Write-a-Thon
for Mutual Aid and Disaster Relief
How it Works
Hi friends. I have a LOT of words to write in the next two months for multiple deadlines, and a whole lot of people need help. I’m combining those two things into my own personal little Write-a-thon for Mutual Aid and Disaster Relief! This is unaffiliated with any other organization or person—just me trying to turn my grief into something helpful for others.
You:
- Pledge to donate a certain amount to one of the listed organizations for every 10,000 words I write between October 2 and November 30—OR make a fixed amount donation up front.
- Donate directly to the organization—I never touch the money.
- Provide your receipt as proof of donation.
- Get entered to win a prize package from me (if you opt-in).
I will:
- Post a thank you graphic to instagram and my website (page to come) with a list of all pledged donors (you can be anonymous).
- Report my word count weekly, with a daily breakdown, also on instagram and my website.
- Report a total donation amount at the end with another finalized thank you list of donors on both instagram and via my newsletter.
- Make a donation of my own to add to the total.
- Randomly select a few opted-in donors to receive their choice of book from my back catalog—or maybe all of you if there are only a few.
I have a (still unannounced!) book due on 11/15, so I anticipate writing around 50,000 words before then, plus whatever I can manage afterward through 11/30 on other deadline projects. I estimate that a donation of $1 per 10,000 words would end up as about $5–6, and $10 per 10,000 words would be about $50–60.
To Pledge:Â
Decide whether you’ll make an upfront donation or a per-10k-words pledge, then please fill out this google form or click below.
At the end of the write-a-thon, I’ll deliver a final word count to pledged donors via email and request a donation receipt.
Supported Mutual Aid Funds & Organizations
Donate to:
Hurricane Helene:
- Mutual Aid Disaster Relief
- Hope Mill, Inc – Helicopters Dropping Relief
- Babies Need Bottoms Diaper Bank
- Donate directly to vetted families impacted by Hurricane Helene
- BeLoved Ashville
- Appalachian Helene Response Fund
- LeadingAgeNC Disaster Recovery Fund
- United Way of Rutherford & Polk Counties
Palestine/Lebanon
- Operation Olive Branch Direct Aid Encampment (Perinatal Project)
- Directly support one of these Operation Olive Branch families with babies and young children that are nearing their funding goal:
- Help Dr Baraa’s Family to rebuild their future
- Fundraiser by Ahmed Matar : Help me and my family escape from Gaza
- Fundraiser for Khalil Alnajjar by Khalil Najjar : Help me to evacuate from Gaza
- Pick an organization from the Mutual Aid tab on the Operation Olive Branch spreadsheet
- International Network for Aid, Relief, and Assistance in Lebanon
- Islamic Relief USA
- Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund
- Middle East Children’s Alliance
Both:
- World Central Kitchen – serving Appalachia, Palestine, and Lebanon
Pledge to the Write-a-thon
If the embedded Google form doesn’t work, click here instead.
FAQ
Q: Can I do this, too?
A: Go for it. This is just me on my own doing this, unaffiliated with anyone else. I’m making this up as I go and maybe messing things up, but as long as donations get to people who need them, that’s all that matters.
Q: Can I suggest another mutual aid organization not listed?
A: Sure, you can run it by me, so long as it benefits either Hurricane Helene victims or Palestine/Lebanon! I can’t guarantee I’ll include it, but I’ll certainly give it a look.Â
Q: Wouldn’t it be better to just send money now?
A: Yes and no. While the immediate need is urgent, funding for organizations tends to fall off the more time passes after the tragedy. By the time this write-a-thon ends, much of the world’s (especially the U.S.’s) attention and funds will have moved on to holiday consumerism, yet funds will still be desperately needed.
Q: Is that your real keyboard in the photo?
A: It is! Writing on a mechanical keyboard with low actuation force switches is a huge help for my hands. I built this keyboard last year and it’s been a game changer. I also recommend a vertical mouse if you’re a writer with hand/wrist pain.
Word Count Updates
I’ll be making weekly updates with my total word count, including a daily breakdown, on instagram starting Monday, 10/7. You can keep up with the words in real time via this spreadsheet.