(no subject)

[the_rck]

I’m trying to come up with some sort of incentive to get myself to start writing. I don’t want to spend money, and I don’t want to have to take the bus anywhere (it’s too hot for leaving the house to be comfortable). I really don’t want use food because anything attractive in that direction would be junk. I don’t play any videogames (and really don’t want to start). I haven’t got anything that I’m looking forward to that I can hold hostage, either. All my current books and DVDs are in the 'yeah, I have to get to that, I guess' category.

I want this story to be done, but that’s apparently not enough to get me to start. Nor is the prospect of being able to work on my other stories seem to be enough motivation.

Comments

[sylvaine]

Would setting aside a set time for an hour or so every day help, perhaps? Getting rid of all possible distractions for that hour & such. (Not much of an incentive, per se, admittedly - I am terribly bad at the whole "getting myself to do things" thing anyway.)

[the_rck]

I'm not sure how much it would help. A set time might help because it would keep me from telling myself that I've got hours and hours before bedtime and can easily start later. It also might not help because I will know that it's not a hard deadline. I'm terrible with self-imposed deadlines because my brain decides that those aren't genuine deadlines.

[sylvaine]

Yeah, I totally get that, my brain does that too. I find external accountability helps: do you have local writer friends perhaps? Or what I frequently do is ask on twitter if anyone wants to do a productivity sprint of 20 minutes/1 hour/etc. with me. At the end of that time we check in with each other's progress, take a break, and then optionally start another sprint. I find that super helpful, not just for creative endeavours but also for housework and homework and anything else I don't want to do, lol. Or maybe you could ask you husband to ask you about your progress every evening? Or you could make a calendar and give yourself a gold star every day you manage. :D (Or use an app or website - Habitica (primarily website, but also has an app) gamifies chores and habits with an RPG-style system where you can get mounts and armor and weapons & stuff like that, Challenge Accepted (website) does a similar thing with quests, HabitBull (an app - I use this) doesn't gamify things, but gives you stats and numbers such as how long your current streak is, what percentage of days have been successful & that kind of thing.)

Also, maybe you can listen to some music you enjoy while you write? I occasionally use that to try and trick myself (with varied success) into thinking the homework/housework/whatever is fun.

[the_rck]

I don't have any local friends who write, and the online friends who do are on quite different schedules than I am.

I should probably make a new Habitica account. I haven't touched mine since March of 2015 when I broke my foot, and at this point, I've got a sort of block on going there as if I'm expecting the site to judge me for being gone for so long.

I listen to music a lot. It can help sometimes but not always.

[untonuggan]

<3

sympathies

my brain is currently finding other shiny things VERY SHINY and so writing is hard. :/

[untonuggan]

which does not in ANY WAY answer your question but does i hope make you feel less alone? idk.

[the_rck]

It does. ::smiles::

[the_rck]

I know that problem, too.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Negotiate with Scott - for 500 words you get to set the thermostat. ;)

Terrible idea, but maybe it'll give you some ideas.

[the_rck]

Maybe I can talk Scott into a foot massage for every 300 words or something. ::laughs:: It would probably work for me.

[syderia]

Have you heard of Habitica (https://habitica.com)?
Its focus is a little wider that what you're looking for, but it might still answer.

[the_rck]

I did Habitica up until March of 2015 when I broke my foot. I put myself in the Inn and just somehow never went back.

It wasn't great for getting me to write, but it did help with exercise and with tracking things like watering our only plant once a week.

I still get emails asking me to sign in and help my party fight some monster or another.

[the_rck]

Oh, and to be more clear-- I haven't gone back to Habitica out of that weird sort of embarrassment that makes one not go to some real world place if one's been absent for a long time after having gone there regularly for a much longer time. I have no idea why I've got that with regard to a virtual space, particularly one where I could just, you know, make a new account and start fresh.