Come Write In: Learn, Connect, Grow

Our Come Write In program provides libraries, bookstores, and other neighborhood hubs the resources to build and support a local writing community. We dig through the stacks to bring you our favorite stories; today, Dana Brigandi at the James V. Brown Library shares how NaNoWriMo helped them build a new amazing writing community:

The James V. Brown Library is the first and only public library in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. I think we have the best mission statement: The place to go to learn, connect and grow.

The library regularly features authors who promote their books, talk about their works and the writing process, and other aspects of publishing, such as e-publishing and self-publishing. We try to accommodate authors whenever we can. We recently received a grant from the Sisters in Crime organization and hosted one of their authors and we have a lot of success with Amish romance authors in this area, too.

We began working with NaNoWriMo in 2014. My favorite part of being involved is seeing what everyone is interested in and writing about. 

One local author, Carrie Anne Noble, worked on her book, The Mermaid’s Sister, during NaNo and it was published and named a 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award winner for Young Adult Fiction. She ended up holding her book launch/release party here in March 2015 and it was well attended. 

Our local NaNo group also held their wrap-up party here in December last year so it was a great time to meet the authors from this region.

The NaNo group also was supportive of my efforts during November when I did the bulk of the writing for my recently published nonfiction book. Although I didn’t make the 50,000-word count (my goal and deadline only permitted about half of that), it was nice to know I had company in writing! 

If you’re a library or community center that’s thinking about partnering with NaNoWriMo, just do it! Reach out and become a Come Write In location—what’s the harm in trying? You’ll bring new people into your space and create amazing partnerships. 

If you do decide to host NaNoWriMo events, you can promote your open times via social media (@jamesvbrownlibrary on Tumblr!), press releases in the local newspaper, posters in the library and around town, and via our weekly e-newsletter and printed bi-monthly newsletter. 

And who knows, maybe the next Rainbow Rowell will be among your Wrimos! 

Dana Brigandi has been at the James V. Brown Library since September 2013 as the leadership assistant and the public relations and community partnership coordinator. She has a master’s degree in liberal arts from Lock Haven University and a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida, Tampa. She recently was accepted in the master of library science program at Clarion University so she hopes to become a librarian soon!