Happy Halloween, squiders! I’ve been listening to Spooky, Scary Skeletons on repeat because it’s my favorite spooky song.
With October ending (sad), normally at this time of year we’d at least talk about the possibility of doing NaNoWriMo, but with the recent scandals I, like, many people, have decided to distance myself from the organization.
I assume they’re going forward business-as-usual, but I unsubscribed everywhere and don’t know. But part of me very much wants to peek, not unlike looking at the social media of an ex in the hopes that they’re unhappy.
(So far I have not.)
If you’ve been around the blog for a hot minute, you’ll know I had been doing Nano forever, having started back in 2003 when there were approximately 5000 of us total. And that when I lived in the Bay Area, I used to volunteer and help pack merch before the organization got big and they hired other people/companies to do that. And poor Chris. It’s got to be hard to watch something you invented get big and then go down in horrible flames.
My local Nano group has gone independent, like many, and they’re holding a kickoff party tonight, like they always do. They’re offered alternative programs for tracking word count and whatnot, which I’ve not had a chance to look at yet, but should just because it’s always good to find tools that will help your process.
I often go to the kickoff party even if I’m not doing Nano, just because I like the fellowship and I used to collect the Nano stickers each year. But I’m torn this year. It really is like breaking up from a longterm relationship. I had done Nano for so long, and I met so many of my writing friends during the event.
But I can’t decide if I should go tonight. I’m not going to attempt a Nano-like challenge, partly because of my personal baggage, and partially because I have to get these submission materials done. Is it worth it to go? Will people want to commiserate? Will it be weird, with people pretending everything is fine?
I checked the sign up, and only 11 people are currently signed up. Not sure how it normally goes. Maybe everyone decides last minute. Maybe a bunch of people come without signing up.
I should decide, though, and let them know if I’m going to come. But I really can’t decide what the right choice is.
What do you think, squiders?
