Chris Baty is stepping down as executive director of the Office of Letters and Light, the parent nonprofit organization behind NaNoWriMo and Script Frenzy, in January 2012 to pursue writing full-time. Thank you for everything you’ve done for NaNo, Script Frenzy, and OLL. Your idea to write a book in a month and its fun approach changed so many lives, inspired so many stories that wouldn’t have been written otherwise, and created a lively community of writers that goes far beyond the forums in touching lives. Your sense of humor and enthusiasm made people laugh during Week Two blues and influenced the humor behind OLL. The pep talks gave us the extra boost we needed to get ahead in our novels, along with the extra laugh and guilt monkeys. Your spirit animal guidance last year during last year’s NaNo made me more in touch with the lionfish than ever before; it also made my friends jealous that I got such a cool spirit animal. Your comforting voice on the podcast in previous years and acting on NaNoVideo gave us laughs and motivation. Your consistent catching up to finish NaNo gave Wrimos all over the world hope that they too could come from behind and win.
OLL’s programs are life-changers, and they’ve changed many lives, including mine. You played a huge role in that. I wish you the best, Chris, and you better let us know when something’s coming out so I can get my hands on a copy. I’ll see you in November at the Night of Writing Dangerously.