Rewards, Motivation and Harry Potter

         We’re done. All of us crazy writers who participated in NaNoWriMo are finished. (In more ways than one?) Many of us made it to 50,000 words. Many of us did not. As my blog partners and I talked about last week, you could be a winner even if you missed the midnight-50K deadline. Only you know. Now it is time to reward yourself.

         Do not underestimate the power of rewards. I have known, in theory anyway, the motivating power of rewards for years. I have even used that motivating power countless times on my kids (no! That’s not bribing. Is it?) But I am only now coming to appreciate and comprehend its power to motivate me.

         This has been a difficult month for me. I have had several unexpected family matters that stole my computer time. The emotional issues attached to those family matters attempted to steal even more. The story I began with such hope and excitement on November 1st turned into an object of frustration and discouragement ran like blood through my veins. By the last week of November, even though I’d continued the struggle to get to the computer and to drag scenes from my brain, I was certain I would fail. A very bleak time for me.

         Then I was reminded of a half-joking comment to make going to see the new movie, Twilight, my reward for finishing. My son and daughter planned to go see it Sunday night, November 29. Could I do it? Could I get to from 19K to 50K in a week? I tried. I really, really tried. You have no idea how hard I tried. As the weekend progressed and knowing Sunday would be full and filled with commitments, leaving maybe 2-5 hours that I could actually be at my computer, I made a decision. I would lower the “bar” to 35K. If I made it there, if I wrote 35,000 words by 2 pm Sunday, I would call this month a win. I would luxuriate in the story and family accomplishments of this month. And I would have a play date with my almost-grown-and-gone children. Oh, and those emotional issues I told you about? Well rewarding myself for a job well done, even if not perfect, combats those issues, as well.

         So, for me, 37,312 words is a win.

         And I caught sight of my next big reward. The Harry Potter movie. We saw a preview of it at the theater. It comes out in July 2009. Yep. I’m just an overgrown kid. Can’t help it. Fantastical stories excite me. The surge of excitement that preview generated reminded me of the summer of 2007. I’d made a major writing goal for myself and was falling behind. The last Harry Potter book was due out soon. I refused to allow myself to read it until I’d accomplished that goal. The book Harry Potter: Deathly Hollows motivated me that summer to reach a goal. The movie Harry Potter: the Half-Blood Prince will do it again this summer. My goal? I will have at least one book finished, polished and submitted to publishers. Only then will I allow myself to see the movie. It will most likely be the one in which I just wrote 35K, but I will decide that by January 1. December will be spent playing with other story ideas and enjoying the time I have with my family.

         What about you? What is your reward? As you decide, remember the important thing about rewards. They must motivate. Really motivate. If the rewards you choose are not something that actually motivates you, what is the use? They won’t give you that extra push you’ll need to reach your goal. They won’t pull that last, desperately needed milliliter of determination from you when you are empty and spent. They won’t be a carrot-on-a-stick that forces you to take one more step. And one more. Real rewards motivate you. So, no matter how silly they seem, find those rewards that really, truly motivate you. Even if they are incredibly juvenile, like my fascination with YA fantasy books and movies. Even if they are totally lame, like my penchant for M&Ms or chocolate covered cherries. Whatever reward actually gets you moving toward that goal is the reward you need to stick out in front of yourself. Let those naysayers and criticizers find their own carrots.