My Nonprofit Reviews
Victoria B.
Review for National Novel Writing Month, Berkeley, CA, USA
I have never been a part of something so encouraging. My whole life I have dreamed of being a writer, but my confidence in... well, everything! was shot. I didn't believe I could ever finish anytrhing, written or otherwise. My first year, of NaNoWriMo, I didn't even win, but I felt a burning determination that I could win next year. In 2010, I did.
It... it's a challenge unlike anything I've ever done before, and non-nanoers don't seem to understand why I bother with a competition where everyone can win and you don't get a prize. But it builds you up and makes you believe in yourself. It's energizing.
Throughout the year until the next November, The OLL team don't leave us hanging. The put on other challenges but more than anything, they continue to be encouraging. We regularly recieve emails and notices letting us know about fun competitions we might be interested in, and encouraging us in our writing.
And the forums they have created are left open to us all year round, which in an invaluable gift, to be able to meet and talk to people who actually understand what you're going through. Writing can be so lonely and hard, but the NaNoWriMo program that OLL puts on changes all that.
I don't mean to gush, but I am really, genuinely grateful for OLL and what they have helped me achieve and the people they have helped me meet.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
2009, when my faith in writing was restored by achieving 25,000 words in a month, which is half what I achieved the next and half the set target.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Have a second official NaNo in the summer months so that my friends with Seasonal Affective Disorder could feel empowered to do it. For this, I think they need a LOT more funding.
