For those of us who have tried our hands at it in the past, Halloween is not just All Hallow's Eve anymore. Now it's also Nanowrimo Eve. Thus far, National Novel Writing Month has been a technical failure for me. I've never come close to the 100,000 50,000 word goal. When I free myself to write unencumbered, I write stuff I can't even stand to look at, let alone re-write. No, I've had to accept the fact that I'm a slow writer (you know... assuming I'm a writer at all).

But Nanowrimo can still be useful to me. Mostly as a motivational tool. Afterall the novel that I'm currently working got it's first chapter written during last year's Nanowrimo. Even though that's about as far as it went until a couple months ago when I picked it up again. It's also nice to know that there are lots of others of you going through something like what I am.

So I'm been trying to figure out what use I'm going to make of Nanowrimo this time around. And I think I've got it. I'm going to try to stop writing exclusively at the bar, which is the pattern I've fallen into lately. I'm not really all that worried about becoming a drunk or the few extra pounds I've put on from the beer-induced writing. But I am worried about becoming superstitious. I should be disciplined enough to write at home (despite lots of potential electronic distractions). And I may have enough confidence going (we'll see) to write without dulling my self-hatred with booze first.

So, that's my plan for Nanowrimo. I'm going to keep up my current output while trying to break my pattern.

So, Happy Nanoween, everybody, and to those of you making the noble effort, best of luck!