“There will always be a reason why you cannot finish your project. Now go ahead and list all the reasons you not only can, but you most definitely will.”
She holds a BA in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. Acevedo has been a fellow of Cave Canem, Cantomundo, and a participant in the Callaloo Writer’s Workshops. She is a National Poetry Slam Champion, and resides in Washington, DC with her love.
Read Elizabeth’s full pep talk here.
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“For now, your task is to create a first draft. Or in other words, to make a glorious, beautiful, breathtaking mess.”
—Charlie Jane Anders’ latest novel is The City in the Middle of the Night. She’s also the author of All the Birds in the Sky, which won the Nebula, Crawford and Locus awards, and Choir Boy, which won a Lambda Literary Award. Her short fiction has appeared in Tor.com, Boston Review, Tin House, Conjunctions, the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Wired Magazine, Slate, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Lightspeed, ZYZZYVA, Catamaran Literary Review, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency and tons of anthologies. Her story “Six Months, Three Days” won a Hugo Award, and her story “Don’t Press Charges And I Won’t Sue” won a Theodore Sturgeon Award.Charlie Jane also organizes the monthly Writers With Drinks reading series, and co-hosts the podcast Our Opinions Are Correct with Annalee Newitz.
Meet Our New NaNo Interns: Sandra, Chyina, and Fatima!
We feel super lucky here at NaNo HQ to be able to work with some excellent interns! Today, meet our newest cohort of interns: Sandra, Chyina, and Fatima. You’ll be getting to know them better throughout November, but today they’re here to tell you a little about themselves:
Sandra, Programs Intern
Hi Wrimos—it’s going to be a weird one this year! I type this introduction from the brick buildings of Providence, Rhode Island, where I remain holed up with my housemates. Our walls are thin enough that we can hear each other as we attend our respective classes; we emerge for sustenance and, occasionally, the craven desire for friendship, which would be typical for college students if it weren’t for the ever-present pandemic looming over our heads.Â
Last night, I woke up shivering because of an unaccountable cold snap, when it’s usually sweltering in Rhode Island until late September. Meanwhile my family in California wake up to red skies and temperatures well into the 100s. I haven’t felt this unsure about my future since I was eight and learned that someday, the sun would swell into a red giant and vaporize our planet, and in such chaos, I find myself exceedingly grateful for the regular annual event of NaNoWriMo.
This NaNoWriMo, I’m looking forward to seeing all the wonderful ways our community can reach across the web to connect! Already, in the YWP forums I’ve seen so many ways young writers are supporting each other in these times of stress; who’s to say us ancient ones can’t equally rise to the occasion? Right now, the constant in my life is looking for the kinder moments in life, the neighbors helping each other, the small acts of solidarity and compassion in even just a pal reaching out to check on me. I anticipate many of those moments emerging this November, as writer alike helps each other to the finish line.Â
I said it would be a weird one this year, but weird is good, I’ve found. Weird is memorable—in the long and storied history of NaNoWriMo, this year will truly stand out as a novel-ty (hah). As this year’s Program Intern, I hope this introduction has already told you what you need to know about me: I love this community, and my entire role is devoted to cheering you all on. It’s a selfish wish too—I’ll be alongside the rest of you, trucking along with a garbled mess of a novel, and feeding off the communal energy.Â
Anyone who undertakes the creative behemoth of NaNoWriMo in these times has already won, in my humble opinion, as creators and authors of tales waiting to be told. Looking forward to the next few months!
Chyina, Editorial Intern
Picture a young girl reading the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe. Fast forward a few years and she has discovered that the only thing she wants to do is work with words: reading them, writing them, editing them, or making them up. Now, imagine a year of pure chaos and craziness.
You may have guessed that the girl is me and that the year is 2020. Well, as ridiculous as this year has been, it did give me the opportunity to work with NaNoWriMo as an intern. I have been participating since I was in high school and when I found out that they were looking for remote interns for the first time ever, I had to apply. And I cannot wait to begin working as the Editorial Intern this fall.
For the curious minds who may want to know more about who I am, my favorite book is The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa, a book I discovered when I participated in DisQuiet, an international literary program. It’s a book the author calls his “factless autobiography” and has a timeless quality I aspire to have in my own work. I try to find inspiration in the little things, like the leaf floating through the air or why that one book in your library smells like gasoline.Â
I also am the cofounder of the Women of Color Writers’ Circle, which is an international group dedicated to showcasing and nurturing the voices of women of color. I haven’t thought of a solid NaNo project yet, but I have dozens of ideas floating in my head.Â
Thanks for having me! I can’t wait to get started working with all my fellow word nerds.
Fatima, Tech Intern
Hey y’all!
My name is Fatima and I am super excited to be joining this amazing community as your fall tech intern. I am currently a junior at Cornell University majoring in Information Science and Sociology. I am studying remotely from Illinois this year, which means I am always a mess and in fear of missing a meeting. My classes are on Eastern Standard Time, this internship is on Pacific Standard Time, but I am living in Central Standard Time. Time zones are beating me up. (Fun fact: I learned about the existence of Mountain Standard Time at my first NaNoWriMo HQ meeting a few weeks ago)
I am passionate about racial and gender equity in tech and the intersections of the humanities with technology. On campus, I’m trying to start a Digital Humanities club and am involved in many womxn of color organizations. A few personal projects of mine currently are getting my email inbox down to 0 (last week it was 5,035, today it’s 3,454--progress!), finishing the Couch to 5K challenge (I'm on week 5), and finding out who Mary Alice really is on Desperate Housewives.
I say that I’ve been a Wrimo since I was 12, but I’ve only fully participated one year. I’ve tried to do different takes on the challenge like writing in my journal every day (very relaxing, definitely recommend) and writing a short story every day (was really hard to come up with new ideas and sadly I burnt out quickly). I also enjoy watching NaNoWriMo prep videos and vlogs on YouTube, introducing friends to NaNoWriMo, and following writing inspiration accounts on Instagram and Pinterest. I definitely talk about writing and call myself a writer more than I actually write but that will all change this November (hopefully)!
Catch You On the Flip Side: Farewell from 2020 Interns Sandra and Chyina
We’re always sad to see our interns go—and they’re often sad to leave us! We’re wishing our talented interns farewell for now as they leave these roles, but we’re comforted by the fact that they’ll still be around as participants and forever members of the NaNoWriMo family. Here’s some reflection from fantastic Fall 2020 Interns Sandra and Chyina:
Sandra Moore, Programs Intern
It’s December! NaNoWriMo 2020 has been over for a little over two weeks, and somehow, it feels like both yesterday and an eternity ago. In an official capacity, I haven’t been with NaNoWriMo for very long, but as my time with the organization draws to a close, I inevitably find myself thinking about the beginning. Not three months ago, when I got the news that I would be working for them—but ten years ago, when my sister looked over at me, frantically scribbling away on my latest masterpiece, and asked, “Have you heard of NaNoWriMo?”
I don’t think either of us realized how important NaNoWriMo would become to my writerly experience. Over the years, the people behind NaNoWriMo carried a certain mythos in my head. They were a sort of shadowy league of novelists, empowering others to write 50k every November. I remember reading as a wee middle-schooler about how the first NaNoWriMo staff got carpal tunnel from signing people up, and, as such, were unable to participate in NaNoWriMo.Â
“That’s hardcore,” I said, and resolved to give myself carpal tunnel. (No, I have not yet succeeded, and have realized since that it’s a terrible goal.)Â
And the people on the staff ten years later prove to be every bit as hardcore as I imagined. But not in the damage-your-wrists kind of way (so far), but in the resilient way, the one that keeps an organization running when it seems like every obstacle is in its way. I can’t think of a better staff to have experienced the election with, to have worked with during COVID, to run around trying to murder each other in viral sensation Among Us. Yes, they are not perfect. But every time they made a mistake, they used it to move forward, to ask themselves, How can we be better as an organization?Â
How can we be better as an organization? How can we be better as staff, as writers, as people? Ten years of NaNoWriMo means that I’ve convinced quite a few people to try it and I always tell them it’s critical to be passionate about their NaNoWriMo novel. Working behind the scenes, however, has shown me how important it is that passion comes from both ends. The reason NaNoWriMo feels special, the reason I keep coming back to it, is because of how much its staff cares about the organization. So long as that stays the same, I can’t see NaNoWriMo going anywhere but up.Â
I didn’t win NaNoWriMo this year, but that’s okay! I’ll be back next year, back on the regular Wrimo side. I’ll see you all there.
Sandra first learned of NaNoWriMo in 2010 and has completed many first drafts since. (She does not speak of the earlier ones.) When she’s not writing, she reads a lot of LGBT science fiction, watches animated shows/movies, and thinks about food. All the time. She loves food, so, so much.
Chyina Powell, Editorial Intern
When I was asked to write a farewell post to end my internship with National Novel Writing Month, the first thing I thought was, “I don’t want to.” And I thought this for two reasons:
I didn’t want the internship to end.
I had no idea what to write!
That being said, I decided to just jot down some of the things that came to mind, like how I came to work with NaNoWriMo this fall and the cool things I was able to experience because of it.
2020 has been a very weird year for everyone, but in the mess and mayhem, there have also been opportunities. This was the first time EVER that NaNoWriMo decided to hire remote interns and that meant that I could apply to work with an organization I had been a part of for years! And oddly enough, I was chosen to become the Editorial Intern. Perhaps it was due to my love of showtunes or overall weirdness, but whatever the case may be, I was able to work with some really amazing people. Not only the other staff and interns, but with the participants and guests as well.Â
It was truly amazing to see just how creative and imaginative each and every NaNo and YWP participant was throughout the fall. Reading some of the forum posts, soliciting blog posts reminded me of just how important community is to writers. Participants bouncing ideas off of each other, congratulating each other for meeting word count goals and being chosen for 30 Covers, 30 Days, encouraging each other when things don’t work out the way they planned.Â
I was also privileged to see what happens behind the scenes, how one small team can make November memorable for people all over the world. Everyone who has a hand in making NaNoWriMo what it is, from the staff to the interns to the MLs and forum moderators are spectacular people. They made this internship experience feel comfortable and welcoming. And even though I am on the other side of the country from the other staffers, I didn’t feel like I was left out of anything. In fact, the staff (at least in my opinion) made sure that we interns felt like we were a part of the team, asking our opinion and giving us the opportunity to work on really cool projects.
So, I would like to thank everyone from the participants to the staff to everyone who partnered with NaNoWriMo this year, during a global pandemic, for making this one of the best internships I have ever had and reminding me just how fun writing can be when you have people there supporting you every step of the way.Â
And for those of you who never would’ve imagined that an opportunity could have risen out of such a dismal year, I urge you to see the bright side of things. Before this pandemic, I never could have imagined working with NaNoWriMo (I had no inclination whatsoever to move to California) but look at me now! Remember that no matter what, you can turn a bad situation into something positive, something magnificent. And maybe it’ll be you I watch next fall in a Virtual Write-In!
This was a great opportunity and I loved every minute of it. And with that, I say farewell (although I would prefer not to!)
Chyina Powell is an editor and writer who loves speculative fiction and suspense. She is a published writer who has participated in NaNoWriMo for seven years! Additionally, she is the Co-Founder of the Women of Color Writers’ Circle and an active member of Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honors Society. Follow her on Instagram or add her as a NaNo buddy! She is always looking for more bookish friends!Â
Check out this Fantasy title by YWP Participant Will Maynard! This cover was designed by NaNoWriMo’s very own Programs Intern, Sandra Moore!
The One Who Falters
If somebody had told Ted that taking home three stray puppies would end in so much chaos and confusion, not to mention deadly situations, he probably wouldn't have done it. And he definitely wouldn't have kept that amulet that suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
But, as is the way of the world, no guardian angel came to warn him, nor did he have any flashes of the future that prevented him from blissfully sauntering into the trap that powers mightier than gods had set for their enemy. And thus, fate runs its course. Â
About The Author
This young author wanted to stay anonymous but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate this awesome novel!
About The Designer
Sandra is a NaNoWriMo participant herself who always admired the 30C30D initiative and is beyond thrilled to be included! When she's not found reading speculative fiction or giving herself carpal tunnel through frantic writing, she's taekwondo-ing or designing.
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Sandra and sandy
I thought these two names fit together well so I decided to make something out of it. I like the idea of a sand elemental and a chinchilla so I utilised this xD.
Sandra is the elemental master of sand, obviously. She has an obsession with animals and keeps a few at home. Her family is quite rich which is why she lives in a warm, sandy coast. She has a chinchilla, a few scorpions, tarantulas and a pet fennec fox.
I miss you vaguely, strangely,
as if you were the sky in Montreal.
I look up and I see what looks like
the image of you. It is part of you,
an extension, a memory, maybe. It’s
not the same and we both know it.
I would go back and see you
if I could. I will one day.
I think we have grown apart
because, these days, I am unable to
see you as anything other
than a metaphor. I miss you
strongly, impulsively, before
I go inside, and before I go to sleep.
It rains in my dreams, sometimes,
in the place where
you never appear anymore
and nothing ever stays the same.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR // Joanna Cleary is currently attending the University of Waterloo (that’s in Canada, eh). Her poetry has previously appeared in Cicada Magazine, Inklette, and Glass Kite Anthology. She also recently became a Poetry Reader for Inklette Magazine. When she is not writing, she can be found reading, eating various forms of chocolate, and, of course, thinking about writing.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR // Sandra Moore is Burmese and spends half of her life on the computer watching TV shows. However, she channels all that unspent energy into art and is an illustrator/writer for her school newspaper. Her greatest passions include, but are not limited to, reading webcomics, arguing that Elementary is superior to a certain BBC show, drawing dragons, and getting ridiculously emotional over fictional characters.Â
