Working with Deadlines

As you probably know, this month is NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month, for those of you who don't know. Every year, hundreds of thousands of insane, sleep-deprived writers (myself included) attempt to write a 50,000-word draft in just the month of November.

A very good question which might've just popped into your head is:Why? Why would someone write so much so quickly? Why put so much stress on yourself?

My answer is one which I'm sure a lot of WriMos share: NaNo is fun, sure, but I need to work with a deadline.

I'm a procrastinator by nature. I love to invent stories, but writing can be a tough task when I'm struggling with translating my ideas into words. So, when I'm drafting, I need to be able to really chart my progress - and to set strict goals for myself. Otherwise, I'll never get a job done fully, because I won't devote the necessary time and energy to the task. As fun as writing can be, I always find myself needing that extra push.

I love NaNo because it perfectly meets my needs. First, it forces me to write those 50,000 words - otherwise, I don't win the challenge. (Winning is a big incentive for me.) It lets a writer check her daily progress, too, on a line graph, and has forums so writers can give and gain advice on plots, character names, and more. Plus, each writer can select his or her region, and meet up with other WriMos in the area.

Do you find it necessary to work with deadlines? Ever tried NaNoWrimo, or want to in the future?