Often a mixture of hard graft, personal sacrifice, soul searching, general indifference and frequent rejection – writing can be tough. That’s why having your own reward system to keep you writing can really help. After all, it’s unlikely that anyone else is going to lavish praise on you so you may as well do it yourself.
Science backs up the idea that treats can really help us stay motivated and writing through the dark times. Developmental psychologist BF Skinner investigated the role of rewards in helping people develop new habits and ditch old ones.
His research formed part of some broader work on what Skinner called ‘operant conditioning’ – how humans, especially children, are motivated by punishments and reinforcements.
Skinner’s experiments – conducted among hundreds of subjects for over 30 years – discovered that ‘positive reinforcements’ were vital in helping people accomplish tasks. He found that without, his test subjects tended to become “bored, discouraged and depressed” – and far more likely to throw in the towel.
But rewards, treats and celebrations all come in different shapes and sizes (and with different health warnings) so incorporating them into a writing practice needs to be thought through.
Using rewards effectively can transform your writing practice – but using them badly can leave you demotivated and lacking in confidence.
So, before popping the cork on that magnum of champagne read our 5 rules of writing rewards first:
1. Don’t reward the outcome – reward the effort
The amount of effort you put into writing can rarely be measured by words on a page so when you’re thinking about developing a reward system you need to factor that in. Some days you write hundreds of words only to rewrite – or delete – them the next. But that doesn’t mean that progress hasn’t been made. You might have moved on your argument or your story in your head. Also, just because you’ve written for hours doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve accomplished great things. Sometimes writing in short energetic bursts can move your work on in leaps and bounds – reward the progress you feel you’ve made and the effort you put in. Think quality – not quantity.
2. When you set a goal – always set a corresponding reward
We’ve written before about why goal setting matters and about some of the best methods to use – in short, be specific, don’t be too ambitious and start small. Another important tip to learn when setting your writing goal is to plan in how you’re going to reward yourself for achieving each stage.
Let’s say your goal for the month is to write the first chapter of a book and each day you want to write for an hour. Make sure you set an appropriate reward for each daily increment – then plan in a visit to your favourite restaurant to celebrate getting to the last day of the month.
3. Always make the reward fit with the achievement
There are four different levels of reward and once you know what these are then it’s time to start setting the reward that’s appropriate to the goal or step. For example:
1. The gift is in itself – when the act brings its own reward.
2. Treats – treating yourself to some simple pleasures.
3. Milestones – acknowledging an achievement on the way to something larger.
4. Celebrations – when a large goal or dream has been achieved.
A small goal should have a tiny treat whereas achieving a large goal or milestone deserves something a bit more celebratory. A treat is normally a small external reward, which is free or inexpensive, but not so mundane to be just part of your daily routine. Think of a treats as being too insignificant to be a prize or goal in themselves – they’re a sign of recognition, a pat on the back for getting on with things.
4. Don’t over or under reward
It’s important to reward yourself – but not too much or too little – and do it at the right stage. If your reward is too small then you’ll lose motivation with your project. However, if your reward is too big and grand then it all becomes about getting the prize rather than what you need to do to get there (best to open the magnum of champers when you’ve finished the book perhaps?).
Also, be careful of handing out rewards to yourself when you don’t deserve it – because then you’ll train yourself to expect rewards that don’t match the level of effort you’ve put in.
5. Find the rewards that work for you
There’s no such thing as a universal reward – one person’s treat is another’s trick – so think about what will motivate you. The key thing is to understand what each type of reward is for – and then apply this to you. After all, you know yourself the best.
For example, some people treat themselves by making a decent cup of coffee or tea – or having a quick snack to keep them going. Other writers prefer something more physical – having a stretch, going for a walk or a run to clear the head. Use whatever rewards system works to keep you motivated and moving forward with your project.