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:

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:

Palestine/Lebanon

Threads of Peace: Aid for 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:

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.

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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.

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’m making weekly updates with my total word count on instagram, usually on Wednesdays. You can keep up with the words in real time via this spreadsheet.

Write-a-Thon

for Mutual Aid and Disaster Relief