• If you can, buy yourself a copy of “No Plot, No Problem” by Chris Baty.  This will enthuse and inspire you in equal measure and contains enough tips to get you through the next 30 days and out the other side.
• Sign up to the website - ideally before day 1 just to beat the net traffic if nothing else.
• Just write.  I know that sounds obvious but the only way you are going to complete this novel is to just keep writing.  50,000 words in 30 days works out to 1667 per day - or around an hour and a half EVERY DAY.  You will not have time to go back and read over what you wrote properly (especially as you will probably want to make changes as you read).  So if you sit down to write and cannot think of what you finished on yesterday, dont worry.  Just start writing anything.  After November is done, you can go back and edit it and make it all fit together properly. Just get it finished first.
• Writers block will come (most likely in the second week).  This will make you question everything you have written and you may be tempted to quit.  this happened to me in 2007 and I got some great advice from my writing buddies Levidice and Tigersong and that helped me get through it. If the block hits, dont panic.  Just sit down and watch tv, any channel or programme.  Then after half an hour, go back and write about what you just watched.  Maybe put it from your characters point of view (if appropriate), maybe just use the emotions you felt while watching and write about them.  As I said above, you can always sort this out in the final edit.  This is essentially a first draft novel, anything goes in this version.
• Try and use days off from work/college wisely.  I always get loads of writing done on weekends.  That boosts my word count so that I can afford to take a day off in the middle of the week.  This suits me as in 2007 I did try writing non-stop and after 2 weeks I had to factor in non-writing days as I was physically shattered.  This year there are 4 and a half weekends and that will really help your wordcount.
• This may be seen as a bit of a cheat but if your character has two names, then use both names while writing him. Yes it will read clunky but remember, you can sort it out after you have finished the novel. Also instead of words like “Isn’t” write “Is not” instead.  You will be gratefull for these wee boosters come the end of the month.
• Tell your partners/significant others/ family that you may not be as available in November as you were in October.  In fact maybe make a point of spending more time with them now.  Plan your non-writing days with them, so that you can go and do something together.  Their support will get you through any tough times but it needs to be a two way thing.  When you complete, go for a meal or a drink or a ghost train ride together (or all three) as a reward for you both.  You will deserve it.
• Think about donating to NaNoWriMo.  This helps the site keep going and hopefully helping more people to write their first novel.
• Finally remember that this is fun.  You may never do anything more with your novel after November, or you may go on to have it published.  Either way it doesn’t matter as what is important is that fact that you have written a book, that didnt exist before.  That is something you should be really proud of.

Hopefully the above will be of some help.  If you do take part this year, please feel free to add me as a writing buddy.  My Username is Lairdofdarkness
Goodbye and Goodluck
I will see you on the other side