Stick to the plot.  Or at least stick to your idea of the plot.  If the paved road leads to a dirt road that leads to a goat track that fizzles out to vast grasslands, you may be so far away from your plot that you can’t find your way back. It happens.  While some writers find that wandering off their outline can lead to creative discoveries, it can also have detriments, especially during the fast-paced challenge of NaNoWriMo. Here are three potential drawbacks:

1. Loss of Focus and Time: NaNoWriMo has that strict daily word count goal minimum, and wandering off your outline can lead to writing tangents that don’t contribute to your story’s progression. This can result in a loss of precious time and energy that could be better spent advancing the plot or developing characters.  And you have a plot drift happen, where the story meanders away from its core conflict and central narrative arc. This can confuse both you as the writer and your readers, as the story’s direction becomes less clear.  During editing later, tangents you went on during the drafting phase may need to be addressed and potentially removed. Readers can also be affected becoming frustrated if they feel the narrative is veering off course or if they’re not seeing progress in the main storyline.  Have you, as a reader, ever skipped parts in a book to get back to the “good stuff”?  As a writer, you want to strike a balance between creativity and staying on track with your main plot.  If you find you’ve lost yourself on a dirt path, take steps to refocus on your primary narrative goals road.
2. Inconsistent Plot Development: Straying too far from your outline can lead to inconsistencies in your plot. You might introduce subplots or characters that don’t align with your original vision, causing confusion and making it challenging to tie up loose ends later. This can lead to a messy and disjointed narrative.  Think of quality and the reader.  A reader may find it difficult to follow the story’s progression and it can disrupt their immersion in the fictional world.  Or you can have characters with inconsistent character behavior.  I watched a music video once that described Filipinos who think forks are only decoration because everyone in the Philippines eats with their hands.  But the ending scene had the main character eating with a fork.  It still bothers me.  Inconsistencies also create significant challenges during the editing and revision process. Readers who encounter these things may leave negative reviews or feedback.
3. Writer’s Block and Frustration: If you wander too much without a clear direction, you may find yourself facing writer’s block or feeling frustrated. This can occur when you’re unsure of where your story is heading or how to resolve the plot threads you’ve introduced. Writer’s block can be particularly discouraging during NaNoWriMo when time is of the essence.  You end up losing word count, having increased stress, loss of motivation, self-doubt about your writing abilities, and risk of burnout when the pressure to produce a large volume of words daily can be mentally and physically exhausting.  Or you may not complete your novel during NaNoWriMo and never finish it.