The following year, I planned out the story in much more detail. I suspect I still wasted a lot of time maintaining my notes and outline. I have won every NaNoWriMo since. I still enjoy writing the occasional scene without any plans than what I'm dreaming up. When it comes to writing a novel, I need to plot. This is where Scrivener came in for me.
Scrivener is a word processing application made for writers, currently available for Mac OS and Windows platforms. It allows you to create folders and files, which represent chapters and scenes. The software offers 3 views: Document, Corkboard, and Outline. Corkboard is where I hang out when plotting. It is a plotters dream.