Rewards

In Jeff Goins' 500-words a day challenge, Day 3 (get up early), he included this postscript: "Try rewarding yourself with little treats when you finish your 500 words for the day. Withhold certain things (like checking email or taking a shower) as ways of bribing yourself to do the work."

I was thinking about this concept when I came across this post earlier today. In it author Nina Faye Morey asserts that "Writing is definitely hard work and if we don't create some little rewards for ourselves each day, eventually all that hard work will suck all the enjoyment out of it."

She has a point. Writing is a pleasure, but it can also be a struggle. It's especially challenging for a "pantser" (someone who doesn't outline or plan her stories) when she has trouble clearing a hurdle or comes up against a brick wall. 

Morey offers examples of rewards that work for her - things like a cup of hot chocolate, Chai tea or a good book. Incentives, she reminds us, needn't cost the earth. 

So what kinds of things can I use as celebrations for writing achievements?

For mini-successes, like writing a blog post or completing 500 words:

• Reading a chapter in a book I'm enjoying
• Listening to a song on my current playlist
• Writing a note of encouragement to myself or someone else
• Taking a break for a cup of hot chocolate, coffee or tea
• Listening to an awesome TED Talk
• Watching a YouTube video
• Coloring a page in an adult coloring book
• Calling a friend whose voice I haven't heard in a while

For larger successes, like completing a short story or longer work, I can:

• Make it a night on the town! Dinner and a show
• Get tickets to a concert
• Invite friends over for a party
• Throw a book launch
• Treat myself to a mani-pedicure
• Get my hair cut at a fancier salon
• Go away for the weekend and stay at a nice bed-and- breakfast or vintage inn

Nina isn't such a fan of withholding rewards, which she views as a form of self-punishment and disincentive to write. I understand what she's saying, but I also get Goins' view of withholding as a way of enticing yourself. You're not failing to reward, you're just making yourself wait until you've got the job done. If I know, for example that I can't check my e-mail until I've written 500 words, or 250, that's probably an effective bribe. If I know that I'm not allowing myself any beverage but water until I finish that chapter, I'm going to work harder to finish the chapter even if (initially) it's not very good. 

When I started this post, I honestly wasn't sure if I'd be able to come up with very many rewards/bribes. It took some thinking, but I'm pretty pleased with the list I created and wouldn't mind expanding on it.

What are your thoughts on incentives? Got any that work especially well? Please share your ideas in the comments. I do my best to respond!