This will be my fifth year participating in NaNoWriMo, one of the programs funded by The Office of Letters and Light, and my second year volunteering as a Municipal Liaison, organizing local events. I love that it encourages people of all ages to write, to just let themselves be creative and play with words and have fun. OLL not only promotes literacy, it encourages people to carve out some time for themselves, gives them permission to do something that they want to do, no matter how crazy that something sounds to the rest of the world. And completing the challenge gives such an incredible confidence boost in all areas of life that it really can be life-changing, in a way.

I'm a strong proponent of literacy, and Office of Letters and Light is doing things that I strongly believe in. It encouraged people of all ages, backgrounds, nationalities, and interests to write, and to read. The forums are an incredible source of support and ideas, the updates from the staff are friendly and fun, and doing NaNoWriMo itself is an incredible experience.

For years after I first heard of it, I told myself I was going to do it, and then one year about mid-October I decided that "this is the year" and dove in with both feet (or all 10 fingers). What a rush! And when November was over, I had a novel. And a feeling that I could do anything -- after all, I'd just written a novel in 30 days (while working full time and going to school part time.)

This is the only thing that I actively encourage people to get involved in -- I truly feel that it is worth the effort, and I support it in every way possible.