8/26 Day Write-a-thon!

On Thursday, August 26, from 12 noon until 8:26PM, we're going to write until our pencils break, our pens run out of ink, our fingers fall off, and our computers crash.

And you? You should join us. From 12 noon until 8:26PM on 8/26 Day, you can come to 826 Valencia and:

Write a story. Or two. Or ten.
Check out the madness as students, 826 volunteers, and
passersby write and write and then write more.
Sponsor a writer by making a donation (at either a per-page
rate or for a set amount) to support their furious, frantic,
and fantastic writing!

Basically, it's going to be the most extraordinary, productive, and glorious eight hours and twenty-six minutes of writing San Francisco has ever seen. It's also a fundraiser. You can sign up in advance and get your friends, family, and your neighbor's hairdresser's dog-sitter's cousin's second-grade teacher to support you. So, go ahead—download the pledge form and get started!

All proceeds will benefit free student programming at 826 Valencia.

Frequently asked questions:

Okay, it sounds great, but what is a "Write-a-thon," anyway?
Here's how it works: On Thursday, August 26, we're going to start writing at 12 noon, and we're not going to stop until 8:26PM. That's a total of eight hours and twenty-six minutes of creative frenzy. It's like a marathon, except you don't have to wear running shoes and short-shorts (although you can if you want to).

Do I have to write for all eight hours and twenty-six minutes?
Nope! The Write-a-thon is organized by page count, not by hours spent writing. You can stay for a two-hour shift, or just pop by, write a haiku, and then move on.

But I want to write for all eight hours and twenty-six minutes! Can I?
Oh, yes please. You're probably going to need a lot of sponsors, though, you ambitious thing!

Wait, why do I need sponsors?
Not only is the 8/26 Day Write-a-thon the most fun thing you'll ever do in your life, it's also a fundraiser. All the proceeds will go to support our free student programming. People pledge money to support and encourage you to meet your writing goal.

All right, I'll do it! How do I sign up to participate?
It couldn't be easier. We encourage you to register in advance by emailing writeathon@826valencia.org, but you can also drop in at the Pirate Store between 12 noon and 8:26PM on Thursday, August 26 and write in the lab.

How do I get people to sponsor me?
Ask your friends, your family, your neighbors, all of their friends, twitter buddies, and your neighbor's hairdresser's dog-sitter's cousin's second-grade teacher to pledge to sponsor your writing. Come up with a page-count goal, and try to get one or more $10 sponsors per page.

What if someone wants to sponsor me by making an online donation?
A-ok with us! Please direct them to http://826valencia.org/helpout/donate/, and tell them to make sure to include your name and that the donation is for the Write-a-thon in the "Additional Information" box.

Oh my goodness! I've raised some money! Now what do I do?
Wow, that's fantastic! Just make sure to bring the donations with you to the Write-a-thon on 8/26 Day.

Do I need to bring my own writing utensils?
We can handle pens, paper, crayons, and pencils but if you're a computer-based writer, it would be a good idea to bring your darling laptop with you. (We have a limited number of desktop computers available.) Typewriters, quills, calligraphy brushes, and clay tablets are, of course, also welcome.

I want to write but I get writer's block all the time. Can you help me?
Can we ever! We're going to have a bottomless treasure chest of prompts to inspire you, should the muse go on a coffee break when you sit down to write. It's not mandatory, of course, just a resource we'll have on hand.

I get hungry when I'm being brilliant. Will you feed me?
You got it, Shakespeare—we'll have light snacks and refreshments on hand. We know you need your brainfood. All that genius business isn't easy.

What's going to happen to all of this writing?
Although this is an 826 Valencia fundraiser, this writing is, of course, totally yours. We'd love to see it, and hopefully be able to share it with our community at some point. If you'd like to give us permission to quote your brilliant writing, we'll have release forms on hand. We're going to save a few slots at our Five-Minute Volunteer Reading Series for some of the incredible writers who participate in the Write-a-thon.

Do I have to share my work with my sponsors?
That's really up to you. It might be nice for them to get an excerpt, or to find out whether you met your page count goal. Since they're donating money on your behalf, we encourage you to send them a thank-you email after the event, and we'll be sure to send some useful information your way to help you with that, too.

Where does the money go?
100% of the proceeds from the Write-a-thon will go to support free student programming at 826 Valencia.

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