Experiments in Motivation
One item on my "By the time I'm 30" list that still remains is my novel. Originally, I wanted to be published by the time I'm 30, but that goal has been revised. I just want to get the damn book written already.
I've always had an excuse to put it off, many of which boils down do, "I don't have time." Last year, this proved to be BS since I was able to go to school full time while working full time. It was not an easy thing to do, but it's very doable. So this got me to thinking, if I'm able to make time for my schoolwork, why can't I seem to make time to write?
Another really frustrating aspect I'm encountering is my tendency to freeze up and just draw a blank. I've gotten up and walked around, found some things I just "had" to do, and did that instead of writing. It seems like my procrastination tendencies are overiding my want to finish this personal project. I've tried giving myself deadlines. I miss them. I tried putting myself on a writing schedule... and I end up bumping/or postponing the writing. There's been no real consequence of missing those self imposed deadlines and there's no tangible reward for pulling an all nighter or sacrificing playtime for meeting a deadline.
I've procrastinated before with school work. The only thing that seems to get me through the mental block when it comes to school work was the promise to purchase items (shoes) in my Amazon wishlist. (Shoes which I can definitely afford, but may not really have a use for). I think that form of instant gratification is something that I need to nudge me to get started on a project and to keep me on track. So, I've decided that I will need to pay myself $2 per page written. Single spaced.
Theoretically, once I've written 350 pages, I will have enough to buy this gorgeous Burberry bag that I'm pining for. Or, I can pay for 10 at-home massage sessions, or a small vacation. So far, I've made the time to write at least once a night. And I'm pushing myself to write new material instead of re-writing and revising material from before. I'm not concentrating on any plot holes or discrepancies - both of which plague me when I write. If I see a hole, I go back to fix it before I'm done and then I lose a lot of momentum that I need.
Anyway, this seems to be off to a good start. I'm hoping to write fast enough to be able to buy that bag before it's sold out or changed out for the new season.
I've always had an excuse to put it off, many of which boils down do, "I don't have time." Last year, this proved to be BS since I was able to go to school full time while working full time. It was not an easy thing to do, but it's very doable. So this got me to thinking, if I'm able to make time for my schoolwork, why can't I seem to make time to write?
Another really frustrating aspect I'm encountering is my tendency to freeze up and just draw a blank. I've gotten up and walked around, found some things I just "had" to do, and did that instead of writing. It seems like my procrastination tendencies are overiding my want to finish this personal project. I've tried giving myself deadlines. I miss them. I tried putting myself on a writing schedule... and I end up bumping/or postponing the writing. There's been no real consequence of missing those self imposed deadlines and there's no tangible reward for pulling an all nighter or sacrificing playtime for meeting a deadline.
I've procrastinated before with school work. The only thing that seems to get me through the mental block when it comes to school work was the promise to purchase items (shoes) in my Amazon wishlist. (Shoes which I can definitely afford, but may not really have a use for). I think that form of instant gratification is something that I need to nudge me to get started on a project and to keep me on track. So, I've decided that I will need to pay myself $2 per page written. Single spaced.
Theoretically, once I've written 350 pages, I will have enough to buy this gorgeous Burberry bag that I'm pining for. Or, I can pay for 10 at-home massage sessions, or a small vacation. So far, I've made the time to write at least once a night. And I'm pushing myself to write new material instead of re-writing and revising material from before. I'm not concentrating on any plot holes or discrepancies - both of which plague me when I write. If I see a hole, I go back to fix it before I'm done and then I lose a lot of momentum that I need.
Anyway, this seems to be off to a good start. I'm hoping to write fast enough to be able to buy that bag before it's sold out or changed out for the new season.