mono. Mono's cool.
posted by eyeballkid at 10:56 AM on December 20, 2001

Witchstone, I noticed that too, a bit frustrating, hope they clear that all up.

Interesting article though, poor Chris Baty. I really enjoyed participating, and while I didnt finish, I know I will next year. (sure hope it happens 'officialy' as much as it is official)
posted by dreamling at 11:07 AM on December 20, 2001

Did anybody else find the gratuitous acronyms annoying? Nanos and WriMos both mean absolutely nothing when expanded. Were people the the community built around this thing actually calling themselves by these?
posted by Su at 11:37 AM on December 20, 2001

I signed up to participate in Nanowrimo after seeing it mentioned here, and throughout the month it was obvious that the organizers were struggling with the unexpected number of participants. Chris Baty's updates on the web site, even after they were hacked, were always cheerful and amusing. I'm amazed he was able to stay so positive about everthing.
posted by maurice at 11:44 AM on December 20, 2001

but how does the aticle end?????
posted by rebeccablood at 1:14 PM on December 20, 2001

That's weird, it worked for me before. If I remember well, the article ends with people trying to figure out how to deal with post-NaNoWriMo depression (e.g., someone started NaNoEdMo, Ed being for "editing"); Baty being out $1500 and lacking necessary funds to better prepare for next year; and him giving a speech to NaNoWriMoers (I'm with Su, I hated the "WriMo" abbreviation) about how we should incorporate our creative pursuits into our lives more often.

I'm probably missing something big though, and have woefully twisted it all around....
posted by mattpfeff at 1:33 PM on December 20, 2001

NaNoWriMo should be held in Nanaimo.
posted by Carol Anne at 1:34 PM on December 20, 2001

nope, you get to page 4 and it says "But online the verification debate raqged" and then in cycles back into the beginning of the article again.
posted by rebeccablood at 1:40 PM on December 20, 2001

They've got it fixed in the front pages now but not in the printer-friendly version. I sent them a bug report on it. I hope they fix it because I'd like hard-copy on that.

NaNoWriMo is a bitch to type but it makes a great chant ;)!
posted by realjanetkagan at 6:41 AM on December 22, 2001