A NaNoIsm is a brainfart which is unique to NaNoWriMo. It usually takes the form of a typo or randomly inserted word that your subconscious decides really, really needs to be smack bang in the middle of that sentence. Example: in 2011’s NaNo, the word ‘help’ appeared mid-sentence without me intending to put it there, like some kind of disturbing Freudian slip. But NaNoIsms also come in the form of stupid decisions you could only make under pressure, like “hey, why don’t I have a cameo in my own novel?” (true story). Sometimes NaNoIsms even cross over into real life, like when I completely forgot the word kitten after a night of particularly heavy writing back in 2011, and had to ask someone “where’s the…?” and make a weird gesture.
NaNoIsms, 2014:
Day 2: Damn, I meant to write this thing in the first person.
Day 3: “I can’t think of a name for this damn virus. ShitYourBrainsOut Virus will do for now.”
Day 7: “My virus is still called the ShitYourBrainsOut Virus. I should probably change that.”
Also day 7, this:
Day 29: I have written 6,847 words today. I am eating ice cream for dinner, cackling manically to myself, and singing ‘Let It Go’. I’m not even drinking.
Send help.
Alice Hayes 