The Muskoka Novel Marathon is a fundraiser in support of adult literacy initiatives in Muskoka, Ontario. But more than that, it’s an opportunity for writers to come together in a supportive environment and spend an entire uninterrupted weekend writing. Friends are made, stories are shared, and the occasional midnight desk-chair race breaks up the late-night silence.
In 2002, in a small coffee shop in Huntsville, Mel Malton and Martin Avery sat down to write. They were joined by fellow writers Christina Kilbourne and Anne Vaughn-Evans, as well as Cheryl Cooper writing remotely, and the Muskoka Novel Marathon was born. Mel and Martin decided that their efforts should support adult literacy. As of 2011, YMCA Literacy Services (formerly the Muskoka Literacy Council) has been the beneficiary of more than $200,000 in pledges raised by this ever-growing band of writers. Changes have been made over the years as the event has grown, but the consistent thread has remained – writers helping readers. Many thanks to Mel and Martin for this brilliant idea.
Click the links in the menu below About the Marathon to learn more.
Want an inside peek? Watch FLIPBOOK, a short movie from the 2006 Muskoka Novel Marathon: