Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Road-Trippin: Goals and Rewards

I'm going to play along with YA Highway's Road Trip Wednesday this week, answering the following question:

How do you reward yourself when you meet your writing goals?

This question is an easy one for me, because I am really into using the reward system as a way to motivate myself. It's win-win, right? I do something that's good for me, I get a treat. For dragging my butt to the gym, it's clothes shopping. For writing, it's usually some form of entertainment--sometimes a movie, usually a book. I think reading something great is the perfect way to cap off an intense writing session.

Speaking of books, last week I received $150 worth of Amazon gift cards (it was my birfday, yo), and yesterday I dipped my toe in the pool and bought three new books for my Kindle: Unwind and Everlost by Neal Shusterman, and Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor. I was sold on two of these three books solely on the basis of one reviewer's recommendations on Goodreads, fyi.

RTW also suggested mentioning any big picture writing goal rewards, and I do have those as well. Those "if someday I got a phat advance even though I know it's all a daydream and this is not a moneymaking biz" rewards I have planned out for myself. One daydream reward is a shiny new laptop. The other is Lasik or some sort of similarly permanent corrective procedure (I heard intraocular lenses work well), because that is a perk you daydream about when both your eyes are -8.0.

Happy roadtripping!

18 comments:

  1. I hear ya on the Lasik. I'm -7.5 and all this staring at the computer is making my prescription go up much faster than it used to before I stared at the screen all day. That's a great reward. I might have to make it mine. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. These are great. I think rewarding with a book purchase makes tons of sense.
    And, lasik is an investment, a good one for a writer. Maybe then you can write it off on your taxes, too?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great book selections! I'm with you on the needing/wanting a shiny new laptop!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, Lasik is something I've been thinking about too! Also, I'm totally with you on the movie/book reward thing! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I totally dream of Lasik and Amazon gift cards. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Totally jealous of all of those Amazon gift certificates. And that motivation for going to the gym...maybe I need that. And getting a reward for writing doesn't sound too bad, either.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's good to dream big! You never know what might happen. And a new laptop will be a very useful reward :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. LOVE that Laini Taylor book. I'm anxiously awaiting her new one.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think some kind of entertainment is a GREAT reward. We spend so many hours locked in front of our computers...sometimes it's nice to go out and socialize again. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm a -4 and a -6 (Weird, right?) and I dream of Lasik. Fantastic reward. Also, happy belated birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow! Somebody got a lot of loot for her birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I don't really celebrate my writing, which is probably kind of weird. You've now given me a goal to shoot for :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your laptop reward reminds me of my big advance dream of a nice desk chair big enough to sit cross-legged in as I write (I'm currently sitting in a $50.00 manager chair).

    ReplyDelete
  14. Lasik is AMAZING. Don't wait! Reward yourself today! Definitely one of the best things I have ever done :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Lasik sounds like a great reward! I just might have to look into that someday. Love the book purchase idea for celebrating the smaller milestones.

    ReplyDelete
  16. If Lasik can become tax deductible, sign me up.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love rewards! I like the idea of a nice new laptop too! :)

    ReplyDelete