It is not often, anymore that I decide to write a post complaining about something. It is even more rare for me to write one on the heels of another, which looked forward to that very thing. But this is one of those. Have to.
Before I dig in to it, I think I should explain a bit about me that you may not know. Normally I don’t explain myself too much, But in this case it will contextualize the kvetching I’m about to do, and maybe keep me from sound like a total asshole. (Here’s hopin’)
Although I am a writer of fiction, I did not emerge into the world with a quill in my hand looking for a flat surface. I, as most folk, wandered around and explored many different things. Juggling, cock fighting, drinking, and many avenues of possible career paths. I have studied marketing, and graphic design, web design, coding, etc.
What does all that have to do with anything? Just setting the stage. I intend to rant, without footnotes, and I wanted you to at least surmise that I might have the chops to back it up.
And I don’t mean this next statement as a slight against you personally, you are obviously an above average individual to have read this far. Given that, I feel comfortable talking frankly to you. So any time I refer to ‘people’ or ‘they’ or ‘you’ I don’t mean you personally. I mean ‘other people”
(A look of disdain plays across his elderly yet still strangely attractive features. He pulls a long puff of lavender smoke from his long clay pipe and exhales a huge cloud, as he leans in and begins to speak. As his resonant voice fills the chamber, the passing elves stop in their tracks, and listen intently. It is rare to hear one of the elders speak. And more often than not, it is worth the time.)
So I went to Nano’s website. and it’s all mashugana.
Last year I had a semi pleasant experience. I got the word count finished and thought the whole event was enjoyable.
Knowing, now, what to expect, I looked forward to getting back to it this year. I figured it would be more fun, because it was familiar. And since I always work to improve as a writer, what I do this year will be better than what did last year.
Right?
Well… no.
Some genius in marketing or in the ‘change things because we can’ department had the whole fucking site restructured. And I can’t fucking stand it.
At first I thought they had just visually spruced it up. Things were in different places, graphics changed, that sort of thing. I took a while to figure out where things were, now. I figured I would quickly have it up and dancing as before.
…
No.
They didn’t just change the look and feel. They changed the functionality of everything. And not for the better.
Last year, and years prior, it had a feel of legitimacy to it. It truly helped one to feel like one was participating in something significant. This is no longer the case.
Now it feels like it’s a site for retards to come and play like they’re writers. Fuck them.
I will not be participating in NaNo this year.
It is likely that I will never participate in it again. It is also likely that I will never tell any one about it. (That is, as a recommendation) As far as I am concerned there is no NaNoWriMo anymore.
It’s sad. Because to me it was sort of a mountain that was waiting for me to climb it. It took me a few years to get up it. And then once I finally did, and excitedly anticipated doing it again, they tore down the real mountain and put up a plastic toy, kiddy-ride instead.
I am very sad. Not angry. Sad.
Normally I put words of encouragement at the end of my posts. But I am in mourning. Yet another once-nice thing has been destroyed by greed and asshole-ism.
It’s not the first thing to fall. and it won’t be anywhere near the last.
It’s still sad.
PS-I normally don’t credit the source of the image, but in this case I really love it. So here is the attribution, links and all. Image by lisa runnels from Pixabay