Q: Amanda, Seattle has the highest word count and funds raised of any NaNoWriMo region for two years running. That is some track record! As Seattle goes for three years in a row, I wonder how it is that the Wrimos there are so exceptionally motivated?
A: Here in Seattle, my Co-ML and I are lucky to wrangle some brilliant and motivated individuals. Our Wrimos also tend to be a very tech-savvy bunch of folks; writing on their Windows Mobile Devices and using voice recognition software to create in the car when stuck in I-5... they are a very creative bunch. Although I can assure you that, no matter Chris Baty's allegations, there are no NaNo-writing Cyborgs in our region. Our Wrimos range in age from elementary schoolers to retired people and we stay very active at write-ins almost every night and on the regional forums.
When we pulled into first place in 2006, we were just that much more motivated to hang on to the lead, causing the lot of us to throttle our muses and dig deep into our pockets for NaNo supremacy. In 2007, every one of us came into NaNo knowing that we had done it once and we could do it again, and that's all it took; we were on top nearly every day of last November. In 2008, we fully intend to three-peat and this year a new and exciting incentive has been added.
STAR TREK: PHOENIX is a fan-driven web and TV series that is being produced here in Seattle. I spoke with the Executive Producer in early September and he has agreed to include the top word generator and the top fund generator in the Seattle region as walk-ons in the pilot episode. In a techie town like this, I figured STAR TREK could be a perfect motivator. The pilot episode will shoot in January, and the winners will be announced at our region-wide TGIO party on December 6th.
We are BOLDLY GOING to be on top again.