Monday, August 30, 2010

Deadlines, Punishments, and Rewards

I like deadlines and goals. I know, crazy, but I really do. I'm the kind of person who works better when I feel that clock ticking, when I know I only have so much time to get something done. (Hey, editors out there, please take note. I'm just sayin'.) If I don't have a deadline, then I just put things off and actually work slower.

Usually I have no problem setting my own deadlines and pushing myself to reach them. I outline what I have to do, plan how much I need to accomplish each day, and follow my plan come rain or snow. Step by step, the work gets done. If I need a little extra push, I pick a reward I can have when the work is done. It's never anything huge—maybe taking myself out to lunch or a new pair of shoes. For getting an agent, it was an orange purse. And if I ever get a book deal, it'll be a real desk (I currently work at a card table, heh).

But lately, my writer self-esteem issues have been getting in the way of my goals. I've been ignoring my deadlines because sometimes it feels like accomplishing stuff isn't important like it used to be. Of course this feeling is false, but I feel it nonetheless. Funny how that works.

This is where punishment comes in. Oh, yes, punishment.

I ask my writer friends to give me deadlines and punishments for failure when I can't get my butt in gear. Kiersten told me I had to finish Transparent by a certain date or risk following Tweeters who consume your feed with endless and constant updates (no, I won't name names). Renee has finally warned me that if I don't finish reading her MS in the next two weeks I will be drawing her something (she knows how to punish, getting something else cool if I fail and all).

Not everyone works well with deadlines, but I highly recommend them, even if you don't have an agent or editor to give them. It's good practice, right? Finishing a novel isn't an easy thing no matter how many you've written or how long they are, and sometimes it's nice to have that extra push when things get tough.

21 comments:

  1. I love deadlines too. Today I've got to get on a picture book my agent just returned. Once that's done it's reward time: finishing MOCKINGJAY.

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  2. I hear you on this...but I have problems hitting self-imposed deadlines. Therefore, I like to give myself ridiculous rewards when I actually hit them. Finished manuscript on Saturday means going to Sea World today! I'm going to buy me a dolphin.

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  3. Positive and negative reinforcement are so interesting. Negative reinforcement never sleeps, but sometimes it causes cowering in fetal position.

    I think having a few negative reinforcements are useful (Such as if you don't work you don't eat, and you die) but usually positive is better and makes us happier people.

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  4. I work much better with deadlines that someone else imposes, not so good with my own self-imposed ones. I like your idea of rewards and punishments.

    BTW: I heard a song this weekend that reminded me of you. It's called Ninjas and it's a kid song sung by the Bare Naked Ladies.

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  5. Goal setting and deadlines are extremely helpful in staying on a productive path. If I don't set goals and deadlines then I don't get much accomplished. It also helps when your buddies threaten you along the way. Best of luck.

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  6. there's a website out there somewhere (real helpful, right?) that lets you set a goal and it derives punishments for you (or prizes if you prefer) if you don't reach it. Such as donating money to a cause you absolutely despise. Now that's a horrible punishment

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  7. I totally set deadlines for myself, and I usually meet them too. And hey! I work at a card table too!! :)

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  8. hehe, I'm still torn on whether I want you to meet your deadline or not. :)

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  9. I live for deadlines. I set daily word count goal, make to-finish lists, and mark dates on which I'll have ms drafts or revisions completed with red stars on my calendar! Okay, maybe that's a bit compulsive :)

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  10. I love deadlines, but I'm horrible self-imposing them. I've done them numerous times and I fail on an epic scale nearly every time. If someone else makes them, then I'm much better and making it. Something about being held accountable keeps me going.

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  11. It was hard for me to set a deadline for writing my first book because, well it was my first. I would think writing a certain scene would only take me an hour and it ended up taking four, so I couldn't really set a deadline (although I hoped it wouldn't take me more than a year). It was really hard for me, because I also need deadlines to keep me on track. But it was interesting, too, to experience the ups and downs of NOT BEING FINISHED for so long.

    Btw it took me 10 months with about four months off, so I'll know how to set the deadline next time.

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  12. I love deadlines too. But, though I'm improving, I have a hard time with self-imposed deadlines. Maybe it's because I can't help but think of them as partially imaginary. I'll have to try rewards... mostly I just rely on the satisfaction of getting done (and a shiny new project to work on, of course. :P)

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  13. What Criddle said. (lol)

    (PS: Awesome word verification-message-from-the-universe: "prosper"!!)

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  14. I firmly believe in the usefulness of schedules and goals. My goal schedule on my WIP makes me keep working. It means I don't get to slack off just because thinking of how to solve a problem will be hard. It definitely keeps me more productive.

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  15. I grew up doing theatre, which is VERY deadline-oriented (you can't put off Opening Night, it's coming whether you're ready or not so you better be ready!). As a result, I have to have deadlines, even if they change.

    I just set a deadline for my next revision: November 1st, as I'll be starting NaNoWriMo then, and that has to be a first draft. This is going to be challenging because my day job really intensifies in September and October, but I think I am up to the task!

    If I ever get an agent, I may steal your idea and buy a new purse. Or possibly something full price from Anthropologie.

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  16. I'm a milestone kind of gal too. For first draft production, I found the most AMAZING program called "Write or Die." It's wickedly awesome. (Try it in Kamikaze mode.)

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  17. So true! I loved what you said a few days ago about being more productive in a shorter span of time. When you have all the time there is, why start, right?

    I've set aside two hours a day for book-time. Not blog time. Not facebook time. Not People.com time. Internet-off writing time. It's hard, but it is helping a lot!

    Love your blog :)

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  18. I give myself goals all the time. I have been bad about keeping them lately.

    Maybe I should look into punishments.....

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  19. I've given myself goals for September because between my three part-time jobs and trying to put together a Silent Auction for a writers conference, I'm not sure how I'm going to get *any* writing done...

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  20. My problem with setting deadlines is that I spend FOREVER trying to decide what the deadline should be and can never, ever agree (with myself!) on what/how long.

    Any tips for fixing that? haha

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  21. I totally agree with this - I need deadlines to get anything done. That's why I do a Creative Writing course - it's not for the course but for the fact that I HAVE to finish things as the deadlines are imposed and not by me.

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