Why do you do NaNoWriMo? What benefits have you gotten from your participation?

It’s a great way to kick your writing into gear.  You don’t have any excuses during this.  You just write.  And really, isn’t that what being a writer is all about?  The forums are also a good way to meet other writers, and the in person write-ins are a blast as well.

How did you keep yourself inspired and motivated during NaNoWriMo?

It can be tough, but talking with people doing NaNo as well can definitely help.  Also, my drive to actually become a novelist propelled me along.

What sort of planning, if any, are you doing this year before you start writing?

I’m doing more planning this year than in any other.  I’m working on the plot and characters and I’ll have that all printed out and placed in a binder once November first rolls around.  I’m hoping that this will help keep my story on track so I have something salable at the end of the month.  I may even have an outline.  Then, all I’ll have to do is write.

What are some of the tools you use to keep yourself organized and on-track during NaNoWriMo? How do you use them?

The website has good counters to help you track your word count.  In the past, I even had an excel spreadsheet that tracked how many words I wrote each day and had nice graphs.  I’m not sure what I’m doing this year, but I really did like that spreadsheet.  I may go back to it.

How do you manage your time during NaNoWriMo to make time for writing?

I set daily word goals.  It doesn’t matter how long I take, I need to meet that goal.  And honestly, if you can’t even take a half hour out of your day to write, then maybe this isn’t for you.

What advice do you have for other writers doing NaNoWriMo for the first time?

Don’t worry about whether what you’re writing is good.  The whole point is to push through any blocks and just write.  Don’t go back and edit or fix paragraphs because it’ll just slow you down.  Instead, wait until you are completely done with the first draft before you start perfecting the story.