The Power of Stories in the Face of Disaster

Earlier this year, parts of California were decimated by devastating fires. NaNoWriMo HQ is located in Berkeley, CA, so we’ve experienced some of the fallout from these disasters, and our hearts go out to those whose lives have been claimed or changed by the them. Today, writer Matt Forbes, one of the survivors of the Camp Fire that leveled Paradise, CA, shares how he’s using writing to help regain some hope in the aftermath of the fire :

There’s something to be said about the power of stories. Over 25,000 people in Paradise, CA and surrounding areas share a terrible story of loss. On the morning of 8 November 2018, the Camp Fire started in the valley behind the local hospital, and by that same night the entire town was engulfed in flames. Over the course of one day, their stories changed forever to one marred by a devastating loss. People ran from their homes with nothing and some still couldn’t escape.

I won’t reiterate statistics here, but you can look them up online if you’re in the mood for shock and depression. Still, many were unharmed—physically—by the fire, escaping with their lives and families. I’m one of those people, but I refuse to be defined by the ashes of my home or to let that be the fate of so many others without some kind of fight. But I am armed with naught but a pen. Here is my plan to challenge this disaster:

1. Purpose

I’m not anybody special, but everyone deserves to know it doesn’t take Someone Special to do something grand. I’m a writer through and through, so I asked myself, “What unique skill can I bring to fight this catastrophe?” The answer was obvious: I would write. But how can writing help the survivors—my friends, family, and townspeople? It would have to be something grand. Something wild.

2. Pledge

NaNoWriMo is big. If you’re a writer who’s participated in it, you might understand that all too well—the way it made you whole. So what can be bigger for an aspiring writer than 50,000 words in a month? Of course! 50,000 words a month for an entire year. That’s 600,000 words, which is about what it takes to read Harry Potter from book one to the middle of book five or the length of the Hunger Games trilogy from start to finish, twice. This is a Year of Writing Months. The kind of madness only writers, savants, and fire victims have the fortitude to endure. This is what I will do, and I invite anyone daring enough to join me to come along. The progress of this endeavor will be something you can follow for inspiration and support, as shown by the…

3. Plea

The point of this struggle is to draw awareness to the Camp Fire and its victims. Follow along at https://nanowrimo.org/forum_comments/8052319 to see the progress, talk about your own struggles, and find support from other victims and sympathizers. As the year goes by, I hope that others will find it to help themselves and others. Stories heal and stories rally. Relief efforts have already started rising up in the wake of the Camp Fire—opposition to its destruction—and a few can be found in the thread mentioned above. But aid comes in all shapes and sizes, not just donations. If you know someone affected by the fire, reach out to them. If you know a firefighter or first responder, thank them for their service and bravery. People need clothes, blankets, and housing, but they also need encouragement and love. Reach out, no matter how large or small a way you can.

The town of Paradise is gone. Homes are gone. Lives are gone. But people become strong when faced with adversity, and this story doesn’t have to be the last one we tell. Even if you don’t reach out to the Camp Fire victims, there are always others in need. As climates shift, disasters will continue to crop up around the globe, and only we—the people—have the power to save one another. A revolution can start with something as simple as a single story. Some say the pen is mightier than the sword. Today—and this year—I hope it will be mightier than the fire.

Matt Forbes is a strong believer in the powers of friendship, courage, and storytelling as a means to overcome. He goes by his full name—Matt Forbes—and grew up playing D&D with friends that became lifelong. As a full-time DM of many years, storytelling turned into writing and became his passion. Finding NaNoWriMo in 2011, he started his journey figuring out how to challenge the struggle that ensues while following the strange and novel path of the writer. 

Top image licensed under Creative Commons from Pacific Southwest Region 5 on Flickr.