Introducing Our 2022 Programs Fellow, Riya Cyriac!

We feel super lucky here at NaNo HQ to meet and work with some incredibly talented people. Today, meet our first-ever NaNoWriMo Programs Fellow, Riya Cyriac! Riya is a long-time NaNoWriMo participant and the founder of The Young Writers Initiative. If you join our upcoming Virtual Write-Ins, you’ll be getting to know her better throughout our Camp NaNoWriMo sessions, but today she’s here to tell you a little bit about herself:

In elementary school, I was married to my little notebook, in which I would scribble down a string of words that slightly resembled a sentence. I refused to divorce my little notebook for the shinier, more logical computer until 8th grade. By making this transition, I found the glory of the online writing community. I also found out about NaNoWriMo.

I watched from the sidelines for years. 50,000 words seemed daunting, not because I was incapable, but because the fear of failure was overwhelming. Then finally, a young, 15-year-old version of myself sat nervously in front of her computer, creating her first NaNoWriMo account.

While I can’t say that I’ve actually written 50,000 words in the month of November, I can proudly say that I’ve tried. Sure, I may have bent some rules here and there, but I believe the essence of NaNoWriMo is to do the best you can and then some. To me, NaNoWriMo, and writing, are about consistency, discipline, and challenging yourself. But NaNo means something different to everyone, and that’s what makes it so beautiful and universal. There is no “failing” NaNoWriMo as long as you started. After all, every novel starts off as nothing but an empty page and an idea.

I’m excited to be NaNo’s first Programs Fellow, and through my work, I hope to help inspire fellow Wrimos (especially young Wrimos) to write their stories and challenge themselves. Outside of NaNo, I’m the Executive Director of The Young Writers Initiative, where we provide free resources, education, and services to young writers all over the world. I’m also a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin studying Business, Plan II Honors, and International Relations. This year, I’ll try NaNo again. I can’t promise that I won’t break any rules, but I do promise to push myself, and I hope you’ll join me!

Riya Cyriac is a student at The University of Texas at Austin who is joining NaNoWriMo as a Program fellow this spring and summer. She believes that anyone can write, and has a particular passion for encouraging and supporting young writers. She is the Executive Director of The Young Writers Initiative and is excited to continue empowering writers through her work with NaNoWriMo.