Friday, August 24, 2012

The Star System

I've decided to take up my friend Jillian's star system with regard to my writing. It's nothing innovative mind you. It's the same system that's been used for decades in the school system to commend children for doing their homework or for a job well done, perhaps with some kind of incentive.

So a couple weeks ago, Jillian showed me her star chart she keeps for writing. She gives different colored stars for how much she wrote for that day. No star means no writing. An asteric means the day job kept her from writing.

I hadn't written for about three weeks until she showed me that chart, so I decided I needed to do something to motivate me. That on top of my BF's Be, Do, Have inspiration got me writing again. I started Monday.

As you can see from the picture, I missed a day this week. So now every time I open my calendar, which is often, that glaring white space is staring at me. I don't like that. I get a bigger star for a bigger writing day. Small for 0-10 pages. Middle for over 10 pages. Large for a finished project.

I'm trying to think of an incentive for when I finish a project. Definitely not food. I'd like to not spend money, but I am thinking a massage or pedicure. Maybe just a nothing day where I don't clean, cook, I just do whatever I want.

Do you have an incentive program to keep you on task with your writing? If so, what is it?

7 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great system! My incentive program is a day of relaxation when I write substantially. I can read, go for a horseback ride, or buy something small. For finishing my current WIP last week, I got a pair of earrings. Small incentives for small progress, bigger incentive for large progress :)

    Btw, you haven't been to the Shore this summer! :(

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  2. I like the idea of a day doing nothing - or rather, doing the stuff you want to do before the stuff you have to do. Like if you wanted to read in bed all day...

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  3. I just went to the Shore last weekend Heather. Weather wasn't great, but it was a fun weekend. :)

    Jillian, I would love a day of reading in bed. Staying in jammies all day, ordering dinner in. Sounds good to me.

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  4. Love the motivation, guys. I'm stuck today, avoiding my writing (I'm maybe 100 words in.....???????!!!!!), but this is encouragement to get back to work. xo

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  5. Sorry I missed you, then! :) The weather has been gorgeous for the past few days

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  6. I actually didn't get to the store to get my butterflies. Next time though. I wish the weather would have been nicer when I was there. Probably won't be back for awhile now. Girls start soccer!

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My Dad. He's awesome.

John Messina, Personal Injury Attorney

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