I'm very picky about what type of horror I like to read. It either has to edge on towards dark fantasy or be Lovecraftian in aesthetic. And when I start planning a Nanowrimo novel, I always intend to inject something Lovecraftian into the plot. I mostly fail at writing the story dark or bleak enough--I figure it's either because the story line doesn't lend itself to that easily or my style is just a shade too upbeat.
Last year, I actually managed to insert part of the mythos into my story. In a way, it was easy because my main characters were grimoires. But in the end, the main message wasn't at all about the futility of life and the existence of cosmic eldritch horrors.
This year, I'm going to try again. I guess that's why I keep coming back to Nano even when others in the same situation would think it old hat and pointless by now. I don't give up easily. And I'm not often satisfied with the ideas that I come up with.
Musings about this year's story: As I'm typing this, I'm thinking about turning what at first seems like more of a comedic device (i.e. dwarven pick-up lines) into something more sinister. Maybe something combining the lines of the 10 Gnomes series by Pastel Games and the Lovecraftian trope of half-breed monsters (which will fit well with one of my themes examining the social implications of genetic engineering).
