The most effective method of motivation I ever used was a public word counter: I was a writing a short story with a planned length of six thousand words. So every day, I would write my current word count on the dry erase board on our refrigerator (this is when I was living with Tommy). So every day, everyone could see whether or not I'd done any work on it.
The thing was finished in eight days, with a word count somewhere north of eight thousand words. Success!
You can't argue with success, so I bring back that same idea. I still have the dry erase board, but the pen has been lost and some idiot (*cough* FRINAN *cough*) wrote a quote from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on it in permanent marker, so it's unusable. Plus, I live alone.
So, instead, I use the dry erase board that is the internet and display my word count on this here blog. Of course, a big reason it worked before was that I could sense the disappointment in those around me when I didn't accomplish anything; I can't see your faces over the internet.
With that in mind, I found someone who, frankly, has a nicer-looking face than you anyway.
With Regina Spektor in tow, I am now prepared to make a serious run at this thing. I mean, who would want to disappoint Regina? Not me.
The goal for this episode -- which is now on its sixth title, "A Long December" -- is 8000 words. How long will it take? You and Regina are going to find out. But if this doesn't work, I am officially out of ideas.
Last year, I made a New Year's resolution to write six episodes; I wrote one. The taste of failure is bitter, friends. I shall not partake of it again.
To victory!
(God, I should get more sleep.)
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Now playing: Regina Spektor - Reading Time With Pickle
via FoxyTunes
In this context, Regina looks like she's a little disappointed in you but is willing to give you another chance. And she's hopeful for a good turnaround.
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't look all that pleased with me, no. But she knows I can do it. Fail her this time, though...
ReplyDelete