I am currently at work, and I'm here to tell you that squishy brain resulting from nano is a real thing. It is a a terrible, horrible disease that takes away all rational reasoning, the ability to function at a higher level than a six year old, and forces you to make so many mistakes you wonder if it's possible that you were ever actually trained.
Rest assured, squishy brain does not translate onto the page.
You may be wondering what I'm talking about. During the month of November, I've found that I spend so much time with my characters and living in their world that when I start to get back to the real one where I live and work in, my brain seems to refuse to concentrate. Which means I end up making mistakes at work that would normally never come up. Or I have to ask my manager to walk me through a process I've done a hundred times or more.
This certainly isn't something that's confined just to me, either. I've been out with friends who have suddenly paused in the middle of a sentence, having no idea what they were just about to say. Or who have said something completely different than they meant.
I've even had people make up words.
In case you're wondering, if anyone asks you what's up, you are allowed to give them the excuse 'It's nano.' While anyone who isn't doing nano might not understand the excuse, anyone who does will give you an instant pass.
There is a cure to this, of course. You may have guessed what it is. The end of November. Once December hits and you can finally sleep a full night without your characters trying to demand that you don't need sleep when their story is obviously more important, you will find yourself moving out of the danger zone for squishy brain. You'll start to function normally and realize that there is a world out there that isn't one you created and your characters live in.
Until, December, however, we have to make do with our not quite up to par squishy brain and hope there isn't too much fallout when we wake up December 1st. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. You may not see it yet (or maybe you just can't seem to name it...) but it's there, I promise. And while you may be thinking that this is not worth it, I promise you, it is.
Because at the end of the month, when your brain is back to normal, you will wake up and have a novel that you've written. Disregard the edits for a minute, and just sit back and relish the fact that you accomplished your goal. That you have words on a page that you can work with. And isn't that worth a little squishy brain?
For the Zombies: No. squishy brain is not a delicacy.
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